Tathālokā Therī
January 23, 2020
Offered for your inspiration, dedication and courage
--Uttarā Therī's Awakening Verse--
"Training myself in mindful-restraint of my body,
of my words and my mind;
I've plucked out that which was festering along with it's root:
A cooled being am i, fires gone out, thirst quenched --
Liberated, free."
- Uttarā Therī (Tg 1.15)
[this post author's interpretive translation]
“Kāyena saṃvutā āsiṃ,
vācāya uda cetasā;
Samūlaṃ taṇhamabbuyha,
sītibhūtāmhi nibbutā”ti.
… Uttarā Therīgāthā ….
Therīgāthā Ekakanipāta 15. [6]
A surprise today ~
How things come even when we are not looking for them! How wonderful in this case.
Yesterday the ancient early 1st century CE Kamboja-Gāndhāra-Oḍiyana-area stupa of King Uttaraseṇa with the reliquary inscription of the dual Ubhaya Sangha of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunīs by his grandson King Senavarman...[1]
...and today the crematory relics (Thai: phra that, Pāli: sārīrika dhātu) of ancient Arahantī Therī Uttarā (Uttarāyī) at Wat Santidham in Chiang Mai, the old Lanna Thai Kingdom area of northern Thailand.[2]
Uttaraseṇa Rāja...Uttarā Therī... Am i being helped by artificial intelligence, devas and guardians of the Sāsana, or is it just the blessed power of the Dhamma?
I wonder how these relics have come to be in this Wat, originally founded by forest monk disciples of Ajahn Mun (the teacher of Ajahn Chah and one of my own teachers Luang Ta Mahā Bua)?
I notice that Wat Santidham also holds relics of "Bimbā Therī" also known as Yasodharā Rahulamātā and Bhaddā Kaccanā - "The golden, venerable and auspicious mother of Rahula," wife of the Buddha, mother of his child, and later in her life one of his thirteen leading fully-awakened Bhikkhunī disciples (Etadaggā Bhikkhunī Sāvikā).
In fact, there are several places in Thailand which hold small portions of Bimba Yasodharā Therī's,[3] Uttarā พระอุตตราเถรี (or Uttarāyī อุตตรายีเถรี) Therī's and Uppalavaṇṇā Therī's relics, some found only relatively recently enshrined in ancient stupas (chedis) that have been opened only when needed for renovations. Mysteries.
About ten years ago, when Loung Por Jumnian Seelasetho visited the US, he brought with him a book of the Gunarom collection commissioned by HH the then-Supreme Patriarch of Thai Buddhism (the Sangharāja) which contained a gathering of these relics, including five of the ancient arahantī bhikkhunī therīs.[4]
Having been blessed with their appearance and inspiration, i share them with you here, together with related frescos from the great reliquary stupa dedication to the queen mother of Thailand (Queen Sirikit) at Doi Inthanon, the Nabhapolbhumisiri Chedi.[5]
พระอุตตราเถรี | พระอุตตรายีเถรี | "พระอุดตรายีเถรีสัณฐานดังรูปพระควัมปะติ พรรณดังเมฆ สีหมอกฟ้า สีแดงเข้ม" ประวัติ พระอุดตายีเถรีเกิดที่กรุงสาวัตถีเมื่อเจริญวัยขึ้นได้ฟังธรรมในสำนักของปฏาจาราเถรีเกิดสังเวชใจในวัฏจักรสงสารจึงออกอุปสมบทเป็นภิกษุณีได้กระทำวิปัสสนาญาณ และสาเร็จ เป็นพระอรหันต์พร้อมด้วยปฏิสัมภิทา
ซีดีพุทธธรรมจากการปฏิบัติธรรม_Page_0421.jpg
(translation) 'Phra Uttarā Therī | Phra Uttarāyī Therī | "The form of Phra Uttarayāyī Theri's relics is like that of Phra Gavampati; their complexion is shaped like clouds, the color of blue mist, and a deep red color."
History: Phra Uttarāyī Theri was born in the city of Savatthi. When she grew up, she listened to the Dhamma at the monastery of Pātācārā Therī. She felt distressed by the cycle of suffering, so she ordained as a bhikkhunī. She practiced Vipassana Insight meditation and achieved Arahantship with the knowledge of Patisambhida.'
Venerable Mother Bimbā Yasodharā Rahulamātā (aka Bhaddā Kaccayanā) Therī
Tile fresco from the ceiling of the inner relic shrine of the Queen's Chedi, the great reliquary stupa "at the roof of the world", Doi Inthanon, Thailand. The tile frescos on the inner roof of the chetiya depict the awakened women closest to the Buddha including his foster mother Venerable Mahāpajāpatī Gotamī Therī, his wife Venerable Bimba Yasodharā Therī, and his past-life daughter and this life co-leader of his Sangha Venerable Uppalavaṇṇā Therī.
Uppalavaṇņā (Utpalavarṇā) Therī, foremost in spiritual power
"The Victor, pleased by my virtue,
then placed me in that foremost place.
To the crowds the Guide announced me
“best of those with superpowers.”
The Teacher’s been [honored] by me;
I have done what the Buddha taught.
The heavy load has been laid down,
the ties to existence severed.
The reason for which I went forth
from my home into homelessness —
I have now achieved that purpose:
destruction of all the fetters.
By the moment they’re bringing me
monastic robes and begging bowls,
all the requisites and lodgings,
in the thousands from everywhere.
My defilements are now burnt up;
all new existence is destroyed.
Like [a she elephant] with broken chains,
I am living without constraint.
Being in Best Buddha's presence
was a very good thing for me.
The three knowledges are attained;
I have done what the Buddha taught!
The four analytical modes,
and these eight deliverances,
six special knowledges mastered,
I have done what the Buddha taught!
Thus indeed Bhikkhunī Uppalavaṇṇā spoke these verses."
Adapted excerpt from the end of the Uppavaṇṇā Therī Apadāna Pāli translated by Jonathan Walters.
The image in the original post here:
พระอุบลวรรณาเถรี Phra Uppalavaṇṇā Therī
Relics attributed to other great ancient arahant therīs
Relics attributed to other great ancient arahant therīs on this site include:
The wonders of the internet have let me know of more relics attributed to Uttarāyī Therī อุตตรายีเถรี (and several other ancient leading arahant therīs in Thailand here on the "Burapa Phra Thart" บูรพาพระธาตุ website.
Amazing.
My homage to the Sāvaka Sangha, and to our great awakened arahant therīs!
Resources
1. 22 Jan 2020 post on the Kamboja-Gāndhāra Oḍiyan Ekakūti Stūpa "Ubhayata-samgha" inscription of 1st century CE King Suryavarman is here: https://www.facebook.com/ayya.../posts/10215404897503408
2. Wat Santidham of Chiang Mai's wonderful collection of arahanta and arahantī relics is posted online here.
3. Uppalavannā Therī's relics at Wat Rachatiwat in Bangkok as photographed by Ven Anandajoti Bhikkhu for Photo Dharma. Link.
4. Dhammadharini's 2008 photos of Arahantī Therī relics contained in the Gunarom collection commissioned by the late Sangharāja of Thailand. Link.
5. English language article with photos from the Queen's Chedi at the highest point in Thailand, Doi Inthanon.
