female elder in the saṅgha; a venerable bhikkhunī (of whatever seniority)

Therī & Therikā

feminine

1. an old woman (cp. sthavirikā Mvu.iii.283) Pv.ii.11#6 (= thāvarijiṇṇā Pv-a.149).
2. a female thera (see…

A Therī. Two verses attributed to her are found in the Therigatha. Thig.33–34

A Therī. Two verses are attributed to her in the Therīgāthā. Thig.35 Thig.46

Abhibhū¹

Chief disciple of Sikhī Buddha. DN.ii.9 In the Aruṇavatī Sutta it is said that he went with Sikhī to a Brahma-world and, at the Buddha’s request, preached a sermon to the accompa …

AbhirūpanandāAbhirūpaNandā

The two verses preached to her by the Buddha are given in the Therīgāthā. Thig.19–20

…to her are found in the Therīgāthā. Thig.252–270

It is said that she charged fifty kahāpanas a night from her patrons and that Vesāli…

…bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses speak in praise of Kassapa, who she went forth with, and also of her own attainments. Thig.63–66…

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses speak of going forth out of faith and attaining the Dhamma. Thig.9

A great brahmin, contemporary of the Buddha, reputed for his great learning and highly esteemed in brahmin gatherings—e.g., at Icchānaṅgala Snp.p.115 and at Manasākaṭa. DN.i.235

He is mentioned toget …

A nun, well known for her quarrelsome propensities. She was a friend of Thullanandā, during whose absence the other nuns once expelled Caṇḍakālī from their midst. This act was greatly resented by Thul …

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses speak of how, with no family or friends, she wandering begging food to survive. One day she met Paṭācārā…

A nun whose Therīgāthāspeak of how in her old age she went to Gijjhakūṭa and there, after meditation, she attained arahantship. Thig.27–28

CāpāCāvā

Her Therīgāthā verses speak of who her husband had formerly been an ascetic who had renounced his vows to have a child with her, but…

A region in India. It contained the city of Vedisa. Dakkhiṇāgiri lay to the south-west of Rājagaha, beyond the hills that surrounded the city—hence its name. In the district was the brahmin village o …

An eminent Therī, ranked foremost among nuns who possessed the gift of preaching. AN.i.25 Her Therīgāthā verse says that one without attachment…

Dhammā

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verse tells of how one day, while returning from her alms round, she slipped and fell. Meditating on this,…

…bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verse speaks of the wise one who attains Nibbana. Thig.6

Dhīrā²Vīrā

A bhikkhunī whose…

…bhikkhunī to whom several Therīgāthā verses are addressed, encourageing her to overcome the defliments that have long kept her trapped in…

…before the Tipiṭaka. It includes the Theragāthā and Therīgāthā, and other verses. Vin.iii.8

…more. Isidāsī then met the therī Jinadattā, whom she entertained to a meal at her house. Under Jinadattā, Isidāsī joined the Order and became…

JentāJentī

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses speak of developing the path and becoming Awakened. Thig.21

A bhikkhunī mentioned in the Therīgāthā verses of Isidāsi, who describes Jinadattā as a learned and virtuous expert in the Vinaya. Thig.427

A great brahmin, ranking with eminent brahmins such as Caṅkī, Tārukkha, Pokkharasāti and Todeyya. Snp.p.115 He is mentioned as staying in Icchānaṅgala, MN.ii.196 where he evidently took part in the pe …

…great wisdom. AN.i.25 Her Therīgāthā verses depict her being described as beautiful, but rejecting the pleasures of the senses….

…of her thinness.

In her Therīgāthā verses Thig.213–223 her story is like that of Paṭācārā.

The Saṃyutta Nikāya SN.i.129f.…

…in the early texts the name only appears in one obscure Therīgāthā verse. Thig.421

MahākassapaKassapaPippali

One of the Buddha’s most eminent disciples, chief among those who upheld austere practices. AN.i.23 His personal name was Pippali, but he is usually known by his clan name K …

…to her. Vin.iv.56

Her Therīgāthā verses speak of offering homage to the Buddha, and how she had been a relative of his in many past lives….

The capital city where King Koñca lived, whose daughter was Sumedhā Therī. Thig.450

4town

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses speak of of how she strugged up a mountain, only to sit and become Awakened. Thig.29–30

…also in Mithilā that the Therī Vāsetthī Thig.135 first met the Buddha and entered the Order, after having heard him preach.

Mithilā is…

…bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses speak of how, having gone forth in faith, she missed out of the higher goals of the ascetic life,…

Mittā

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses speak of how she was formerly attached to the idea of performing rites on the uposatha days…

…bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verse speaks of being freed. Thig.2

Muttā ²

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verse speaks…

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses speak of her former useless practice of austerities and her current state of Awakening. Thig.87–91

…bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses speak of her efforts to attain Awakening. Thig.112–116 She was declared by the Buddha to be the…

…bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verse speaks of being full with good qualities, like the full moon….

The name given to a set of rules to be observed by members of the Buddhist Order. The rules regulate the behaviour of the members of the Order towards one another in respect of clothes, dwellings, fur …

Rohinī¹

The Therīgāthā Thig.271–290 contains a set of verses spoken by her in exaltation, when, after becoming an arahant, she…

…the divine eye. AN.i.25 Her Therīgāthā verses say that while still living in the household, she heard the Dhamma taught by a monk, and then saw…

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verse speaks of having left behind family and possessions, as well as all defilements. Thig.18

…Therī. She was declared foremost among nuns for capacity of effort. She had ten sons and daughters, and she entered…

…bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses speak of how in Jīvakambavana, a libertine, in the prime of youth, seeing her going to her…

…became a bhikkhunī and her Therīgāthā verse was spoken by way of encouragement in old age. Thig.16

Sumanā²

A bhikkhunī whose…

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses celebrate her freedom from household drudgery and her brutal husband. Thig.23–24

…Koñca of Mantāvatī. Her Therīgāthā verses, of which she has the greatest number of any of the nuns, speak of the emptiness of the home life…

…bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses consist of a dialogue, firstly between her father Sujāta and a bhikkhunī, Vāsiṭṭhī,…

…bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses are an exhortation to her to overcome attchment to the body. She was declared foremost among nuns…

…where be visited Khemā Therī who lived there. Between Sāketa and Sāvatthī was a broad river which could be crossed only by boat.Vin.iv.65…

…bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses speak of how she could not find peace after going to the monastery five times, then later attained…

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses tell of how for seven years she tried, without success, to concentrate her mind. Then she tied a noose round…

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verse says she may sleep happily now the defilements are stilled. Thig.1

…whose verses in the Therīgāthā tell of her lamenting the death of her daughter, Jīva, and reflecting that thousands of her daughters…

UkkacelāUkkaceḷāUkkavelāUkkaveḷā

A village in the Vajji country, on the banks of the Ganges, on the road from Rājagaha to Vesāli and near the latter.

Once while Sāriputta was staying there, the Pari …

…account is found in both the Therīgāthā and the Saṃyutta, but the sources ascribe different verses to the nuns Cālā, Upacālā, and…

Upasamā>

A bhikkhunī whose verse is found in the Therīgāthā. Thig.10

…psychic power. AN.i.25 The Therīgāthā Thig.234–235 SN.i.131f. contains several verses attributed to her.

Once Uppalavaṇṇā came…

…whose verses in the Therīgāthā tell of her repeated struggles before realizing awakening. Thig.42–44

Uttamā²

A…

…bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses tell of her awakening. Thig.15

Uttarā²

The Therīgāthā contains seven verses…

…to his mother and sister for encouraging him in the Dhamma. Thag.335–339 The Therīgāthā conatins an exchange between he and his mother….

…to her after becoming an arahant are included in the Therīgāthā. Thig.204–212

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses say that she went to the monastery up to five times before being approached by a bhikkhunī, who taght her…

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses speak of the fading beuaty of youth and the peace of liberation. Thig.72–76

A bhikkhunī whose Therīgāthā verses tell of her child’s death and her subsequent history. Thig.133–138

It is said that the brahmin Sujāta,…

…of Hatthaka Āḷavaka. The Therī, Selā was born in Āḷavī and was therefore known as Aḷavikā. There was evidently a large community of…

(-ikā)n. helping; furthering.

peg; a spike, a stake; a tethering peg; a post.

…a venerable bhikkhu (of whatever seniority) 4. therī, f.

of the elders; belonging to the elders.

female elder; a venerable bhikkhu.

the verses of the female elders; one of the collections making up the Khuddakanikāya of the Pāḷi Canon.

gleaning; gathering food from the wild; gathering food by begging;

whatever has come into the bowl by gathering or begging, whatever comes into the alms bowl

falling off, diminution (opp. ācaya gathering, heaping up), unmaking, esp. loss (of wordliness) decrease (of possibility of rebirth Vin.ii.2 = Vin.iii.21 = Vin.iv.213 cp. Ja.iii.342 …

adjective unconcerned, living at ease, careless, “not bothering”, keeping still, inactive Vin.ii.188; MN.iii.175, MN.iii.176; SN.i.202 (in stock phrase appossukka tuṇhībhūta saṅkasāya “living at eas …

jar Dhp-a.i.426. In compounds also ghaṭi˚.

• -odana rice boiled in a jar Dhp-a.i.426;
• -kaṭāha a water pot, or rather a bowl for gathering alms (cp. ghaṭik …

collection of people (“mankind”), congregation, gathering; people, folk DN.i.151 (= DN-a.i.310, correct jananā), DN.i.206; Vin.ii.128 = MN.ii.93 (pacchimā); AN.i.61 (id.); AN.iii.251 (id.); Iti.33; J …

Kaṭṭha¹

ploughed, tilled Snp.80; Mil.255; Pv-a.45, Pv-a.62. a˚ untilled, unprepared Anvs.27. su˚ well-ploughed AN.i.229; Mil.255.

Sk. kṛṣṭa, pp. of kasati, cp. kiṭṭha

Kaṭṭha^{2</su …}

waste, destruction, consumption decay, ruin, loss; of the passing away of night Vv-a.52 mostly in applied meaning with ref. to the extinction of passions & such elements as condition, life, & rebirth …

…Dhp-a.iii.147 (m. v. therī nāsitā). Often in phrase man amhi (with pp.). “I nearly was so & so,” e.g. Vin.i.109 (vuḷho); Ja.i.405…

the top part, best part of milk or butter, etc. i.e. cream scum; fig. essence of, the pick of, finest part of anything parisā˚; the cream of a gathering, the pick of the congregation, excellent cong …

becoming dried up, dryness, withering away SN.i.91.

fr. pari + śuṣ

drying up completely, withering Ja.v.97.

fr. pari + śuṣ

1. the bile, gall; the bile also as seat of the bilious temperament, excitement or anger. Two kinds are distinguished at Kp-a.60 Vism.260, viz. baddha˚ & abaddha˚;, bile as organ bile as fluid. See …

1. a lump, ball, thick (& round mass SN.i.206 (aṭṭhīyaka˚); Pv.iii.5#5 (nonīta˚); Vv-a.62 (kummāsa˚), Vv-a.65; Sdhp.529 (ayo˚).
2. a lump of food esp. of alms, alms given as food SN.i.76; Snp.217, S …

kingship, royalty, kingdom, empire; reign, throne; (fig.) sovereignty AN.iii.300 (˚ṃ kāreti); Snp.114, Snp.553 (˚ṃ kāreti to reign); Ja.i.57; Ja.i.64 (ekarattena tīṇi rajjāni atikkamma; 3 kingdoms), J …

…& it is better to read; therī which is according to the context. We find the same meaning of therī (“old woman”) at…

ropanā (f.)

1. planting Pv-a.151 (ārāma˚); Mhvs.15, Mhvs.41.
2. healing SN.iv.177 (vaṇa˚)
3. furthering, making grow Pts.ii.115 (buddhi˚).
4. (f.) accusation Vin.iv.36.

fr. ropeti¹

at MN.i.480 is doubtful in spelling. The meaning is clearly “furthering growth, making or being prosperous, bringing luck” (combined with ojavant), as also indicated by variant re …

festive gathering, fair a show, theatrical display. Originally a mountain cult as it was esp. held on the mountains near Rājagaha. Ja.ii.13; Ja.iii.541; Ja.vi.277, Ja.vi.559; SN.v.170; DN-a.i.84; D …

congregation; time, condition, etc.

At Dhs-a.57 sq we find a detailed explⁿ of the word samaya (s-sadda) with meanings given as follows: 1 *[samavāya](/define/samavāy …

collecting, gathering Dāvs v.33. Cp. upa˚; & sangharaṇa.

fr. saṃharati

Saṅgaha¹

1. collecting, gathering, accumulation Vin.i.253; Mhvs.35, Mhvs.28.
2. comprising collection, inclusion, classification Kv.335 sq. (˚kathā) cp. Kvu. translation 388 sq.; Vism.191 …

Takka¹

doubt; a doubtful view (often diṭṭhi, appl. like sammā˚, micchā-diṭṭhi), hair-splitting reasoning, sophistry (= itihītihaṃ Cnd.151). Opp. to takka (= micchā-sankappo Vb.86, Vb.35 …

adjective strong (?), of clothes: therakāni vatthāni DN.ii.354 (vv.ll. thevakāni, dhorakāni, corakāni). Theri & Therika

Therī & Therikā

feminine

1. an old woman (cp. sthavirikā Mvu.iii.283) Pv.ii.11#6 (= thāvarijiṇṇā Pv-a.149).
2. a female thera (see…

…to judge

Thāvara²

neuter old age Pv-a.149 (thāvari-jiṇṇa in expl. of therī, otherwise jarā-jiṇṇa Should we read…

1. taking up, lifting, raising Mil.307 (sass˚-samaya the time of gathering the corn; to uddharati 1 but cp. in same meaning uddhaṭa from uddharati 2). DN-a.i.192.
2. pulling or drawing out (cp. uddh …

heaping up, gathering, accumulation, heap. As t.t. with ref. to kamma “conservation”, with ref. to body & form “integration” (See discussion & defin. at; Cpd. 253; Dhs trsl. 195). DN.i.76 (= odana …

increase, furthering Ja.iii.422 (kula˚); Sdhp.247 (pīti˚), Sdhp.307 (id.).

fr. vṛdh; see the usual vaḍḍhana

adjective doing service, active, busy; eager, keen intent on (loc.), busy with AN.iv.195 (mayi = worrying about me); Ja.iii.315 (su˚); Ja.iv.371 (kiccâkiccesu v. uyyatta C.); Ja.v.395 (= ussukka); Ja. …

1. (adj.) carrying, pulling, drawing Vin.ii.122 (udaka˚-rajju); Ja.i.136 (kaṭṭha˚ gathering fire-wood); Pv-a.127 (ratha-yuga˚).
2. (nt.) conveyance, beast of burden, monture Vin.i.277 (˚āgāra stab …

1. pleasure, fondness of (-˚), delight, always as adj. (-˚) delighting in, enjoying finding pleasure in (usually comb^d. with rata, e.g. dhammārāma dhammarata finding delight in the Dh.) S …