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Intent on serving the Buddha.' 'It is not proper to sorrow, son, When the time of joy has arrived; By you, my son, Nibbana has been attained.' 'By you, dear one, was requested, Ordination was permitted.' No; Do not, son, be disheartened, your effort is fruitful. 165. That which was not seen by the ancients, nor by the teachers of other sects; That state by tender maidens, seven years old, has been known. 166. Protector of the Buddha's Dispensation, this is my last sight of you. Thither I shall go, son, where one gone is not seen. 167. Once, while teaching the Dhamma, the World's Foremost Leader spoke. Then I, out of compassion, uttered words of blessing. 168. Long live, Great Hero, for an eon remain, Great Sage; for the welfare of all the world, may you be ageless and deathless. 169. To me, who spoke thus, the Buddha said this: ‘Not thus should Buddhas be honored, as you honor them, Gotamī. 170. How then, All-Knowing One, should Tathāgatas be honored? How are Buddhas not to be honored? Tell me, when asked. 171. Those who have aroused energy, with minds dedicated, always of firm endeavor; See the harmonious disciples, this is the honoring of Buddhas. 172. Then going to my dwelling, I, alone, reflected: The Lord, the ender of the three existences, has caused the assembly to weep. 173. Come now, I shall attain final Nibbāna, lest I see misfortune. Having thus thought, and having seen the Foremost Sage. 174. My time for final Nibbāna, I announced to the Leader; Then he assented, "Know your time, Gotamī." 175. My defilements are burnt… …I dwell without taints. 176. Welcome indeed was my coming… …the Buddha's teaching has been done. 177. The four analytical knowledges… …the Buddha's teaching has been done. 178. Concerning the comprehension of Dhamma by women, those fools who are in doubt; For the abandoning of their views, show a psychic power, Gotamī.' 179. Then, having bowed to the Perfectly Awakened One, and having risen into the sky; Gotamī displayed many psychic powers, with the Buddha's permission. 180. Being one, she became many, and being many, she became one; Appearing and disappearing, through walls, through mountains. 181. Without hindrance she passed, through the earth Also plunged; In unparted water, she went as if on land. 182. Like a bird in the sky, she went then in cross-legged posture; She controlled her body, up to the Brahma-dwelling. 183. Making Sineru a staff, making the great earth an umbrella; Turning it over with its roots, holding it, she walked in the sky. 184. As if at the rising of six suns, she made the world smoky; Like at the end of an eon, she made the world full of blazing flames. 185. The great rock Mucalinda, between Meru's base and the river; All of them, like mustard seeds, she grasped with one fist. 186. With the tip of her finger, she covered the sun with the moon; Thousands of moons and suns, she wore like a garland. 187. The waters of the four oceans, she held with one hand; Like the clouds at the end of an eon, she caused a great rain to fall. 188. A Wheel-turning Monarch with his retinue, she created in the sky; A Garuḷa, an elephant, a lion, roaring, she showed. 189. Alone, having created an immeasurable assembly of bhikkhunīs; Then having made them disappear, alone she spoke to the Sage. 190. ‘Your aunt, Great Hero, a doer of your teaching; Having attained her own goal, I worship your feet, O Seer.’ 191. Having shown various psychic powers, descending from the sky; Having worshipped the lamp of the world, she sat down to one side. 192. ‘I am one hundred and twenty years old by birth, Great Sage; Enough of this, Hero, I shall attain Nibbāna, Leader.’ 193. Then all that assembly, greatly astonished, with joined palms; Said, ‘O Lady, how did you come to have such incomparable psychic power and might?’ 194. The Victor named Padumuttara, a Seer in all phenomena; A hundred thousand eons from now, the Leader arose. 195. Then I, in Haṃsavatī, was born in a minister's family; Endowed with all resources, prosperous, thriving, wealthy. 196. Sometimes with my father, preceded by a group of female servants; With a great retinue, approaching that best of men. 197. Like Vāsava raining, the Dhamma the rain without defilement. Like the autumn sun, resplendent with a net of rays. 198. Having seen, I gladdened my mind, and heard his well-spoken word; The Leader of men, establishing my aunt as the foremost bhikkhunī. 199. Having heard, I gave a great offering, for seven days to that Tathāgata; Many requisites to the Leader of men, together with the Saṅgha. 200. Having bowed at his feet, I wished for that position; Then, in the great assembly, the seventh of sages spoke. 201. “‘She who fed the World-Leader with the Saṅgha for seven days; Her I shall praise, listen to my words. 202. “‘A hundred thousand aeons from now, born in the Okkāka clan; A teacher named Gotama by clan, will arise in the world. 203. “‘Among his teachings, an heir, born of the Dhamma; Named Gotamī, will be a female disciple of the Teacher. 204. “‘This one is the aunt of that Buddha, the giver of life; She will attain the foremost position among those of long-standing, among bhikkhunīs.’ 205. Having heard that, I rejoiced, and for as long as I lived, I attended the Victor; With requisites, then I passed away. 206. Among the Tāvatiṃsa gods, where all desires are fulfilled; I was reborn, with ten qualities, I surpassed others. 207. In forms, sounds, scents, tastes, and touches; Also in life, and beauty, in happiness, and fame. 208. Likewise in sovereignty, having overcome, I shone; I became the beloved chief queen of the lord of immortals there. 209. Wandering in saṃsāra, driven by the wind of kamma; I was born in a slave village, in the realm of the king of Kāsī. 210. Not less than five hundred slaves, lived there then; I became the wife of the eldest of all of them there. 211. Five hundred Self-Awakened Ones, entered the village for alms; Seeing them, I was delighted, together with all the women. All of us, having formed groups, attended for four months. Having given the three robes, we wandered on with our husbands. Having passed away from there, all of us, we went to Tāvatiṃsa. And now, in this last existence, we were born in the city of Devadaha. My father was Añjana Sakka, my mother was Sulakkhaṇā. Then, in Kapilavatthu, I went to Suddhodana's house. The rest, born in Sakya families, came to the Sakyas' homes. I was the most distinguished of all, I became the mother of the Conqueror. My son, having gone forth, became the Buddha, the leader. Afterwards, I, having gone forth, with five hundred (nuns). With the wise Sakyan women, I touched the bliss of peace. Those who, in that former birth, were our husbands. They were doers of shared merit, makers of a great assembly. They attained arahantship, compassionated by the Fortunate One. Then these bhikkhunīs, ascended to the sky. Like clustered stars, they shone with great power. They displayed various psychic powers, like ornaments of diverse forms. Just as a goldsmith, well-trained in his craft. Having displayed miracles, many and varied, having delighted the foremost speaker, the sage with his assembly then. Having descended from the sky, having saluted the supreme sage, permitted by the chief of men, they sat down in their proper places. “Oh, Gotamī, you have long been compassionate to us all; imbued by your merits, we have attained the destruction of the defilements. Our defilements are burnt away, all existences are uprooted. Like a female elephant breaking its bonds, we dwell without defilements. Truly, our coming was welcome, in the presence of the supreme Buddha. The three knowledges are attained, the Buddha's teaching is done. The four analytical knowledges, and the eight liberations... The six supernormal powers are realized, The Buddha's teaching is fulfilled. 227. "We are masters of psychic powers, And of the divine ear element; We are masters of the knowledge of others' minds, O Great Sage. 228. "We know our past lives, The divine eye is purified; All defilements are destroyed, There is no more rebirth now. 229. "In meaning, in Dhamma, in etymology, And in ready wit, Our knowledge, O Great Hero, Has arisen in your presence. 230. "We have attended upon you, O Leader, with minds of loving-kindness; Grant permission to all of us, For Nibbāna, O Great Sage." 231. "You will attain Nibbāna, so what shall I say, Speaking to you? Now is the time for you, As you deem fit," the Conqueror said. 232. Gotamī and those other bhikkhunīs, Then, having saluted the Conqueror, Rose from that seat, And departed. 233. With a great multitude of people, The Leader of the world, the Hero, Followed his aunt, As far as the gatehouse. 234. Then Gotamī fell at the feet Of the Kinsman of the world; Together with all those others, It was her last salutation at his feet. 235. "This is my last Sight of the World-Protector; Never again will I see Your deathless-like face. 236. "Nor will my salutation, O Hero, Touch your soft feet, O World-Leader; Today I go to Nibbāna." 237. "What is this form to you, In the Dhamma seen as it truly is? All this is conditioned, Unreliable, and other." 238. She, together with them, went To her own bhikkhunī residence; Having sat in a half-cross-legged posture, She sat on the supreme seat. 239. Then the female lay followers there, Devoted to the Buddha's teaching, Having heard of her intention, Came to pay homage at her feet. 240. Striking their chests with their hands, Like vines whose roots are cut, Weeping with a piteous cry, Afflicted by sorrow, they fell to the ground. 241. "Do not, O Protector, our refuge, Abandon us and go to Nibbāna; Falling down, we implore you, All of us..." with our heads. 242. Among them, the foremost, Faithful, wise laywoman, Stroking her head, Spoke these words: 243.