Bhadda Kapilani

Pipphali Kassapa, as he was born, was adamant that he would not marry, but would become an ascetic. At the continued behest of his parents, he finally agreed to marry in order to please them, on the condition that a girl who conformed to his standards could be found.^[1] His parents thus hired eight brahmins to go and find such a girl. At Sagala they found Bhadda Kapilani, the wealthy daughter of a brahmin, who was aged sixteen and four years younger than Pipphali Kassapa. Her parents agreed to the marriage proposal, but Bhadda Kapilani did not wish to marry, as she also wished for a religious life as a female ascetic.

Pipphali, believing that the brahmins would not be successful, was unhappy with the brahmins' success and sent a letter to the Bhadda Kapilani stating, "Bhadda, please marry someone else of equal status and live a happy home life with him. As for myself, I shall become an ascetic. Please do not have regrets." Bhadda Kapilani independently sent him a similar letter, but both sets of parents, suspecting such an attempt to scupper the marriage would occur, arranged for both letters to be intercepted and replaced by letters of welcome. As a result Bhadda was taken to Magadha and the young couple were married. In accordance with their ascetic aspirations, they agreed to a life of celibacy. In accordance with this, they laid a garland of flowers between them before they went to bed, determined not to yield to sensual desire.

This young wealthy couple lived comfortably and happily for many years. As long as Pipphali's parents lived, they did not even have to look after the estate's farms. But when his parents died, they were entrusted with the large property. One day when Pipphali was inspecting the fields, he saw in shocking clarity what he had not seen before. He observed that many birds gathered and picked the worms from the furrows when the soil was plowed. This sight, common to a farmer, startled him. He realised that his wealth, generated by the produce of his fields, was created with the suffering of other living beings. He asked one of his laborers: "Who will have to bear the consequences of such an action?" to which the laborer replied, "You yourself, sir." Worried by the insight into karmic retribution, he went home and reflected: "If I have to carry along the burden of guilt for that killing, what use is all that wealth to me? It will be better if I give it all to Bhadda and go forth into the ascetic's life."

However at the same time, Bhadda had a similar experience. She noticed that when sesame seeds were left in the open to dry, various birds ate the insects that had been attracted by the seeds. When she asked her servants who was morally responsible for the violent death of so many creatures, she was told that it was hers. Bhadda thought: "If even by that much I commit a wrong, I won't be able to lift my head above the ocean of rebirths, even in a thousand lives. As soon as Pipphali returns, I shall hand over everything to him and leave to take up the ascetic life."

When both found each other in agreement, Bhadda and Pipphali bought pale yellow cloth and clay bowls from the bazaar, and then shaved each other's heads. They freed their servants and continued on their way. While walking, Pipphali went ahead while Bhadda followed behind him. Worried that observers would believe that they were attached to each other, they parted in their religious search.

Bhadda journeyed to Savatthi where she attended to the discourses of Gautama Buddha at the Jetavana monastery. As the order of nuns (Bhikkhuni sangha) did not exist at the time, she practiced at a nunnery of non-Buddhist female ascetics nearby. She lived there for five years until she could obtain ordination as a bhikkhuni. Soon afterwards, she was able to attain arahanthood.

As an arahant bhikkhuni, Bhadda spent most of her time in the education of the younger nuns and instructing them in monastic discipline (Vinaya). The Buddha praised Bhadda as being the foremost among the nuns who could recollect past lives.