WHO ARE OUR ROLE MODELS? - Bhikkhuni Soṇā (who ordained in old age and realised arahantship)

Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast. Role models play an important part in all of our lives, whether we seek them out or not. And whether we walk the Buddhist Path or not, they can have the power to shape the direction we take and the ability to influence the decisions that follow on from there.   For Buddhist practitioners,  the Buddha is our most eminent role model, teacher and the Perfectly Enlightened One. And there are also many noble and great disciples of the Buddha. Today we will focus on nun disciples (bhikkhuni) of the Buddha, and one in particular, Bhikkhuni Soṇā, who was declared by the Buddha foremost among his nun disciples who are energetic (āraddhavīriyānaṁ) - AN 1.241 The story of Bhikkhuni Soṇā is particularly inspiring as she spent most of her life as a lay householder focused on raising her children and household responsibilities. Her husband ordained as a monk well before she did, and she had to contend with a number of challenges in regard to her children as she got old.  She eventually decided to ordain as a nun and found there were many challenges even in this new setting. We can learn much from her experience, both as a lay householder (with respect to understanding acquisitions and worldly determinations) and then as an older nun, who eventually realised arahantship - particularly with the importance of learning and retaining the Dhamma, arousing energy and developing a sense of urgency. Suttas mentioned directly or indirectly in this talk include: – Pañcama Vagga (AN 1.241) – Soṇātherīapadāna (Thi Ap 26) – Soṇātherīgāthā (Thig 5.8) – Sabrahmakasutta (Iti 106) – Brahmasutta (AN 4.63) – Dhātuvibhaṅga Sutta (MN 140) – Pāsarāsi Sutta (MN 26) – Sekha PāṭipadaSutta (MN53) In learning about such noble beings, we can delight in their lives and accomplishments;  recognise the importance of seeing them as worthy role models; and use it as inspiration towards progress on the Buddha's Noble Eightfold Path. The VIDEO with slides has been uploaded to the Sutta Meditation Series podcast channel - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xME6rtmKSTQ AND on Spotify as a video podcast Blessings of the Triple Gem. Theruwan saranai