--- title: "Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā" author: "The Elder Monks" translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato" languages: [pi, en] shelf: "Pali Canon" section: 1 of 22 url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/1/ cite: "The Elder Monks, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā, section 1. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/1/" --- # Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā *The Elder Monks, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato* Poems of awakening by more than two hundred and sixty monks of the Buddha’s time. > Pali: the Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka (Buddha Jayanti edition, 2500), from SuttaCentral’s bilara-data, dedicated to the public domain (CC0). > English: Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral’s bilara-data, dedicated to the public domain (CC0). Notes are not included. > Rows follow the segment numbers the two texts share, gathered into paragraphs; verse keeps its lines. ## 1. Chapter One · Thag 1.1–1.9 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/1/#p-N [¶0] Thag 1.1 · Subhūti > Pali: Thag 1.1 · Subhūtittheragāthā [¶1] Background > Pali: Nidānagāthā [¶2] Homage to him, the blessed one, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha! > Pali: Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa. [¶3] Like the lions of mighty fang who roar in mountain caves— hear now from those who’ve practiced well their own verses about themselves. > Pali: Sīhānaṁva nadantānaṁ, dāṭhīnaṁ girigabbhare; Suṇātha bhāvitattānaṁ, gāthā atthūpanāyikā. [¶4] What their name, and what their clan, and how they lived by the teaching; how dedicated were those wise ones, as they meditated tirelessly. > Pali: Yathānāmā yathāgottā, yathādhammavihārino; Yathādhimuttā sappaññā, vihariṁsu atanditā. [¶5] Clearly discerning in every case, they reached the state that does not pass. Reviewing their completed task, they spoke about it in these words. > Pali: Tattha tattha vipassitvā, phusitvā accutaṁ padaṁ; Katantaṁ paccavekkhantā, imamatthamabhāsisuṁ. [¶6] Subhūti > Pali: Subhūtittheragāthā [¶7] My hut is roofed and pleasant, sheltered from the wind: so rain, heavens, as you please! My mind is serene and freed, I practice wholeheartedly: so rain, heavens! > Pali: “Channā me kuṭikā sukhā nivātā, Vassa deva yathāsukhaṁ; Cittaṁ me susamāhitaṁ vimuttaṁ, Ātāpī viharāmi vassa devā”ti. [¶8] That is how this verse was recited by the senior venerable Subhūti. > Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā subhūtitthero gāthaṁ abhāsitthāti. [¶9] Thag 1.2 · Mahākoṭṭhita > Pali: Thag 1.2 · Mahākoṭṭhikattheragāthā [¶10] Calm and still, thoughtful in counsel, not restless— he shakes off bad qualities as the gale shakes leaves off a tree. > Pali: “Upasanto uparato, mantabhāṇī anuddhato; Dhunāti pāpake dhamme, dumapattaṁva māluto”ti. [¶11] That is how this verse was recited by the senior venerable Mahākoṭṭhita. > Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā mahākoṭṭhiko thero gāthaṁ abhāsitthāti. [¶12] Thag 1.3 · Revata the Doubter > Pali: Thag 1.3 · Kaṅkhārevatattheragāthā [¶13] See this wisdom of the Realized Ones! Like a fire blazing in the night, giving light, giving vision, they dispel the doubt of those who’ve come. > Pali: “Paññaṁ imaṁ passa tathāgatānaṁ, Aggi yathā pajjalito nisīthe; Ālokadā cakkhudadā bhavanti, Ye āgatānaṁ vinayanti kaṅkhan”ti. [¶14] That is how this verse was recited by the senior venerable Revata the Doubter. > Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā kaṅkhārevato thero gāthaṁ abhāsitthāti. [¶15] Thag 1.4 · Puṇṇa (1st) > Pali: Thag 1.4 · Puṇṇattheragāthā [¶16] Associate only with the virtuous, the astute ones who see the goal. The attentive ones, diligent and clear-seeing, realize the goal so great and profound, hard to see, subtle, and very fine. > Pali: “Sabbhireva samāsetha, paṇḍitehatthadassibhi; Atthaṁ mahantaṁ gambhīraṁ, duddasaṁ nipuṇaṁ aṇuṁ; Dhīrā samadhigacchanti, appamattā vicakkhaṇā”ti. [¶17] That is how this verse was recited by the senior venerable Puṇṇa son of Mantāṇī. > Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā puṇṇo mantāṇiputto thero gāthaṁ abhāsitthāti. [¶18] Thag 1.5 · Dabba > Pali: Thag 1.5 · Dabbattheragāthā [¶19] Once hard to tame, now tamed himself; proficient, content, with doubt overcome; victorious since his fears have vanished: Dabba is steadfast, and has become fully quenched. > Pali: “Yo duddamiyo damena danto, Dabbo santusito vitiṇṇakaṅkho; Vijitāvī apetabheravo hi, Dabbo so parinibbuto ṭhitatto”ti. [¶20] That is how this verse was recited by the senior venerable Dabba. > Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā dabbo thero gāthaṁ abhāsitthāti. [¶21] Thag 1.6 · Sītavaniya > Pali: Thag 1.6 · Sītavaniyattheragāthā [¶22] The monk who went to the Cool Grove is solitary, content and serene, victorious, with goosebumps vanished, guarding mindfulness of the body, steadfast. > Pali: “Yo sītavanaṁ upagā bhikkhu, Eko santusito samāhitatto; Vijitāvī apetalomahaṁso, Rakkhaṁ kāyagatāsatiṁ dhitimā”ti. [¶23] That is how this verse was recited by the senior venerable Sītavaniya. > Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā sītavaniyo thero gāthaṁ abhāsitthāti. [¶24] Thag 1.7 · Bhalliya > Pali: Thag 1.7 · Bhalliyattheragāthā [¶25] He has cast aside the army of the King of Death, as a fragile bridge of reeds by a great flood. Victorious since his fears have vanished: tame and steadfast, he has become quenched. > Pali: “Yopānudī maccurājassa senaṁ, Naḷasetuṁva sudubbalaṁ mahogho; Vijitāvī apetabheravo hi, Danto so parinibbuto ṭhitatto”ti. [¶26] That is how this verse was recited by the senior venerable Bhalliya. > Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā bhalliyo thero gāthaṁ abhāsitthāti. [¶27] Thag 1.8 · Vīra > Pali: Thag 1.8 · Vīrattheragāthā [¶28] Once hard to tame, now tamed himself; a hero, content, with doubt overcome; victorious, with goosebumps vanished, Vīra is steadfast, and has become fully quenched. > Pali: “Yo duddamiyo damena danto, Vīro santusito vitiṇṇakaṅkho; Vijitāvī apetalomahaṁso, Vīro so parinibbuto ṭhitatto”ti. [¶29] That is how this verse was recited by the senior venerable Vīra. > Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā vīro thero gāthaṁ abhāsitthāti. [¶30] Thag 1.9 · Pilindavaccha > Pali: Thag 1.9 · Pilindavacchattheragāthā [¶31] It was welcome, not unwelcome, the advice I got was good. Of the well-explained teachings, I arrived at the best. > Pali: “Svāgataṁ na durāgataṁ, Nayidaṁ dumantitaṁ mama; Saṁvibhattesu dhammesu, Yaṁ seṭṭhaṁ tadupāgamin”ti. [¶32] That is how this verse was recited by the senior venerable Pilindavaccha. > Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā pilindavaccho thero gāthaṁ abhāsitthāti.