Verses on Dhamma 6.4.p10

6.4.p10

Atha ne devī pucchi – ‘‘rājā kahaṃ, tātā’’ti? Devi, ‘‘satthāraṃ uddissa ‘pabbajissāmī’ti gato’’ti. ‘‘Mayhaṃ tena kiṃ sāsanaṃ dinna’’nti? ‘‘Sabbaṃ kira tena tumhākaṃ issariyaṃ vissaṭṭhaṃ, tumhe kira yathāruciyā sampattiṃ anubhavathā’’ti. ‘‘Amaccā pana kahaṃ, tātā’’ti? Tepi ‘‘‘raññā saddhiṃyeva pabbajissāmā’ti gatā, devī’’ti. Sā tesaṃ bhariyāyo pakkosāpetvā, ammā, tumhākaṃ sāmikā ‘‘raññā saddhiṃ pabbajissāmā’’ti gatā, ‘‘tumhe kiṃ karissathā’’ti? ‘‘Kiṃ pana tehi amhākaṃ sāsanaṃ pahitaṃ, devī’’ti? ‘‘Tehi kira attano sampatti tumhākaṃ vissaṭṭhā, tumhe kira taṃ sampattiṃ yathāruci paribhuñjathā’’ti. ‘‘Tumhe pana, devi, kiṃ karissathā’’ti? ‘‘Ammā, so tāva rājā sāsanaṃ sutvā magge ṭhitakova tīhi satasahassehi tīṇi ratanāni pūjetvā kheḷapiṇḍaṃ viya sampattiṃ pahāya ‘pabbajissāmī’ti nikkhanto, mayā pana tiṇṇaṃ ratanānaṃ sāsanaṃ sutvā tīṇi ratanāni navahi satasahassehi pūjitāni, na kho panesā sampatti nāma raññoyeva dukkhā, mayhampi dukkhāyeva. Ko raññā chaḍḍitakheḷapiṇḍaṃ jāṇukehi patiṭṭhahitvā mukhena gaṇhissati, na mayhaṃ sampattiyā attho, ahampi satthāraṃ uddissa gantvā pabbajissāmī’’ti. ‘‘Devi, mayampi tumheheva saddhiṃ pabbajissāmā’’ti. ‘‘Sace sakkotha, sādhu, ammā’’ti? ‘‘Sakkoma, devī’’ti. ‘‘Sādhu, ammā, tena hi ethā’’ti rathasahassaṃ yojāpetvā rathaṃ āruyha tāhi saddhiṃ nikkhamitvā antarāmagge paṭhamaṃ nadiṃ disvā yathā raññā puṭṭhaṃ, tatheva pucchitvā sabbapavattiṃ sutvā ‘‘rañño gatamaggaṃ olokethā’’ti vatvā ‘‘sindhavānaṃ padavalañjaṃ na passāma, devī’’ti vutte ‘‘rājā tīṇi ratanāni uddissa nikkhanto saccakiriyaṃ katvā gato bhavissati. Ahampi tīṇi ratanāni uddissa nikkhantā, tesameva anubhāvena idaṃ udakaṃ viya mā ahosī’’ti tiṇṇaṃ ratanānaṃ guṇaṃ anussaritvā rathasahassaṃ pesesi. Udakaṃ piṭṭhipāsāṇasadisaṃ ahosi. Cakkānaṃ aggagganemivaṭṭiyo neva temiṃsu. Eteneva upāyena itarā dve nadiyo uttari.

Then the queen asked them, “Sirs, where is the king?” “Your majesty, he has departed, saying, ‘For the sake of the Teacher I will become a monk.’” “Did he send me any message?” “All his kingly power is given into your hands; enjoy the glory thereof at your own good pleasure.” “And where are his courtiers, sirs?” “Your majesty, they also went away, saying, ‘We will become monks with the king.’” Thereupon the queen summoned the wives of the courtiers and said to them, “Friends, your husbands have departed, saying, ‘We will become monks with the king;’ what will you do?” “But what message did they send to us, your majesty?” “They have given the glory they possess into your hands to enjoy according to your own good pleasure.” “But, your majesty, what do you intend to do?”

“Friends, he who but now was king made ready for the journey, and having honored the Three Jewels with three hundred thousand pieces of money and having cast off his glory as he would eject a mass of saliva, departed to become a monk. I also have learned of the appearance of the Three Jewels and have honored the Three Jewels with hundreds of thousands more. The glory which spells suffering to the king spells suffering to me also. Who would get down on his knees and take into his mouth a mass of saliva ejected by the king? I have no need of real glory; I also will go forth for the sake of the Teacher and become a nun.” “Your majesty, then we also will become nuns with you.” “Well and good, friends, if you are able.” “We are able, your majesty.”

“Well then, come,” said the queen. So she caused a thousand chariots to be harnessed, mounted her chariot and departed, accompanied by her retinue. Coming to the first river on the journey, she asked the same questions the king had asked and received the same answers, whereupon she said to her companions, “Look for the way taken by the king.” They replied, “Your majesty, we see no footprints of Sindh horses.” Said the queen, “The king must have pronounced an Act of Truth, saying, ‘For the sake of the Three

Jewels I have renounced the world,’ and so crossed. I also have renounced the world for the sake of the Three Jewels; by their supernatural power may this water be to me unlike water.” And meditating thus on the power of the Three Jewels, she ordered her thousand chariots to go forward. The water was like a flat rock, insomuch that not even the outer rims of the wheels were wetted. In like manner also she crossed the remaining two rivers.