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6. The Chapter of Sixes 1. The Verses of the Five-Hundred-Matta Theri 127. Whose path you do not know, whether come or gone; From where has that being come, that you cry, 'My son'? 128. If you know his path, whether come or gone; You would not grieve for him, for such is the nature of beings. 129. Unasked he came, unpermitted he departed from here; Having come from somewhere, having stayed for a few days; From here he went to another, from there he goes to another. 130. The departed will wander on, in human form; As he came, so he went, what lamentation is there in that? 131. Indeed, she has drawn out the dart for me, the hard-to-see, lodged in the heart; She who, when I was overcome with sorrow, dispelled the sorrow for my son. 132. Now, with the dart drawn out, I am cool, fully extinguished; I go for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha, the Sage. Thus indeed, the five-hundred-Matta Theri bhikkhunis... and so on... 2. The Verses of Vasetthi Theri 133. Afflicted by sorrow for my son, my mind distraught, unconscious; Naked, with dishevelled hair, I wandered here and there. 134. I lived in streets, on rubbish heaps, in charnel grounds, on roads; I wandered for three years, afflicted by hunger and thirst. 135. Then I saw the Fortunate One, who had gone to the city of Mithila; The tamer of the untamed, the Fully Awakened One, from whom there is no fear. 136. Having regained my mind, I bowed and sat down; He taught me the Dhamma, Gotama, out of compassion. 137. Having heard his Dhamma, I went forth into homelessness; Practising according to the Teacher's word, I realized the auspicious state. 138. All sorrows are cut off, abandoned, to their very end; Indeed, the root of sorrows, from which they arise, has been fully understood by me. ...Vasetthi Theri... 3. The Verses of Khema Theri 139. You are young and beautiful, I too am young and youthful; With a five-membered orchestra, "Come, Khemā, let us delight." 140. "With this putrid body, diseased, perishable; I am disgusted, I am ashamed, craving for sensual pleasures is uprooted. 141. "Sensual pleasures are like spears and stakes, a cutting up of the aggregates; What you call 'delight in sensual pleasures', that is now 'disgust' for me. 142. "Delight is destroyed everywhere, the mass of darkness is shattered; Know this, Evil One, you, Ender, are struck down. 143. "Worshipping the stars, serving fire in the forest; Not knowing what is real, fools imagined purity. 144. "But I, worshipping the Fully Awakened One, the best of men; am freed from all sufferings, having done the Teacher's bidding." ... Khemā the Elder Nun.... 4. The Verses of Sujātā the Elder Nun 145. "Adorned, well-dressed, garlanded, smeared with sandalwood; covered with all ornaments, surrounded by a retinue of slave-girls. 146. "Taking food and drink, abundant snacks and meals; Having left the house, I went to the park. 147. "Having delighted and played there, returning to my own house; I entered the monastery to see it, the Añjana Wood in Sāketa. 148. "Having seen the lamp of the world, having paid homage, I sat down; He taught me the Dhamma, the Seer, out of compassion. 149. "And having heard the Great Seer, I penetrated the truth; Right there, the stainless Dhamma, I touched the deathless state. 150. "Then, having understood the true Dhamma, I went forth into homelessness; The three knowledges are attained, the Buddha's teaching is not in vain." ... Sujātā the Elder Nun.... 5. The Verses of Anopamā the Elder Nun 151. "I was born in a high family, with much wealth, great riches; endowed with beauty and form, daughter, offspring of Majjha. 152. "Desired by princes, coveted by sons of merchants; To my father, they sent a messenger, "Give Anopamā to me." 153. "As much as this one is valued, your daughter Anopamā; I will give eight times that, in gold and jewels. 154. And I, having seen the Fully Awakened One, The world's chief, unsurpassed; Having worshipped his feet, Sat down to one side. He taught me the Dhamma, Gotama, out of compassion; Seated on that seat, I attained the third fruit. Then, having cut off my hair, I went forth into homelessness; Today is my seventh night, Since craving was dried up. ... Anopamā the Elder Nun ... 6. Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī the Elder Nun's Verses Homage to you, O Buddha, hero, Supreme among all beings; You who freed me from suffering, And many other people. All suffering has been fully understood, The cause, craving, has been dried up; The eightfold path has been developed, Cessation has been touched by me. Mother, son, father, brother, Grandmother, I was before; Not knowing the truth, I wandered on, without discerning. Indeed, that Blessed One has been seen by me, This is my last body; The cycle of birth is exhausted, There is no more rebirth now. Those who have aroused energy, with minds intent, Always of firm endeavor; See the harmonious disciples, This is the homage to the Buddhas. Indeed, for the welfare of many, Maya gave birth to Gotama; For those afflicted by sickness and death, He dispelled the mass of suffering. ... Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī the Elder Nun ... 7. Guttā the Elder Nun's Verses Gutta, for what purpose you went forth, Having abandoned son, wealth, and loved ones; Cultivate that very thing, Do not go under the sway of the mind. Beings, deceived by the mind, Delighting in Mara's domain; Through many births and wanderings, They run on, undiscerning. Sensual desire and ill-will, And self-identity view; Adherence to rites and rituals, And doubt, the fifth. These fetters, having abandoned them, O nun; Which lead to the lower realms, You will not return here again. Having abandoned lust, conceit, and ignorance, And restlessness; Having cut off the fetters, You will make an end of suffering. Having exhausted having fully understood excessive transmigration, renewed existence; In this very life, free from craving, peaceful, she will live. … Guttā Therī…. 8. Vijayā Therī’s Verses 169. Four times, five times, I left the monastery; Not having obtained peace of mind, not master of my thoughts. 170. Having approached a nun, I questioned her respectfully; She taught me the Dhamma, and the elements and sense-bases. 171. The four noble truths, the faculties and powers; The factors of awakening, the eightfold path, for the attainment of the highest goal. 172. Having heard her words, following her instruction; In the first watch of the night, I recollected past lives. 173. In the middle watch of the night, I purified the divine eye; In the last watch of the night, I shattered the mass of darkness. 174. And pervading my body with joy and happiness, I dwelt then; On the seventh day I stretched out my feet, having shattered the mass of darkness. … Vijayā Therī…. The Sixth Nipāta is finished.