Sex, Marriage and Family in World Religions (68 page)

Pained, her mother laments; and her father, smitten (by grief), strives to reconcile her (as she lies) fallen to the ground on the roof of the palace. “Stand up, child; what (do you want) with grieving? You are bestowed. In Va¯ranavatı¯

is King Anı¯karatta, (who is) handsome; you are bestowed upon him. You will be the chief queen, the wife of King Anı¯karatta. The rules of virtuous conduct, the living of the holy life, going-forth, are difficult to perform, child. In kingship there are (giving of) orders, wealth, authority, happy enjoyments; you are young; enjoy the enjoyments of sensual pleasures; let your marriage take place, child.”

Then Sumedha¯ spoke to them, “ May such, things not be; existence is unsubstantial. Either there will be going-forth for me or death; not marriage. Why should I cling to this foul body, impure, smelling of urine, a frightful water-bag of corpses, always flowing, full of impure things? What (do) I know it to be like?

A body is repulsive, smeared with flesh and blood, food for worms, vultures, and (other) birds. Why is it given (to us)? The body is soon carried out to the cemetery, devoid of consciousness; it is thrown away like a log by disgusted relatives. Having thrown it away in the cemetery as food for others, one’s own 320

mother and father wash themselves, disgusted; how much more do common people? They are attached to the unsubstantial body, an aggregate of bones and sinews, to the foul body, full of saliva, tears, excrement, and urine. If anyone, dissecting it, were to make the inside outside ( ס turn it inside out), even one’s own mother, being unable to bear the smell of it, would be disgusted.

Reflecting in a reasoned manner that the elements of existence, the elements, the sense-bases are compounded, have rebirth as their root, (and) are painful, why should I wish for marriage? Let 300 new(-ly sharpened) swords fall on my body every day; even if the striking lasted 100 years it would be better, if thus there were destruction of pain. He should submit to this striking who thus knows the teacher’s utterance, ‘Journeying-on is long for you, being killed again and again.’ Among devas and among men, in the womb of animals, and in the body of an asura, among petas and in hells, unmeasured ( ס unlimited) strikings are seen. There are many strikings in hells for a defiled one who has gone to a downward transition. Even among the devas there is no protection; there is nothing superior to the happiness of quenching. Those who are intent upon the teaching of the ten-powered one have attained quenching; having little greed they strive for the elimination of birth and death. This very day, father, I shall renounce (the world); what (have I to do) with unsubstantial enjoyments? I am disgusted with sensual pleasures; they are like vomit, made groundless like a palm-tree.”

Thus she spoke to her father, and at the same time Anı¯karatta, to whom she was betrothed, surrounded by young men, came to the marriage at the ap-pointed time. Then Sumedha¯, having cut her black, thick, soft hair with a knife, having closed the palace(-door), entered on the first meditation. Just as she entered on it, Anı¯karatta arrived at the city; in that very palace Sumedha¯ developed the notion of impermanence. Just as she was pondering, Anı¯karatta mounted (the palace) quickly. With his body adorned with jewels and gold, with cupped hands, he begged Sumedha¯, “In kingship there are (giving of) orders, wealth, authority, happy enjoyments; you are young; enjoy the enjoyments of sensual pleasures; happiness(es) from sensual pleasures are hard to obtain in the world. (My) kingship has been bestowed upon you; enjoy enjoyments; give gifts; do not be depressed; your mother and father are pained.”

Then Sumedha¯, not being concerned with sensual pleasures, being without delusion, said this: “Do not rejoice in sensual pleasures; see the peril in sensual pleasures. Mandha¯tar, king of the four continents, was the foremost of those having enjoyment of sensual pleasures. He died unsatisfied, nor were his wishes fulfilled. Let the rainy one rain the seven jewels all around in the ten directions; but there is no satisfaction with sensual pleasures; men die unsatisfied indeed.

Sensual pleasures are like a butcher’s knife and chopping block; sensual pleasures are like a snake’s head; they burn like a firebrand; they are like a bony skeleton. Sensual pleasures are impermanent, unstable; they have much pain, they are great poisons; (they are) like a heated ball of iron, the root of evil,
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having pain as the fruit. Sensual pleasures are like the fruits of a tree, like lumps of flesh, pain(ful); (they are) like dreams, delusive; sensual pleasures are like borrowed goods. Sensual pleasures are like swords and stakes, a. disease, a tumor, evil destruction, like a pit of coals, the root of evil, fear, slaughter. Thus sensual pleasures have been said to have much pain, to be hindrances. Go! I myself have no confidence in existence. What will another do for me when his own head is burning? When old age and death are following closely one must strive for their destruction.”

Having opened the door, and having seen her mother and father and Anı¯-

karatta seated on the ground lamenting, she said this: “Journeying-on is long for fools and for those who lament again and again at that which is without beginning and end, at the death of a father, the slaughter of a brother, and their own slaughter. Remember the tears, the milk, the blood, the journeying-on as being without beginning and end; remember the heap of bones of beings who are journeying-on. Remember the four oceans compared with the tears, milk, and blood; remember the heap of bones, (of one man) for one eon, equal (in size) to Mt. Vipula. (Remember) the great earth, Jambudı¯pa, compared with that which is without beginning and end for one who is journeying-on. Little balls the size of jujube kernels are not equal to his mother’s mothers (i.e., the earth split up into little balls . . . ). Remember the leaves, twigs, and grass compared with his fathers as being without beginning and end. (Split up into) pieces four inches long (they) are not equal to his father’s fathers indeed. Remember the blind turtle in the sea in former times, and the hole in the yoke floating (there); remember the putting on of it ( ס the yoke) as a comparison with the obtaining of human birth. Remember the form of this worst of bodies, unsubstantial, like a lump of foam. See the elements of existence as impermanent; remember the hells, giving much distress. Remember those filling up the cemetery again and again in this birth and that. Remember the fears from the crocodile; remember the four truths.

When the undying exists, what do you want with drinking the five bitter things? For all delights in sensual pleasure are more bitter than the five bitter things. When the undying exists, what do you want with sensual pleasures which are burning fevers? For all delights in sensual pleasures are on fire, aglow, seething. When there is non-enmity, what do you want with sensual pleasures which have much enmity? Being similar to kings, fire, thieves, water, and un-friendly people, they have much enmity.

When release exists, what do you want with sensual pleasures, in which are slaughter and bonds? For in sensual pleasures, unwilling, people suffer the pains of slaughter and bonds. A grass firebrand, when kindled, burns one who holds it and does not let go; sensual pleasures are truly like firebrands; they burn those who do not let go. Do not abandon extensive happiness for the sake of a little happiness from sensual pleasures; do not suffer afterwards, like the puthuloma fish having swallowed the hook. Willingly just control yourself among sensual 322

pleasures. (You are) like a dog bound by a chain; assuredly sensual pleasures will treat you as hungry outcasts treat a dog. Intent upon sensual pleasures you will suffer both unlimited pain and very many distresses of the mind; give up unstable sensual pleasures.

When the unageing exists, what do you want with sensual pleasures, in which are old age and death? All births everywhere are bound up with death and sickness. This is unageing, this is undying, this is the unageing, undying state; without grieving, without enmity, unobstructed, without stumbling, without fear, without burning. This undying has been attained by many, and this is to be obtained even today (by one) who rightly applies himself ; but it cannot (be attained) by one who does not strive.”

So Sumedha¯ spoke, not obtaining delight in the constituent elements. Con-ciliating Anı¯karatta, Sumedha¯ simply threw her hair on the ground. Standing up (that same) Anı¯karatta with cupped hands requested her father, “Let Sumedha¯ go, in order to go forth; (she will be) one with insight into the truths of complete release.” Allowed to go by her mother and father, she went forth, frightened by grief and fear; the six supernormal powers were realized by her while (still) undergoing training, (and also) the foremost fruit.

Marvelous, amazing was that quenching of the king’s daughter; as she explained at the final time ( ס last moment) the activities in her former habita-tions. “In the time of the blessed one Kona¯gamana, in the Order’s pleasure park, in a new residence, we three friends, women, gave a gift of a viha¯ra. Ten times, one hundred times, ten hundred times, one hundred hundred times we were reborn among the devas. But what (need of) talk (about rebirth) among men? We had great supernormal powers among the devas. But what (need of) talk (about powers) among mankind? I was the queen of a seven-jewelled (king); I was his wife-jewel. That was the cause, that the origin, that the root; that very delight in the teaching, that first meeting, that was quenching for one delighting in the doctrine.”

So they say who have faith in the utterance of the one who has perfect wisdom; they are disgusted with existence; being disgusted with it they are disinterested (in it).

[Translated in
Elders’ Verses,
trans. K. R. Norman, 2 vols.

(London: Luzac, 1971), vol. 2, pp. 45–51]

THE CONVERSION OF THE NUN, PAT.A¯CA¯RA¯

This narrative depicts the harrowing pathway that led a woman, Pat.a¯ca¯ra¯, to become a celebrated Buddhist nun. Though the story likely derives from an era well after the death of the Buddha, the narrative portrays a luckless women coming to realize that the Buddhist criticisms of the family, and human life in general, are accurate and can only lead to the firm decision to renounce involvement in mundane desires. While the above story presents the princess Sumedha¯’s conversion from a position of strength and wisdom, the conversion
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of Pat.a¯ca¯ra¯ works by showing the reader how she, in time, came to be convinced of the Buddhist position through a series of devastating events that leave her completely bereft and alone in the world.

Document 5–5

. a¯ca¯ra¯

At the time of the birth of the Buddha, a certain girl was born in Sŕa¯vastı¯ in the household of a guild master. When she had come of age, she secretly became sexually intimate with a workman in her household. In due time, however, her parents decided that she was to marry into a family of the same caste as her own. In desperation, she said to her lover: “Starting tomorrow, a hundred guards will prevent you from seeing me; if you are up to the task, take me away with you right now!”

“All right,” he replied, and taking a certain amount of movable wealth, he went with her three or four leagues from the city, where they took up residence in a village. In time, she became pregnant, and when she was about to give birth, she said: “Husband, we are without resources in this place, let us go back and have this child in my family’s home.”

But he only said: “Shall we go today? Shall we go tomorrow?” Unable to decide, he let time pass. Seeing him procrastinate in this way, she thought, “This fool will never take me.” So, when he was out of the house, she set off on her own, thinking, “I will return home by myself!”

When her husband got back to the house, he did not find her anywhere. He asked the neighbors where she was, and they told him she had gone home.

“Because of me, this daughter of a good family has become destitute,” he thought, and he set out after her and caught up with her. There on the road, she went into labor and gave birth. Thus, the very purpose for which they had set out had become accomplished in mid-journey. And thinking, “Why do we now need to go on?” they returned to the village.

Once again, she became pregnant, and everything repeated itself just as it had happened before. This time, however, when she went into labor and gave birth in the middle of the road, great clouds arose in all four directions. She said to her husband: “Husband, unseasonably, storm clouds have arisen all around; try to make me a shelter from the rain.”

“I will do so,” he replied, and built a hut out of sticks. Then, thinking he would get some grass for the roof, he went off to cut some at the foot of an anthill. But a black snake who lived in the anthill bit him on the foot, and he fell to the ground in that very place. She spent the whole night, thinking: “He will come back now! He will come back now!” Then she thought: “Surely, he thinks I am a destitute woman, so he has abandoned me on the road and gone away.” But when it became light the next day, she followed his tracks and saw him fallen, dead, at the foot of the anthill.

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“My man has perished because of me!” she lamented, and taking her younger child on her hip and holding the elder by the hand, she went along the road until she came to a river flowing across her path. “Now I cannot carry both children across at once,” she reflected. “I will leave the elder on this bank, carry the younger one across to the other bank, put him down on a piece of cloth, come back again to get this one, and go on.” So she entered the river and carried the baby across. But when, on her way back, she reached the middle of the stream, a hawk, thinking, “Here is a piece of meat,” arrived to peck at the infant left on the bank. She waved her hand in order to scare the bird away. Seeing her gesture, the elder boy thought, “She is calling me”

and went down into the river. He fell into the stream and was carried away by it. The hawk then carried off the infant, just before she could reach it.