1.1“Petāni bhoti puttāni,“Before, worthy lady, when feeding1.2khādamānā tuvaṁ pure;your departed children,¹1.3Tuvaṁ divā ca ratto ca,you’d be racked with despair1.4atīva paritappasi.all day and all night.

2.1Sājja sabbāni khāditvā,Today, brahmin lady, you have fed2.2sataputtāni brāhmaṇī;all seven children.2.3Vāseṭṭhi kena vaṇṇena,Vāseṭṭhī, how do you explain why2.4na bāḷhaṁ paritappasi”.you’re not so filled with despair?”

3.1“Bahūni puttasatāni,“Many hundreds of children,3.2ñātisaṅghasatāni ca;hundreds of family circles,3.3Khāditāni atītaṁse,both mine and yours, brahmin,3.4mama tuyhañca brāhmaṇa.have been fed in the past.

4.1Sāhaṁ nissaraṇaṁ ñatvā,Having known the escape4.2jātiyā maraṇassa ca;from rebirth and death4.3Na socāmi na rodāmi,I neither grieve nor lament,4.4na cāpi paritappayiṁ”.nor do I despair.”

5.1“Abbhutaṁ vata vāseṭṭhi,“Wow, Vaseṭṭhī, the words you speak5.2vācaṁ bhāsasi edisiṁ;really are amazing!5.3Kassa tvaṁ dhammamaññāya,Whose teaching did you understand5.4giraṁ bhāsasi edisiṁ”.that you say these things?”

6.1“Esa brāhmaṇa sambuddho,“Brahmin, the Awakened One6.2nagaraṁ mithilaṁ pati;back at the city of Mithilā,6.3Sabbadukkhappahānāya,teaches the Dhamma so that living creatures6.4dhammaṁ desesi pāṇinaṁ.may abandon all suffering.

7.1Tassa brahme arahato,After hearing the perfected one’s teaching,7.2dhammaṁ sutvā nirūpadhiṁ;brahmin, which is free of all attachments,7.3Tattha viññātasaddhammā,having understood the true teaching there,7.4puttasokaṁ byapānudiṁ”.I’ve cast aside grief for children.”

8.1“So ahampi gamissāmi,“I too shall go8.2nagaraṁ mithilaṁ pati;to the city of Mithilā.8.3Appeva maṁ so bhagavā,Hopefully the Buddha may release me8.4sabbadukkhā pamocaye”.from all suffering.”

9.1Addasa brāhmaṇo buddhaṁ,The brahmin saw the Buddha,9.2vippamuttaṁ nirūpadhiṁ;liberated, free of attachments.9.3Svassa dhammamadesesi,He taught him the Dhamma,9.4muni dukkhassa pāragū.the sage gone beyond suffering:

10.1Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ,suffering, suffering’s origin,10.2dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ;suffering’s transcendence,10.3Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,and the noble eightfold path10.4dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.that leads to the stilling of suffering.

11.1Tattha viññātasaddhammo,Having understood the true teaching there,11.2pabbajjaṁ samarocayi;he chose to go forth.11.3Sujāto tīhi rattīhi,Three days later11.4tisso vijjā aphassayi.Sujāta realized the three knowledges.

12.1“Ehi sārathi gacchāhi,“Please, charioteer, go;12.2rathaṁ niyyādayāhimaṁ;take back this carriage.12.3Ārogyaṁ brāhmaṇiṁ vajja,Bidding my brahmin lady good health, say:12.4‘pabbaji dāni brāhmaṇo;‘The brahmin has now gone forth.12.5Sujāto tīhi rattīhi,After three days,12.6tisso vijjā aphassayi’”.Sujāta realized the three knowledges.’”

13.1Tato ca rathamādāya,Then taking the carriage,13.2sahassañcāpi sārathi;along with a thousand coins, the charioteer13.3Ārogyaṁ brāhmaṇiṁvoca,bade the brahmin lady good health, and said:13.4“pabbaji dāni brāhmaṇo;“The brahmin has now gone forth.13.5Sujāto tīhi rattīhi,After three days,13.6tisso vijjā aphassayi”.Sujāta realized the three knowledges.”

14.1“Etañcāhaṁ assarathaṁ,Hearing that the brahmin had the three knowledges, <j>the lady replied:14.2sahassañcāpi sārathi;“I present to you this horse and carriage,14.3Tevijjaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ sutvā,O charioteer, along with 1000 coins,14.4puṇṇapattaṁ dadāmi te”.and a full bowl as a gift.”

15.1“Tuyheva hotvassaratho,“Keep the horse and carriage, lady,15.2sahassañcāpi brāhmaṇi;along with the thousand coins.15.3Ahampi pabbajissāmi,I too shall go forth in his presence,15.4varapaññassa santike”.the one of such outstanding wisdom.”

16.1“Hatthī gavassaṁ maṇikuṇḍalañca,“Elephants, cattle, jeweled earrings,16.2Phītañcimaṁ gahavibhavaṁ pahāya;such opulent domestic worth:16.3Pitā pabbajito tuyhaṁ,having given it up, your father went forth,16.4Bhuñja bhogāni sundarī;enjoy these riches Sundarī,16.5Tuvaṁ dāyādikā kule”.you are the family heir.”

17.1“Hatthī gavassaṁ maṇikuṇḍalañca,“Elephants, cattle, jeweled earrings,17.2Rammaṁ cimaṁ gahavibhavaṁ pahāya;such delightful domestic worth:17.3Pitā pabbajito mayhaṁ,having given it up, my father went forth,17.4Puttasokena aṭṭito;racked by grief for his son.17.5Ahampi pabbajissāmi,I too shall go forth,17.6Bhātusokena aṭṭitā”.racked by grief for my brother.”

18.1“So te ijjhatu saṅkappo,“Sundarī, may the wish you desire18.2yaṁ tvaṁ patthesi sundarī;come true.18.3Uttiṭṭhapiṇḍo uñcho ca,Leftovers as gleanings,18.4paṁsukūlañca cīvaraṁ;and cast-off rags as robes—18.5Etāni abhisambhontī,make do with these,18.6paraloke anāsavā”.free of defilements regarding the next life.”

19.1“Sikkhamānāya me ayye,“Ma’am, while I am still a trainee nun,19.2dibbacakkhu visodhitaṁ;my clairvoyance is clarified;19.3Pubbenivāsaṁ jānāmi,I know my past lives,19.4yattha me vusitaṁ pure.the places I used to live.

20.1Tuvaṁ nissāya kalyāṇi,Relying on a fine lady like you,20.2theri saṅghassa sobhane;a senior nun who graces the Saṅgha,20.3Tisso vijjā anuppattā,I’ve attained the three knowledges,20.4kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

21.1Anujānāhi me ayye,Give me permission ma’am,21.2icche sāvatthi gantave;I wish to go to Sāvatthī,21.3Sīhanādaṁ nadissāmi,where I shall roar my lion’s roar21.4buddhaseṭṭhassa santike”.before the best of Buddhas.”

22.1“Passa sundari satthāraṁ,“Sundarī, see the Teacher!22.2hemavaṇṇaṁ harittacaṁ;Snow gold in tint, <j>with sun-golden skin;²22.3Adantānaṁ dametāraṁ,tamer of the untamed,22.4sambuddhamakutobhayaṁ”.the Awakened One who fears nothing <j>from any quarter.”

23.1“Passa sundarimāyantiṁ,“See Sundarī coming,23.2vippamuttaṁ nirūpadhiṁ;liberated, free of attachments.23.3Vītarāgaṁ visaṁyuttaṁ,desireless, detached,23.4katakiccamanāsavaṁ.her task completed, without defilements.”

24.1Bārāṇasito nikkhamma,“Having set forth from Varanasi24.2tava santikamāgatā;and come to your presence, great hero,24.3Sāvikā te mahāvīra,your disciple Sundarī24.4pāde vandati sundarī.bows at your feet.

25.1Tuvaṁ buddho tuvaṁ satthā,You are the Buddha, you are the Teacher,25.2tuyhaṁ dhītāmhi brāhmaṇa;I am your bosom daughter, brahmin,25.3Orasā mukhato jātā,born of your mouth.25.4katakiccā anāsavā”.I’ve completed the task <j>and am free of defilements.”

26.1“Tassā te svāgataṁ bhadde,“Then welcome, good lady,26.2tato te adurāgataṁ;you’re by no means unwelcome.26.3Evañhi dantā āyanti,For this is how the tamed come26.4satthu pādāni vandikā;bowing at the Teacher’s feet;26.5Vītarāgā visaṁyuttā,desireless, detached,26.6katakiccā anāsavā”.the task completed, without defilements.”

27.1… Sundarī therī ….