Light/Dark

Khuddaka Nikāya - The Minor Texts

Therigatha - The Verses of the Elder Nuns

Chapter 7: The Book of the Sevens

Uttarā

175 “Taking a pestle,
young men pound grain.
Supporting partners and children,
young men acquire wealth.

176 Work at the Buddha’s bidding,
you won’t regret it.
Having quickly washed your feet,
sit in a discreet place to meditate.


177 Establish the mind,
unified and serene.
Examine conditions
as other, not as self.”

178 “After hearing her words,
the instructions of Paṭācārā,
I washed my feet
and retired to a discreet place.

179 In the first watch of the night,
I recollected my past lives.
In the middle watch of the night,
I purified my clairvoyance.

180 In the last watch of the night,
I shattered the mass of darkness.
I rose up master of the three knowledges:
your bidding has been done.

181 I shall abide honoring you
as the thirty gods honor Sakka,
undefeated in battle.
Master of the three knowledges, I am free of defilements.”

Cālā

182 “As a nun with developed faculties,
having established mindfulness,
I penetrated that peaceful state,
the blissful stilling of conditions.”

183 “In whose name did you shave your head?
You look like an ascetic,
but you don’t believe in any creed.
Why do you live as if lost?”

184 “Followers of other creeds
rely on their views.
They don’t understand the Dhamma,
for they’re no experts in the Dhamma.

185 But there is one born in the Sakyan clan,
the unrivaled Buddha;
he taught me the Dhamma
for going beyond views.

186 Suffering, suffering’s origin,
suffering’s transcendence,
and the noble eightfold path
that leads to the stilling of suffering.

187 After hearing his words,
I happily did his bidding.
I’ve attained the three knowledges
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

188 Relishing is destroyed in every respect,
and the mass of darkness is shattered.
So know this, Wicked One:
you’re beaten, terminator!”

Upacālā

189 “A nun with faculties developed,
mindful, seeing clearly,
I penetrated that peaceful state,
which sinners do not cultivate.”

190 “Why don’t you approve of rebirth?
When you’re born, you get to enjoy sensual pleasures.
Enjoy the delights of sensual pleasure;
don’t regret it later.”

191 “Death comes to those who are born;
and when born they fall into suffering:
the chopping off of hands and feet,
killing, caging, misery.

192 But there is one born in the Sakyan clan,
an awakened champion.
He taught me the Dhamma
for passing beyond rebirth:

193 suffering, suffering’s origin,
suffering’s transcendence,
and the noble eightfold path
that leads to the stilling of suffering.

194 After hearing his words,
I happily did his bidding.
I’ve attained the three knowledges
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

195 Relishing is destroyed in every respect,
and the mass of darkness is shattered.
So know this, Wicked One:
you’re beaten, terminator!”

Uttarātherīgāthā

175p_19Th2_239"Musalāni gahetvāna,
dhaññaṁ koṭṭenti māṇavā;
Puttadārāni posentā,
dhanaṁ vindanti māṇavā.

176p_19Th2_240Ghaṭetha buddhasāsane,
yaṁ katvā nānutappati;
Khippaṁ pādāni dhovitvā,
ekamantaṁ nisīdatha.


177p_19Th2_241Cittaṁ upaṭṭhapetvāna,
ekaggaṁ susamāhitaṁ;
Paccavekkhatha saṅkhāre,
parato no ca attato".

178p_19Th2_242"Tassāhaṁ vacanaṁ sutvā,
paṭācārānusāsaniṁ;
Pāde pakkhālayitvāna,
ekamante upāvisiṁ.

179p_19Th2_243Rattiyā purime yāme,
pubbajātimanussariṁ;
Rattiyā majjhime yāme,
dibbacakkhuṁ visodhayiṁ.

180p_19Th2_244Rattiyā pacchime yāme,
tamokhandhaṁ padālayiṁ;
Tevijjā atha vuṭṭhāsiṁ,
katā te anusāsanī.

181p_19Th2_245Sakkaṁva devā tidasā,
saṅgāme aparājitaṁ;
Purakkhatvā vihassāmi,
tevijjāmhi anāsavā".

Cālātherīgāthā

182 p_19Th2_247"Satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvāna,
bhikkhunī bhāvitindriyā;
Paṭivijjhi padaṁ santaṁ,
saṅkhārūpasamaṁ sukhaṁ".

183p_19Th2_248"Kaṁ nu uddissa muṇḍāsi,
samaṇī viya dissasi;
Na ca rocesi pāsaṇḍe,
kimidaṁ carasi momuhā".

184p_19Th2_249"Ito bahiddhā pāsaṇḍā,
diṭṭhiyo upanissitā;
Na te dhammaṁ vijānanti,
na te dhammassa kovidā.

185p_19Th2_250Atthi sakyakule jāto,
buddho appaṭipuggalo;
So me dhammamadesesi,
diṭṭhīnaṁ samatikkamaṁ.

186p_19Th2_251Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ,
Dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ;
Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,
Dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.

187p_19Th2_252Tassāhaṁ vacanaṁ sutvā,
vihariṁ sāsane ratā;
Tisso vijjā anuppattā,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.

188p_19Th2_253Sabbattha vihatā nandī,
tamokhandho padālito;
Evaṁ jānāhi pāpima,
nihato tvamasi antaka".

Upacālātherīgāthā

189p_19Th2_255"Satimatī cakkhumatī,
bhikkhunī bhāvitindriyā;
Paṭivijjhi padaṁ santaṁ,
akāpurisasevitaṁ".

190p_19Th2_256"Kiṁ nu jātiṁ na rocesi,
jāto kāmāni bhuñjati;
Bhuñjāhi kāmaratiyo,
māhu pacchānutāpinī".

191p_19Th2_257"Jātassa maraṇaṁ hoti,
hatthapādāna chedanaṁ;
Vadhabandhapariklesaṁ,
jāto dukkhaṁ nigacchati.

192p_19Th2_258Atthi sakyakule jāto,
sambuddho aparājito;
So me dhammamadesesi,
jātiyā samatikkamaṁ.

193p_19Th2_259Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ,
dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ;
Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,
dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.

194p_19Th2_260Tassāhaṁ vacanaṁ sutvā,
vihariṁ sāsane ratā;
Tisso vijjā anuppattā,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.

195 p_19Th2_261Sabbattha vihatā nandī,
tamokhandho padālito;
Evaṁ jānāhi pāpima,
nihato tvamasi antaka".