Question

How many nuns (Bhikkhuṇī) have their experiences narrated in Therigāthā?

• A. 73
• B. 75
• C. 70
• D. 79

Hint:

To remember the count for the Khuddaka Nikāya texts: - Theragāthā (Elder Monks) = 264 monks. - Therigāthā (Elder Nuns) = 73 nuns. Think of the number 73 as the total number of “individual voices” preserved in the women’s collection.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Concept: The Therigāthā (Verses of the Elder Nuns) is a unique and foundational text in the Pali Canon (Tipiṭaka). It is the ninth book of the Khuddaka Nikāya of the Sutta Piṭaka. It consists of 73 poems (organized into 16 chapters) composed by or attributed to early Buddhist elder nuns (Theris). It is historically significant as one of the oldest collections of women's literature in the world, documenting their spiritual struggles and eventual enlightenment (Arhatship).

Step 1: Understanding the structure of the Therigāthā.
The text is structured in a similar way to the Theragāthā (Verses of the Elder Monks). The poems are arranged according to the number of verses they contain. For example, the first chapter (Ekakanipāta) contains poems of one verse each, while later chapters contain longer narratives. Each poem is linked to a specific woman who had renounced the world to follow the Buddha's path.

Step 2: Counting the individual contributors.
While the book contains a total of 522 verses (Gāthās), these verses are grouped into 73 distinct poems. Each of these 73 poems is attributed to a specific Theri (Elder Nun). Therefore, there are 73 individual nuns whose personal spiritual experiences, poems of joy upon liberation, and biographical sketches are preserved in this collection.

Step 3: Evaluating the significance of the number 73.
The list of 73 nuns includes famous figures such as:
• Mahāpajāpati Gotamī: The Buddha's aunt and foster mother, who was the first woman to be ordained.
• Paṭācārā: Who overcame immense personal loss to find peace in the Dharma.
• Ambapālī: The former courtesan who became a saint.
• Kisāgotamī: Famous for the story of the mustard seed. Each of these 73 narratives serves as a testament to the Buddhist teaching that the capacity for enlightenment is independent of gender.

Step 4: Final Conclusion.
Scholars and traditional commentators (like Dhammapāla in the Paramatthadīpanī) confirm that the Therigāthā is the collection of 73 senior nuns. Any other number, such as 70 or 75, is factually incorrect based on the canonical structure of the Pali Khuddaka Nikāya.