Therigatha - The Verses of the Elder Nuns
Chapter 2: The Book of the Twos
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato and Jessica Walton. (More copyright information)
Abhirūpanandā
19
Nandā, see this bag of bones as
diseased, filthy, and rotten.
With mind unified and serene,
meditate on the ugly aspects of the body.
20
Meditate on the signless,
give up the underlying tendency to conceit;
and when you comprehend conceit,
you will live at peace.
Jentā
21
Of the seven awakening factors,
the path for attaining extinguishment,
I have developed them all,
just as the Buddha taught.
22
For I have seen the Blessed One,
and this bag of bones is my last.
Transmigration through births is finished,
now there’ll be no more future lives.
Sumaṅgala’s Mother
23
I’m well freed, well freed,
so very well freed from the pestle!
My shameless husband popped up like a mushroom,
my mortar wafted like eels.
24
Greed and hate sizzle and hiss
as I plunge them (in cool water).
Having gone to the root of a tree,
I meditate happily, thinking: “Oh, what bliss!”
Aḍḍhakāsī
25
The price for my services
amounted to the nation of Kāsi.
By setting that price,
the townsfolk made me priceless.
26
Then, growing disillusioned with my form,
I became dispassionate.
Don’t journey on and on,
transmigrating through rebirths!
I've realized the three knowledges,
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.
Cittā
27
Though I’m skinny,
sick, and very feeble,
I climb the mountain,
leaning on a staff.
28Having laid down my outer robe,
and overturned my bowl,
propping myself against a rock,
I shattered the mass of darkness.
Mettikā
29Though in pain,
feeble, my youth long gone,
I climb the mountain,
leaning on a staff.
30Having laid down my outer robe
and overturned my bowl,
sitting on a rock,
my mind was freed.
I’ve attained the three knowledges,
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.
Mittā (2nd)
31
I rejoiced in the host of gods,
having observed the sabbath
complete in all eight factors,
on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days,
32
and the eighth day of the fortnight,
as well as on the fortnightly special displays.
Today I eat just once a day,
my head is shaven, I wear the outer robe.
I don’t long for the host of gods,
for stress has been removed from my heart.
To Abhayā’s Mother From Her Daughter
33My dear mother, I examined this body,
up from the soles of the feet,
and down from the tips of the hairs,
so impure and foul-smelling.
34Meditating like this,
all my lust is eradicated.
The fever of passion is cut off,
I’m cooled and quenched.
Abhayā
35
Abhayā, the body is fragile,
yet ordinary people are attached to it.
I'll lay down the body,
aware and mindful.
36
Though subject to so many painful things,
I have, through my love of diligence,
reached the ending of craving,
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.
Sāmā
37
Four or five times
I left my dwelling.
I had failed to find peace of heart,
or any control over my mind.
Now it is the eighth night
since craving was eradicated.
38
Though subject to so many painful things,
I have, through my love of diligence,
reached the ending of craving,
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.
Abhirūpanandātherīgāthā
19p_19Th2_39"Āturaṁ asuciṁ pūtiṁ,
passa nande samussayaṁ;
Asubhāya cittaṁ bhāvehi,
ekaggaṁ susamāhitaṁ.
20p_19Th2_40Animittañca bhāvehi,
mānānusayamujjaha;
Tato mānābhisamayā,
upasantā carissasī"ti.
Jentātherīgāthā
21p_19Th2_42"Ye ime satta bojjhaṅgā,
maggā nibbānapattiyā;
Bhāvitā te mayā sabbe,
yathā buddhena desitā.
22p_19Th2_43Diṭṭho hi me so bhagavā,
antimoyaṁ samussayo;
Vikkhīṇo jātisaṁsāro,
natthi dāni punabbhavo"ti.
Sumaṅgalamātātherīgāthā
23
p_19Th2_45"Sumuttikā sumuttikā,
Sādhumuttikāmhi musalassa;
Ahiriko me chattakaṁ vāpi,
Ukkhalikā me deḍḍubhaṁ vāti.
24p_19Th2_46Rāgañca ahaṁ dosañca,
Cicciṭi cicciṭīti vihanāmi;
Sā rukkhamūlamupagamma,
Aho sukhanti sukhato jhāyāmī"ti.
Aḍḍhakāsitherīgāthā
25p_19Th2_48"Yāva kāsijanapado,
suṅko me tatthako ahu;
Taṁ katvā negamo agghaṁ,
aḍḍhenagghaṁ ṭhapesi maṁ.
26p_19Th2_49Atha nibbindahaṁ rūpe,
nibbindañca virajjahaṁ;
Mā puna jātisaṁsāraṁ,
sandhāveyyaṁ punappunaṁ;
Tisso vijjā sacchikatā,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanan"ti.
Cittātherīgāthā
27p_19Th2_51"Kiñcāpi khomhi kisikā,
gilānā bāḷhadubbalā;
Daṇḍamolubbha gacchāmi,
pabbataṁ abhirūhiya.
28p_19Th2_52Saṅghāṭiṁ nikkhipitvāna,
pattakañca nikujjiya;
Sele khambhesimattānaṁ,
tamokhandhaṁ padāliyā"ti.
Mettikātherīgāthā
29p_19Th2_54"Kiñcāpi khomhi dukkhitā,
dubbalā gatayobbanā;
Daṇḍamolubbha gacchāmi,
pabbataṁ abhirūhiya.
30p_19Th2_55Nikkhipitvāna saṅghāṭiṁ,
pattakañca nikujjiya;
Nisinnā camhi selamhi,
atha cittaṁ vimucci me;
Tisso vijjā anuppattā,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanan"ti.
Mittātherīgāthā
31p_19Th2_57"Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiṁ,
yā ca pakkhassa aṭṭhamī;
Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca,
aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgataṁ.
32
p_19Th2_58Uposathaṁ upāgacchiṁ,
devakāyābhinandinī;
Sājja ekena bhattena,
muṇḍā saṅghāṭipārutā;
Devakāyaṁ na patthehaṁ,
vineyya hadaye daran"ti.
Abhayamātutherīgāthā
33p_19Th2_60"Uddhaṁ pādatalā amma,
adho ve kesamatthakā;
Paccavekkhassumaṁ kāyaṁ,
asuciṁ pūtigandhikaṁ.
34p_19Th2_61Evaṁ viharamānāya,
sabbo rāgo samūhato;
Pariḷāho samucchinno,
sītibhūtāmhi nibbutā"ti.
Abhayātherīgāthā
35p_19Th2_63"Abhaye bhiduro kāyo,
yattha satā puthujjanā;
Nikkhipissāmimaṁ dehaṁ,
sampajānā satīmatī.
36p_19Th2_64Bahūhi dukkhadhammehi,
appamādaratāya me;
Taṇhakkhayo anuppatto,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanan"ti.
Sāmātherīgāthā
37p_19Th2_66"Catukkhattuṁ pañcakkhattuṁ,
vihārā upanikkhamiṁ;
Aladdhā cetaso santiṁ,
citte avasavattinī;
Tassā me aṭṭhamī ratti,
yato taṇhā samūhatā.
38p_19Th2_67Bahūhi dukkhadhammehi,
appamādaratāya me;
Taṇhakkhayo anuppatto,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanan"ti.