11.2 The Story about Sirimā
Sirimāvatthu

“See this beautified manikin,” this Dhamma teaching was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Veḷuvana with reference to Sirimā. {3.104} [29.331]

Sirimā, it seems, was a very beautiful courtesan of Rājagaha who had during a certain rainy season offended against the female lay disciple Uttarā, wife of the rich man’s son Sumana and daughter of the rich man Puṇṇaka. Desiring to be on good terms with her again, she went to her house when the Teacher and the Saṅgha of bhikkhus were within, and after the Teacher had finished his meal, asked him for pardon. Now on that day the One of Ten Strengths pronounced within the hearing of Sirimā the following words of thanksgiving:

Dhp 223. Through kindness one should overcome anger,
through goodness overcome lack of goodness,
through gifts one should overcome stinginess,
through truth one should overcome lying speech.

At the conclusion of the verse Sirimā reached the fruition of Stream-entry.

This is a brief synopsis of the story; as for the complete story, it will be found related at length in the commentary on the verse of thanksgiving in the Chapter about Anger. Dhp 223, Dhp-a 17.3.

Having thus attained the fruition of Stream-entry, Sirimā invited the One of Ten Strengths to be her guest, and on the following day presented rich offerings. From that time on she gave regularly eight ticket-foods, and from that time on eight bhikkhus came regularly to her house. “Accept ghee, accept milk,” she would say, filling their bowls; what she gave to one bhikkhu would have sufficed for three or four; every day sixteen coins were expended on the alms which were presented to the bhikkhus who visited her house.

Now one day a certain bhikkhu who had eaten the eight ticket-foods in her house went a journey of three leagues and stopped at a certain monastery. In the evening, as he sat in the monastery, the bhikkhus asked him: “Friend, where {3.105} did you obtain food just before you came here?” – “I have just eaten Sirimā’s eight ticket-foods.” – “Is the food which she gives pleasing to the taste, brother?” – “It is impossible to describe her food; it is the choicest of choice food that she gives. But a single portion would suffice even for three or four. But good as her food is, she herself is still more pleasing to look upon; such and such are the marks of beauty which she possesses.” Thus did the bhikkhu describe her good qualities.

A certain bhikkhu heard the visiting bhikkhu describe her good qualities, and in spite of the fact that he had never seen her, nevertheless fell in love with her. He said to himself: “I ought to go see her.” [29.332] So announcing that he was about to enter upon residence, he asked the bhikkhu who lived by her alms some questions. The visiting bhikkhu replied: “Tomorrow, brother, remain in that house, assume the post of Saṅgha elder, and you will receive the eight ticket-foods.” The bhikkhu immediately took bowl and robe and went out early in the morning, as the dawn rose, he entered the ticket-hall, assumed the post of Saṅgha elder, and received the eight ticket-foods in the woman’s house.

Now it so happened that on the day before, just as the bhikkhu who had received food in her house went out, the female lay disciple became afflicted with a disease, and therefore removed her jewels and lay down. When the bhikkhus came to receive the eight ticket-foods, her maidservants, seeing them, informed their mistress. Since she was unable to take their bowls in her own hands, provide them with seats, and wait upon them, so she gave orders to her slaves, saying: “Women, take the bowls and provide the noble bhikkhus with seats; give them broth to drink and food to eat. {3.106} When it is time to present boiled rice, fill their bowls and give them to the bhikkhus.” – “Very well, noble lady,” replied the slaves.

So they invited the bhikkhus within, gave them broth to drink and food to eat; and when it was time to present boiled rice, they filled their bowls and gave them to the bhikkhus. When they had done so, they went and informed their mistress. She said: “Take me and carry me with you, that I may pay my respects to the noble bhikkhus.” So they took her and carried her with them; and when they brought her into the presence of the bhikkhus, she worshipped them, her body all of a tremble.

When that bhikkhu looked upon her, he thought to himself: “Even in sickness this woman possesses wonderful beauty. What manner of beauty must she not possess when she is well and strong and adorned with all her adornments?” Thereupon human passion, accumulated during many millions of years, arose within him. He became indifferent to all about him and was unable to take food. He took his bowl and went back to the monastery; covering his bowl, he put it away; then he lay down, spreading out his robe. A certain bhikkhu who was a companion of his tried to persuade him to eat, but without success, for he absolutely refused to take food.

On that very day in the evening Sirimā died. Thereupon the king sent word to the Teacher: “Venerable Sir, Jīvaka’s youngest sister Sirimā is dead.” When the Teacher received that message, he sent back the following message to the king: “Sirimā’s body should not [29.333] be burned. Have her body laid in the charnel ground, and set a watch, that crows and dogs may not devour it.” The king did so. Three days passed, one after another. On the fourth day the body began to bloat, and from the nine openings of her body, which were like to sores, there oozed forth maggots. {3.107} Her whole body looked like a cracked vessel of boiled rice.

The king caused a drum to go through the city and the following proclamation to be made: “Let all approach to behold Sirimā. Except watchmen of houses, all who refuse to do so shall be fined eight coins.” And he sent the following message to the Teacher: “Let the Saṅgha of bhikkhus presided over by the Buddha approach to behold Sirimā.” The Teacher made proclamation to the bhikkhus: “Let us go forth to behold Sirimā.”

Now that young bhikkhu had lain for four days without touching food, paying no attention to anything anyone said to him; the rice in his bowl had rotted, and his bowl was covered with mildew. The rest of the bhikkhus who were his fellow monastics approached him and said to him: “Friend, the Teacher is going forth to behold Sirimā.” When the young bhikkhu, lying thus, heard the name Sirimā, he leaped quickly to his feet. Someone said to him: “The Teacher is going forth to behold Sirimā; will you also go?” – “Indeed I will go,” he replied. And tossing the rice out of his bowl, he washed it and put it in his bag and then set out with the Saṅgha of bhikkhus.

The Teacher surrounded by the Saṅgha of bhikkhus stood on one side of the corpse; the Saṅgha of bhikkhunīs and the king’s retinue and the company of lay disciples, both male and female, stood on the other side of the corpse, each company in its proper place. {3.108} The Teacher then asked the king: “Great king, who is this woman?” – “Venerable Sir, it is Jīvaka’s sister Sirimā.” – “Is this Sirimā?” – “Yes, venerable Sir.” – “Well! Send a drum through the town and make proclamation: ‘Those who will pay a thousand coins for Sirimā may have her.’” Not a man said “hah” or “hum.” The king informed the Teacher: “They will not take her, venerable Sir.” – “Well then, great king, put the price down.” So the king had a drum beaten and the following proclamation made: “If they will give five hundred coins, they may have her.” But nobody would take her at that price.

The king then proclaimed to the beating of a drum that anyone might have her who would give two hundred and fifty coins, or two hundred, or a hundred, or fifty, or twenty-five, or ten, or five. Finally he reduced the price to a coin, then to a [29.334] half-coin, then to a quarter of a coin, then to an eighth of a coin. At last he proclaimed to the beating of a drum: “They may have her for nothing.” Not a man said “hah” or “hum.” Then said the king to the Teacher: “Venerable Sir, no one will take her, even as a gift.”

The Teacher replied: “Bhikkhus, you see the value of a woman in the eyes of the multitude. In this very city men used to pay a thousand coins for the privilege of spending one night with this woman. Now there is no one who will take her even as a gift. {3.109} Such was her beauty who now has perished and gone. Behold, bhikkhus, this body diseased and corrupt.” So saying, he pronounced the following verse:

147. Passa cittakataṁ bimbaṁ, arukāyaṁ samussitaṁ,
āturaṁ bahusaṅkappaṁ, yassa natthi dhuvaṁ ṭhiti.

See this beautified manikin,
a heap of sores that is raised up,
sick, imagined in many ways,
which has nothing stable or firm.

At the end of the teaching 84,000 living beings had penetration of the Dhamma, and that bhikkhu was established in the fruition of Stream-entry.

last updated: August 2024