[164] The Victor (Jina) named Padumuttara, gone to the far shore of all dhammas,
the Leader, arose one hundred thousand aeons (kappa) before the present.
The best of speakers, the thoroughbred among men, entered on his course
in the world with its devas for the welfare of all beings, for their happiness and their benefit.
Arrived at the summit of fame, glorious, bearing renown and praise,
the Victor was honored by all the world, well famed throughout every quarter.
He had crossed beyond doubt (vicikicchā) and passed beyond all perplexity;
with the intention of his mind fulfilled, he attained the supreme awakening (sambodhi).
Supreme among men, he was the arouser of the path (magga) not arisen before;
he declared what had not been declared and brought into being what had not come to be.
Knower of the path, discoverer of the path, declarer of the path, the bull among men;
skilled in regard to the path, the Teacher, highest and best of charioteers.
The Protector of great compassion, the Leader, teaches the Dhamma;
he draws up living beings sunk in the mire of sensuality.
At that time I was born at Haṃsavatī, a joy to the khattiyas,
lovely of form, wealthy too, beloved and full of glory —
the supremely beautiful daughter of the great king Ānanda,
and the sister, by a different mother, of the one named Padumuttara.
Attended by the royal maidens, adorned with every ornament,
I approached the Great Hero and listened to his teaching of the Dhamma.
For on that occasion that Knower of the World established a bhikkhunī endowed with the divine eye (dibbacakkhu)
in the foremost place in the midst of the fourfold assembly.
Hearing that, delighted, I gave a gift to the Teacher
and, having honored the Fully Awakened One, I aspired to the divine eye.
Then the Teacher said to me: "Nandā, you shall obtain what you have aspired to;
this is the well-ascertained fruit of your gifts of lamps and of the Dhamma.
One hundred thousand aeons from now, there will be a Teacher in the world,
Gotama by name, sprung from the family of Okkāka.
An heir to his dhammas, a true-born child fashioned by the Dhamma,
Sakulā by name, you shall be a female disciple (sāvikā) of the Teacher."
Through that deed well done, and through my volition and aspirations,
on abandoning the human body I went to Tāvatiṃsa.
In this fortunate aeon there arose the kinsman of Brahmā, of great fame,
Kassapa by name, the best of speakers.
At that time I was a female wanderer (paribbājikā), faring alone;
having walked for alms, I obtained a small measure of oil.
With it I lit a lamp and, keeping every restraint (sabbasaṃvara),
I attended upon the shrine (cetiya) of the Best of Bipeds with a mind of serene confidence.
Through that deed well done, and through my volition and aspirations,
on abandoning the human body I went to Tāvatiṃsa.
Wherever I am reborn, by the power of that deed,
great lamps blaze for me there, wherever I have gone.
Beyond a wall, beyond a crag, passing over a mountain,
I see whatever I wish: this is the fruit of the gift of lamps.
My eyes are pure; I blaze with fame;
I have faith and I am possessed of wisdom: this is the fruit of the gift of lamps.
And now, in my final existence, I was born in a brahmin family
of abundant wealth and grain, joyful, honored by the king.
Perfect in every limb, adorned with every ornament,
at the Sugata's entry into the city I stood at a window;
and seeing him blazing with fame, revered by devas and humans,
endowed with the minor characteristics, adorned with the marks,
with uplifted mind, glad at heart, I chose the going forth (pabbajjā);
and in no long time I attained arahantship (arahatta).
I have mastery over the psychic powers (iddhi) and over the divine ear element;
I know the minds of others: I am one who carries out the Teacher's instruction.
I know my former abodes; the divine eye has been purified;
having exhausted all taints (āsava), I became pure, thoroughly stainless.
The Teacher has been served by me; the Buddha's teaching has been done;
the heavy burden has been laid down; the conduit to existence (bhavanetti) has been uprooted.
The goal for the sake of which I went forth from home into homelessness —
that goal has been attained by me: the destruction of all fetters (saṃyojana).
Then the One of Great Compassion, supreme among men, established me in the foremost place:
"Sakulā is the foremost of those who possess the divine eye."
My defilements (kilesa) have been burnt up; all existences have been extirpated;
like a she-elephant that has sundered 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 done.
The four analytic insights (paṭisambhidā) and these eight liberations (vimokkha),
and the six superknowledges (chaḷabhiññā) have been realized; the Buddha's teaching has been done.
Thus indeed did the bhikkhunī Sakulā speak these verses.
The Apadāna of the Therī Sakulā is concluded.
Fifth: the Apadāna of the Therī Nandā (25).
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.