--- title: "Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā" author: "The Elder Monks" translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato" languages: [pi, en] shelf: "Pali Canon" section: 14 of 22 url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/14/ cite: "The Elder Monks, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā, section 14. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/14/" --- # 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. ## 14. Chapter Two · Thag 2.11–2.20 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/14/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/14/#p-N [¶0] Thag 2.11 · Mahācunda > Pali: Thag 2.11 · Mahācundattheragāthā [¶1] It’s from eagerness to learn that learning grows; when you’re learned, wisdom grows; by wisdom, you know the goal; knowing the goal brings happiness. > Pali: “Sussūsā sutavaddhanī, sutaṁ paññāya vaddhanaṁ; Paññāya atthaṁ jānāti, ñāto attho sukhāvaho. [¶2] You should frequent remote lodgings and practice to be released from fetters. If you don’t find enjoyment there, live in the Saṅgha, self-protected and mindful. > Pali: Sevetha pantāni senāsanāni, Careyya saṁyojanavippamokkhaṁ; Sace ratiṁ nādhigaccheyya tattha, Saṅghe vase rakkhitatto satimā”ti. [¶3] > Pali: … Mahācundo thero …. [¶4] Thag 2.12 · Jotidāsa > Pali: Thag 2.12 · Jotidāsattheragāthā [¶5] People who act harshly— attacking people, binding them with rope, hurting them in all kinds of ways— they’re treated in the same way; their deeds don’t vanish. > Pali: “Ye kho te veṭhamissena, nānattena ca kammunā; Manusse uparundhanti, pharusūpakkamā janā; Tepi tattheva kīranti, na hi kammaṁ panassati. [¶6] Whatever deeds a person does, whether good or bad, they are the heir to each and every deed they do. > Pali: Yaṁ karoti naro kammaṁ, Kalyāṇaṁ yadi pāpakaṁ; Tassa tasseva dāyādo, Yaṁ yaṁ kammaṁ pakubbatī”ti. [¶7] > Pali: … Jotidāso thero …. [¶8] Thag 2.13 · Heraññakāni > Pali: Thag 2.13 · Heraññakānittheragāthā [¶9] The days and nights rush by, and then life is cut short. The life of mortals wastes away, like the water in tiny streams. > Pali: “Accayanti ahorattā, jīvitaṁ uparujjhati; Āyu khīyati maccānaṁ, kunnadīnaṁva odakaṁ. [¶10] But while doing bad deeds the fool doesn’t realize— it’ll be bitter later on; for the result will be bad for them. > Pali: Atha pāpāni kammāni, karaṁ bālo na bujjhati; Pacchāssa kaṭukaṁ hoti, vipāko hissa pāpako”ti. [¶11] > Pali: … Heraññakānitthero …. [¶12] Thag 2.14 · Somamitta > Pali: Thag 2.14 · Somamittattheragāthā [¶13] If you’re lost in the middle of a great sea, and you clamber up on a little log, you’ll sink. So too, a person who lives well sinks by relying on a lazy person. Hence you should avoid such a lazy person who lacks energy. > Pali: “Parittaṁ dārumāruyha, yathā sīde mahaṇṇave; Evaṁ kusītamāgamma, sādhujīvīpi sīdati; Tasmā taṁ parivajjeyya, kusītaṁ hīnavīriyaṁ. [¶14] Dwell with the noble ones who are secluded and determined and always energetic; the astute who practice absorption. > Pali: Pavivittehi ariyehi, pahitattehi jhāyibhi; Niccaṁ āraddhavīriyehi, paṇḍitehi sahāvase”ti. [¶15] > Pali: … Somamitto thero …. [¶16] Thag 2.15 · Sabbamitta > Pali: Thag 2.15 · Sabbamittattheragāthā [¶17] People are attached to people; people depend on people; people are hurt by people; and people hurt people. > Pali: “Jano janamhi sambaddho, janamevassito jano; Jano janena heṭhīyati, heṭheti ca jano janaṁ. [¶18] So what’s the point of people, or those born of people? Go, abandon these people, who’ve hurt so many people. > Pali: Ko hi tassa janenattho, janena janitena vā; Janaṁ ohāya gacchaṁ taṁ, heṭhayitvā bahuṁ janan”ti. [¶19] > Pali: … Sabbamitto thero …. [¶20] Thag 2.16 · Mahākāḷa > Pali: Thag 2.16 · Mahākāḷattheragāthā [¶21] There’s a big black woman who looks like a crow. She broke off thigh-bones, first one then another; she broke off arm-bones, first one then another; she broke off a skull like a curd-bowl, and then arranged them and sat nearby. > Pali: “Kāḷī itthī brahatī dhaṅkarūpā, Satthiñca bhetvā aparañca satthiṁ; Bāhañca bhetvā aparañca bāhaṁ, Sīsañca bhetvā dadhithālakaṁva; Esā nisinnā abhisandahitvā. [¶22] When an ignorant person builds up attachments, that dullard returns to suffering again and again. So let one who understands not build up attachments: may I never again lie with a broken skull! > Pali: Yo ve avidvā upadhiṁ karoti, Punappunaṁ dukkhamupeti mando; Tasmā pajānaṁ upadhiṁ na kayirā, Māhaṁ puna bhinnasiro sayissan”ti. [¶23] > Pali: … Mahākāḷo thero …. [¶24] Thag 2.17 · Tissa (3rd) > Pali: Thag 2.17 · Tissattheragāthā [¶25] A shaven one wrapped in the outer robe gets many enemies when they receive food and drink, clothes and bedding. > Pali: “Bahū sapatte labhati, muṇḍo saṅghāṭipāruto; Lābhī annassa pānassa, vatthassa sayanassa ca. [¶26] Knowing this danger, this great fear in honors, a mendicant should wander mindful, with few possessions, not festering. > Pali: Etamādīnavaṁ ñatvā, sakkāresu mahabbhayaṁ; Appalābho anavassuto, sato bhikkhu paribbaje”ti. [¶27] > Pali: … Tisso thero …. [¶28] Thag 2.18 · Kimbila (2nd) > Pali: Thag 2.18 · Kimilattheragāthā [¶29] In the Park of the East-Raftered Hall the Sakyan friends, having given up great wealth, are happy with the scraps in their bowls. > Pali: “Pācīnavaṁsadāyamhi, sakyaputtā sahāyakā; Pahāyānappake bhoge, uñchāpattāgate ratā. [¶30] Energetic, resolute, always staunchly vigorous; having given up mundane delights, they enjoy the delights of the Dhamma. > Pali: Āraddhavīriyā pahitattā, Niccaṁ daḷhaparakkamā; Ramanti dhammaratiyā, Hitvāna lokiyaṁ ratin”ti. [¶31] > Pali: … Kimilo thero …. [¶32] Thag 2.19 · Nanda > Pali: Thag 2.19 · Nandattheragāthā [¶33] Because of focusing on the wrong things, I was addicted to ornamentation. I was vain, fickle, racked by desire for pleasures of the senses. > Pali: “Ayoniso manasikārā, maṇḍanaṁ anuyuñjisaṁ; Uddhato capalo cāsiṁ, kāmarāgena aṭṭito. [¶34] But with the help of the Buddha, the Kinsman of the Sun, so skilled in means, I practiced rationally and extracted attachment to continued existence from my mind. > Pali: Upāyakusalenāhaṁ, buddhenādiccabandhunā; Yoniso paṭipajjitvā, bhave cittaṁ udabbahin”ti. [¶35] > Pali: … Nando thero …. [¶36] Thag 2.20 · Sirima > Pali: Thag 2.20 · Sirimattheragāthā [¶37] If others praise one who has no immersion, they praise in vain, as one has no immersion. > Pali: “Pare ca naṁ pasaṁsanti, attā ce asamāhito; Moghaṁ pare pasaṁsanti, attā hi asamāhito. [¶38] If others criticize one who does have immersion, they criticize in vain, as one does have immersion. > Pali: Pare ca naṁ garahanti, attā ce susamāhito; Moghaṁ pare garahanti, attā hi susamāhito”ti. [¶39] > Pali: … Sirimā thero …. [¶40] > Pali: vaggo dutiyo. [¶41] > Pali: Tassuddānaṁ [¶42] > Pali: Cundo ca jotidāso ca, thero heraññakāni ca; Somamitto sabbamitto, kāḷo tisso ca kimilo; Nando ca sirimā ceva, dasa therā mahiddhikāti.