Dhammapada 3.9.p6

3.9.p6

‘‘Aho vata te bhāriyaṃ kammaṃ kataṃ, kasmā mayhaṃ nācikkhi, apica pana te thero khamāpito’’ti? ‘‘Na khamāpito, sāmi. Jānāsi pana tvaṃ kahaṃ thero’’ti? ‘‘Imameva nagaraṃ upanissāya viharatī’’ti. ‘‘Sace piṇḍāya caranto idhāgaccheyya, ahaṃ mama ayyassa bhikkhāhāraṃ dadeyyaṃ, sāmī’’ti. ‘‘Tena hi sīghaṃ sakkāraṃ karohi, amhākaṃ ayyaṃ khamāpessāmā’’ti so therassa vasanaṭṭhānaṃ gantvā vanditvā ekamantaṃ nisinno, ‘‘bhante, sve mayhaṃ bhikkhaṃ gaṇhathā’’ti āha. ‘‘Nanu tvaṃ, seṭṭhiputta, āgantukosī’’ti. ‘‘Bhante, mā amhākaṃ āgantukabhāvaṃ pucchatha, sve me bhikkhaṃ gaṇhathā’’ti. Thero adhivāsesi, gehepi therassa mahāsakkāro paṭiyatto. Thero punadivase taṃ gehadvāraṃ agamāsi. Atha naṃ nisīdāpetvā paṇītenāhārena parivisitvā seṭṭhiputto taṃ itthiṃ gahetvā therassa pādamūle nipajjāpetvā, ‘‘bhante, mayhaṃ sahāyikāya khamathā’’ti āha. ‘‘Kimeta’’nti? ‘‘Ayaṃ, bhante, pubbe mayhaṃ piyasahāyako hutvā tumhe oloketvā evaṃ nāma cintesi, athassa purisaliṅgaṃ antaradhāyi, itthiliṅgaṃ pātubhavi, khamatha, bhante’’ti. ‘‘Tena hi uṭṭhahatha, khamāmi vo aha’’nti. Therena ‘‘khamāmī’’ti vuttamatteyeva itthiliṅgaṃ antaradhāyi, purisaliṅgaṃ pātubhavi.

So Soreyya’s former carriage-companion went to the place where the Elder resided, paid obeisance to him, sat down respectfully on one side, and said to him, “Reverend Sir, pray receive alms from me to-morrow.” The Elder replied, “Treasurer’s son, are you not a visitor here?” “Reverend Sir, pray do not ask me whether I am a visitor or not. Receive alms from me to-morrow.” The Elder accepted the invitation, and bounteous provisions were made ready for the Elder in the house. On the following day the Elder came and stood at the door of that house. The treasurer’s son provided him with a seat and served him with choice food. Then, taking that woman, he caused her to prostrate herself before the Elder’s feet and said, “Reverend Sir, pardon my friend.” Said the Elder, “What does this mean?” Said the treasurer’s son, “Reverend Sir, this woman used to be my dearest male friend. One day he looked upon you and thought this and that and was immediately transformed from a man into a woman. Pardon her, Reverend Sir.” Said the Elder, “Very well, rise. I pardon you.”

As soon as the Elder uttered the words “I pardon you,” Soreyya was transformed from a woman into a man. As soon as she was transformed again into a man, the son of the treasurer of Takkasilā said to her, “Good friend, since you are the mother of these two boys and I am their father, they are truly the sons of us both. Therefore we may continue to live here. Be not unhappy.” Soreyya replied, “Friend, I have undergone two transformations in one state of existence. First I was a man, then I was a woman, and now I have again become a man. First I became the father of two sons, and but recently I became the mother of two sons. Think not that, after having undergone two transformations in one state of existence, I shall ever live the house-life again. I shall become a monk under my noble Elder. It is your duty to care for these two boys. Do not neglect them.” So saying, Soreyya kissed the two boys and embraced them, and handing them over to their father, departed from the house and became a monk under the Elder. The Elder admitted Soreyya to the Order, received his full profession, and then, taking him with him, set out for Sāvatthi, and in due time arrived at that city. Thereafter he was known as Elder Soreyya.