An Only Daughter

Ekadhītusutta

A laywoman should wish that if her daughter remains in the household life, she should be like Khujjuttarā and Veḷukaṇḍakiyā. But if she becomes a nun, may material possessions, honor, and praise not come to her!

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

0.1Saṁyutta Nikāya 17.24Linked Discourses 17.24
0.23. TatiyavaggaChapter Three

0.3EkadhītusuttaAn Only Daughter

1.1Sāvatthiyaṁ viharati.At Sāvatthī.

1.2“Dāruṇo, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko …pe…“Possessions, honor, and popularity are grim …

1.3saddhā bhikkhave upāsikā ekaṁ dhītaraṁ piyaṁ manāpaṁ evaṁ sammā āyācamānā āyāceyya:A faithful laywoman with a dear and beloved only daughter would rightly appeal to her,1.4‘tādisā, ayye, bhavāhi yādisā khujjuttarā ca upāsikā veḷukaṇḍakiyā ca nandamātā’ti.‘My darling, please be like the laywomen Khujjuttarā and Veḷukaṇṭakī, Nanda’s mother.’¹

1.5Esā, bhikkhave, tulā etaṁ pamāṇaṁ mama sāvikānaṁ upāsikānaṁ, yadidaṁ khujjuttarā ca upāsikā veḷukaṇḍakiyā ca nandamātā.These are a standard and a measure for my female lay disciples, that is, the laywomen Khujjuttarā and Veḷukaṇṭakī, Nanda’s mother.

1.6Sace kho tvaṁ, ayye, agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajasi;‘But my darling, if you go forth from the lay life to homelessness,1.7tādisā, ayye, bhavāhi yādisā khemā ca bhikkhunī uppalavaṇṇā cāti.please be like the nuns Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā.’²

1.8Esā, bhikkhave, tulā etaṁ pamāṇaṁ mama sāvikānaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ, yadidaṁ khemā ca bhikkhunī uppalavaṇṇā ca.These are a standard and a measure for my nun disciples, that is, the nuns Khemā and Uppalavaṇṇā.

1.9Mā ca kho tvaṁ, ayye, sekhaṁ appattamānasaṁ lābhasakkārasiloko anupāpuṇātūti.‘And my darling, may you not come into possessions, honor, and popularity while you’re still a trainee and haven’t achieved your heart’s desire.’1.10Tañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhuniṁ sekhaṁ appattamānasaṁ lābhasakkārasiloko anupāpuṇāti, so tassā hoti antarāyāya.If a trainee who hasn’t achieved their heart’s desire comes into possessions, honor, and popularity it’s an obstacle for them.

1.11Evaṁ dāruṇo kho, bhikkhave, lābhasakkārasiloko …pe…So grim are possessions, honor, and popularity. …”1.12evañhi vo, bhikkhave, sikkhitabban”ti.

1.13Catutthaṁ.

Translator’s notes

Also at AN 2.133 and AN 4.176:4.2.

Khujjuttarā was the most learned of the laywomen (AN 1.260).

Veḷukaṇṭakī features as a meditator, reciter, and donor at AN 6.37 and AN 7.53. She is probably the same person as Uttarā Nanda’s mother who was the foremost laywoman jhana practitioner (AN 1.262).

↩ sn17.24:1.4

Also at AN 2.131 and AN 4.176:2.2.

Uppalavaṇṇā was the foremost nun in psychic powers (AN 1.237), which kept her fearless when demolishing Māra (SN 5.5). Her verses are at Thig 11.1, and she was as a teacher of nuns (Thig 13.5:27.3, Kd 20:8.1.1). A Vinaya story shows her gratitude to the Buddha (Bu NP 5:1.1.1). She was a survivor of sexual assault (Bu Pj 1:10.5.1).

Khemā was extolled as the foremost nun in wisdom (AN 1.236); her verses are at Thig 6.3; and she teaches King Pasenadi in SN 44.1.

↩ sn17.24:1.7