thig15.1:0.1Verses of the Senior Nuns 15.1
thig15.1:0.2The Book of the Forties
thig15.1:0.3Isidāsī
thig15.1:1.1In Pāṭaliputta, the cream of the world,
thig15.1:1.2the city named for a flower,
thig15.1:1.3there were two nuns from the Sakyan clan,
thig15.1:1.4both of them ladies of quality.
thig15.1:2.1One was named Isidāsī, the second Bodhī.
thig15.1:2.2They both were accomplished in ethics,
thig15.1:2.3lovers of meditation and chanting,
thig15.1:2.4learned, crushing corruptions.
thig15.1:3.1They wandered for alms and had their meal.
thig15.1:3.2When they had washed their bowls,
thig15.1:3.3they sat happily in a private place
thig15.1:3.4and started a conversation.
thig15.1:4.1“You’re so lovely, Mistress Isidāsī,
thig15.1:4.2your youth has not yet faded.
thig15.1:4.3What problem did you see that made you
thig15.1:4.4dedicate your life to renunciation?”
thig15.1:5.1Being pressed like this in private,
thig15.1:5.2Isidāsī, skilled in teaching Dhamma,
thig15.1:5.3voiced the following words.
thig15.1:5.4“Bodhī, hear how I went forth.
thig15.1:6.1In the fine town of Ujjenī,
thig15.1:6.2my father was a financier, a good and moral man.
thig15.1:6.3I was his only daughter,
thig15.1:6.4dear, beloved, and cherished.
thig15.1:7.1Then some suitors came for me
thig15.1:7.2from the top family of Sāketa.
thig15.1:7.3They were sent by a financier abounding in wealth,
thig15.1:7.4to whom my father then gave me as daughter-in-law.
thig15.1:8.1Come morning and come evening,
thig15.1:8.2I bowed with my head to the feet
thig15.1:8.3of my father and mother-in-law,
thig15.1:8.4just as I had been told.
thig15.1:9.1Whenever I saw my husband’s sisters,
thig15.1:9.2his brothers, his servants,
thig15.1:9.3or even he, my one and only,
thig15.1:9.4I nervously gave them a seat.
thig15.1:10.1Whatever they wanted—food and drink,
thig15.1:10.2treats, or whatever was in the cupboard—
thig15.1:10.3I brought out and offered to them,
thig15.1:10.4ensuring each got what was fitting.
thig15.1:11.1Having risen bright and early,
thig15.1:11.2I approached the main house,
thig15.1:11.3washed my hands and feet,
thig15.1:11.4and went to my husband with cupped palms.
thig15.1:12.1Taking a comb, adornments,
thig15.1:12.2eyeshadow, and a mirror,
thig15.1:12.3I myself did the makeup for my husband,
thig15.1:12.4as if I were his beautician.
thig15.1:13.1I myself cooked the rice;
thig15.1:13.2I myself washed the pots.
thig15.1:13.3I looked after my husband
thig15.1:13.4like a mother her only child.
thig15.1:14.1Thus I showed my devotion to him,
thig15.1:14.2a loyal, virtuous, and humble servant,
thig15.1:14.3getting up early, and working tirelessly:
thig15.1:14.4yet still my husband did me wrong.
thig15.1:15.1He said to his mother and father:
thig15.1:15.2‘I’ll take my leave and go,
thig15.1:15.3I can’t stand to live together with Isidāsī
thig15.1:15.4staying in the same house.’
thig15.1:16.1‘Son, don’t speak like this!
thig15.1:16.2Isidāsī is astute and competent,
thig15.1:16.3she gets up early and works tirelessly,
thig15.1:16.4son, why doesn’t she please you?’
thig15.1:17.1‘She hasn’t done anything to hurt me,
thig15.1:17.2but I just can’t stand to live with her.
thig15.1:17.3As far as I’m concerned, she’s just detestable.
thig15.1:17.4I’ve had enough, I’ll take my leave and go.’
thig15.1:18.1When they heard his words,
thig15.1:18.2my father-in-law and mother-in-law asked me:
thig15.1:18.3‘What did you do wrong?
thig15.1:18.4Boldly tell how it occurred.’
thig15.1:19.1‘I’ve done nothing wrong,
thig15.1:19.2I haven’t hurt him, or said anything bad.
thig15.1:19.3What can I possibly do,
thig15.1:19.4when my husband finds me so hateful?’
thig15.1:20.1They led me back to my father’s home,
thig15.1:20.2distraught, overcome with suffering, and said:
thig15.1:20.3‘By caring for our son,
thig15.1:20.4we’ve lost her, so lovely and lucky!’
thig15.1:21.1Next my dad gave me to the household
thig15.1:21.2of a second wealthy family-man.
thig15.1:21.3For this he got half the bride-price
thig15.1:21.4of that which the financier paid.
thig15.1:22.1In his house I also lived a month,
thig15.1:22.2before he too wanted me gone;
thig15.1:22.3though I served him like a slave,
thig15.1:22.4virtuous and doing no wrong.
thig15.1:23.1My father then spoke to a beggar for alms,
thig15.1:23.2a tamer of others and of himself:
thig15.1:23.3‘Be my son-in-law;
thig15.1:23.4set aside your tonsure-cloth and pot.’
thig15.1:24.1He stayed a fortnight before he said to my dad:
thig15.1:24.2‘Give me back my tonsure-cloth,
thig15.1:24.3my pot and my mug—
thig15.1:24.4I’ll wander begging again.’
thig15.1:25.1So then my mum and my dad
thig15.1:25.2and my whole group of relatives said:
thig15.1:25.3‘What has not been done for you here?
thig15.1:25.4Quickly, tell us what we can do for you!’
thig15.1:26.1When they spoke to him like this he said,
thig15.1:26.2‘If I can make do for myself, that is enough.
thig15.1:26.3I can’t stand to live together with Isidāsī
thig15.1:26.4staying in the same house.’
thig15.1:27.1Released, he left.
thig15.1:27.2But I sat all alone contemplating:
thig15.1:27.3‘Having taken my leave, I’ll go,
thig15.1:27.4either to die or to go forth.’
thig15.1:28.1But then Mistress Jinadattā,
thig15.1:28.2learned and virtuous,
thig15.1:28.3who had memorized the monastic law,
thig15.1:28.4came resorting to my dad’s house for alms.
thig15.1:29.1When I saw her,
thig15.1:29.2I rose from my seat and prepared it for her.
thig15.1:29.3When she had taken her seat,
thig15.1:29.4I honored her feet and offered her a meal,
thig15.1:30.1satiating her with food and drink,
thig15.1:30.2treats, or whatever was in the cupboard.
thig15.1:30.3Then I said:
thig15.1:30.4‘Ma’am, I wish to go forth!’
thig15.1:31.1But my dad said to me:
thig15.1:31.2‘Child, practice Dhamma right here then!
thig15.1:31.3With food and drink
thig15.1:31.4satisfy ascetics and the twice-born.’
thig15.1:32.1Then I said to my dad,
thig15.1:32.2crying, my cupped palms raised to him:
thig15.1:32.3‘I’ve done bad things in the past;
thig15.1:32.4I shall wear that bad deed away.’
thig15.1:33.1And my dad said to me:
thig15.1:33.2‘May you attain awakening, the highest state,
thig15.1:33.3and may you find the extinguishment
thig15.1:33.4that was realized by the best of men!’
thig15.1:34.1I bowed down to my mother and father,
thig15.1:34.2and my whole group of relatives;
thig15.1:34.3and then, seven days after going forth,
thig15.1:34.4I realized the three knowledges.
thig15.1:35.1I know my last seven lives;
thig15.1:35.2I shall relate to you the deeds
thig15.1:35.3of which this life is the fruit and result:
thig15.1:35.4focus your whole mind on that.
thig15.1:36.1In the city of Erakacca
thig15.1:36.2I was a goldsmith with lots of money.
thig15.1:36.3Drunk on the pride of youth,
thig15.1:36.4I had sex with someone else’s wife.
thig15.1:37.1Having passed away from there,
thig15.1:37.2I burned in hell for a long time.
thig15.1:37.3Rising up from there
thig15.1:37.4I was conceived in a monkey’s womb.
thig15.1:38.1When I was only seven days old,
thig15.1:38.2I was castrated by the monkey chief.
thig15.1:38.3This was the fruit of that deed,
thig15.1:38.4because of adultery with another’s wife.
thig15.1:39.1Having passed away from there,
thig15.1:39.2passing away in Sindhava grove,
thig15.1:39.3I was conceived in the womb
thig15.1:39.4of a lame, one-eyed she-goat.
thig15.1:40.1I carried children on my back for twelve years,
thig15.1:40.2and all the while I was castrated,
thig15.1:40.3worm-eaten, and tail-less,
thig15.1:40.4because of adultery with another’s wife.
thig15.1:41.1Having passed away from there,
thig15.1:41.2I was reborn in a cow
thig15.1:41.3owned by a cattle merchant.
thig15.1:41.4A red calf, castrated, for twelve months
thig15.1:42.1I drew a big plow.
thig15.1:42.2I shouldered a cart,
thig15.1:42.3blind, tail-less, feeble,
thig15.1:42.4because of adultery with another’s wife.
thig15.1:43.1Having passed away from there,
thig15.1:43.2I was born of a slave in the street,
thig15.1:43.3with neither male nor female parts,
thig15.1:43.4because of adultery with another’s wife.
thig15.1:44.1I died at thirty years of age,
thig15.1:44.2and was reborn as a girl in a carter’s family.
thig15.1:44.3We were poor, of little wealth,
thig15.1:44.4greatly oppressed by creditors.
thig15.1:45.1Because of the massive interest we owed,
thig15.1:45.2I was dragged away screaming,
thig15.1:45.3taken by force from the family home
thig15.1:45.4by a caravan leader.
thig15.1:46.1When I was sixteen years old,
thig15.1:46.2seeing I was a girl of marriageable age,
thig15.1:46.3his son confined me as his wife—
thig15.1:46.4Giridāsa was his name.
thig15.1:47.1He also had another wife,
thig15.1:47.2a virtuous and well-known lady of quality,
thig15.1:47.3loyal to her husband;
thig15.1:47.4yet I stirred up resentment in her.
thig15.1:48.1As the fruit of that deed,
thig15.1:48.2they abandoned me and left,
thig15.1:48.3though I served them like a slave.
thig15.1:48.4Now I’ve made an end to this as well.”