THE STORY OF ARAHT PATACARA THEREIN

NO PROTECTION FROM ANY AT THE MOMENT OF DEATH 

 Dhammapada (Verse- 288,289,113)

THE STORY OF NUN PATACHARA

“There are no sons for one’s protection, neither father nor even kinsmen; for one who is overcome by death no protection is to be found among kinsmen.”
Realising this fact, let the virtuous and wise person swiftly clear the way that leads to Nibbana.

(Dhammapada Verse113)
“Though one should live a hundred years not seeing rise and fall, yet better is life for a single day seeing rise and fall.”

Story:
Patacara was the daughter of a rich man from Savatthi. She was very beautiful and was guarded very strictly by her parents. But one day she eloped with a young male attendant of the family and went to live in a village, as a poor man’s wife. In due course she became pregnant and as the time for confinement drew near, she asked permission from her husband to return to her parents in Savasthi, but her husband discouraged her. So, one day, while her husband was a way, she set out for the home of her parents.

Patacara lost all her near and dear ones under tragic circumstances. She went mad and was running about the streets. While the Buddha was giving discourse at the Jetavana Monastery, he saw Patacara at a distance; so he willed that she should come to the congregation. The crowd seeing her coming tried to stop her, Saying “Don’t let the mad woman come in.” But the Buddha told them not to prevent her coming in. When Patacara was close enough to hear him, he told her to be careful and to keep calm. Then she realised that she did not have her skirt on and shamefacedly sat down. Someone gave her a piece of cloth and she wrapped herself up in it. She then told the Buddha how she had lost her sons, her husband, her brothers, and her parents. The Buddha had compassion on her and consoled her, uttering these verses. 



 She later became a nun and one day while she was washing her feet, she noticed how the water flowed and subsided close to her, some further away from her. This induced her to  meditate on the transiency of life, of which she had personal experience. The Buddha saw  her with his Divine Eye and, projecting Himself before her,  uttered this stanza. Soon she attained Arahantship.

“Though one should live a hundred years without comprehending how all things rise and pass away, yet better, indeed, is a single day’s life of one who comprehends how all things rise and pass away.”The Lord Buddha uttered this stanza, on the day Theroni Patachara attained Arahantship.

A disciple of the Buddha is expected to contemplate the fleeting nature of life, so that he/she may not be attached to illusory material pleasures.

“Yo ca vassasatam jive apassam udayavyam. Ekaham jivitam seyyo passato udayavyayam.”