Maha Pajapati Gotami Theri was Gautama Buddha’s aunt,
stepmother, and first female disciple. She became a highly realised
practitioner, and played a fundamental role in the history of Buddhism. It is
thanks to her initiative and persistence that women gained the freedom to be
ordained.
Born into the aristocracy of the Koliyan clan in India, she
and her elder sister Maya were given in marriage to Suddhodana, King of the
Sakyas. Maya was made queen and gave birth to a son, Siddharta Gautama, who was
to become the Lord Buddha, but she sadly died only a week after He was born.
And so it was up to Pajapati, herself already breast-feeding her infant son
Nanda, to assume the role of queen and to foster her cherished sister’s newborn.
Queen Pajapati nursed Gautama and raised Him as if He were her own child. When He was twenty-nine, Gautama came to realise the
futility of His mundane life, and became resolute to discover the true meaning
of existence and a conclusive solution to the suffering of beings.
And so, He left the comfort and luxury of His father’s
palace in Kapilavastu in order to pursue the life of a spiritual seeker. After
He reached enlightenment six years later, the Buddha returned to Kapilavastu
and began to teach the Truth that He had discovered in His meditative
absorption. Many of His family members, including His father Suddodhana, His
son Rahula and Pajapati’s son Nanda became His disciples, as did numerous Sakya
clan members. Their numbers grew to such an extent that an order of monks was
created, wherein renunciates could support each other in their practice of the
Buddha’s doctrine.
The Buddha gave many teachings in those days, which anyone
could attend, including women. Foremost among His female disciples was Pajapati,
who was infallibly diligent in heeding the Buddha’s instructions, and
unswervingly espoused their wisdom. As her understanding of His view deepened
and her own discernment grew, other women began to seek her advice, and
Pajapati soon found herself with hundreds of female disciples.
The death of her husband King Suddhodana left Pajapati in
mourning, but now released from social responsibilities, and free to renounce
worldly life and dedicate herself entirely to spiritual pursuit. Although there had never been any objection to women attending the
Buddha’s teachings, the question of their taking robes had never been brought up. It was unheard
of. Pajapati, however, felt the burning desire to be a renunciate, and so she
became determined to make it possible for herself and other women to take
robes. She presented herself before the Buddha, requesting Him to ordain her
and to allow her to create an order of nuns. The Buddha was unequivocal in his
refusal, saying: “Don’t set your heart on women being able to do this.”
Pajapati was dismayed and threw herself at His feet, supplicating Him to
reconsider His answer. But the Buddha remained adamant in His decision.
Pajapati didn’t give up. She and her followers shaved their
hair, donned monastic robes and walked close to a hundred leagues to Vesali,
where the Buddha was staying at the time. Once again Pajapati pleaded with Him,
and once again the Buddha resisted. When asked by His disciple Ananda why He
was so immovable in His decision, and whether it was because women were not
capable of reaching realisation, the Buddha replied: “No, women are perfectly
capable of becoming enlightened.” Ananda felt much sympathy for the women’s
cause, and this acknowledgement by the Buddha made him determined to intercede
in their favour. He set upon obtaining the Buddha’s consent to Pajapati’s plea,
until the Master finally granted His permission.
So it was that an order of nuns was created, albeit subject
to strict rules that, in their essence, stipulated that bikkshunis should
always defer to bikkshus, whatever the circumstances. But Pajapati was
satisfied, and gladly accepted the conditions. Along with her community of
bikkshunis, she withdrew to a monastery, finally unencumbered by mundane
activities and free to dedicate all her attention to religious pursuit.
Pajapati lived for well over a century, and eventually
reached the highest degree of realisation. When she felt her time approaching,
she went to the Buddha and sought His permission to leave her body. The Buddha
consented and, in order to demonstrate to all the capacity of women to attain
full realisation, He bade Pajapati display the supernatural powers that she had
acquired as part of her spiritual attainment.
When they learned of the nearing of their revered teacher’s
passing, Pajapati’s bikkshunis formed the aspiration not to remain on this
earth deprived of her guidance, and they, in their turn, requested the Buddha’s
release. To them too, the Buddha granted His blessing. And so, Pajapati and her
nuns withdrew to their monastery in order to enter their final jhanic
absorption. Pajapati was the first to attain the final dissolution of the
elements and then, one by one, her bikkshunis equally freed themselves from the
fetters of conditioned existence.
Pajapati’s cremation was accompanied by many miraculous
signs, such as a profusion of flowers falling from the skies and exquisite
perfumes filling the air. With the Buddha Himself leading the proceedings, a
funeral cortege worthy of a universal empress accompanied the queen and her
bikkshunis to the pyre.
Thanks to the merits accrued by Pajapati throughout her
previous lives, Pajapati had been blessed with spending this last one with the
Buddha, and had thus been able to reach the final attainment. Pajapati faced many
difficulties throughout her life, but her impeccable character and formidable
courage and tenacity always brought her victory over adversity.
Buddhists owe her an enormous debt of gratitude, not only
for nurturing the Buddha when He was young, but also for the shining example
that she set. Her passionate thirst for the Dharma serves as an inspiration not
only to bikkshunis, but also to all practitioners intent on attaining ultimate
liberation.
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