ဓမ္မပဒ-အဋ္ဌကထာ (ပ)

[VIII. 11] VIII. 11. ON THE RAZOR'S EDGE Though one should live a hundred years. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to the Elder Sappadasa. [256] At Savatthi, we are told, the son of a respectable family, after hearing the Teacher preach the Law, was received into the Order and made his full profession. Becoming discontented after a time, he thought to himself, "The life of a layman is not suited to a youth of station like me; but even death would be preferable to remaining a monk." So he went about considering ways of killing himself. Now one day, very early in the morning, the monks went to the monastery after breakfast, and seeing a snake in the hall where the fire was kept, put it into a jar, closed the jar, and carried it out of the monastery. The discontented monk, after eating his breakfast, drew near, and seeing the monks, asked them, "What's that you've got, brethren?" "A snake, brother." "What are you going to do with it.?" "Throw it away." The monk thought to himself, "I will commit suicide by letting the snake bite me." So he said to the monks, "Let me take it; I'll throw it away." He took the jar from their hands, sat down in a certain place, and tried to make the snake bite him. But the snake refused to bite him. Then he put his hand into the jar, waved it this way and that opened the snake's mouth and stuck his finger in, but the snake still refused to bite him. So he said to himself, "It's not a poisonous snake, but a house-snake," threw it away, and returned to the monastery. The monks asked him, "Did you throw the snake away, brother?" "Brethren, that was not a poisonous snake; it was only a house-snake." "Brother, that was a poisonous snake, all the same; [257] it spread its hood wide, hissed at us, and gave us much trouble to catch. Why do you talk thus." "Brethren, I tried to make it bite me, and even stuck my finger into its mouth, but I couldn't make it bite.' When the monks heard this, they were silent. Now the discontented monk acted as barber of the monastery; and one day he went to the monastery with two or three razors, and laying one razor on the floor, cut the hair of the monks with the other. When he removed the razor from the floor, the thought occurred to him, "I will cut my throat with this razor and so put myself out of the way." So he went to a certain tree, leaned his neck against a branch, and applied the blade of the razor to his windpipe. Remaining in this position, he reflected upon his conduct from the time of his full profession, and perceived that his conduct was flawless, even as the spotless disk of the moon or a cluster of transparent jewels. As he surveyed his conduct, a thrill of joy suffused his whole body. Suppressing the feeling of joy and developing Spiritual Insight, he attained Arahatship together with the Supernatural Faculties. Then he took his razor and entered the monastery inclosure. The monks asked him, "Where did you go, brother?" "Brethren, I went out thinking to myself, *I will cut my windpipe with this razor and so put myself out of the way.' " [258] "How did you escape death?" "I can no longer carry a knife. For I said to myself, *With this razor will I sever my windpipe.' But instead of so doing, I severed the Depravities with the Razor of Knowledge." The monks said to themselves, "This monk speaks falsely, says what is untrue," and reported the matter to the Exalted One. The Exalted One listened to their words and replied, "Monks, those that have rid themselves of the Depravities are incapable of taking their own life." "Reverend Sir, you speak of this monk as one who has rid himself of the Depravities. But how comes it that this monk, possessed of the faculties requisite for the attainment of Arahatship, became discontented? How came he to possess those faculties? Why did not that snake bite him?" "Monks, the simple fact is that that snake was his slave in -N. 2. 25916] On the razor's edge 249 his third previous existence, and therefore did not dare to bite the body of his own master." Thus briefly did the Teacher explain this cause to them. Thereafter that monk was known as Sappadasa. ('Having a snake as his slave.') 11a. Story of the Past: Discontented and covetous In the dispensation of the Buddha Kassapa, we are told, a certain youth of respectable family, having heard the Teacher preach the Law, was moved to enter the Order. Some time after he had made his full profession, discontent arose within him, and he spoke of it to a certain fellow-monk. The latter spoke to him repeatedly of the disadvantages connected with the life of a householder. The monk listened to his words, and became satisfied once more with the Religious Life. One day he was seated on the bank of a pool cleansing his monastic utensils of spots they had taken on in the days of his discontent, and his fellow-monk was seated beside him. Said he to his fellowmonk, "Brother, it was my intention on leaving the Order to give these utensils to you." [259] His fellow-monk thought, "What difference does it make to me whether this monk remains in the Order or leaves it. Now I shall get his utensils away from him." From that tune on, his fellow-monk would say to him, "How now, brother! What is the use of our living, we who go from house to house with potsherds in our hands seeking alms and are forbidden to talk and converse with son and wife." This and much else did his fellowmonk say to him, dwelling on the advantages of the life of a householder. From listening to the talk of his fellow-monk, he became discontented again. Then the thought occurred to him, "At first, when I told this monk that I was discontented, he spoke of the disadvantages of the life of a householder; now, however, he dwells repeatedly on its advantages; I wonder what can be the reason." The reason flashed through his mind, "It is because he covets these monastic utensils of mine." End of Story of the Past. "Thus it was that because a certain monk became discontented in the dispensation of the Buddha Kassapa, he became discontented in the present time; and because he meditated then for twenty thousand years, he obtained at the present time the faculties requisite for the attainment of Arahatship." The monks, after hearing the Exalted One explain this matter, asked him a further question, "Reverend Sir, this monk says that he attained Arahatship even as he stood with the blade of his razor pressed against his windpipe. Is it possible to gain the Path of Arahatship in so short a period of time?" "Yes, monks, a monk who strives with all his might may gain the Path of Arahatship in raising his foot, in setting his foot on the ground, or even before his foot touches the ground. [260] For it is better for a man who strives with all his might to live but a single instant than for an idle man to live a hundred years." So saying, he joined the connection, and preaching the Law, he pronounced the following Stanza, 112. Though one should live a hundred years, idle, listless. Yet were it better to live for a single day, and strive with might and main.

[VIII. 12] VIII. 12. PATACARA IS BEREFT OF ALL HER FAMILY Though one should live a hundred years. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher, while in residence at Jetavana, with reference to the nun Patacara. Patacara, we are told, was the daughter of a wealthy merchant of Savatthi. Her father was worth four hundred millions, and she was exceedingly beautiful. When she was about sixteen years old, her parents provided quarters for her in a palace seven stories high, and there they kept her, on the topmost floor, surrounded by guards. But in spite of these precautions she misconducted herself, and it was with her own page. [261] Now it so happened that her father and mother had promised her in marriage to a certain young man who was her social equal, and finally they set the wedding-day. When the day was close at hand, she said to the page, "My parents tell me that they intend to give me in marriage to a young man who comes of such and such a family. Now you know very well that when I am once inside of my husband's house, you may bring me presents and come to see me all you like, but you will never, never get in. Therefore, if you really love me, don't delay an instant, but find some way or other of getting me out of this -N .2.26213] Patacara is bereft of all her family 251 place." "Very well, my love; this is what I will do : to-morrow, early in the morning, I will go to the city, gate and wait for you at such and such a spot; you manage, somehow or other, to get out of this place and meet me there." On the following day he went to the appointed place and waited. Patacara got up very early in the morning, put on soiled garments, disheveled her hair, and smeared her body with red powder. Then, in order to outwit her keepers, she took a water-pot in her hand, surrounded herself with slave-maidens, and set out as if she intended to fetch water. Escaping from the palace, she went to the appointed place and met her lover. Together they went a long way off, and took up their abode in a certain village. The husband tilled the soil, and gathered firewood and leaves in the forest. The wife fetched water in her water-pot, and with her own hand pounded the rice, did the cooking, and performed the other household duties. Thus did Patacara reap the fruit of her own sin. By and by she became pregnant, and when the time for her delivery was near at hand, she made the following request to her husband, "Here I have no one to help me. But a mother and father always have a soft spot in their heart for their child. Therefore take me home to them, that I may give birth to my child in their house." [262] But her husband refused her request, saying to her, "My dear wife, what say you. If your mother and father were to see me, they would subject me to all manner of tortures. It is out of the question for me to go." Over and over again she begged him, and each time he refused her. One day, when her husband was away in the forest, she went to the neighbors and said, "Should my husband ask you where I have gone when he returns, tell him that I have gone home to my parents." And having so said, she closed the door of her house and went away. When her husband returned and observed that she was not there, he inquired of the neighbors, and they told him what had happened. "I must persuade her to return," thought he, and set out after her. Finally he caught sight of her, and overtaking her, begged her to return with him. But try as he might, he was unable to persuade her to do so. When they reached a certain place, the birth-pains came upon her. Said she to her husband, "Husband, the birth-pains are come upon me." So saying, she made her way into a clump of bushes, laid herself upon the ground, and there, with much tossing about and pain, she gave birth to a son. Then she said, "What I set out to go home for is over." So back again to their house she went with him, and once more they Hved together. After a time she became pregnant again. When the time for her dehvery was at hand, she made the same request of her husband as before and received the same answer. So she took her child upon her hip and went away just as she had before. Her husband followed her, overtook her, and asked her to return with him. This she refused to do. Now as they went on their way, a fearful storm arose, out of due season. [263] The sky was ablaze with flashes of lightning, and rent asunder, as it were, with thunder-claps, and there was an incessant downpour of rain. At that moment the birth-pains came upon her. She said to her husband, "Husband, the birth-pains are come upon me; I cannot stand it; find me a place out of the rain." Her husband went hither and thither, axe in hand, seeking materials for a shelter. Seeing some brushwood growing on the top of an anthill, he set about to chop it down. Hardly had he begun his work, when a poisonous snake slipped out of the ant-hill and bit him. Instantly his body was burned up, as it were, by flames of fire shooting up within him, his flesh turned purple, and in the place wherein he stood, there he fell down dead. Patacara, suffering intense pain, watched for her husband to return, but in vain. Finally she gave birth to a second son. The two children, unable to withstand the buffeting of the wind and the rain, screamed at the top of their lungs. The mother took them to her bosom, and crouching upon the ground with her hands and knees pressed together, remained in this posture all night long. Her whole body looked as though there were no blood left in it, and her flesh had the appearance of a sere and yellow leaf. When the dawn rose, she took her new-born son, his flesh as red as a piece of meat, and placed him on her hip. Then she gave the older boy one of her fingers to hold, and with the words, " Come, dear child, your father has left us," set out along the same path her husband had taken. [264] When she came to the ant-hill, there, on top of it, she saw her husband lying dead, his flesh purple, his body rigid. "All on account of me," said she, "my husband has died upon the road," and wailing and lamenting, she continued her journey. When she came to the river Aciravati, she observed that by reason of the rain, which had lasted all night long, the river was swollen knee-deep, and in places waist-deep. She was too weak to wade -N. 2. 26516] Patdcdrd is bereft of all her family 253 across the stream with the two children; therefore she left the older boy on the near bank and carried the younger across to the far side. Breaking off a branch of a tree and spreading it out, she laid the child on it. Then, thinking to herself, "I must return to my other child," she took leave of the younger boy and turned to recross the stream. But she could hardly bring herself to leave the little one, and again and again she turned around to look at him. She had barely reached midstream, when a hawk caught sight of the child, and mistaking him for a piece of meat, swooped down from the sky after him. The mother seeing the hawk swoop down after her child, raised both her hands and screamed with a loud voice, "Begone, begone! (Su, suiy Three times she screamed, but the hawk was so far away that he failed to hear her, and seizing the boy, flew up into the air with him. When the older boy, who had been left on the near bank, saw his mother stop in the middle of the river and raise her hands, and heard her scream with a loud voice, he thought to himself, "She is calling me." And in his haste he fell into the water. In this wise was her younger son carried off by a hawk, and her older son swept away by the river. And she wailed and lamented, saying, "One of my sons has been carried off by a hawk, the other swept away by the water; by the roadside my husband lies dead." [265] And thus wailing and lamenting, she went on her way. As she proceeded on her way, she met a certain man coming from Savatthi. She asked him, "Sir, where do you live." "In Savatthi, my good woman." "In the city of Savatthi, in such and such a street, lives such and such a family. Do you know them, sir." "Yes, my good woman, I know them. But pray don't ask me about that family. Ask me about any other family you know." "Sir, I have no occasion to ask about any other. This is the only family I wish to ask about." "Woman, you give me no opportunity to avoid telling you. Did you observe that it rained all last night." "Indeed I did, sir. In fact, I am the only person the rain fell on all night long. How it came to rain on me, I will tell you by and by. But just tell me what has happened to the family of this wealthy merchant, and I will ask you no further questions." "My good woman, last night the storm overturned that house, and it fell on the merchant and his wife and his son, and they perished, all three, and their neighbors and kinsmen are even now burning their bodies on one funeral pyre. Look there, my good woman! You can see the smoke now." Instantly she went mad. Her clothing fell off from her body, but she knew not that she was naked. [266] And naked as at her birth she wandered round and round, weeping and wailing and lamenting. Both my sons are dead; my husband on the road lies dead; My mother and father and brother bum on one funeral pyre. Those who saw her yelled, "Crazy fool! Crazy fool!" Some flung rubbish at her, others showered dust on her head, others pelted her with clods of earth. It so happened that at this time the Teacher was in residence at Jetavana monastery. As he sat there in the midst of his disciples preaching the Law, he saw Patacara approach from afar, and recognized in her one who for a hundred thousand cycles of time had fulfilled the Perfections, one who had made her Earnest Wish and attained it. (We are told that in the dispensation of the Buddha Padumuttara she had seen the Teacher Padumuttara take a certain nun by the arm and assign her preeminence among those that are versed in the Canon Law. It seemed as if the Teacher were opening the heaven of Indra and admitting the nun to the Garden of Delight. So she formed her resolve and made this prayer, "May I also obtain from a Buddha like you preeminence among nuns versed in the Canon Law." The Buddha Padumuttara, extending his consciousness into the future and perceiving that her prayer would be fulfilled, made the following prophecy, "In the dispensation of a Buddha to be known as Gotama, this woman will bear the name Patacara, and will obtain preeminence among nuns versed in the Canon Law.") [267] So when the Teacher beheld Patacara approaching from afar, her prayer fulfilled, her Earnest Wish attained, he said, "There is none other that can be a refuge to this woman, but only I." And he caused her to draw near to the monastery. The moment his disciples saw her, they cried out, "Suffer not that crazy woman to come hither." But he said to them, "Depart from me; forbid her not." And when she was come nigh, he said to her, "Sister, return to your right mind." Instantly, through the supernatural power of the Buddha, she returned to her right mind. At the same moment she became aware that her clothing had fallen from off her body; and recovering at once her sense of modesty and fear of mortal sin, she crouched upon the ground. -N .2.2692] Patacdrd is bereft of all her family 55 A certain man threw her his cloak. She put it on, and approaching the Teacher, prostrated herself before his golden feet with the Five Rests. Having so done, she said, "Venerable Sir, be thou my refuge, be thou my support. One of my sons has been carried off by a hawk, the other swept away by the water; by the roadside my husband lies dead; my father's house has been wrecked by the wind, and in it have perished my mother and father and brother, and even now their bodies are burning on one funeral pyre." The Teacher listened to what she had to say and replied, "Patacara, be no more troubled. Thou art come to one that is able to be thy shelter, thy defense, thy refuge. What thou hast said is true. One of thy sons has been carried off by a hawk, the other swept away by the water; [268] by the roadside thy husband lies dead; thy father's house has been wrecked by the wind, and in it have perished thy mother and father and brother. But just as to-day, so also all through this round of existences, thou hast wept over the loss of sons and others dear to thee, shedding tears more abundant than the waters of the four oceans." And he uttered the following Stanza, But little water do the oceans four contain. Compared with all the tears that man hath shed. By sorrow smitten and by suffering distraught. Woman, why heedless dost thou still remain? In this wise did the Teacher discourse on the round of existences without conceivable beginning. As he spoke, the grief which pervaded her body became less intense. Perceiving that her grief was become less intense, he continued his discourse as follows, "Patacara, to one that is on his way to the world beyond, nor sons nor other kith and kin can ever be a shelter or a refuge. How much less can you expect them to be such to you in this present life! He that is wise should clarify his conduct, and so for himself make clear the path that leadeth to Nibbana." So saying, he instructed her in the Law by pronouncing the following Stanzas, 288. Nor sons nor father can a refuge be, nor kith and Idn; In them, to him whom death assails, no refuge remains. 289. Knowing this power of circumstances, the wise man, restrained by the moral precepts, Should straightway clear the path that leads to Nibbana. [269] At the conclusion of the discourse, Patacara obtained the Fruit of Conversion, and the Depravities within her, as numerous as the particles of dust on the whole wide earth, were burned away. Many others likewise obtained the Fruit of Conversion and the Fruits of the Second and Third Paths. Patacara, having obtained the Fruit of Conversion, requested the Teacher to admit her to the Order. The Teacher sent her to the community of nuns and directed that she be admitted. Afterwards she made her full profession and by reason of her happy demeanor {patitdcarattd) came to be known as Patacara. One day she filled her water-pot with water, and pouring out water, bathed her feet. As she poured out the water, she spilled some on the ground. The water ran a little way and disappeared. The second time it went a little farther. The third time a little farther yet. So she took this very incident for her Subject of Meditation, and fixing accurately in her mind the three occurrences, she meditated thus, "Even as the water I spilled the first time ran a little way and disappeared, so also living beings here in the world are dying in youth. Even as the water I spilled the second time ran a little farther, so also living beings here in the world are dying in the prime of life. Even as the water I spilled the third time ran a little farther yet, so also living beings here in the world are dying in old age." The Teacher, seated in his Perfumed Chamber, sent forth an apparition of himself, and standing as it were face to face with her, spoke and said, "Patacara, 'twere better far to live but a single day, aye, but a single moment, and see the rise and set of the Five Elements of Being, than to live a hundred years and not see." [270] And joining the connection, he instructed her in the Law by pronouncing the following Stanza, 113. Though one should live a hundred years, 'twere all in vain. Did one not see that all that is doth wax and wane; Instead, 'twere better far to live a single day. And know that all the world contains doth rise and pass away. At the conclusion of the discourse Patacara attained Arahatship together with the Supernatural Faculties. -N .2.2721 ] Kisd Gotaml seeks mustard seed 257

[VIII. 13] VIII. 13. KISA GOTAMl SEEKS MUSTARD SEED TO CURE HER DEAD CHILD Though one should live a hundred years. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher at Jetavana, with reference to Kisa Gotami. 13 a. Kisa Gotami marries the son of a rich merchant Once upon a time, the story goes, a merchant worth four hundred milHons lived at Savatthi. Suddenly all of his wealth turned into charcoal. The merchant, overwhelmed with grief, refused to eat and took to his bed. One day a certain friend of his came to see him and asked him, "Sir, why are you so sorrowful.f" The merchant told him what had happened. Said his friend, "Sir, give not yourself over to sorrow. [271] I know a way out of the difficulty, if you will but make use of it." "Well, sir, what am I to do.?" Said his friend, "Spread matting in your shop, and pile the charcoal on it, and sit down as if you were selling it. People will come along and say to you, 'Most merchants sell such things as clothing and oil and honey and molasses; but you are sitting here selling charcoal.' Then you must say to them, *If I can't sell what belongs to me, what am I to do.' But again some one may say, *Most merchants sell such things as clothing and oil and honey and molasses; but you are sitting here selling yellow gold.' Then you must say, * Where's any yellow gold.' Your customer will say, 'There it is!' Then say, 'Let me have it.' Your customer will bring you a handful of charcoal. Take it, cover it with your hands, and presto! it will turn into yellow gold. Now if your customer be a maiden, marry her to your son, turn over your four hundred millions to her, and live on what she gives you. But if your customer be a youth, marry your daughter to him as soon as she reaches marriageable age, turn over your four hundred millions to him, and live on what he gives you." "A fine plan indeed!" said the merchant. [272] So he piled the charcoal up in his shop, and sat down as if he were selling it. People came along and said to him, "Most merchants sell such things as clothing and oil and honey and molasses; but you are sitting here selling charcoal." To such as asked this question, he replied as follows, "If I can't sell what belongs to me, what am I to do.' There came one day to the door of his shop a certain maiden, the daughter of a poverty-stricken house. Her name was Gotami, but by reason of the leanness of her body she was generally known as Kisa Gotami. She came to buy something for herself; but when she saw the merchant, she said to him, "My good sir, most merchants sell such things as clothing and oil and honey and molasses; but you are sitting here selling yellow gold." "Maiden, where is there any yellow gold." "Right there where you are sitting." "Let me have some of it, maiden." She took a handful of the charcoal and placed it in his hands. No sooner had it touched his hands than presto! it turned into yellow gold. Then said the merchant to her, "Which is your house, maiden." Said she, "Such and such, sir." The merchant, perceiving that she was unmarried, married her to his own son. He then gathered up his wealth (what was previously charcoal turning into yellow gold at his touch), and gave the four hundred millions into her charge. In time she became pregnant, and, after ten lunar months, gave birth to a son. But the child died as soon as he was able to walk. , 13 b. Kisa Gotami seeks mustard seed to cure her dead child Now Kisa Gotami had never seen death before. Therefore, when they came to remove the body for burning, she forbade them to do so. Said she to herself, " I will seek medicine for my son." Placing the dead child on her hip, she went from house to house inquiring, "Know ye aught that will cure my son.?" [273] Everyone said to her, "Woman, thou art stark mad that thou goest from house to house seeking medicine for thy dead child." But she went her way, thinking, "Surely I shall find someone that knoweth medicine for my child." Now a certain wise man saw her and thought to himself, "This my daughter hath no doubt borne and lost her first and only child, nor death hath seen before; I must help her." So he said to her, "Woman, as for me, I know not that wherewith to cure your child; but one there is that knoweth, and him I know." "Sir, who is it that doth know.?" "Woman, the Teacher doth know; go ask him." "Good sir, I will go ask him." -N. 2. 2758] Kisd Gotami seeks mustard seed 259 So she went to the Teacher, paid obeisance to him, stood at his side, and asked him, "Venerable Sir, is it true, as men say, that thou dost know that wherewith to cure my child?" "Yea, that know I." "What shall I get?" "A pinch of white mustard seed." "That will I, Venerable Sir. But in whose house shall I get it?" "In whose house nor son nor daughter nor any other hath yet died." "Very well, Venerable Sir," said she, and paid obeisance to him. Then she placed the dead child on her hip, entered the village, stopped at the door of the very first house, and asked, "Have ye here any white mustard seed? [274] They say it will cure my child." "Yea." "Well then, give it me." They brought grains of white mustard seed and gave to her. She asked, "Friends, in the house wherein ye dwell hath son or daughter yet died?" "What sayest thou, woman? As for the living, they be few; only the dead be many." "Well then, take back your mustard seed; that is no medicine for my child." So saying, she gave back the mustard seed. After this manner, going from house to house, she plied her quest. Never a house wherein she found the mustard seed she sought; and when the evening came, she thought, "Ah! 'tis a heavy task I took upon myself. I thought 'twas I alone had lost a child, but in every village the dead are more in number than the living." The while she thus reflected, hard became the heart the which erewhile was soft with mother's love. She took the child and in a forest laid him down, and going to the Teacher paid obeisance to him and beside him took her stand. Said the Teacher, "Didst thou get the single pinch of mustard seed?" "Nay, that did I not. Venerable Sir. In every village the dead are more in number than the living." Said the Teacher, "Vainly didst thou imagine that thou alone hadst lost a child. But all living beings are subject to an unchanging law, and it is this: The Prince of Death, like to a raging torrent, [275] sweeps away into the sea of ruin all living beings; still are their longings unfulfilled." And instructing her in the Law, he pronounced the following Stanza, 287. Whoso hath set his heart on sons or flocks and herds. To worldly pleasures given o'er whose thoughts, — Even as a torrent sweeps away a sleeping town. So him the Prince of Death doth take and bear away. As the Teacher uttered the last word of the Stanza, Kisa Gotami was established in the Fruit of Conversion. Likewise did many others also obtain the Fruit of Conversion, and the Fruits of the Second and Third Paths. Kisa Gotami requested the Teacher to admit her to the Order; accordingly he sent her to the community of nuns and directed that she be admitted. Afterwards she made her full profession and came to be known as the nun Kisa Gotami. One day it was her turn to light the lamp in the Hall of Confession. Having lighted the lamp, she sat down and watched the tongues of flame. Some flared up and others flickered out. She took this for her Subject of Meditation and meditated as follows, "Even as it is with these flames, so also is it with living beings here in the world: some flare up, while others flicker out; they only that have reached Nibbana are no more seen." The Teacher, seated in his Perfumed Chamber, sent forth an apparition of himself, and standing as it were face to face with her, spoke and said, "Even as it is with these flames, so also is it with living beings here in the world: some flare up, while others flicker out; they only that have reached Nibbana are no more seen. Therefore, better is the life of him that seeth Nibbana, though he live but for an instant, than the lives of them that endure for a hundred years and yet see not Nibbana." And joining the connection, he instructed her in the Law by pronouncing the following Stanza, 114. Though one should live a hundred years, the region of the deathless never seeing,. To Kve a single day, the region of the deathless seeing. At the conclusion of the discourse Kisa Gotami, even as she sat there, attained Arahatship and the Supernatural Faculties. Vin. 14. THE WIDOW BAHUPUTTIKA AND HER UNGRATEFUL CHILDREN Though one should live a hundred years. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to Bahuputtika. [276] In a certain household at Savatthi, we are told, were seven sons and seven daughters. All of them married as soon as they were old enough, and were happy, as was indeed their nature. After a time their father died. But the mother, the eminent female lay disciple, even after the death of her husband, did not for some time relinquish control -N. 2. 2787] Bahuputtikd and her ungrateful children 261 of his property. One day her sons said to her, "Mother, now that our father is dead, what is the use of your retaining his property? Can we not support you?" She Hstened to their words, but said nothing. After they had spoken to her several times about the matter, she thought to herself, "My sons will look after me; why need I keep the property separate for myself?" So she divided the estate into two parts and distributed them among the children. After a few days had passed, the wife of her oldest son said to her, "Apparently this is the only house our excellent mother visits; she acts as though she had given both parts of her estate to her oldest son." In like manner did the wives of her other sons address her. So likewise did her daughters address her whenever she entered their houses, from the oldest to the youngest. With such disrespect was she treated that finally she said to herself, "Why should I live with them any longer? I will enter the Order and live the life of a nun." So she went to the nuns' convent [277] and asked to be admitted to the Order. They received her into the Order, and when she had made her full profession she went by the name of Bahuputtika the nun. "Since I have entered the Order in old age," thought she, as she performed the major and minor duties assigned to nuns, "it behooves me to be heedful; I will therefore spend the whole night in meditation." On the lower terrace, putting her hand on a pillar, she guided her steps thereby and meditated. Even as she walked along, fearful that in the dark places she might strike her head against a tree or against some other object, she put her hand on a tree and guided her steps thereby, and meditated. Resolved to observe only the Law taught by the Teacher, she considered the Law and pondered the Law and meditated. The Teacher, seated in the Perfumed Chamber, sent forth a radiant image of himself, and sitting as it were face to face with her, talked with her, saying, "Bahuputtika, though one should live a hundred years, did he not behold the Law I have taught and meditate thereon, it were better that he live but a moment and behold the Law I have taught." And joining the connection and teaching the Law, he pronounced the following Stanza, 115. Though one should Hve a hundred years, did he not behold the Law Supreme, It were better that he live but a single day and behold the Law Supreme. [278] At the conclusion of the Stanza, Bahuputtika became an Arahat, possessed of the Supernatural Faculties.