[176] Ninety-one aeons from this one, the Leader named Vipassī arose,
lovely-eyed, possessed of the eye with regard to all dhammas.
At that time I was born at Bandhumatī, in a great family, rich and prosperous —
beautiful, beloved, and honored by the people.
Having approached the Great Hero Vipassī, the Leader of the World,
and having heard the Dhamma, I went to the Leader of Men for refuge.
Having become restrained in the precepts (sīla), when the Supreme among Men had attained final Nibbāna,
I made an offering of a golden parasol above the stūpa of his relics.
Freely generous and virtuous as long as life lasted, passing away from there,
abandoning the human body, I went to Tāvatiṃsa.
Then, having surpassed [all others] without remainder in ten respects —
in forms, in sounds, in scents, in tastes, and in touches,
in lifespan and in beauty, in happiness and in fame,
and likewise in sovereignty — excelling them, I shone.
And now, in my final existence, I was born in the city called Kapila,
the daughter of Khemaka the Sakyan, well known by the name Nandā.
People declared, too, that my endowment of surpassing beauty was unique — its very token —
when I had reached the prime of youth, adorned with beauty of form and complexion.
Here a very great quarrel arose among the Sakyans over me;
so my father had me go forth, [thinking], "Let not the Sakyans be destroyed!"
Having gone forth, and having heard that the Tathāgata, the Supreme among Men, was a despiser of beauty,
I would not approach him, being proud of my own beauty.
I would not even go to the exhortation, fearful of seeing the Buddha.
Then the Victor, by a stratagem, drew me into his presence.
Skilled in the path, by his psychic power (iddhi) he displayed three women:
one young, like the form of a celestial nymph, one aged, and one dead.
Seeing the three, deeply stirred, I grew dispassionate toward the carcass;
I stood there disenchanted with existence. Then the Leader said to me:
"See, Nandā, this body, afflicted, impure, putrid,
oozing and trickling, which fools long for.
"Develop the mind (citta) upon foulness (asubha), unified and well concentrated:
as this is, so is that; as that is, so is this.
"Contemplating it thus, untiring day and night,
then, having become thoroughly disenchanted through your own wisdom, you will dwell [at peace]."
As I dwelt heedful, wisely investigating here,
this body was seen by me as it really is (yathābhūta), both within and without.
Then I became disenchanted with the body, and inwardly I grew dispassionate;
heedful and detached, I am at peace, quenched.
I have mastery of the psychic powers and of the divine ear element (dibbasotadhātu),
and I have mastery of the knowledge encompassing the minds of others (cetopariyañāṇa), O Great Sage.
I know my former abodes (pubbenivāsa); the divine eye (dibbacakkhu) has been purified;
all taints (āsava) are utterly destroyed; now there is no renewed existence.
Knowledge (ñāṇa) of meaning, of dhamma, of language, and likewise of perspicuity
arose in me, O Great Hero, in your presence.
My defilements (kilesa) have been burned away; all existences have been extirpated.
Like a cow-elephant that has burst her bonds, I dwell without 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 also these eight liberations (vimokkha),
and the six superknowledges (abhiññā) have been realized; the Buddha's teaching has been done.
Thus indeed the bhikkhunī Abhirūpanandā uttered these verses.
The Apadāna of Abhirūpanandā Therī is concluded.
Seventh: The Apadāna of Aḍḍhakāsī Therī (37)
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.