So I have heard. At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, on the Vulture’s Peak Mountain.
Then, late at night, two glorious deities, lighting up the entire Vulture’s Peak, went up to the Buddha, bowed, and stood to one side. One deity said to him, “Sir, these nuns are freed!”
The other deity said to him, “Sir, these nuns are well freed with no residue!”
This is what those deities said, and the teacher approved. Then those deities, knowing that the teacher approved, bowed and respectfully circled the Buddha, keeping him on his right, before vanishing right there.
-AN 7.56
Question: So, we see that nuns without residue (anupadisesa) are mentioned. Without clarification it seems they were alive, but were the nuns already dead? The sutta certainly doesn’t rule that out. What does the commentary say?
1540 Anupādisesā suvimuttā. Mp says that this refers to the five hundred bhikkhunīs of Mahāpajāpatī’s retinue, who have been liberated without leaving any residue of clinging (upādānasesaṃ aṭṭhapetvā). The discussion to follow in the sutta makes it clear that anupādisesa here means that they have eliminated all defilements without residue, not that they have attained the nibbāna element without residue (anupādisesanibbānadhātu)
Here is the full commentary (using AI translation):
In the third (sutta), bhikkhunīs means “the five hundred bhikkhunīs who were Maha Pajāpati’s retinue.”
Vimuttāti pañcahi vimuttīhi vimuttā.
Liberated (vimuttā) means “liberated by the five liberations.”
Anupādisesāti upādānasesaṃ aṭṭhapetvā pañcahi vimuttīhi anavasesāhipi vimuttā. Anupādisesā means "liberated completely by the five liberations, leaving no residue of clinging."
Saupādisese vā saupādisesoti saupādānasese puggale ‘‘saupādānaseso aya’’nti.
Saupādisese vā saupādiseso means “regarding a person with a residue of clinging, ‘this one has a residue of clinging’.”
Itarasmimpi eseva nayo.
The same method applies to the other.
Tissoti therassa saddhivihārikabrahmā.
Tissa means “the Brahmā who was a disciple of the Elder.”
Anulomikānīti paṭipattiyā anulomāni vivittāni antimapariyantimāni.
Anulomikānī means “conducive to practice, secluded, and ultimately final.”
Indriyānīti saddhādīni vipassanindriyāni.
Faculties (indriyānī) means “the vipassanā-faculties such as faith.”
Samannānayamānoti samannāhāre ṭhapayamāno.
Samannānayamāno means “placing in attention.”
Na hi pana teti idaṃ kasmā ārabhi?
For those, however (na hi pana te) – why was this begun?
Sattamassa puggalassa dassanatthaṃ.
To show the seventh type of person.
Sattamo hi saddhānusāripuggalo na dassito.
For the person who follows faith (saddhānusārī) was not shown.
Atha bhagavā balavavipassakavasena taṃ dassento evamāha.
Then the Fortunate One, showing him as one with strong insight, spoke thus.
Tattha sabbanimittānanti sabbesaṃ niccanimittādīnaṃ.
There, of all signs (sabbanimittānaṃ) means “of all signs such as the sign of permanence.”
Animittanti balavavipassanāsamādhiṃ.
Signless (animittaṃ) means “the concentration of strong vipassanā.”