Khuddaka Nikaya - Buddhavamsa - The Story of Khema Theri

Khuddaka Nikaya - Buddhavamsa - The Story of Khema Theri

The Great Chronicle of The Buddhas
by Mingun Sayadaw

Edited and Translated by
U Ko Lay and U Tin Lwin
Yangon, Myanmar

(The story of Khema Theri is treated briefly in the Commentary on the Anguttara Nikaya, the Commentary on the Therigatha and the Commentary on Dhammapada. In the Apadana Pali it is related in detail by the great Theri herself. What follows is mainly based on the Apadana with selections from the three Commentaries.)

(a) The past aspiration of the Theri.

The Future Khema Theri was born into a worthy family in the city of Hamavata during the time of Padumuttara Buddha, a hundred thousand world-cycles previous to the present world-cycle One day she had occasion to listen to the Buddha's sermon and became a devotee of the Buddha, being established in the Three Refuges.

Then she got her parents approval to offer an extraordinary feast to the Buddha and the Samgha. At the end of seven days of the great offering she saw Sujata Theri whom the Buddha designated as the foremost Bhikkhuni in the matter of Knowledge. She was inspired by that example. She gave an extraordinary offering again before expressing her wish to become such a foremost bhikkhuni in her own time later. Padumuttara Buddha prophesied that a hundred thousand world-cycles hence she would become the foremost bhikkhuni in the matter of Knowledge in the Teaching of Gotama Buddha.

Repeated existences as Deva Queen or Human Queen.

That rich man's daughter on passing away from that existence was reborn in the five deva realms, namely, Tavatimsa, Tusita Nimmanarati, Paranimmitavasavati successively as queen of the devas. When she passed away from there she was reborn as queen of the Universal Monarch or as queen of a great king. Thus, wherever she was reborn she was born as queen. She enjoyed the most glorious state in the deva world and the human world for many many world-cycles.

Existence as a Bhikkhuni leading a life of purity.

After faring in the fortunate existences only, during the time of Vipassi Buddha, ninety-one world-cycles previous to the present world-cycle, she was reborn into a worthy family. She had opportunity of hearing the Buddha's Dhamma which made her solely devoted to the Pure Life and she became a bhikkhuni learned in the Doctrine, skilful in the knowledge of Paticcasamuppada, a bold exponent of the four Ariya Truths, a persuasive preacher, besides being a diligent one in the practice of the Dhamma. Thus she was a model of those who took up the Threefold Training under the Buddha's Teaching. She spent this life of Purity for her lifetime of then thousand years.

Passing away from there, she was reborn in Tusita deva realm. After that, wherever she was reborn the great merit acquired in her existence during Vipassi Buddha's Teaching endowed her with the best that that particular existence could offer, making her talented, pure in morality, rich in resources attended by wise following, well provided with ease and comfort. Further, the religious practices observed in that existence led to superior social status, making her a queen, whether in deva existence or human existence, loved and respected by the king.

Her existence as donor of a monastic complex.

During the time of Konagamana Buddha, in the present world-cycle, she was reborn into a rich family in Baranasi and in association with two other rich ladies by the name of Dhananjani and Sumedha (her own name being unknown but may be referred to as Khema), built a monastic complex for use by the Samgha as a whole. At their death the three of them were reborn in the Tavatimsa deva realm, and after that existence too they were reborn in the human world and the deva world enjoying superior status.

Her existence as the eldest of the seven daughters of King Kiki

During the time of Kassapa Buddha, in the present world-cycle, King Kiki of Baranasi in the province of Kasi was a supporter of the Buddha tending closely on the Buddha. He had seven daughters by the names of (1) Princess Samani (2) Princess Samanagutta (3) Princess Bhikkhuni (4) Princess Bhikkhadayika (5) Princess Dhamma, (6) Princess Sudhamma and (7) Princess Samghadayika. - who were later, during Gotama Buddha's Teaching to become (1) Khema Theri (2) Uppalavanna Theri, (3) Patacara Theri, (4) Kundalakesi Theri, (5) Kisagotami Theri (6) Dhammadinna Theri and (7) Visakha, donor of Pubbarama Monastery.

The Future-Khema Theri Princess Samani on hearing a Sermon by Kassapa Buddha, was very keen to become a Bhikkhuni but her father would not give her permission to do so. So she as the eldest of the seven daughters made a common resolve not to marry and remained spinsters throughout their lives which lasted twenty-thousand years. They supported Kassapa Buddha with the four bhikkhu requisites for life.

On one occasion the Buddha made a marvellous discourse entitled Mahanidana sutta, (which is recorded as the second sutta in Mahavagga of Digha Nikaya). Princess Samani was so absorbed in hearing it that she learnt it by heart, and recited it often.

As the result of those good deeds on her death she became the Chief Queen (of Sakka) in the Tavatimsa,

(b) Taking up Bhikkhunihood in her last existence.

During the time of Gotama Buddha, she was reborn as her last existence as the daughter of King Maddaraja of Sagala. Since her birth brought peace to the land she was named 'Khema' (peace). When she came of age she became the Queen of King Bimbisara and was adored by her husband. She was conceited with her beauty.

The Buddha was then residing at the Veluvana monastery in Rajagaha Queen Khema had heard people saying that the Buddha always made discourses pointing out the faults of physical beauty, so she never went to see the Buddha for fear that her beauty might as well come under the Buddha's censure.

King Bimbisara's clever manoeuvre.

King Bimbisara thought: "While I am the most important lay supporter to the Buddha it is inconceivable that my queen has never visited the Buddha." He contrived a plan: he had a song composed by an able poet in praise of the Veluvana monastery which he ordered songsters to sing within earshot of the Queen.

A Four - Stanza Eulogy on the Veluvana Monastery.

1. Anyone who is not fortunate enough to see the Veluvana monastery, the Bamboo grove residence of the Buddha, we consider him or her as one who has never seen the Nandavana Park of the celestial realm.

2. He or she who has seen the Veluvana Grove which is so much cherished by King Bimbisara of Rajagaha, the people's favourite ruler, the cynosure of the whole world, has truly seen the Nandavana Park, the favourite resort of Sakka, King of devas.

3. Many of the Tavatimsa devas, having abandoned the Nandavana Park and descended to the earth (the southern Island Continent) and cast their eyes on the Veluvana Grove, are astonished and all their cares forgotten, they are never satisfied with seeing it

4. That Veluvana Grove has appeared due to the King's past merit and is adorned by the Buddha's majesty; hat poet could adequately describe its endless merits?"

When Queen Khema heard that song, although she had been to the Veluvana Grove on a pleasure visit with the King, her interest in the Grove was aroused afresh. She was very keen to visit the place She asked the King's permission to go there and went there with a big retinue. She chose the hour of the day that she presumed the Buddha was surely not there, i.e., during the morning when the Buddha usually went to the city for collecting alms-food. She roamed about the Bamboo Grove which was full of all kinds of flowering trees, fruit trees, where bees and bumble bees busied themselves collecting honey, and where the koels sang and the peacocks preened their feathers in the quiet seclusion of the park. She also visited the monastic dwellings of the religiously bent men, their meeting halls, rest-houses and walks.

She came across a youthful bhikkhu sitting in meditation at the foot of a tree and thought that young man ought to be enjoying the pleasures of life and should take up the religious life only in his old age. Feeling sure that the Buddha was not there in his private chamber, she went near it. The Buddha knew that she would come and remained in his private chamber. He had created by his powers a young maiden whose beauty surpassed that of queen Khema fanning the Buddha.

When Queen Khema saw that lovely maiden she abandoned attachment to her own good looks but become fascinated and enamoured of the strange beauty in front of her. But even as she was gazing at the girl, due to the Buddha's powers, the beauty of the girl diminished perceptibly and within a few moments she turned old and decrepit with wrinkled skin, gray hair, nursing teeth, black spots all over the skin, floppy breasts, bony, joints protruding, veins twining about the body, bent double, and soon the old woman was trembling and breathing hard, struggling for life; and then she gasped and collapsed. She was dead.

This vivid sight caused emotional religious awakening. samvega, in Queen Khema She realized thus:

"Oh, this form (body) is impure It is indeed loathsome Foolish women relish this impure, loathsome body"

Then the Buddha spoke to Queen Khema in these verses.

1. Khema, look at the body that is afflicted with pain, impure, putrid, discharging impurities upwards and downwards, which foolish persons take so much delight in.

2. "Cultivate the mind to get fixed on an object of meditation, so as to be able to perceive the loathsomeness of the body. Let you be mindful of the thirty-two aspects (constituent parts) of the body, let there be weariness about them.

3. "(Khema), just as the body of this woman by my side breaks up, so too will your body break up. Just as your body seem attractive for a while before death, so too the body of this woman by my side looked attractive before she died: (therefore) give up attachment to the body both internally and externally.

4. "Cultivate a perception of unsubstaintiality noting closely the rising and falling of phenomena. Give up the notion of a self; by doing so you will quell the eleven fires burning in you and reach Nibbana.

5. "Just as the spider follows the web of its own making, so also sentient beings who have attachment follow the stream of defilements that are of their own making. The wise do not have any desire or regard for sense pleasures, but cut off the stream of defilements and go forth to Nibbana."

The Buddha knew that after listening to the discourse the mind of Queen Khema had become delighted and receptive, he continued with another discourse entitled Mahanidana Sutta (which very sutta Queen Khema had heard and learnt by heart from Kassapa Buddha in her previous existence as Princess Samani). Queen Khema remembered the Sutta and she won Stream-Entry knowledge there and then.

After becoming an Ariya as a Stream-Enterer, she wanted to make amends for her mistaken conceit about her beauty. She prostrated before the Buddha and submitted her apology in these five stanzas:

1. "The all-knowing One, I pay homage to you.

The Embodiment of Compassion, I pay homage to you.

Buddha who has crossed over the flood of Samsara, I pay homage to you.

Giver of the Deathless, I pay homage to you.

2. "I had been befuddled and led astray by attachment to sensuality, thus springing forward into the thicket of wrong view. By means of an appropriate device, you, the Bhagava, have tamed me (who had been befuddled) and made me happy in being so tamed.

3. "Lacking an opportunity of meeting such a great One as yourself, endowed with morality, Concentration, etc., sentient beings suffer enormous dukkha in the ocean of Samsara

4. "Even though the Pure One who has reached the Purity of Nibbana, had been staying at the Veluvana monastery, I had failed to come and pay homage to the Lord of the three worlds. That failure on my part I (now) admit to the Bhagava as my fault.

5. "I had a mistaken idea about the Great Benefactor to the three worlds, the Bestower of the Ultimate Boon (Magga, phala Nibbana) as one who is unprofitably censorious because I had been too fond of my beauty. My fault in having entertained such foolish thoughts and my failure to come and pay homage to you earlier, I (now) admit to the Bhagava as my fault.(The Myanmar renderings are by the late Mahavisuddharama Sayadaw in his Chiddapidhanani).

Upon admission by Queen Khema of her previous fault, the Buddha said, "Let it be Khema, which cooled her heart as though ambrosial water were poured onto her person. Then Queen Khema made obeisance to the Buddha and respectfully left his presence. Back at the royal palace, she saw King Bimbisara and addressed him thus:

1. O great conqueror with golden complexion you had employed a most apt strategy to persuade me to go and visit the Veluvana monastery. Marvellous indeed was your idea! For I had become keenly desirous of seeing the Veluvana Park, (with the consequence that) I have seen (with both my physical eye and the eye of wisdom) the Buddha, the great sage.

2. O King! If you would agree I would take up bhikkhuhood in the Teaching (which is replete with eight marvels) of the Buddha of unrivalled wisdom, of the embodiment of the highest virtues. Thanks to the wise words of the Buddha, I have gained insight into the tiresome nature of my body.

On hearing the two stanzas spoken by Queen Khema, King Bimbisara who had even from her mien been recognizable as an Ariya, one who had won Path-knowledge, raised his joined palm to his forehead and said to his Queen: "My dear queen, I allow you to become a bhikkhuni. May your renouncing the world come to its fulfilment (i.e., may you attain Arahatship). (These words were spoken in half a stanza.) Thereupon the King put Queen Khema on a golden Palanquin and sent her to the Bhikkhuni monastery in great state.

Khema Theri gains Arahatship.

On the fifteenth day of her bhikkhuhood Khema Thera while observing the uposatha contemplated on the lamp in front of her, how the flame arose and how it went out. A keen emotional religious awakening took place in her mind. Applying the insight into the nature of the rise and fall of the flame to all conditioned phenomena, i.e., the mind-body complex that constituted her present existence, she gained Arahatship together with the four Discriminations and the six supernormal Powers. (This account of Khema Theri attainment of Arahatship is as described in the Khema Theri Apadana Pali. The Commentary on the Anguttara Nikaya and the Commentary on the Dhammapada tell this event in a somewhat different manner. We have refrained from discussing them here test it would confuse the reader).

Khema Theri was devoted both to the learning and the practice of the Doctrine and so she was most proficient in the seven stages of Purity, and was unrivalled in the exposition of the Ten Subjects of Discussion (Kathavatthu), most erudite in the application of the Abhidhamma method, outstanding both in learning and practice. The veracity of these statements may be gauged from Khema Sutta, the first Sutta in the Abyakata Samgutta of Salayatana Samyutta.

Khema Theri makes a subtle discourse to the Kosalan King.

At one time when the Bhagava was staying at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, Khema Theri was making a tour of the Kosalan country, and was sojourning at Torana which lay between Savatthi and Saketa. At that time King Pasenadi of Kosala was camping for the night at Torana. Then the King said to a courtier, "So, man, make inquires in this place which samana or brahmana should be fit for my spiritual guide for today." The courtier made thorough inquires in Torana but could find no samana or brahmana whom the king should go to for spiritual guidance. He only saw Khema theri who happened to be sojourning there. He went back to the king and said, "There is no samana or brahmana in this place. But there is a bhikkhuni named Khema Theri a disciple of the Buddha. She is reported to be wise, skillful, learned, an expounder of the Doctrine in a fascinating way, endowed with a remarkable perspicacity. I would humbly suggest that your Majesty go to her for advice and guidance" The king accepted the advice and went to where Khema Theri was staying. He made obeisance to her and sitting in a suitable place, addressed Khema Theri thus:

"Venerable One, does a sentient being exist after death?"

"Great King", replied Khema Theri, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being exists after death."

"If so, Venerable One, does a sentient being not exist after deaths"

"Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being does not exist after death.".

"Venerable One, does a sentient being exist as well as does not exist after death?"

"Great King, the Buddha' does not say that a sentient being exist as well as does not exist after death."

"If so, Venerable One, does a sentient being not exist after death?"

"Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after deaths"

The King was at his wit's end He further put questions which were replied as follows.

"Venerable One, When I asked. Does a sentient being exist after death?" you replied, 'Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being exists after death!' (1) When I asked, If so, Venerable One, does a sentient being not exist after death?' you replied. 'Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being does not exist after death.' (2) When I asked. 'Venerable One, does a sentient being exist as well as does not exist after death?' you replied, 'Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being exists as well as does not exist after death.' (3) When I asked, 'If so, Venerable Sir, does a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death?' you replied, 'Great King, the Buddha does not say that a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death' (4) Now, Venerable One, why does the Buddha not say anything regarding these four questions. Why is the reason for the Buddha's refusal to answer these four questions?"

Khema Theri then said. "Great King, in that case let me put you a question. You may answer it as you wish. What do you think of what I am going to say now? Do you have within your dominion any man who can practically count things or an arithmetician who can say, 'There are such and such number of grains of sand in the Ganga river? Or who can say, 'There are so many hundreds, so many thousands, so many hundred thousand grains of sand in the Ganga river?"

No, Venerable One, there is none."

"Great King, do you have any man who can practically count things or an arithmetician who can say, 'There are so many vessels or bowls of water in the great ocean "' Or who can say, "There, are so many hundred, so many thousands, so many hundred thousands of bowls of Water in the great ocean?"

"No, Venerable One, This is because the great ocean is too deep, beyond measure, incomprehensible."

· "Even so Great King. The Buddha has given up materiality (corporeality) which may be referred to as sentient being;. he has eradicated it completely. He has made it like an uprooted palm tree, has rendered it incapable of coming into being again, and has made it impossible to arise in the future"

The Buddha who is liberated from being called the aggregate of corporeality or the phenomenon of materiality is endowed with atributes and disposition or intention which are great as the great ocean beyond measure, incomprehensible. As for the Buddha the statement, 'a sentient being exists after death' is irrelevant; statement, 'a sentient being does not exist after death' is equally irrelevant; the statement, 'a sentient being exists as well as does not exist after death is' equally irrelevant; the statement, 'a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death' is equally irrelevant."

(It is not proper for the Buddha to say 'that a sentient being exists after death; or a sentient being does not exist after death; or that a sentient being exists as well as does not exist after death, or that a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death. This is a very profound matter.)

The Buddha has given up Sensation . . . p... Perception . . p... Volitional activities . . . p... Consciousness which may be referred to as a sentient being; has eradicated it completely, has made it like a palm tree stump, has rendered it incapable of coming into being again; and has made it impossible to arise in the future.

· The Buddha who is liberated from being called the aggregate of Consciousness or the 'phenomenon of Consciousness is endowed with attributes and disposition or intention which are as great as the great ocean, beyond measure, incomprehensible. As for the Buddha the statement, 'a sentient being exists after death' is irrelevant p... the statement, 'a sentient being neither exists nor does not exist after death' 'is equally irrelevant.''

(That was the discussion that took place between the Kosalan king and Khema Theri for the second round. Explanations on this will be given later.)

King Pasenadi of Kosala was delighted with the words of Khema Thera. He made obeisance to her and respectfully departed. Later on, the king visited the Buddha and put the same questions as he did to Khema Theri The Buddha answered them just as Khema Theri did. (These questions and answers may be gleaned from the text.)

When the king found that the Buddha's answers and those of Khema Theri were exactly the same, down to the letter, he was greatly astonished and exclaimed, "Marvellous it is, Venerable Sir! Astounding it is!" The Buddha's exposition is exactly the same as that of the Buddha's disciple, both in meaning and in words. They are in full agreement without any discrepancy. Venerable Sir, I had once put these questions to Khema Theri and she had answered to me in exactly the same way both in essence and in words. Marvellous it is, Venerable Sir! Astounding it is! The Buddha's exposition is exactly the same with that of the Buddha's disciple both in meaning and in words. They are in full agreement without any discrepancy." Then he begged leave of the Buddha to go. He was greatly delighted with the Buddha's answers. He rose, made obeisance to the Buddha and"respectfully departed.

This is a gist of Khema sutta

Explanation:

Why did the Buddha not give any reply to the questions which are so framed; 'that a sentient being exists after death', 'that a sentient being does not exist after death;' 'that a sentient being exists as well as does not exist after death; 'that a sentient being neither exists nor doesn't exist after death'?

1. There is in truth and reality nothing in the sentient world other than the five aggregates. There is nothing in the ultimate sense such a thing as a sentient being. Therefore whether a 'sentient being' exist or not is not for the Buddha to say. (Abyakata Samyutta; the third sutta therein)

2. Only to one who does not understand the nature of the five aggregates according to the four Ariya Truths there arises the problem of a sentient being and its existence or non existence, in the said four questions, which occur to him due to Wrong View. To one who understands the four Ariya Truths, there is no Wrong View that gives rise to those four questions. Since the Buddha has the most complete understanding of the four Truths there do not arise in him those four questions. That is why he does not say anything about them. (Ibid, the fourth sutta.)

3. Such questions based on wrong view arise only in, one who has not got rid of attachment to, or craving for the five aggregates. To one who has no craving for the five aggregates they do not occur. The Buddha who has got rid of Craving for the five aggregates together with any trace of acquired habit does not have those wrong concept. Therefore he remains silent when those questions are asked of him (Ibid., the fifth sutta). (In the sixth sutta of the same Samyutta the four questions are dealt with adequately.)

In Khema Sutta Khema Theri's answer is somewhat different; it has the undercurrent of reference to the Buddha. This is because she knows that the questioner (Kosalan King) had the Buddha also in mind in putting the four questions. So Khema Theri's answer in essence is this:

The Buddha has, (by getting rid of the cause of the five aggregates) got rid of the five aggregates so that what is usually called a sentient being is not coming into being after his death. He is freed from a future set of five aggregates, therefore there is nothing that may be referred to as a being or a person. Since the Buddha knows this, a 'sentient being' after death is irrelevant for him to speak of. Therefore he remains silent about the four questions.

One might argue thus: since the Buddha is not to acquire a fresh set of the five aggregates it is understandable that he refuses to answer the first question ('Does sentient being exist after death'). But why does the Buddha refuse to answer the second question: 'Does a sentient being not exist after death') ' Should the Buddha say, 'No, it does not'? The Buddha refuses to answer this question too because a 'sentient being' is not a real thing in the ultimate sense. (This is the explanation given in the Sub-Commentary.) Khema Theri Sutta is profound in Dhamma. It is a matter for further inquiring for the virtuous.

(c) Khema Theri is designated as the Foremost Bhikkhuni

The discourse to the Kosalan King at Torana was the immediate cause of Khema Theri being designated by the Buddha as the foremost Bhikkhuni in the possession of deep Knowledge. For on another occasion when the Buddha was residing at the Jetavana monastery, at a bhikkhu congregation for announcing outstanding bhikkhunis as foremost bhikkhunis in their own areas (of proficiency), the Buddha declared:

"Bhikkhus, among my bhikkhuni disciples who have profound Knowledge Khema Theri is the foremost."

This designation accorded her by the Buddha also has been happily recorded by Khema Theri herself in the following stanzas in her own life history:

1. "After I had become a Bhikkhuni I had explained to King Pasenadi of Kosala in accordance with the Doctrine on the profound questions he put to me at a place called Torana (which was between Savatthi and Saketa.)

2. "Later the King approached and put those questions to the Buddha, and the Buddha answered to those propound questions exactly as I had answered.

3. "The Conqueror of the five Maras, the Supreme One among all men, being satisfied with my excellence in expounding the Dhamma, has designated me as the foremost Bhikkhuni among the eminently wise"

(Here ends the story Khema Theri)