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Khuddaka Nikāya - The Minor Texts

Theragatha - The Verses of the Senior Monks

Chapter 18: The Group of Forty Verses

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

1054You shouldn’t live for the adulation of a following;
It turns your mind, and makes samādhi hard to find.
Seeing that popularity is suffering,
You shouldn’t accept a following.

1055A sage should not visit respectable families
It turns your mind, and makes samādhi hard to find.
One who’s eager and greedy for flavours,
Misses the goal that brings such happiness.

1056They know that this really is a bog,
This homage and veneration among respectable families.
Honor is a subtle dart, hard to extract,
And hard for a bad man to give up.

1057I came down from my lodging
And entered the city for alms.
I courteously stood by
While a leper ate.

1058With his putrid hand
He offered me a morsel.
Putting the morsel in my bowl,
His finger broke off right there.

1059Leaning against the foot of a wall,
I ate that morsel.
While eating, and afterwards,
I did not feel any disgust.

1060Anyone who makes use of
Leftovers for food,
Putrid urine as medicine,
The root of a tree as lodging,
And rags from the rubbish-heap as robes,
Is at home in any direction.

1061Where some have perished
While climbing the mountain,
There Kassapa ascends;
An heir of the Buddha,
Aware and mindful,
Relying on his psychic powers.

1062Returning from alms-round,
Kassapa ascends the mountain,
And practices jhāna without grasping,
With fear and dread abandoned.

1063Returning from alms-round,
Kassapa ascends the mountain,
And practices jhāna without grasping,
Quenched amongst those who burn.

1064Returning from alms-round,
Kassapa ascends the mountain,
And practices jhāna without grasping,
His duty done, without defilements.

1065Strewn with garlands of the musk-rose tree,
These regions are delightful.
Lovely, resounding with the trumpeting of elephants:
These rocky crags delight me!

1066They look like blue-black storm clouds, glistening,
Cooled with the waters of clear-flowing streams,
And covered with ladybird beetles:
These rocky crags delight me!

1067Like the peak of a blue-black storm cloud,
Or like a fine peaked house,
Lovely, resounding with the trumpeting of elephants:
These rocky crags delight me!

1068The rain comes down on the lovely flats,
In the mountains frequented by sages.
Echoing with the cries of peacocks,
These rocky crags delight me!

1069It’s enough for me,
Desiring to practice jhāna, resolute and mindful.
It’s enough for me,
A resolute monk, desiring the goal.

1070It’s enough for me,
A resolute monk, desiring ease,
It’s enough for me,
Desiring to practice, resolute and poised.

1071Covered with flowers of flax,
Like the sky covered with clouds,
Full of flocks of many different birds,
These rocky crags delight me!

1072Empty of householders,
Frequented by herds of deer,
Full of flocks of many different birds,
These rocky crags delight me!

1073The water is clear and the gorges are wide,
Monkeys and deer are all around;
Festooned with dewy moss,
These rocky crags delight me!

1074Music played by a five-piece band
Can never make you as happy,
As when, with unified mind,
You rightly discern the Dhamma.

1075Don’t get involved in lots of work,
Avoid people, and don’t try to get more requisites.
If you’re eager and greedy for flavours,
You’ll miss the goal that brings such happiness.

1076Don’t get involved in lots of work,
Avoid what doesn’t lead to the goal.
The body gets worn out and fatigued,
And when you suffer, you won’t find tranquillity.

1077You won’t see yourself
By merely reciting words,
Wandering stiff-necked
And thinking, "I’m better."

1078The fool is no better,
But they think they are.
The wise don’t praise
Stiff-minded people.

1079Whoever is not affected
By the modes of conceit —
"I am better", "I am not better",
"I am worse", or "I am the same" —

1080Poised, with such understanding,
Endowed with virtues,
And devoted to tranquillity of mind:
That is who the wise praise.

1081Whoever has no respect
For their companions in spiritual life
Is as far from true Dhamma
As the sky is from the earth.

1082Those whose conscience and shame
Are always rightly established,
Thrive in the spiritual life,
For them, there is no rebirth in any state of existence.

1083If a monk who is haughty and fickle,
Wears rags from the rubbish-heap,
Like a monkey in a lion skin,
That doesn’t make him impressive.

1084But if they are humble and stable,
Controlled, with faculties restrained,
Then wearing rags from the rubbish-heap is impressive,
Like a lion in a mountain cave.

1085These famous gods
Endowed with psychic powers,
All 10, 000 of them,
Belong to the retinue of Brahmā.

1086They stand with hands in añjalī,
Honouring Sāriputta,
The general of the Dhamma, the hero,
The great meditator who is endowed with samādhi.

1087"Homage to you, thoroughbred among men!
Homage to you, best among men!
We do not even understand
The basis of your jhāna.

1088The profound domain of the Buddhas
Is truly amazing.
We do not understand them,
Though we’ve gathered here to split hairs."

1089When he saw the company of gods
Paying homage to Sāriputta —
Who is truly worthy of homage —
Kappina smiled.

1090As far as this Buddha-field extends
I am outstanding in ascetic practices.
I have no equal,
Apart from the great sage himself.

1091I’ve attended on the teacher
And fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.
The heavy burden is laid down,
I’ve undone the attachment to being reborn in any state of existence.

1092Like a lotus flower unstained by water,
Gotama the immeasurable is unstained
By robes, lodgings, or food.
He inclines to renunciation,
And has escaped being reborn in the three states of existence.

1093The great sage’s neck is the establishment of mindfulness;
Faith is his hands, and wisdom his head.
Having great knowledge,
He always wanders, quenched.

Mahākassapattheragāthā

1054 p_19Th1_1409"Na gaṇena purakkhato care,
Vimano hoti samādhi dullabho;
Nānājanasaṅgaho dukho,
Iti disvāna gaṇaṁ na rocaye.

1055p_19Th1_1410Na kulāni upabbaje muni,
Vimano hoti samādhi dullabho;
So ussukko rasānugiddho,
Atthaṁ riñcati yo sukhāvaho.

1056p_19Th1_1411Paṅkoti hi naṁ avedayuṁ,
Yāyaṁ vandanapūjanā kulesu;
Sukhumaṁ sallaṁ durubbahaṁ,
Sakkāro kāpurisena dujjaho.

1057p_19Th1_1412Senāsanamhā oruyha,
nagaraṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁ;
Bhuñjantaṁ purisaṁ kuṭṭhiṁ,
sakkaccaṁ taṁ upaṭṭhahiṁ.

1058p_19Th1_1413So me pakkena hatthena,
ālopaṁ upanāmayi;
Ālopaṁ pakkhipantassa,
aṅguli cettha chijjatha.

1059p_19Th1_1414Kuṭṭamūlañca nissāya,
ālopaṁ taṁ abhuñjisaṁ;
Bhuñjamāne bhutte vā,
jegucchaṁ me na vijjati.

1060p_19Th1_1415Uttiṭṭhapiṇḍo āhāro,
pūtimuttañca osadhaṁ;
Senāsanaṁ rukkhamūlaṁ,
paṁsukūlañca cīvaraṁ;
Yassete abhisambhutvā,
sa ve cātuddiso naro.

1061p_19Th1_1416Yattha eke vihaññanti,
āruhantā siluccayaṁ;
Tassa buddhassa dāyādo,
sampajāno patissato;
Iddhibalenupatthaddho,
kassapo abhirūhati.

1062p_19Th1_1417Piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto,
selamāruyha kassapo;
Jhāyati anupādāno,
pahīnabhayabheravo.

1063p_19Th1_1418Piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto,
selamāruyha kassapo;
Jhāyati anupādāno,
ḍayhamānesu nibbuto.

1064p_19Th1_1419Piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto,
selamāruyha kassapo;
Jhāyati anupādāno,
katakicco anāsavo.

1065 p_19Th1_1420Karerimālāvitatā,
bhūmibhāgā manoramā;
Kuñjarābhirudā rammā,
te selā ramayanti maṁ.

1066p_19Th1_1421Nīlabbhavaṇṇā rucirā,
vārisītā sucindharā;
Indagopakasañchannā,
te selā ramayanti maṁ.

1067p_19Th1_1422Nīlabbhakūṭasadisā,
kūṭāgāravarūpamā;
Vāraṇābhirudā rammā,
te selā ramayanti maṁ.

1068p_19Th1_1423Abhivuṭṭhā rammatalā,
nagā isibhi sevitā;
Abbhunnaditā sikhīhi,
te selā ramayanti maṁ.

1069p_19Th1_1424Alaṁ jhāyitukāmassa,
pahitattassa me sato;
Alaṁ me atthakāmassa,
pahitattassa bhikkhuno.

1070p_19Th1_1425Alaṁ me phāsukāmassa,
pahitattassa bhikkhuno;
Alaṁ me yogakāmassa,
pahitattassa tādino.

1071p_19Th1_1426Umāpupphena samānā,
gaganāvabbhachāditā;
Nānādijagaṇākiṇṇā,
te selā ramayanti maṁ.

1072p_19Th1_1427Anākiṇṇā gahaṭṭhehi,
migasaṅghanisevitā;
Nānādijagaṇākiṇṇā,
te selā ramayanti maṁ.

1073p_19Th1_1428Acchodikā puthusilā,
gonaṅgulamigāyutā;
Ambusevālasañchannā,
te selā ramayanti maṁ.

1074p_19Th1_1429Na pañcaṅgikena turiyena,
Rati me hoti tādisī;
Yathā ekaggacittassa,
Sammā dhammaṁ vipassato.

1075p_19Th1_1430Kammaṁ bahukaṁ na kāraye,
Parivajjeyya janaṁ na uyyame;
Ussukko so rasānugiddho,
Atthaṁ riñcati yo sukhāvaho.

1076p_19Th1_1431Kammaṁ bahukaṁ na kāraye,
Parivajjeyya anattaneyyametaṁ;
Kicchati kāyo kilamati,
Dukkhito so samathaṁ na vindati.

1077p_19Th1_1432Oṭṭhappahatamattena,
attānampi na passati;
Patthaddhagīvo carati,
ahaṁ seyyoti maññati.

1078p_19Th1_1433Aseyyo seyyasamānaṁ,
bālo maññati attānaṁ;
Na taṁ viññū pasaṁsanti,
patthaddhamānasaṁ naraṁ.

1079p_19Th1_1434Yo ca seyyohamasmīti,
nāhaṁ seyyoti vā pana;
Hīno taṁsadiso vāti,
vidhāsu na vikampati.

1080 p_19Th1_1435Paññavantaṁ tathā tādiṁ,
sīlesu susamāhitaṁ;
Cetosamathamanuttaṁ,
tañce viññū pasaṁsare.

1081p_19Th1_1436Yassa sabrahmacārīsu,
gāravo nūpalabbhati;
Ārakā hoti saddhammā,
nabhato puthavī yathā.

1082p_19Th1_1437Yesañca hiriottappaṁ,
sadā sammā upaṭṭhitaṁ;
Virūḷhabrahmacariyā te,
tesaṁ khīṇā punabbhavā.

1083p_19Th1_1438Uddhato capalo bhikkhu,
paṁsukūlena pāruto;
Kapīva sīhacammena,
na so tenupasobhati.

1084p_19Th1_1439Anuddhato acapalo,
nipako saṁvutindriyo;
Sobhati paṁsukūlena,
sīhova girigabbhare.

1085p_19Th1_1440Ete sambahulā devā,
iddhimanto yasassino;
Dasadevasahassāni,
sabbe te brahmakāyikā.

1086p_19Th1_1441Dhammasenāpatiṁ vīraṁ,
mahājhāyiṁ samāhitaṁ;
Sāriputtaṁ namassantā,
tiṭṭhanti pañjalīkatā.

1087p_19Th1_1442‘Namo te purisājañña,
namo te purisuttama;
Yassa te nābhijānāma,
yampi nissāya jhāyati.

1088p_19Th1_1443Accheraṁ vata buddhānaṁ,
gambhīro gocaro sako;
Ye mayaṁ nābhijānāma,
vālavedhisamāgatā’.

1089p_19Th1_1444Taṁ tathā devakāyehi,
pūjitaṁ pūjanārahaṁ;
Sāriputtaṁ tadā disvā,
kappinassa sitaṁ ahu.

1090p_19Th1_1445Yāvatā buddhakhettamhi,
ṭhapayitvā mahāmuniṁ;
Dhutaguṇe visiṭṭhohaṁ,
sadiso me na vijjati.

1091p_19Th1_1446Pariciṇṇo mayā satthā,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ;
Ohito garuko bhāro,
natthi dāni punabbhavo.

1092p_19Th1_1447Na cīvare na sayane,
bhojane nupalimpati;
Gotamo anappameyyo,
muḷālapupphaṁ vimalaṁva;
Ambunā nekkhammaninno,
tibhavābhinissaṭo.

1093p_19Th1_1448Satipaṭṭhānagīvo so,
saddhāhattho mahāmuni;
Paññāsīso mahāñāṇī,
sadā carati nibbuto"ti.