Tathālokā Therī
February 23, 2025
A reflection following on Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī & 500 Bhikkhunī Founders Parinibbāna Day, which might have also been the Parinibbāna day of the Buddha's two foremost leading arahant bhikkhunī disciples Khemā & Uppalavannā Therī - both of whom the Buddha is recorded as having spoken of as his 🏵"heart daughters" and 🏵"rightful heirs" - 🏵"born from his mouth", disciples and Dhamma heirs 🏵"born from the Dhamma," and 🏵"born from his breast" or "born from his heart."
DHAMMA HEIRS
🏵🏵🏵 . . . 🏵🏵🏵 . . .🏵🏵🏵
Rightful Dhamma Heirs of the Buddha
Born from the Dhamma, Born from the Buddha's Heart
In the canonical Pāli-text Sutta Pitaka's Khuddaka Nikāya, following the Therīgāthā and flowing from it, we find the multi-life heroic biographies or "sacred biographies" of the Therī Apadāna. Among the 40 Therī apadānas, thirteen arahant bhikkhunī therīs stand out as having been sāvikā bodhisattas predicted by a previous Buddha to become the 🏵rightful Dhamma heirs and bearers of 🏵"heart Dhamma insignia" of the future Buddha Gotama.
🏵Dhammesu Dāyādā, Orasā Dhammanimmitā
As the Buddha's predicted "Dhamma heirs and rightful bearers of the heart insignia of the Dhamma," there were ten (10) or more among the famed 13 "Etadagga" Foremost Arahant Theris, including:
1. Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī Therī (1)
2. Khemā Therī (2)
3. --see below--
4. Paṭācārā Therī (3)
5. Bhaddā Kuṇḍalakesī (4)
6. Kisāgotamī Therī (5)
7. Dhammadinnā Therī (6)
8. Sakulā Therī (7)
9. Nandā Therī (8 )
10. Soṇā Therī (9)
11. --see below--
12. --see below--
13. Siṅgālamātu Therī (10)
__. Ambapāli Therī
🏵‘Orasā Mukhato Jātā, Dhītā Mama Mahiddhikā
As "my daughter born from my mouth" and "chief administrator of my Sāsana" "of great power":
3.(above) - Uppalavannā Therī
🏵Dhammesu Dāyādā, Viharissati Iddhikā,
Kusaladhammānaṃ, Anurakkhissa
And as the Buddha's "powerful Dhamma heir
& protector the Kusala Dhamma Teachings":
12.(above) - Yasodharā Therī
(aka Rāhulamātā, Bimbā, and Bhaddakaccānā)
....noting, with regards to no. 11 above....
🏵Dhammesu Dāyādo, Oraso Dhammanimmito
"Dhamma heir and rightful bearer of the heart insignia of the Dhamma" is said in the masculine with regards the Buddha's great disciple Mahā Kassapa.
We can see here how these same words are being used for both the great Arahat Mahākassapa Thero, and for these ten great Bhikkhunī Arahant Therīs.
11.(above) - Bhadda Kāpilānī Therī
In great Arahant Bhadda Kāpilānī's case, her apadāna says that it was he (Mahā Kassapa) who received this prediction, but she, due to being "samacitta," that is, "a like-minded" partner, "of like heart," united with him in all of his endeavors, also receives the fruition of those efforts and endeavors done with a unified mind.
In some ways, she is similar to Yasodharā in this regard, as Yasodharā is also noted for her quality of "samacitta" as partner of the Bodhisatta over eons of time; whoever, in Yasodharā case, she does also receive her own prediction (Vyākaraṇa) of future enlightenment from the ancient Buddha Dipaṁkara "the Lamp Lighter." This makes, Bhadda Kāpilānī's case here unique.
BUDDHA'S DAUGHTERS
🏵🏵🏵. . .🏵🏵🏵 . . .🏵🏵🏵
Mothers of Wisdom, Daughters of Wisdom
Born from the Dhamma, Born from the Buddha's Heart
I would now like to turn focus to no. 1 here, Mahāpajāpati Gotāmī Therī. She is commonly known as "Mother of the Buddha," but in her Therī Apadāna verses, she identifies herself both as mother and as daughter:
GOTAMI THERI AS BUDDHA'S MOTHER & DAUGHTER
🏵 from the Mahāpajāpatigotamītheriyāpadānaṃ
130. (VRI CST verse numbering)
‘‘‘Ahaṃ sugata te mātā, tvañca vīra pitā mama;
Saddhammasukhada nātha, tayā jātāmhi gotama.
(Gotamī)
Welcome One (Sugata), I am your mother:
you're my father, O Hero.
O Lord & Guide, you gave the True Dhamma's pure pleasure!
I'm born from you, O Gotama!
131.
‘‘‘Saṃvaddhitoyaṃ sugata, rūpakāyo mayā tava;
Anindito dhammakāyo mama saṃvaddhito tayā.
It was I, O Welcome One (Sugata),
who nurtured and raised your physical body (rūpakāya).
But by your nurturing was raised
my flawless Dhamma body (Dhammakāya).
132.
‘‘‘Muhuttaṃ taṇhāsamaṇaṃ, khīraṃ tvaṃ pāyito mayā;
Tayāhaṃ santamaccantaṃ, dhammakhīrañhi pāyitā.
I nursed you with my mother's milk
which quenched your thirst for a short while.
From you I nursed on Dhamma-milk,
Peace for all time.
UPPALAVANNA THERI AS BUDDHA'S DAUGHTER
🏵 from the Uppalavaṇṇātherīapadānaṃ
389. (VRI CST verse numbering)
‘‘‘Dhītā tuyhaṃ mahāvīra, paññavanta jutindhara;
Bahuñca dukkaraṃ kammaṃ, kataṃ me atidukkaraṃ.
(Uppalavaṇṇā)
I am your daughter, O Great Hero,
O Wise One, O Radiant One.
I performed many acts that were hard to do,
Doing what was extremely difficult to be done.
390.
‘‘‘Uppalasseva me vaṇṇo, nāmenuppalanāmikā;
Sāvikā te mahāvīra, pāde vandāmi cakkhuma.
398.
'‘‘Dhītāhaṃ buddhaseṭṭhassa, nāmenuppalasavhayā;
Abhiññāsu vasībhūtā, tava sāsanakārikā.
419.
‘‘‘Orasā mukhato jātā, dhītā mama mahiddhikā;
Mamānusāsanikarā, iddhiyā suvisāradā’.
KHEMA THERI AS THE BUDDHA'S DAUGHTER
🏵 from the Khemābhikkhunīvatthu of the Dhammapadaṭṭhakathā
"Ekadivasañhi paṭhamayāmasamanantare sakko devarājā parisāya saddhiṃ āgantvā satthu santike sāraṇīyadhammakathaṃ suṇanto nisīdi. Tasmiṃ khaṇe khemā bhikkhunī ‘‘satthāraṃ passissāmī’’ti āgantvā sakkaṃ disvā ākāse ṭhitāva satthāraṃ vanditvā nivatti. Sakko taṃ disvā ‘‘ko esā, bhante, āgacchamānā ākāse ṭhitāva satthāraṃ vanditvā nivattī’’ti pucchi.
One day, immediately after the first watch [of the night], Sakka, Lord of the Devas, came with his retinue of devas, sat down, and listened to the Buddha as he discoursed in his usual pleasant manner on the Dhamma. At that moment the bhikkhunī Khemā said to herself, I will go see the Buddha,” and drew near to the presence of the Buddha. But when she saw Sakka, she saluted the Buddha, poised in the air as she was, turned around, and departed. Sakka saw her and asked the Buddha, “Who was that, Venerable, that drew near to your presence, and then, poised in the air as she was, saluted you and turned around and departed?”
Satthā ‘‘esā, mahārāja, mama dhītā khemā nāma mahāpaññā maggāmaggakovidā’’ti vatvā imaṃ gāthamāha – "
The Buddha replied, “That, great king, was my daughter Khemā, possessed of great wisdom, wise in what is the path and what is not the path.
‘‘Gambhīrapaññaṃ medhāviṃ, maggāmaggassa kovidaṃ;
Uttamatthamanuppattaṃ, tamahaṃ brūmi brāhmaṇa’’nti.
"With deep wisdom, wisely discerning;
what is the Path and not the Path;
Attained to that supreme state:
That one I call a Brāhmaṇ."
- the Buddha, Dhammapādā v. 403, spoken to Sakka Lord of the Devas, in praise of his spiritual daughter, great arahatī Khemā Therī
AMBAPALI THERI AS THE BUDDHA'S DAUGHTER
🏵 from the Ambapālitherīapadānaṃ
Dhītā Buddhassa Orasā
As "Heart Daughter of the Buddha":
- Ambapāli Therī
213. (VRI CST verse number)
‘‘Parivutā pāṇakoṭīhi, pabbajiṃ jinasāsane;
Pattāhaṃ acalaṃ ṭhānaṃ, dhītā buddhassa orasā.
Along with koṭīs of living beings,
gone forth in the Victor's Sāsana,
I attained the unshaking state,
Buddha’s rightful heir, heart daughter.
....and from the Therīgāthā.....
SUNDARI THERI AS THE BUDDHA'S DAUGHTER
🏵 from the Sundarītherīgāthā
Tuyhaṃ Dhītāmhi Brāhmaṇa, Orasā Mukhato Jātā
"I am your heart daughter, Brāhman, born from your mouth"
- Sundarī Therī
(as with Uppalavaṇṇā Therī above)
(Sundarī)
337. (Bhikkhu Mahinda Therīgāthā Edition)
“Tuvaṃ buddho tuvaṃ satthā, tuyhaṃ dhītāmhi brāhmaṇa;
Orasā mukhato jātā, katakiccā anāsavā”.
“You are the Buddha, you are the Teacher,
your daughter I am, O brāhmaṇa;
A true [daughter] born of your mouth,
done with the duties, taintless”.
338. “Tassā te svāgataṃ Bhadde, tato te adurāgataṃ,
Evañhi dantā āyanti, satthu pādāni vandikā;
Vītarāgā visaṃyuttā, katakiccā anāsavā”.
“You are welcome, Fortunate One, you are not unwelcome;
Thus the tamed come, to pay homage to the Teacher’s
feet; lustless, unyoked, done with the duties, taintless”
APARA UTTAMA THERI AS THE BUDDHA'S DAUGHTER
🏵 from the Aparāuttamātherīgāthā
Orasā Dhītā Buddhassa
"Buddha's heart daughter"
- Aparā Uttamā Therī
46. “Suññatassānimittassa, lābhinīhaṃ yadicchakaṃ;
Orasā dhītā buddhassa, nibbānābhiratā sadā.
“Emptiness and signless [deliverances], I gain as I wish;
I am a true daughter of the Buddha, always delighting in
Nibbāna."
. . .
Sādhu sādhu sādhu!
Nibbānassa paccayo hotu!
Tathālokā Therī at Dhammadharini
Resources:
Therī Apadāna English translations from or informed by Legends of the Buddhist Saints
Therī Apadāna Pāli (VRI CST edition) from Tipitaka.org
Therīgāthā Pālī from Bhikkhu Mahinda Therigatha Edition
Earlier post on the question of the date of parinibbāna of Khemā Therī
For those on Facebook, you're welcome to see the original post there and join in the discussion.