Isidasi opens up the actual practice of Buddhism.

     Outline the chronological events of the story for yourself so that you know what comes before what (a western thing…). After re-reading Buddha’s First Sermon, think about how this story reveals the essentials of Buddha’s First Sermon, as well as other aspects of Buddhism. How does her picture of life and the universe differ from that of the Classical Greeks? What similarities do you see?

In her own words....

       In the flower-named city, Pataliputta, in the best part of the earth, were two female mystics, members of the Shakya clan, possessed of good qualities, one of them called Isidasi, the second called Bodhi, both possessed of virtue, delighting in meditation and study, having great learning, with defilements shaken off.  Seated happily in a lonely place, Bodhi asked, "You are lovely, noble Isidasi, your youth has not yet faded. Having seen what fault [in household life] are you then intent on renunciation?"...

       "Hear, Bodhi, how things came to be for me.  My father was a merchant in Ujjeni, and I was his only daughter, dear, charming and beloved.  Then a wealthy merchant from Saketa sent men to woo me; to him my father gave me as a daughter-in-law....

       "I adorned my Lord, like a servant-girl.  I myself cooked the rice gruel; I myself washed the dishes; as a mother to her only son, so I looked after my husband.  Yet my husband was offended by me -- an affectionate servant, with humbled pride, an early riser, not lazy but virtuous.  He said to his parents, 'I shall not be able to live together with Isidasi in one house....  She does me no harm, but I can't stand her!  I have had enough; I am leaving her.'

      Hearing this utterance my father-in-law and mother-in-law asked me, 'What offense has been committed by you?  Tell me the truth: What did you do wrong?'

      Isidasi replied, 'I have not done anything wrong; I have not harmed; I have not said any evil utterance; what can be done when my husband hates me?' I said.  Downcast, overcome by deep hurt, they led me back to my father's house, saying, 'While keeping our son safe, we have lost the goddess of beauty incarnate.'

       "Then my father gave me to the household of a second rich man for half the bride price for which the merchant had taken me.  In his house too I lived a month, then he too rejected me, although I served him like a slave girl, virtuously.  Then my father spoke to this homeless guy: 'Be my son-in-law; throw down your cloth and pot.' He too, having lived with me for two weeks, returned me to my father, saying, 'Give me my cloth and pot and cup; I shall beg for spare change instead.'

       "When he left, I thought, 'I shall ask leave and go to die, or else wander as a mystic .'  Then the noble lady Jinadatta, expert in the discipline, having great learning, possessed of virtue, on her begging round came to my father's house.  Seeing her in our house, rising up from my seat, I offered it to her; having paid homage to her feet when she had sat down, I gave her food. Having completely satisfied her with food and drink, I said, 'Noble lady, I wish to go forth.'  My father implored me, 'Stay home and practice the doctrine, child; and with food and drink satisfy ascetics and brahmins who come here.'  But lamenting, I begged my father, 'Evil indeed was the action done by me [the karma leading to my misfortune]; I shall destroy it.'

      Then my father said, 'Attain enlightenment and the foremost doctrine and obtain quenching, which the best of men have realized.'  Saluting my parents and relatives, I became a wandering, begging mystic. In seven days I attained much knowledge.

       "I learned of my own last seven births; I shall relate to you the actions of which this misfortune is the fruit and result; listen to it attentively.  In the city of Erakaccha I was a wealthy goldsmith. Intoxicated by pride in my youth, I had sexual intercourse with another's wife.  Having fallen from there, I was cooked in hell;  I cooked for a long time; and rising up from there I entered the womb of a female monkey. A great monkey, leader of the herd, castrated me when I was seven days old; this was the fruit of the action of having seduced another's wife.  I died in the Sindhava forest and entered the womb of a one-eyed, lame she-goat.  As a goat I was castrated, worm-eaten, tail-less, unfit, because of having seduced another's wife.  Next I was born of a cow belonging to a cattle-dealer; a lac-red calf.  I was castrated after twelve months and drew the plough, pulled the cart, and became blind, tail-less, unfit, because of having seduced another's wife.  Then I was born of a household slave in the street, neither as a woman or a man, because of having seduced another's wife.  In my thirtieth year I died; I was born as a girl in a carter's family which was poor and much in debt. To satisfy the creditors, I was sold to a caravan leader and dragged off, wailing, from my home. 

      Then in my sixteenth year when I had arrived at marriageable age, his son, Giridasa by name, took me as a wife.  But he had another wife, virtuous and possessed of good qualities, who was affectionate towards her husband; with her I stirred up enmity.  These, my misfortunes, were the fruit of that last action, that men rejected me though I served like a slave girl.

Even of that I have now made an end."

Therigatha 400-447, Isidasi Sutra