Now, this is a story about a nun named Vi Diệu. Vi Diệu means very wonderful. One time the Buddha was in the country Xá Vệ (Sravasti). At this time, many of the nobles and rich families' daughters, came to the Buddha and became nuns together. One time, they talked to each other like this: "Although we have become nuns, and even though we have the title of Bhiksuni. But concerning the Buddha's teaching, we don't really understand a lot. So, we have not been able to drink the Buddha's ambrosia." They were thinking that their sensual desire and anger and arrogance from time immemorial has not been completely annihilated, nullified. "I think we have to go to the Thâu Lan Nan Đà (Sthulanda)," a great superior mother, nun.

She wants us to be life after life transmigrated in a lowly level of consciousness and getting nowhere in spiritual elevation or enlightenment. I think we, all of us, should go to another bhiksuni, another nun, another high priestess. Her name is Vi Diệu, So the Bhiksuni Wonderful said to them, “So anything that has form and life, it is born out of sensual desire and sensual pleasure. Sexual desire is comparable to a big fire that is always burning within beings. And this fire is so violent, it could even burn away forests and trees and grasses and even stones, and even the whole immense universe.” “Anyone who has been captured tightly within this sexual desire, it is as if the enemies are already in your house. They are going to destroy your house, destroy your life. And this person, if indulging and following that desire will definitely be, not will be born but will be exiled into the three wicked ways, wicked paths.”

I don’t know what kind of terrible deeds I have done in the former life that in this lifetime, I had to encounter so many disasters, pain, sorrow and suffering thus. And I observed that probably hundreds, thousands, or millions of other same female sex like me, also married, and I think this is all like a yoke, on the female’s life. Like imprisonment. It’s only slavery, making your life more and more ignorant and suffering, because we don’t know a better life. We don’t recognize a more noble way of life, a better path to go. We do not know how to step up onto the true path to liberation, and the true path to know the reality, another, higher than this physical life.

“Reverend mother, in the past life, what kind of sin did you commit so that in this lifetime, you suffer so much? Please, can you tell us, so that we can learn something?” “Because I did not know about the karma and the consequences of karma. Therefore, I wickedly killed the baby son and I swore as if nothing will happen. Therefore in this lifetime, I had to suffer that much, as exactly as what I have wished in my terrible oath.” “But what kind of good deeds have you done in a former life, so that in this lifetime you are fortunate to meet the Buddha, and even attain a liberating level of consciousness?” “Because I was so sincere and respectfully made offering to this saintly being. And then I vowed, I prayed to attain a high spiritual level like He did.” They’re two different things. Merit, you can enjoy; but sin, you must still pay, endure. Yes, that’s what it is.