..续本文上一页e liberated. The accumulated stock of misery has been destroyed.

　　Padmāvatī

　　Padmāvatī was a courtesan of Ujjain and the mother of Abhaya. She was ordained by the Buddha as a nun and through her serious practice of meditation, she became an arahat. Padmāvatī utters these words:

　　Evaṃ viharamānāya

　　Thus, following the teaching of the Buddha,

　　Sabbo rāgo samūhato

　　Uprooting all the craving for sensual pleasure,

　　Pariḷāho samucchinno

　　Extinguishing the burning of passion,

　　Sītibhūtamhi nibbutāti

　　(I have) attained nibbāna to become transcendently cool and peaceful.

　　Aparā Uttamā Therī

　　Aparā Uttamā was born in a prominent Brahmin family of Kosala. Describing her meditation and resulting liberation, she joyfully exclaims:

　　Suññatassa nimittassa, lābhinīhaṃ yadacchika;

　　Orasā dhītā buddhassa, nibbānābhiratā sadā.

　　My dream of experiencing the state where there is nothing to hold on to (nibbāna) has been fulfilled. I, a rightful daughter of the Buddha, ever enjoy the bliss of nibbāna.

　　Ye ime satta bojjhaṅgā, maggā nibbānapattiyā;

　　Bhāvitā te mayā sabbā, yathā buddhena desitā.

　　To attain nibbāna I completed the development of all the seven bojjhaṅgas (factors of enlightenment) as taught by the Buddha.

　　Sabbe kāmā samucchinnā, ye dibbā ye ca mānusā;

　　Vikkhīṇo jātisaṃsāro, natthi dāni punabbhavo.

　　My yearning for all the sensual pleasures, of this world and of heaven, has been eradicated. The cycle of becoming has ceased. Now there is no rebirth for me.

　　If the scholars of our country had read even a few quotations from the hundreds of utterances of the Buddha and his disciples, they would not have committed the grave error of characterising the liberating teaching of this supreme historic person as fatalistic and pessimistic.

　　Loving Kindness

　　When a householder invites a bhikkhu to offer him food and thus avails the opportunity of earning merits, the bhikkhu usually chants a mettāsutta (verses of loving kindness). One feels great joy to hear these words of benediction. The same words of loving-kindness are heard in the early morning chanting in a ten-day Vipassana course permeating selfless love and creating a delightful atmosphere for meditation.

　　Na ca khuddamācare kiñci,

　　yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṃ;

　　sukhino va khemino hontu,

　　sabbasattā bhavantu sukhitattā.

　　One should not do any mean thing that would invite censure from wise men. Let all creatures indeed be content, secure and happy within.

　　Ye keci pāṇabhūtatthi,

　　tasā vā thāvarā vanavasesā;

　　dīghā vā ye va mahantā,

　　majjhimā rassakā aṇukathūlā.

　　diṭṭhā vā ye va adiṭṭhā,

　　ye va‚ dūre vasanti avidūre;

　　bhūtā va sambhavesī va‚

　　sabbasattā bhavantu sukhitattā.

　　Whatever living creatures there are, moving or still, without exception, long or large, middle-sized or short, small or big, visible or invisible, living far or near, whether they already exist or are coming into being, let all creatures be happy within.

　　Na paro paraṃ nikubbetha,

　　nātimaññetha katthaci na kañci.

　　byārosanā paṭighasaññā,

　　nāññamaññassa dukkhamiccheyya.

　　One should not humiliate another; one should not despise anyone anywhere. One should not wish another misery out of anger or repugnance.

　　Mātā yathā niyaṃ puttaṃ,

　　āyusā ekaputtamanurakkhe;

　　evampi sabbabhūtesu,

　　mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ.

　　Just as a mother would protect her son, her only son, with her life, so one should cultivate infinite selfless love towards all beings.

　　mettāñca sabbalokasmi,

　　mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ;

　　uddhaṃ adho ca tiriyañca,

　　asambādhaṃ averamasapattaṃ.

　　All loving-kindness…

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