Enlightened nun "Beautiful Curly-Hair"

G.P. Malalasekera (Pali Proper Names); Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Black and Buddhist (Faith Adiele)

Ven. Bhaddā-Kundalakesā was an enlightened elder nun or 

therī (one who has gone forth for at least ten rains retreats).

She was deemed "foremost in swift intuition" among the nuns (comparable to Bahiya of the Barkcloth among the monks).

She was reborn in the family of a treasurer of wealthy Rājagaha, the royal city ringed by seven hills where the Buddha frequently stayed at Vulture's Peak.

On the same day as she was born, a son was born to the king's chaplain under an astrological constellation favorable to highway robbers, who was therefore called Sattuka.

One day, through her balcony lattice, beautiful Bhaddā saw Sattuka being led by the city guard to execution on a charge of robbery. She at once fell in love with him and refused to live without him.

Her father, out of his love for her, bribed the guard to release Sattuka. He ordered him bathed in perfumed water, and brought him home, where Bhaddā, decked in jewels, waited upon him.

Sattuka soon began to covet her expensive jewels and conceived of a lie to steal them. He told her that he had made a vow to the deity of Robbers' Cliff that, should he escape execution, he would bring the deity an offering in thanks.

She trusted him and, and putting together an offering, went with him arrayed in all her lovely ornaments. On arriving at the top of the cliff, he told her of his real purpose. She, undaunted, begged him to let her embrace him just one more time. He agreed to this. Then, pretending to embrace him from behind, she pushed him over the cliff.

The deity of the mountain praised her presence of mind, saying that men were not in all cases wiser than women. Unwilling to return home after what had happened, she joined the Order of the White Clad Niganthas [Jains, as the founder Mahavira allowed female ascetics before the Buddha accepted nuns].

As she wished to practice extreme austerities (tapas) as penance, they yanked her hair out with a palmyra wood comb. Her hair grew back in close curls, so they called her Kundala-kesā ("Curly-hair").

Can I put clear Neosporin on dark skin or on an open wound? (verywellhealth.com)

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Unsatisfied with the doctrine (dharma) of the Niganthas, she left them, and going for guidance to various teachers, she became very proficient in philosophical discussion and eager to debate.

She would enter a village and, making a heap of sand at the gate, set up a tree branch of rose apple saying, "Whoever wishes to debate me, let him trample on this branch."

One day, Sāriputra -- the Buddha's chief disciple declared "foremost in wisdom" -- seeing the branch outside of Sāvatthi's gate, asked some children to trample it.

Bhaddā then went to Jetavana accompanied by a large crowd of spectators she invited to be present at the debate.

Sāriputra suggested that Bhaddā should first ask him questions. To all of these he replied skillfully until she fell silent.

Would that there were a teacher so wise as me.

It was then his turn, and he asked her, "One, what is that?" (The meaning of this was probably, "State any one fact that is true for everyone.")

Unable to answer, she asked him to be her teacher. But Sāriputra sent her to the Buddha, who taught her. He added verses, stating that it were better to know one single stanza bringing calm and peace than 1,000 verses bringing no profit.

At the end of this sutra, Bhaddā attained full enlightenment, and the Buddha himself ordained her as a nun afterward.

In the time of Padumuttara Buddha, she had heard him teach and declare as foremost among nuns one whose intuition was swift (khippābhiññā). She vowed that this rank should one day be hers.

Later, when Kassapa was Buddha, she was one of the seven daughters of Kikī, King of Benares, and was named Bhikkhadāyikā (v.l. Bhikkhudāsikā).

For 20,000 years she remained celibate and built a dwelling for the Monastic Order (A.i.25; AA.i.200ff.; ThigA.99ff.; Ap.ii.560ff).

The DhA. account (ii. 217 ff.) differs in various details. There Bhaddā is shut up by her parents at the top of a seven storied building with only a single woman to wait on her, for "girls when young, burn for men!"

It was thus that she saw the robber. In the "Verses of the Enlightened Nuns or Therīgāthā (Thig.vss.107-11) are included several verses spoken by her when she had been a wandering ascetic Jain nun for 50 years, wandering about in Anga, Magadha, Kāsi, and Kosala, living on the people's alms.

Millionaire Enlightened Daughters

The millionaire Buddhist Anathapindika ("one who feeds the needy") was married and had daughters. He was very devoted to the Buddha -- his chief patron -- and would often visit him to discuss the Dharma.

Before passing away, he attained stream-entry (the first of four progressive stages of enlightenment). Three of his daughters, while living at home, attained this distinction in purification earlier. Here is the astounding story of the millionaire's family.

Three Daughters
Adapted from Hellmuth Hecker (BPS, accesstoinsight.org)

Anathapindika was happily married. His wife, Puññalakkhana ("one who has the mark of merit") lived up to her name. As the good spirit of the house, she took care of the servants and of the monastics who came for alms at midday. She was devoted to the Dharma ("Teaching"). Through her brother, who had been one of the first lay disciples of the Buddha, she had become familiar with it.

Anathapindika had four children, three daughters and a son. Two of the daughters, Little Subhadda and Big Subhadda, were steeped in the Dharma like their father and had attained stream-entry. And just as they took after their father in spiritual matters, so too in worldly affairs: They were both happily married. But the youngest daughter, Sumana, surpassed the rest of her family in deep wisdom. Upon hearing the Buddha teach, she had quickly attained the second stage of enlightenment and thus was a once-returner.

She did not marry -- but not because she renounced marriage. In fact, when she saw the happiness of her two [stream-enterer] sisters, she became sad and lonely. Her spiritual strength did not suffice to overcome her depression. To the deep sorrow of her family, she wasted away, eating nothing, eventually starving to death. She was reborn in the Tusita heaven, the highest form of existence in the sensual realm. There she had to purge herself of the residue of dependence on other people, her last outwardly directed desire (Dhammapada Commentary).

The Wayward Son
The only son of Anathapindika, Kala the Dark One, was at first a strain on his father's house. He did not want to know anything of the Teaching, immersing himself completely in his business affairs.

Then one day his father urged him to observe a holy day, offering him one thousand pieces of gold if he would keep the Uposatha day. Kala consented, and soon found it relaxing to take one day of the week off from business to enjoy himself in the company of his family. Because of this, the fasting of the Uposatha day did not weigh too heavily on him. Then his father made a second request and offered him another thousand if he would come to the monastery with him one holiday afternoon in order to listen to the Dharma.

Kala gladly agreed, and it became the turning point of his life. Through the discourse of the Buddha, he attained stream-entry. His daily life became ennobled, just as in his father's case, and he also became a major benefactor of the Order (Sangha), known by the name of "Little Anathapindika" (Dhp Comy).

Kala was married to Sujata, a sister of the famous lay-devotee Visakha, mother of Migara. She was very proud of her family background and her wealth on both sides. Because her thoughts revolved around nothing but these trifles, she could not arouse noble thoughts. She was unfulfilled, dissatisfied, and peevish. And she vented her unhappiness on others. This was seen in the hostile and angry way in which she treated everyone. She beat her servants, and whenever she appeared she spread fear and terror. Nor did she follow the rules of propriety in her relationships with in-laws and husband. Thus, she increasingly made herself an object of scorn. ...

The "Prodigal" Nephew
Finally, mention is made of a nephew of Anathapindika. He had inherited a great fortune of forty million but lived a wild life, squandering, drinking, and gambling everything away. He paid thousands to various entertainers, women, and obliging friends. When he had exhausted his inheritance, he asked his wealthy uncle for support. His uncle gave him a thousand gold pieces and told him that he should use it to start a business.

He instead wasted it and appeared once more at the palace of Anathapindika, who this time gave him five times as much as before, without a single condition, but as a severance. Even the warning that this was the last of the money did not keep the nephew from his wasteful ways. For the third time he begged his uncle for money. Anathapindika gave the young man two pieces of clothing. But he wasted these as well and was shameless enough to call on his uncle for a fourth time. However, this time he was told to leave. If he had come as one of the many beggars and not as a demanding nephew, he certainly would have received sustenance from the house of Anathapindika. But this he did not do, not wanting almsfood but only money to squander.

Because he was too lazy and stubborn to earn his own living, while unwilling to beg, he died wretchedly. His body was found at the city wall and was thrown onto the refuse pile. When Anathapindika heard of this, he asked himself whether he could have prevented this sad ending. He then asked the Buddha if he should have acted differently. The Buddha resolved his misgivings, explaining how the nephew belonged to the fortunately small number of insatiable people who were like bottomless vats. He had perished because of real external needs, as had occurred in previous lives (Jataka 291).

• IMAGES: Daughters (bollyvista.com); Buddha with Anathapindika (goldenpages.com); The Return of the Prodigal Son by Edward John Poynter; The-Prodigal-Son.