སྟག་རྣའ་རྟགས་པ་བརྗད་པ 5

5

She then went to the city of Śrāvastī, where she stood by the city gate and waited for the venerable Ānanda to come, thinking, “The monk Ānanda will certainly be coming by this road.”

In the morning, the venerable Ānanda put on his robes, took his alms bowl, and entered the city of Śrāvastī for alms. The outcaste girl Prakṛti saw the venerable Ānanda coming from afar, and she followed him closely from behind, going wherever he went and stopping wherever he stopped, standing silently by the door at each house where he entered for alms.⁴⁵

The venerable Ānanda noticed the outcaste girl Prakṛti following him closely from behind. Embarrassed, intimidated, uneasy, and troubled, he quickly left the city of Śrāvastī and proceeded to Jetavana.⁴⁶ When the venerable Ānanda reached the Blessed One, he venerated the Blessed One’s feet with his head and stood to one side. The venerable Ānanda then said to the Blessed One, “Blessed One, this outcaste girl has been following me closely from behind, going wherever I go, stopping wherever I stop.⁴⁷ At each house I enter for alms, she stands silently by the door. Help me, Blessed One. Help me, Well-Gone One.”

On hearing this, the Blessed One said to the venerable Ānanda, “Do not be afraid, do not be afraid.”

The Blessed One then asked the outcaste girl Prakṛti, “Prakṛti, is it that you wish to be married to the monk Ānanda?”