[470] 4.
"Madam, in former days, as you devoured
your children who had died,
by day and by night alike
you were tormented beyond measure.
Today, having devoured all seven children,
brahmin lady — Vāsiṭṭhī,
for what reason
are you not sorely tormented?"
"Many hundreds of children,
and hundreds of hosts of kin,
have been devoured in time gone by —
mine, brahmin, and yours as well.
But I, having known the escape (nissaraṇa)
from birth (jāti) and from death (maraṇa),
do not sorrow, I do not weep,
nor am I tormented."
"Astonishing indeed, Vāsiṭṭhī,
is such speech as you utter!
Whose Dhamma have you come to know,
that you utter words such as these?"
"He, brahmin, the Fully Awakened One (sambuddha),
near the city of Mithilā,
taught the Dhamma to living beings
for the abandoning of all suffering (dukkha).
Having heard, brahmin, the Dhamma of that Arahant,
free of acquisitions (nirūpadhi),
and having come to know the true Dhamma (saddhamma) there,
I dispelled my sorrow for my children."
"Then I too shall go
to the city of Mithilā;
perhaps that Blessed One
may release me from all suffering."
The brahmin saw the Buddha,
fully released, free of acquisitions;
the Sage (muni) gone beyond suffering
taught the Dhamma to him:
suffering, the arising of suffering,
and the passing beyond of suffering,
the noble eightfold path (magga)
leading to the stilling of suffering.
Having come to know the true Dhamma there,
he delighted in the going forth (pabbajjā);
in three nights Sujāta
attained the three true knowledges (vijjā).
"Come, charioteer, go:
deliver this chariot back;
tell the brahmin lady of [my] good health:
'The brahmin has now gone forth;
in three nights Sujāta
attained the three true knowledges.'"
(Then, taking the chariot,
and the thousand as well, the charioteer
told the brahmin lady of [his] good health:
"The brahmin has now gone forth;
in three nights Sujāta
attained the three true knowledges.")
"And this horse-chariot, charioteer,
and the thousand as well —
having heard that the brahmin has the three true knowledges,
I give them to you, a brimming bowl (puṇṇapatta) [of reward]."
"Let the horse-chariot be yours alone,
and the thousand too, brahmin lady;
I also shall go forth
in the presence of him of excellent wisdom."
"Elephants, cattle, and horses, jewelled earrings,
and this thriving household wealth —
abandoning it, your father has gone forth.
Enjoy the possessions, Sundarī;
you are the heiress in the family."
"Elephants, cattle, and horses, jewelled earrings,
and this delightful household wealth —
abandoning it, my father has gone forth,
afflicted by sorrow for his son;
I too shall go forth,
afflicted by sorrow for my brother."
"May that intention of yours succeed,
Sundarī, even as you aspire:
the morsel of alms got by standing, the gleanings,
and the rag-robe for raiment —
making do with these, [may you be]
free of taints (āsava) in the world beyond."
"While I was yet in training, noble lady,
the divine eye (dibbacakkhu) was purified;
I know my former abodes (pubbenivāsa),
where I dwelt before.
Relying upon you, gracious lady —
O elder, ornament of the Saṅgha —
the three true knowledges have been attained;
the Buddha's teaching has been done.
Give me leave, noble lady:
I wish to go to Sāvatthī;
I shall roar the lion's roar (sīhanāda)
in the presence of the supreme Buddha."
"See, Sundarī, the Teacher —
golden-hued, of golden skin,
tamer of the untamed,
the Fully Awakened One who fears nothing from any quarter."
"See Sundarī as she comes —
fully released, free of acquisitions,
rid of lust, unfettered,
her task done, free of taints.
Having set out from Bārāṇasī
and come into your presence,
your disciple (sāvikā) Sundarī,
O great hero, venerates your feet.
You are the Buddha, you are the Teacher;
I am your daughter, brahmin —
true-born of your breast, born of your mouth —
my task done, free of taints."
"Welcome to you then, good lady,
and in no way are you ill-come;
for thus do the tamed come,
venerating the Teacher's feet —
rid of lust, unfettered,
the task done, free of taints."
Sundarī.
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.