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15. The Chapter of Forty 1. The Verses of the Elder Isidāsī 402. In a city named Kusuma, Pāṭaliputta, on the earth's surface; Two nuns, of Sakyan noble lineage, Were indeed virtuous. 403. One of them was Isidāsī, The second, Bodhī, endowed with virtue; Delighting in meditation, Learned, with defilements shaken off. 404. Having gone for alms, And eaten, their bowls washed; Comfortably seated in solitude, They uttered these words. 405. "You are charming, venerable one, Isidāsī, Your youth is not yet faded; Seeing what fault, Did you devote yourself to renunciation?" 406. Thus questioned, she, Skilled in teaching Dhamma in solitude; Isidāsī spoke these words: "Listen, Bodhī, how I went forth. 407. "In the excellent city of Ujjenī, My father was a merchant, restrained by virtue; I was his only daughter, Beloved, pleasing, and cherished. 408. "Then from Sāketa, Excellent suitors of noble family came; A merchant, rich in jewels, To him my father gave me as a daughter-in-law. 409. "To my mother-in-law and father-in-law, Morning and evening, approaching with reverence; I bowed my head at their feet, I worshipped as I was instructed. 410. "Whoever were my husband's Sisters, brothers, or servants; Seeing them even once, I would rise and offer a seat. 411. "With food and drink, And snacks, and whatever was available there; I served and offered, And gave what was suitable for each. 412. "Rising at the proper time, I approached the threshold of the house; Washing his hands and feet, With clasped hands, I attended my husband. 413. "Taking a comb, a mirror, Kohl, and a looking-glass; Like a maidservant, I myself adorned my husband. 414. "I myself prepared the rice, I myself washed the dishes; Like a mother to her only son, So I attended my husband. 415. "Thus, me, devoted to my husband, Loving, serving, with pride subdued; Diligent, not lazy, virtuous, the husband dislikes her. 416. He says to his mother and father, ‘Asking leave, I will go; I will not live with Isidasi, to live together in one house.’ 417. ‘Do not speak thus, son, Isidasi is wise, accomplished; Diligent, not lazy, what is it, son, that you do not like?’ 418. ‘She does not harm me in any way, yet I will not live with Isidasi; She is hateful to me, enough for me, without asking leave, I will go.’ 419. Having heard his words, my mother-in-law and father-in-law asked me; ‘What wrong have you done, tell us clearly, as it truly is.’ 420. ‘I have done no wrong whatsoever, I do not harm, nor do I speak harsh words; What can be done, when my husband hates me?’ 421. They took me back to my father’s house, disheartened, overcome with sorrow; ‘Protecting our son, we have lost a beautiful fortune.’ 422. Then my father gave me, to the house of a rich man, a second family; Then for half the dowry, by which the merchant had found me. 423. In his house for a month, I lived, then he too rejected me; Though serving like a slave, faultless, endowed with virtue. 424. And wandering for alms, my father says to a tamed, controlled man; ‘You shall be my son-in-law, put down your alms-bowl and water-pot.’ 425. He too, having stayed for a fortnight, then says to my father, ‘Give me my alms-bowl; And water-pot and begging-bowl, I will go begging again.’ 426. Then my father says to him, and all my relatives; ‘What is not done for you here, tell us quickly, that we may do it for you.’ 427. Thus spoken to, he says, ‘If my self is able...’ i. Enough for me! I will not live with Isidasi, I will not live with her in one house.' 428. "He went away, dismissed, and I, alone, thought: 'I will go, having asked leave, either to die or to go forth.' 429. "Then the venerable Jinadatta, came, wandering for alms, to my father's family, a Vinaya-holder, learned, endowed with virtue. 430. "Seeing her, I rose from my seat and prepared a seat for her; and when she was seated, I bowed at her feet and offered her food. 431. "With food and drink, and snacks, and whatever was there prepared, having satisfied her, I said, 'Venerable one, I wish to go forth.' 432. "Then my father said to me, 'My daughter, practice the Dhamma right here; with food and drink, satisfy ascetics and brahmins.' 433. "Then I said to my father, weeping, having clasped my hands in reverence: 'Indeed, evil has been done by me, I will exhaust that kamma.' 434. "Then my father said to me, 'May you attain awakening and the supreme Dhamma; and may you obtain Nibbāna, which the best of bipeds realized.' 435. "Having saluted my parents, and all my relatives, seven days after going forth, I touched the three knowledges. 436. "I know my seven births, of which this is the fruit and result; I will tell you that, listen to it with a single mind. 437. "In the city of Erakaccha, I was a goldsmith, very wealthy; intoxicated with the pride of youth, I consorted with another's wife. 438. "Having passed away from there, I was tormented in hell for a long time; having suffered there, I was reborn in the womb of a monkey. 439. "When I was seven days old, the great ape, the leader of the troop, crushed me; this is the fruit of that kamma, just as by going with another's wife. 440. "Having passed away from there, and died in the Sindhavāra forest, I was reborn in the womb of a one-eyed and lame goat. 441. "For twelve years, I was a nil Abandoned, having taken the children; What kind of person, unskilled, as if having gone to another's wife. 442. Having passed away from there, I was born as a cow of a cattle-trader; A calf, a red-brown one, rejected in twelve months. 443. Having borne the plough, I also pulled the cart; Blind and unskilled, as if having gone to another's wife. 444. Having passed away from there, I was born in the house of a street-slave woman; Neither woman nor man, as if having gone to another's wife. 445. At thirty years old I died, and was born a girl in a cart-driver's family; Poor and with little wealth, in a family much afflicted by rich men's attacks. 446. Then a caravan leader, with excessive and great interest, Dragged me away, weeping, having torn me from my family home. 447. Then in my sixteenth year, seeing me a maiden come of age, His son, named Giridāsa, took me as his wife. 448. He also had another wife, virtuous, endowed with good qualities, and famous; Devoted to her husband, I caused her to be hated. 449. This is the fruit of that karma, that they go away abandoning me; Even though I served like a slave, I also made an end of her.