Bhikkhuni Therika's passage to eternal bliss

by Premasara Epasinghe

There are 19 bhikkhunis who met and received advice from the Buddha. Bhikkhuni Therika was one of them.

During the time of the Buddha Konagamana, she was born as a woman. After listening to a sermon, she entered the order of Bhikkhunis. She learned the dhamma well and later became the leader of 20,000 Bhikkhunis. Due to her meritorious deeds, she was born in celestial realms.

Marriage

Later she was born as the daughter of a rich merchant in the city of Vesali. The parents named her Therika. She was beautiful and pleasant. The parents found a suitable partner and gave her in marriage to a rich man in Vesali.

Vesali was once a popular city of Licchavis. During a time of the tragedy the city dwellers were badly affected by dreadful illness, drought, famine and evil spirits. The Buddha through loving kindness towards all beings, chanted the Ratana Sutta.

Ven. Ananda Thera, the Buddha's chief attendant, went round the city of Vesali, chanting Ratana Sutta and sprinkling water from the alms-bowl of the Buddha.

Later, the Buddha visited the city which became the epi centre of Bhikkhunis. The people at Vesali gathered in their thousands to welcome the Buddha. Therika and her parents were residents of Vesali. They were also among them.

In fact, she listened to a sermon delivered by the Buddha and she was determined to enter the Order of Bhikkhuni.