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Khuddaka Nikāya - The Minor Texts

Theragatha - The Verses of the Senior Monks

Chapter 13: The Group of Thirteen Verses

  • Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato and Jessica Walton
Soṇakoḷivisa

632He who was special in the kingdom,
The attendant to the king of Anga,
Today is special in the Dhamma —
Soṇa has gone beyond suffering.

633Five should be cut off, five should be abandoned,
Five should be developed further.
A monk who has gone beyond five attachments is called
"One who has crossed the flood."

634If a monk is insolent and negligent,
Concerned only with externals,
Their virtue, samādhi, and understanding
Do not become fulfilled.

635They disregard what should be done,
And do what shouldn’t be done.
For the insolent and the negligent,
Their defilements only grow.

636Those that have properly undertaken
Constant mindfulness of the body,
Don’t practise what shouldn’t be done,
But consistently do what should be done.
Mindful and clearly aware,
Their defilements come to an end.

637Go on the straight path that has been taught —
Don’t turn back.
Urge yourself on,
And realise nibbāna.

638When my energy was over-exerted,
The unsurpassed teacher in the world,
Made the simile of the lute for me;
The Seer taught the Dhamma,

639And when I heard what he said,
I stayed joyfully in his teaching.
Practising serenity of mind,
I attained the supreme goal.
I’ve attained the three knowledges,
And fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

640Committed to renunciation,
And seclusion of the heart,
Committed to non-harming,
And the end of grasping;

641Committed to the end of craving,
And an unconfused heart;
When seeing the senses arise,
The mind is perfectly liberated.

642For the monk who is perfectly liberated,
His mind at peace,
There’s nothing to add to what has been done;
And nothing further to be done.

643Just as a solid rock
Is not moved by the wind,
So sights, tastes, sounds
Smells, touches, all of these,

644As well as pleasant and unpleasant phenomena,
Don’t shake one who is poised,
Whose mind is firm and unfettered,
Contemplating vanishing.

Soṇakoḷivisatheragāthā

632 p_19Th1_954"Yāhu raṭṭhe samukkaṭṭho,
rañño aṅgassa Svajja dhammesu ukkaṭṭho,
soṇo dukkhassa pāragū.

633p_19Th1_955Pañca chinde pañca jahe,
pañca cuttari bhāvaye;
Pañcasaṅgātigo bhikkhu,
oghatiṇṇoti vuccati.

634p_19Th1_956Unnaḷassa pamattassa,
Sīlaṁ samādhi paññā ca,
pāripūriṁ na gacchati.

635p_19Th1_957Yañhi kiccaṁ akiccaṁ pana karīyati;
Unnaḷānaṁ pamattānaṁ,
tesaṁ vaḍḍhanti āsavā.

636p_19Th1_958Yesañca susamāraddhā,
niccaṁ kāyagatā sati;
Akiccaṁ te na sevanti,
kicce sātaccakārino;
Satānaṁ sampajānānaṁ,
atthaṁ gacchanti āsavā.

637p_19Th1_959Ujumaggamhi akkhāte,
gacchatha mā nivattatha;
Attanā codayattānaṁ,
nibbānamabhihāraye.

638p_19Th1_960Accāraddhamhi vīriyamhi,
satthā loke anuttaro;
Vīṇopamaṁ karitvā me,
dhammaṁ desesi cakkhumā;
Tassāhaṁ vacanaṁ sutvā,
vihāsiṁ sāsane rato.

639p_19Th1_961Samathaṁ paṭipādesiṁ,
uttamatthassa pattiyā;
Tisso vijjā anuppattā,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.

640p_19Th1_962pavivekañca cetaso;
upādānakkhayassa ca.

641p_19Th1_963Taṇhakkhayādhimuttassa,
asammohañca cetaso;
Disvā āyatanuppādaṁ,
sammā cittaṁ vimuccati.

642 p_19Th1_964Tassa sammā vimuttassa,
santacittassa bhikkhuno;
Katassa paṭicayo natthi,
karaṇīyaṁ na vijjati.

643p_19Th1_965Selo yathā vātena na samīrati;
Evaṁ rūpā rasā saddā,
gandhā phassā ca kevalā.

644p_19Th1_966Iṭṭhā dhammā aniṭṭhā ca,
nappavedhenti tādino;
Ṭhitaṁ cittaṁ visaññuttaṁ,
vayañcassānupassatī"ti.