DiscoverSNSN 12–21SN 19SN 19.18

The Buddha confirms Venerable Mahāmoggallāna's clairvoyant vision of a nun flying through the air suffering in a ghostly incarnation for past unethical conduct in Rājagaha, illustrating the inescapable results of unwholesome kamma.

SN 19.18 A Bad Nun

“Addasaṁ bhikkhuniṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantiṁ. Tassā saṅghāṭipi ādittā …pe…

pāpabhikkhunī ahosi …pe….

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

“Addasaṁ bhikkhuniṁ vehāsaṁ gacchantiṁ.

“I saw a nun flying through the air.

Tassā saṅghāṭipi ādittā …pe…

Her outer robe was burning …” …

pāpabhikkhunī ahosi …pe….

“She used to be a bad nun …”

Aṭṭhamaṁ.

Qualities:

Harm

Harm

☁️ dark quality

Intention or action that causes injury or suffering to oneself or others. It arises from aversion and heedlessness and destroys trust and safety. The opposite of non-harm, it obscures compassion and leads to regret.

Also known as: injury causing behavior, destructiveness, bad, evil
Pāli: pāpaka
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Wisdom

Wisdom

☀️ bright quality

Lived understanding and sound judgment that steers the mind away from suffering, distinct from mere accumulation of facts.

Also known as: (of a person) wise, astute, intelligent, learned, skilled, firm, stable, steadfast, an experiential understanding of the four noble truths
Pāli: paññā, medhā, dhīra, paṇḍita, asammūḷha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026

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