Wandering Woman Ascetic Sūcimukhi

1. At one time venerable Sāriputta was living in the squirrels' sanctuary in the Bamboo grove in Rajagaha.

2. And venerable Sāriputta, wearing robes in the morning and taking bowl and robes, entered Rajagaha, wandering for alms. Having collected alms in Rajagaha, he sat against a wall and enjoyed the alms food.

3. Then the wandering ascetic woman Sūcimukhi approached venerable Sāriputta and said thus:

4. “Does the recluse enjoy food bent forward?”

“Sister, I do not enjoy food, bent forward.”

5. “Then does the recluse enjoy food, turned upwards?”

“Sister, I do not enjoy food turned upwards”

6. “Then does the recluse enjoy food turned in the directions?”

“Sister, I do not enjoy food, turned in the directions”

7. “Then does the recluse enjoy food, turned in the inter-directions?”

“Sister, I so not enjoy food turned in the inter-directions”

8. “When asked, `does the recluse enjoy food bent downward', it was said, `Sister, I so not enjoy food bent downward.' When asked, `does the recluse enjoy food turned upwards,' it was said, `Sister, I do not enjoy food turned upwards.' When asked, `does the recluse enjoy food turned in the directions,' it was said, `Sister, I do not enjoy food turned in the directions.' When asked, `does the recluse enjoy food turned in the inter-directions,' it was said, `Sister, I do not enjoy food turned in the inter-directions.' So then how does the recluse enjoy food?”

9. “Sister, whoever recluses or Brahmins lead a wrong livelihood by determining a lucky site or by reading the marks on animals, enjoy food turned downwards.

10. “Sister, whoever recluses or Brahmins lead a wrong livelihood by the science of studying the stars, enjoy food turned upwards.

11. “Sister, whoever recluses or Brahmins make a wrong livelihood by carrying messages to and fro, enjoy food turned in the directions.

12. “Sister, whoever recluses or Brahmins make a wrong livelihood by reading the marks on the body and by palmistry, enjoy food turned in the inter directions.

13. “Sister, I do not lead a wrong livelihood by determining a lucky site or by reading the marks on animals. I do not make a wrong livelihood by studying the stars. I do not make a wrong livelihood by carrying messages to and fro. I do not make a wrong livelihood by reading the marks on the body or by palmistry. I search my alms food rightfully and enjoy it.”

14. Then the wandering ascetic woman Sūcimukhi went from street to street and from junction to junction announcing: `Sons of the recluse Sakya enjoy food rightfully begotten! Offer morsel food to the sons of the recluse Sakya.'