Therigatha - The Verses of the Elder Nuns
Chapter 10: The Book of the Elevens
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato and Jessica Walton. (More copyright information)
Kisāgotamī
213
“Pointing out how the world works,
the sages have praised good friendship.
Associating with good friends,
even a fool becomes astute.
214
Associate with good people,
for that is how wisdom grows.
Should you associate with good people,
you would be freed from all suffering.
215
And you would understand suffering,
its origin and cessation,
the eightfold path,
and so the four noble truths.”
216
“‘A woman’s life is painful,’
explained the Buddha, guide for those who wish to train,
‘and for a co-wife it’s especially so.
After giving birth just once,
217
some women even cut their own throat,
while refined ladies take poison.
Being guilty of killing a person,
they undergo ruin both here and beyond.’”
218‘
“I was on the road and about to give birth.,
when I saw my husband dead.
I gave birth there on the road
before I’d reached my own house.
219
My two children have died,
and on the road my husband lies dead—oh woe is me!
Mother, father, and brother
all burning up on the same pyre.”
220
“Oh woe is you whose family is lost,
your suffering has no measure;
you have been shedding tears
for many thousands of lives.”
221
“While staying in the charnel ground,
I saw my son’s flesh being eaten.
With my family destroyed, condemned by all,
and my husband dead, I realized the deathless.
222
I’ve developed the noble eightfold path
leading to the deathless.
I’ve realized quenching,
as seen in the mirror of the Dhamma.
223
I’ve plucked out the dart,
laid down the burden, and done what needed to be done.”
The senior nun Kisāgotamī,
her mind released, said this.
Kisāgotamītherīgāthā
213p_19Th2_285"Kalyāṇamittatā muninā,
lokaṁ ādissa vaṇṇitā;
Kalyāṇamitte bhajamāno,
api bālo paṇḍito assa.
214p_19Th2_286Bhajitabbā sappurisā,
Paññā tathā vaḍḍhati bhajantānaṁ;
Bhajamāno sappurise,
Sabbehipi dukkhehi pamucceyya.
215p_19Th2_287Dukkhañca vijāneyya,
Dukkhassa ca samudayaṁ nirodhaṁ;
Aṭṭhaṅgikañca maggaṁ,
Cattāripi ariyasaccāni".
216
p_19Th2_288"Dukkho itthibhāvo,
Akkhāto purisadammasārathinā;
Sapattikampi hi dukkhaṁ,
Appekaccā sakiṁ vijātāyo.
217p_19Th2_289Galake api kantanti,
Sukhumāliniyo visāni khādanti;
Janamārakamajjhagatā,
Ubhopi byasanāni anubhonti".
218p_19Th2_290"Upavijaññā gacchantī,
addasāhaṁ patiṁ mataṁ;
Panthamhi vijāyitvāna,
appattāva sakaṁ gharaṁ.
219p_19Th2_291Dve puttā kālakatā,
Patī ca panthe mato kapaṇikāya;
Mātā pitā ca bhātā,
Ḍayhanti ca ekacitakāyaṁ".
220p_19Th2_292"Khīṇakulīne kapaṇe,
Anubhūtaṁ te dukhaṁ aparimāṇaṁ;
Assū ca te pavattaṁ,
Bahūni ca jātisahassāni.
221p_19Th2_293Vasitā susānamajjhe,
Athopi khāditāni puttamaṁsāni;
Hatakulikā sabbagarahitā,
Matapatikā amatamadhigacchiṁ.
222p_19Th2_294Bhāvito me maggo,
Ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko amatagāmī;
Nibbānaṁ sacchikataṁ,
Dhammādāsaṁ avekkhiṁhaṁ.
223p_19Th2_295Ahamamhi kantasallā,
Ohitabhārā katañhi karaṇīyaṁ;
Kisā gotamī therī,
Vimuttacittā imaṁ bhaṇī"ti.