[163]
The Victor named Padumuttara, gone to the far shore of all dhammas,
the Leader, arose one hundred thousand aeons ago.
At that time I was born into a certain family in Haṃsavatī;
I did work for others, prudent, restrained in virtue.
Sujāta, the chief disciple of the Buddha Padumuttara,
departing from the monastery, was going for almsfood.
Going along then as a water-carrier, pot in hand,
seeing him, with a confident heart I gave him a cake with my own hands.
Having accepted it, he sat down right there and ate it;
then, leading him to the house, I gave him food.
Then my master, well pleased, made me his own daughter-in-law;
and going together with my mother-in-law, I paid homage to the Fully Awakened One.
Then he, extolling a bhikkhunī who was a speaker of the Dhamma,
established her in the foremost place (etadagga); hearing that, I was gladdened.
Having invited the Sugata, the Leader of the World, together with the Saṅgha,
and given a great alms-offering, I aspired to that position.
Then the Sugata, of deep-resounding, sweet voice, said to me:
"You who delight in attending upon me, who serve food to me together with the Saṅgha,
devoted to hearing the true Dhamma, your mind grown in virtue:
be joyful, good lady! You shall obtain this fruit of your aspiration.
One hundred thousand aeons from now there will be a Teacher in the world,
sprung from the Okkāka clan, Gotama by name.
An heir in his dhammas, a true-born child fashioned by the Dhamma,
Dhammadinnā by name, she will be a disciple of the Teacher."
Hearing that, gladdened, for as long as life lasted, with a mind of loving-kindness
I attended upon the Great Sage, the Guide, with requisites (paccaya).
By that deed well performed, and by my intention and resolve,
on abandoning the human body I went to Tāvatiṃsa.
In this auspicious aeon there arose Kassapa,
kinsman of Brahmā, of great fame, the best of speakers.
The attendant of the Great Seer at that time was the lord of men,
the king of Kāsi, Kikī by name, in Bārāṇasī, supreme among cities.
I was his sixth daughter, renowned as Sudhammā;
hearing the Dhamma of the foremost Victor, I set my heart upon the going forth (pabbajjā).
Our father did not give us leave; so then, right at home,
unwearied, for twenty thousand years we lived —
The Third Recitation Section (bhāṇavāra).
— the holy life of maidenhood: royal maidens established in comfort,
delighting in attendance upon the Buddha, joyful — the seven daughters:
Samaṇī and Samaṇaguttā, Bhikkhunī, Bhikkhudāsikā,
Dhammā and Sudhammā, and Saṅghadāsikā the seventh.
Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā, Paṭācārā and Kuṇḍalā,
Gotamī, and I myself — and Visākhā is the seventh.
By those deeds well performed, and by my intention and resolve,
on abandoning the human body I went to Tāvatiṃsa.
And now, in my final existence, in Giribbaja, supreme among cities,
I was born into a wealthy merchant's family, prosperous, abounding in every object of desire.
When, endowed with the excellence of beauty, I stood in the first flush of youth,
then, going to another family, I dwelt endowed with happiness.
Approaching the Refuge of the World and hearing the teaching of the Dhamma,
my husband, of excellent understanding, attained the fruit of non-returning (anāgāmiphala).
Then, having obtained his consent, I went forth into homelessness;
in no long time I attained arahantship.
Then that lay follower (upāsaka) approached me and asked me
questions deep and subtle; and I answered them all.
The Victor, pleased at that excellence, established me in the foremost place:
"I see no other bhikkhunī, a speaker of the Dhamma, such as this.
Bhikkhus, so should you remember her: as Dhammadinnā the wise."
Thus am I called wise, compassionately regarded by the Leader.
The Teacher has been served by me; the Buddha's teaching has been carried out;
the heavy burden has been laid down; the conduit to existence (bhavanetti) has been uprooted.
The goal for whose sake I went forth from home into homelessness —
that goal has been attained by me: the destruction of all fetters (saṃyojana).
I have mastery of the psychic powers (iddhi) and of the divine ear-element;
I know the minds of others: I am one who has carried out the Buddha's teaching.
I know my former abodes; the divine eye has been purified;
having exhausted all taints (āsava), I am purified, thoroughly stainless.
My defilements have been burned away; all existences have been uprooted;
like a she-elephant that has severed her bonds, I dwell free of taints.
Welcome indeed was my coming into the presence of the best of Buddhas;
the three true knowledges (vijjā) have been attained; the Buddha's teaching has been carried out.
The four analytical knowledges (paṭisambhidā) and also these eight liberations (vimokkha),
the six direct knowledges (chaḷabhiññā) have been realized; the Buddha's teaching has been carried out.
Thus indeed did the bhikkhunī Dhammadinnā speak these verses.
The Apadāna of the Therī Dhammadinnā is concluded.
Fourth: the Apadāna of the Therī Sakulā (24)
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.