7: The Book of the Sevens
53. Nandamātā
- DG BB TBW © Translated from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi (More copyright information)
1Thus have I heard. On one occasion the Venerable Sāriputta and the Venerable Mahāmoggallāna were wandering on tour in Dakkhiṇāgiri together with a large Saṅgha of bhikkhus. Now on that occasion the female lay follower Veḷukaṇṭakī Nandamātā, [n.1520] At AN2.133 and AN4.177 §4 she is held up as a model for the Buddha’s female lay followers. She is probably identical with Uttarā Nandamātā, declared at AN1.262 to be the foremost of meditators among female lay followers. having risen as the night was receding, chanted the Pārāyana.
2Now on that occasion the great deva king Vessavaṇa was traveling from north to south on some business. He heard the female lay follower Nandamātā chanting the Pārāyana and stood waiting until the end of her recitation.
3When the female lay follower Nandamātā had finished, she fell silent. Having understood that the female lay follower Nandamātā had finished her recitation, the great deva king Vessavaṇa applauded: "Good, sister! Good, sister!"
"Who is that, my dear?"
"I am your brother, the great deva king Vessavaṇa, sister."
"Good, my dear! Then let the Dhamma exposition that I just recited be my guest's gift to you." [n.1521] Ātitheyya: the traditional gift given to a guest as a token of hospitality.
"Good, sister! And let this too be your guest's gift to me: Tomorrow, before they have eaten breakfast, the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna will come to Veḷukaṇṭaka. You should serve them and dedicate the offering to me. That will be your guest's gift to me."
4Then when the night had passed the female lay follower Nandamātā had various kinds of delicious food prepared in her own residence. Then, before they had eaten breakfast, the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna arrived in Veḷukaṇṭaka.
Then the female lay follower Nandamātā addressed a man: "Come, good man. Go to the monastery and announce the time to the Saṅgha of bhikkhus, saying: ‘It is time, Bhante, the meal is ready at Lady Nandamātā's residence.’" The man replied: "Yes, madam," and he went to the monastery and delivered his message. Then the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna dressed, took their bowls and robes, and went to the residence of the female lay follower Nandamātā, where they sat down in the seats that had been prepared.
5Then, with her own hands, the female lay follower Nandamātā served and satisfied with various kinds of delicious food the Saṅgha of bhikkhus headed by Sāriputta and Moggallāna. When the Venerable Sāriputta had finished eating and had put away his bowl, she sat down to one side and the Venerable Sāriputta asked her:
"But who, Nandamātā, told you that the Saṅgha of bhikkhus would be approaching?"
6(1) "Here, Bhante, having risen as the night was receding, I chanted the Pārāyana …. She here relates, in the first person, the entire incident narrated above, ending with Vessavaṇa's words: "And this will be your guest's gift tome." … Bhante, let whatever merit I may have gained by this act of giving be dedicated to the happiness of the great deva king Vessavaṇa."
7"It's astounding and amazing, [n.1522] A comment is called for about the expression acchariyaṁ abbhutaṁ. Though often rendered "wonderful and marvelous," the phrase is not always intended to express appreciation but to suggest, rather, astonishment and amazement. Of course, the boundary line between the two senses is porous, as can be seen from the way the English words "wonderful" and "marvelous," which now have an appreciative sense, evolved from words connected with astonishment. Nandamātā, that you can converse [n.1523] Be and Ee read sallapissasī ti. Ce sallapissatī ti, in the third person, may be an editorial error. directly with such a powerful and influential young deva as the great deva king Vessavaṇa."
8(2) "Bhante, that is not the only astounding and amazing quality of mine. There is another. I had only one son, a dear and beloved boy named Nanda. The rulers seized and abducted him on some pretext and executed him. Bhante, when that boy was arrested or was being put under arrest, when he was in prison or was being imprisoned, [n.1524] Be and Ee read vadhe vā vajjhamāne vā, Ce baddhe vā vajjhamāne vā. The Sinhala translation in Ce mirrors the inconsistency of its Pāli text. I suggest reading, contrary to all three editions, baddhe vā bajjhamāne vā. In this way the three pairs of phrases represent a sequence of arrest, imprisonment, and execution. when he was dead or was being killed, I don’t recall any alteration of my mind." [n.1525] Cittassa aññathattaṁ. The expression recurs just below. My rendering is intended to fit both cases. In the present case a spiritually undeveloped woman would normally be distraught, in the case below she would be frightened.
"It's astounding and amazing, Nandamātā, that you can purify even the arising of a thought." [n.1526] Yatra hi nāma cittuppādampi parisodhessasi. Lit., "that you will purify even the arising of mind."
9(3) "Bhante, that is not the only astounding and amazing quality of mine. There is still another. When my husband died, he was reborn in the yakkha realm. [n.1527] Yakkhayoniṁ. Mp: "The spirit realm is the state of an earth-bound deity (bhummadevatābhāvaṁ)." Yoni is here used in the sense of "realm," and thus the expression yakkhayoni does not imply that yakkhas are born from the womb. He appeared to me in his previous bodily form, but I don’t recall any alteration of my mind."
"It's astounding and amazing, Nandamātā, that you can purify even the arising of a thought."
10(4) "Bhante, that is not the only astounding and amazing quality of mine. There is still another. I was given to my young husband in marriage when I was a young girl, but I don’t recall ever transgressing against him even in thought, much less by deed."
"It's astounding and amazing, Nandamātā, that you can purify even the arising of a thought."
11(5) "Bhante, that is not the only astounding and amazing quality of mine. There is still another. Since I declared myself a lay follower, I don’t recall ever intentionally transgressing any training rule."
"It's astounding and amazing, Nandamātā!"
12(6) "Bhante, that is not the only astounding and amazing quality of mine. There is still another. For as much as I want, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I enter and dwell in the first jhāna, which consists of rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, accompanied by thought and examination. With the subsiding of thought and examination, I enter and dwell in the second jhāna, which has internal placidity and unification of mind and consists of rapture and pleasure born of concentration, without thought and examination. With the fading away as well of rapture, I dwell equanimous and, mindful and clearly comprehending, I experience pleasure with the body; I enter and dwell in the third jhāna of which the noble ones declare: ‘He is equanimous, mindful, one who dwells happily.’ With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and dejection, I enter and dwell in the fourth jhāna, neither painful nor pleasant, which has purification of mindfulness by equanimity."
"It's astounding and amazing, Nandamātā!"
13(7) "Bhante, that is not the only astounding and amazing quality of mine. There is still another. Of the five lower fetters taught by the Blessed One, I don’t see any that I haven’t abandoned." [n.1528] This establishes her status as a non-returner, who has abandoned the five lower fetters but not the five higher fetters.
"It's astounding and amazing, Nandamātā!"
14Then the Venerable Sāriputta instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened Nandamātā with a Dhamma talk, after which he rose from his seat and departed.
1Evaṁ me sutaṁ— ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ca sāriputto āyasmā ca mahāmoggallāno dakkhiṇāgirismiṁ cārikaṁ caranti mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ. Tena kho pana samayena veḷukaṇḍakī nandamātā upāsikā rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya pārāyanaṁ sarena bhāsati.
2Tena kho pana samayena vessavaṇo mahārājā uttarāya disāya dakkhiṇaṁ disaṁ gacchati kenacideva karaṇīyena. Assosi kho vessavaṇo mahārājā nandamātāya upāsikāya pārāyanaṁ sarena bhāsantiyā, sutvā kathāpariyosānaṁ āgamayamāno aṭṭhāsi.
3Atha kho nandamātā upāsikā pārāyanaṁ sarena bhāsitvā tuṇhī ahosi. Atha kho vessavaṇo mahārājā nandamātāya upāsikāya kathāpariyosānaṁ viditvā abbhānumodi: "Sādhu, bhagini, sādhu, bhaginī"ti.
"Ko paneso, bhadramukhā"ti?
"Ahaṁ te, bhagini, bhātā vessavaṇo, mahārājā"ti.
"Sādhu, bhadramukha, tena hi yo me ayaṁ dhammapariyāyo bhaṇito idaṁ te hotu ātitheyyan"ti.
"Sādhu, bhagini, etañceva me hotu ātitheyyaṁ. Sveva sāriputtamoggallānappamukho bhikkhusaṅgho akatapātarāso veḷukaṇḍakaṁ āgamissati, tañca bhikkhusaṅghaṁ parivisitvā mama dakkhiṇaṁ ādiseyyāsi. Etañceva me bhavissati ātitheyyan"ti.
4Atha kho nandamātā upāsikā tassā rattiyā accayena sake nivesane paṇītaṁ khādanīyaṁ bhojanīyaṁ paṭiyādāpesi. Atha kho sāriputtamoggallānappamukho bhikkhusaṅgho akatapātarāso yena veḷukaṇḍako tadavasari.
Atha kho nandamātā upāsikā aññataraṁ purisaṁ āmantesi: "ehi tvaṁ, ambho purisa, ārāmaṁ gantvā bhikkhusaṅghassa kālaṁ ārocehi: ‘kālo, bhante, ayyāya nandamātuyā nivesane niṭṭhitaṁ bhattan’"ti. "Evaṁ, ayye"ti kho so puriso nandamātāya upāsikāya paṭissutvā ārāmaṁ gantvā bhikkhusaṅghassa kālaṁ ārocesi: "kālo, bhante, ayyāya nandamātuyā nivesane niṭṭhitaṁ bhattan"ti. Atha kho sāriputtamoggallānappamukho bhikkhusaṅgho pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya yena nandamātāya upāsikāya nivesanaṁ tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā paññatte āsane nisīdi. Atha kho nandamātā upāsikā sāriputtamoggallānappamukhaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paṇītena khādanīyena bhojanīyena sahatthā santappesi sampavāresi.
5Atha kho nandamātā upāsikā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ bhuttāviṁ onītapattapāṇiṁ ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho nandamātaraṁ upāsikaṁ āyasmā sāriputto etadavoca:
"ko pana te, nandamāte, bhikkhusaṅghassa abbhāgamanaṁ ārocesī"ti?
6"Idhāhaṁ, bhante, rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya pārāyanaṁ sarena bhāsitvā tuṇhī ahosiṁ. Atha kho, bhante, vessavaṇo mahārājā mama kathāpariyosānaṁ viditvā abbhānumodi: ‘sādhu, bhagini, sādhu, bhaginī’ti. ‘Ko paneso, bhadramukhā’ti? ‘Ahaṁ te, bhagini, bhātā vessavaṇo, mahārājā’ti. ‘Sādhu, bhadramukha, tena hi yo me ayaṁ dhammapariyāyo bhaṇito idaṁ te hotu ātitheyyan’ti. ‘Sādhu, bhagini, etañceva me hotu ātitheyyaṁ. Sveva sāriputtamoggallānappamukho bhikkhusaṅgho akatapātarāso veḷukaṇḍakaṁ āgamissati, tañca bhikkhusaṅghaṁ parivisitvā mama dakkhiṇaṁ ādiseyyāsi. Etañceva me bhavissati ātitheyyan’ti. Yadidaṁ, bhante, dāne puññañca puññamahī ca taṁ vessavaṇassa mahārājassa sukhāya hotū"ti.
7"Acchariyaṁ, nandamāte, abbhutaṁ, nandamāte. Yatra hi nāma vessavaṇena mahārājena evaṁmahiddhikena evaṁmahesakkhena devaputtena sammukhā sallapissasī"ti. (1)
8"Na kho me, bhante, eseva acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. Atthi me aññopi acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. Idha me, bhante, nando nāma ekaputtako piyo manāpo. Taṁ rājāno kismiñcideva pakaraṇe okassa pasayha jīvitā voropesuṁ. Tasmiṁ kho panāhaṁ, bhante, dārake gahite vā gayhamāne vā vadhe vā vajjhamāne vā hate vā haññamāne vā nābhijānāmi cittassa aññathattan"ti.
"Acchariyaṁ, nandamāte, abbhutaṁ nandamāte. Yatra hi nāma cittuppādampi parisodhessasī"ti. (2)
9"Na kho me, bhante, eseva acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. Atthi me aññopi acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. Idha me, bhante, sāmiko kālaṅkato aññataraṁ yakkhayoniṁ upapanno. So me teneva purimena attabhāvena uddassesi. Na kho panāhaṁ, bhante, abhijānāmi tatonidānaṁ cittassa aññathattan"ti.
"Acchariyaṁ, nandamāte, abbhutaṁ, nandamāte. Yatra hi nāma cittuppādampi parisodhessasī"ti. (3)
10"Na kho me, bhante, eseva acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. Atthi me aññopi acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. Yatohaṁ, bhante, sāmikassa dāhārasseva daharā ānītā nābhijānāmi sāmikaṁ manasāpi aticaritā, kuto pana kāyenā"ti.
"Acchariyaṁ, nandamāte, abbhutaṁ, nandamāte. Yatra hi nāma cittuppādampi parisodhessasī"ti. (4)
11"Na kho me, bhante, eseva acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. Atthi me aññopi acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. Yadāhaṁ, bhante, upāsikā paṭidesitā nābhijānāmi kiñci sikkhāpadaṁ sañcicca vītikkamitā"ti.
"Acchariyaṁ, nandamāte, abbhutaṁ, nandamāte"ti. (5)
12"Na kho me, bhante, eseva acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. Atthi me aññopi acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. Idhāhaṁ, bhante, yāvade ākaṅkhāmi vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhikā ca viharāmi satā ca sampajānā sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṁvedemi, yaṁ taṁ ariyā ācikkhanti: ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmī"ti.
"Acchariyaṁ, nandamāte, abbhutaṁ, nandamāte"ti. (6)
13"Na kho me, bhante, eseva acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. Atthi me aññopi acchariyo abbhuto dhammo. Yānimāni, bhante, bhagavatā desitāni pañcorambhāgiyāni saṁyojanāni nāhaṁ tesaṁ kiñci attani appahīnaṁ samanupassāmī"ti.
"Acchariyaṁ, nandamāte, abbhutaṁ, nandamāte"ti. (7)
14Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto nandamātaraṁ upāsikaṁ dhammiyā kathāya sandassetvā samādapetvā samuttejetvā sampahaṁsetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmīti.
Dasamaṁ.
Mahāyaññavaggo pañcamo.
15Ṭhiti ca parikkhāraṁ dve,
aggī saññā ca dve parā;
Methunā saṁyogo dānaṁ,
nandamātena te dasāti.
Paṇṇāsako samatto.