Isidāsī

402 In Pāṭaliputta, the cream of the world,
the city named for a flower,
there were two nuns from the Sakyan clan,
both of them ladies of quality.

403 One was named Isidāsī, the second Bodhī.
They both were accomplished in ethics,
lovers of meditation and chanting,
learned, crushing corruptions.

404 They wandered for alms and had their meal.
When they had washed their bowls,
they sat happily in a private place
and started a conversation.

405 “You’re so lovely, Venerable Isidāsī,
your youth has not yet faded.
What problem did you see that made you
dedicate your life to renunciation?”

406 Being pressed like this in private,
Isidāsī, skilled in teaching Dhamma,
voiced the following words.
“Bodhī, hear how I went forth.

407 In the fine town of Ujjenī,
my father was a financier, a good and moral man.
I was his only daughter,
dear, beloved, and cherished.

408 Then some suitors came for me
from the top family of Sāketa.
They were sent by a financier abounding in wealth,
to whom my father then gave me as daughter-in-law.

409 Come morning and come night,
I bowed with my head to the feet
of my father and mother-in-law,
just as I had been told.

410 Whenever I saw my husband’s sisters,
his brothers, his servants,
or even he, my one and only,
I nervously gave them a seat.

411 Whatever they wanted—food and drink,
treats, or whatever was in the cupboard—
I brought out and offered to them,
ensuring each got what was fitting.

412 Having risen bright and early,
I approached the main house,
washed my hands and feet,
and went to my husband with joined palms.

413 Taking a comb, adornments,
eyeshadow, and a mirror,
I myself did the makeup for my husband,
as if I were his beautician.

414 I myself cooked the rice;
I myself washed the pots.
I looked after my husband
like a mother her only child.

415 Thus I showed my devotion to him,
a loving, virtuous, and humble servant,
getting up early, and working tirelessly:
yet still my husband did me wrong.

416He said to his mother and father:
‘I’ll take my leave and go,
I can’t stand to live together with Isidāsī
staying in the same house.’

417 ‘Son, don’t speak like this!
Isidāsī is astute and competent,
she gets up early and works tirelessly,
son, why doesn’t she please you?’

418 ‘She hasn’t done anything to hurt me,
but I just can’t stand to live with her.
As far as I’m concerned, she’s just horrible.
I’ve had enough, I’ll take my leave and go.’

419 When they heard his words,
my father-in-law and mother-in-law asked me:
‘What did you do wrong?
Tell us honestly, have no fear.’

420 ‘I’ve done nothing wrong,
I haven’t hurt him, or said anything bad.
What can I possibly do,
when my husband finds me so hateful?’

421 They led me back to my father’s home,
distraught, overcome with suffering, and said:
‘By caring for our son,
we’ve lost her, so lovely and lucky!’

422 Next my dad gave me to the household
of a second wealthy family-man.
For this he got half the bride-price
of that which the financier paid.

423 In his house I also lived a month,
before he too wanted me gone;
though I served him like a slave,
virtuous and doing no wrong.

424 My father then spoke to a beggar for alms,
a tamer of others and of himself:
‘Be my son-in-law;
set aside your rags and bowl.’

425 He stayed a fortnight before he said to my dad:
‘Give me back my rag robes,
my bowl, and my cup—
I’ll wander begging for alms again.’

426 So then my mum and my dad
and my whole group of relatives said:
‘What has not been done for you here?
Quickly, tell us what we can do for you!’

427 When they spoke to him like this he said,
‘If I can make do for myself, that is enough.
I can’t stand to live together with Isidāsī
staying in the same house.’

428 Released, he left.
But I sat all alone contemplating:
‘Having taken my leave, I’ll go,
either to die or to go forth.’

429 But then the venerable lady Jinadattā,
learned and virtuous,
who had memorized the monastic law,
came to my dad’s house in search of alms.

N

430 When I saw her,
I got up from my seat and prepared it for her.
When she had taken her seat,
I honored her feet and offered her a meal,

431 satisfying her with food and drink,
treats, or whatever was in the cupboard.
Then I said:
‘Ma’am, I wish to go forth!’

432 But my dad said to me:
‘Child, practice Dhamma right here!
Satisfy ascetics and twice-born brahmins
with food and drink.’

433 Then I said to my dad,
crying, my joined palms raised to him:
‘I’ve done bad things in the past;
I shall wear that bad deed away.’

434 And my dad said to me:
‘May you attain awakening, the highest state,
and may you find the extinguishment
that was realized by the best of men!’

435 I bowed down to my mother and father,
and my whole group of relatives;
and then, seven days after going forth,
I realized the three knowledges.

436 I know my last seven lives;
I shall relate to you the deeds
of which this life is the fruit and result:
focus your whole mind on that.

437 In the city of Erakacca
I was a goldsmith with lots of money.
Drunk on the pride of youth,
I had sex with someone else’s wife.

438 Having passed away from there,
I burned in hell for a long time.
Rising up from there
I was conceived in a monkey’s womb.

439 When I was only seven days old,
I was castrated by the monkey chief.
This was the fruit of that deed,
because of adultery with another’s wife.

440 Having passed away from there,
passing away in Sindhava grove,
I was conceived in the womb
of a lame, one-eyed she-goat.

441 I carried children on my back for twelve years,
and all the while I was castrated,
worm-eaten, and tail-less,
because of adultery with another’s wife.

442 Having passed away from there,
I was reborn in a cow
owned by a cattle merchant.
A red calf, castrated, for twelve months

443 I drew a big plow.
I shouldered a cart,
blind, tail-less, feeble,
because of adultery with another’s wife.

444 Having passed away from there,
I was born of a slave in the street,
with neither male nor female parts,
because of adultery with another’s wife.

445 I died at thirty years of age,
and was reborn as a girl in a carter’s family.
We were poor, of little wealth,
greatly oppressed by creditors.

446 Because of the huge interest we owed,
I was dragged away screaming,
taken by force from the family home
by a caravan leader.

447 When I was sixteen years old,
his son named Giridāsa,
seeing that I was a girl of marriageable age,
took me as his wife.

448 He also had another wife,
a virtuous and well-known lady of quality,
faithful to her husband;
yet I stirred up resentment in her.

449 As the fruit of that deed,
they abandoned me and left,
though I served them like a slave.
Now I’ve made an end to this as well.”

Isidāsītherīgāthā

402p_19Th2_488Nagaramhi kusumanāme,
Pāṭaliputtamhi pathaviyā maṇḍe;
Sakyakulakulīnāyo,
Dve bhikkhuniyo hi guṇavatiyo.

403 p_19Th2_489Isidāsī tattha ekā,
Dutiyā bodhīti sīlasampannā ca;
Jhānajjhāyanaratāyo,
Bahussutāyo dhutakilesāyo.

404p_19Th2_490Tā piṇḍāya caritvā,
Bhattatthaṁ kariya dhotapattāyo;
Rahitamhi sukhanisinnā,
Imā girā abbhudīresuṁ.

405p_19Th2_491"Pāsādikāsi ayye,
Isidāsi vayopi te aparihīno;
Kiṁ disvāna byālikaṁ,
Athāsi nekkhammamanuyuttā".

406p_19Th2_492Evamanuyuñjiyamānā sā,
Rahite dhammadesanākusalā;
Isidāsī vacanamabravi,
"Suṇa bodhi yathāmhi pabbajitā".

407p_19Th2_493"Ujjeniyā puravare,
Mayhaṁ pitā sīlasaṁvuto seṭṭhi;
Tassamhi ekadhītā,
Piyā manāpā ca dayitā ca.

408p_19Th2_494Atha me sāketato varakā,
Āgacchumuttamakulīnā;
Seṭṭhī pahūtaratano,
Tassa mamaṁ suṇhamadāsi tāto.

409p_19Th2_495Sassuyā sasurassa ca,
Sāyaṁ pātaṁ paṇāmamupagamma;
Sirasā karomi pāde,
Vandāmi yathāmhi anusiṭṭhā.

410p_19Th2_496Yā mayhaṁ sāmikassa,
Bhaginiyo bhātuno parijano vā;
Tamekavarakampi disvā,
Ubbiggā āsanaṁ demi.

411p_19Th2_497Annena ca pānena ca,
Khajjena ca yañca tattha sannihitaṁ;
Chādemi upanayāmi ca,
Demi ca yaṁ yassa patirūpaṁ.

412p_19Th2_498Kālena upaṭṭhahitvā,
Gharaṁ samupagamāmi ummāre;
Dhovantī hatthapāde,
Pañjalikā sāmikamupemi.

413 p_19Th2_499Kocchaṁ pasādaṁ añjaniñca,
Ādāsakañca gaṇhitvā;
Parikammakārikā viya,
Sayameva patiṁ vibhūsemi.

414p_19Th2_500Sayameva odanaṁ sādhayāmi,
Sayameva bhājanaṁ dhovantī;
Mātāva ekaputtakaṁ,
Tathā bhattāraṁ paricarāmi.

415p_19Th2_501Evaṁ maṁ bhattikataṁ,
Anurattaṁ kārikaṁ nihatamānaṁ;
Uṭṭhāyikaṁ analasaṁ,
Sīlavatiṁ dussate bhattā.

416p_19Th2_502So mātarañca pitarañca,
Bhaṇati ‘āpucchahaṁ gamissāmi;
Isidāsiyā na saha vacchaṁ,
Ekāgārehaṁ saha vatthuṁ’.

417p_19Th2_503‘Mā evaṁ putta avaca,
Isidāsī paṇḍitā paribyattā;
Uṭṭhāyikā analasā,
Kiṁ tuyhaṁ na rocate putta’.

418p_19Th2_504‘Na ca me hiṁsati kiñci,
Na cahaṁ isidāsiyā saha vacchaṁ;
Dessāva me alaṁ me,
Apucchāhaṁ gamissāmi’.

419p_19Th2_505Tassa vacanaṁ suṇitvā,
Sassu sasuro ca maṁ apucchiṁsu;
‘Kissa tayā aparaddhaṁ,
Bhaṇa vissaṭṭhā yathābhūtaṁ’.

420p_19Th2_506‘Napihaṁ aparajjhaṁ kiñci,
Napi hiṁsemi na bhaṇāmi dubbacanaṁ;
Kiṁ sakkā kātuyye,
Yaṁ maṁ viddessate bhattā’.

421p_19Th2_507Te maṁ pitugharaṁ paṭinayiṁsu,
Vimanā dukhena adhibhūtā;
Puttamanurakkhamānā,
‘Jitāmhase rūpiniṁ lakkhiṁ’.

422p_19Th2_508Atha maṁ adāsi tāto,
Aḍḍhassa gharamhi dutiyakulikassa;
Tato upaḍḍhasuṅkena,
Yena maṁ vindatha seṭṭhi.

423 p_19Th2_509Tassapi gharamhi māsaṁ,
Avasiṁ atha sopi maṁ paṭiccharayi;
Dāsīva upaṭṭhahantiṁ,
Adūsikaṁ sīlasampannaṁ.

424p_19Th2_510Bhikkhāya ca vicarantaṁ,
Damakaṁ dantaṁ me pitā bhaṇati;
‘Hohisi me jāmātā,
Nikkhipa poṭṭhiñca ghaṭikañca’.

425p_19Th2_511Sopi vasitvā pakkhaṁ,
Atha tātaṁ bhaṇati ‘dehi me poṭṭhiṁ;
Ghaṭikañca mallakañca,
Punapi bhikkhaṁ carissāmi’.

426p_19Th2_512Atha naṁ bhaṇatī tāto,
Ammā sabbo ca me ñātigaṇavaggo;
‘Kiṁ te na kīrati idha,
Bhaṇa khippaṁ taṁ te karihi’ti.

427p_19Th2_513Evaṁ bhaṇito bhaṇati,
‘Yadi me attā sakkoti alaṁ mayhaṁ;
Isidāsiyā na saha vacchaṁ,
Ekagharehaṁ saha vatthuṁ’.

428p_19Th2_514Vissajjito gato so,
Ahampi ekākinī vicintemi;
‘Āpucchitūna gacchaṁ,
Marituye vā pabbajissaṁ vā’.

429p_19Th2_515Atha ayyā jinadattā,
Āgacchī gocarāya caramānā;
Tātakulaṁ vinayadharī,
Bahussutā sīlasampannā.

430p_19Th2_516Taṁ disvāna amhākaṁ,
Uṭṭhāyāsanaṁ tassā paññāpayiṁ;
Nisinnāya ca pāde,
Vanditvā bhojanamadāsiṁ.

431p_19Th2_517Annena ca pānena ca,
Khajjena ca yañca tattha sannihitaṁ;
Santappayitvā avacaṁ,
‘Ayye icchāmi pabbajituṁ’.

432p_19Th2_518Atha maṁ bhaṇatī tāto,
‘Idheva puttaka carāhi tvaṁ dhammaṁ;
Annena ca pānena ca,
Tappaya samaṇe dvijātī ca’.

433p_19Th2_519Athahaṁ bhaṇāmi tātaṁ,
Rodantī añjaliṁ paṇāmetvā;
‘Pāpañhi mayā pakataṁ,
Kammaṁ taṁ nijjaressāmi’.

434 p_19Th2_520Atha maṁ bhaṇatī tāto,
‘Pāpuṇa bodhiñca aggadhammañca;
Nibbānañca labhassu,
Yaṁ sacchikarī dvipadaseṭṭho’.

435p_19Th2_521Mātāpitū abhivādayitvā,
Sabbañca ñātigaṇavaggaṁ;
Sattāhaṁ pabbajitā,
Tisso vijjā aphassayiṁ.

436p_19Th2_522Jānāmi attano satta,
Jātiyo yassayaṁ phalavipāko;
Taṁ tava ācikkhissaṁ,
Taṁ ekamanā nisāmehi.

437p_19Th2_523Nagaramhi erakacche,
Suvaṇṇakāro ahaṁ pahūtadhano;
Yobbanamadena matto,
So paradāraṁ asevihaṁ.

438p_19Th2_524Sohaṁ tato cavitvā,
Nirayamhi apaccisaṁ ciraṁ;
Pakko tato ca uṭṭhahitvā,
Makkaṭiyā kucchimokkamiṁ.

439p_19Th2_525Sattāhajātakaṁ maṁ,
Mahākapi yūthapo nillacchesi;
Tassetaṁ kammaphalaṁ,
Yathāpi gantvāna paradāraṁ.

440p_19Th2_526Sohaṁ tato cavitvā,
Kālaṁ karitvā sindhavāraññe;
Kāṇāya ca khañjāya ca,
Eḷakiyā kucchimokkamiṁ.

441p_19Th2_527Dvādasa vassāni ahaṁ,
Nillacchito dārake parivahitvā;
Kimināvaṭṭo akallo,
Yathāpi gantvāna paradāraṁ.

442p_19Th2_528Sohaṁ tato cavitvā,
Govāṇijakassa gāviyā jāto;
Vaccho lākhātambo,
Nillacchito dvādase māse.

443p_19Th2_529Voḍhūna naṅgalamahaṁ,
Sakaṭañca dhārayāmi;
Andhovaṭṭo akallo,
Yathāpi gantvāna paradāraṁ.

444p_19Th2_530Sohaṁ tato cavitvā,
Vīthiyā dāsiyā ghare jāto;
Neva mahilā na puriso,
Yathāpi gantvāna paradāraṁ.

445 p_19Th2_531Tiṁsativassamhi mato,
Sākaṭikakulamhi dārikā jātā;
Kapaṇamhi appabhoge,
Dhanika purisapātabahulamhi.

446p_19Th2_532Taṁ maṁ tato satthavāho,
Ussannāya vipulāya vaḍḍhiyā;
Okaḍḍhati vilapantiṁ,
Acchinditvā kulagharasmā.

447p_19Th2_533Atha soḷasame vasse,
Disvā maṁ pattayobbanaṁ kaññaṁ;
Orundhatassa putto,
Giridāso nāma nāmena.

448p_19Th2_534Tassapi aññā bhariyā,
Sīlavatī guṇavatī yasavatī ca;
Anurattā bhattāraṁ,
Tassāhaṁ viddesanamakāsiṁ.

449p_19Th2_535Tassetaṁ kammaphalaṁ,
Yaṁ maṁ apakīritūna gacchanti;
Dāsīva upaṭṭhahantiṁ,
Tassapi anto kato mayā"ti.