--- title: "Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā" author: "The Elder Monks" translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato" languages: [pi, en] shelf: "Pali Canon" section: 15 of 22 url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/15/ cite: "The Elder Monks, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā, section 15. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/15/" --- # 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. ## 15. Chapter Three · Thag 2.21–2.30 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/15/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/15/#p-N [¶0] Thag 2.21 · Uttara (2nd) > Pali: Thag 2.21 · Uttarattheragāthā [¶1] I’ve fully understood the aggregates; I’ve eradicated craving; I’ve developed the factors of awakening, I’ve attained the ending of defilements. > Pali: “Khandhā mayā pariññātā, taṇhā me susamūhatā; Bhāvitā mama bojjhaṅgā, patto me āsavakkhayo. [¶2] Having fully understood the aggregates, having plucked out the weaver of the web, having developed the factors of awakening, being undefiled, I will be fully extinguished. > Pali: Sohaṁ khandhe pariññāya, abbahitvāna jāliniṁ; Bhāvayitvāna bojjhaṅge, nibbāyissaṁ anāsavo”ti. [¶3] > Pali: … Uttaro thero …. [¶4] Thag 2.22 · Bhaddaji > Pali: Thag 2.22 · Bhaddajittheragāthā [¶5] There was a king named Panāda who had a sacrificial post all golden. Its height was sixteen times its width, and the top was a thousandfold. > Pali: “Panādo nāma so rājā, yassa yūpo suvaṇṇayo; Tiriyaṁ soḷasubbedho, ubbhamāhu sahassadhā. [¶6] It had a thousand panels and a hundred ball-caps, all adorned with banners, and made of sun gold. There danced the centaurs, numbering seven times six thousand. > Pali: Sahassakaṇḍo satageṇḍu, dhajālu haritāmayo; Anaccuṁ tattha gandhabbā, chasahassāni sattadhā”ti. [¶7] > Pali: … Bhaddajitthero …. [¶8] Thag 2.23 · Sobhita > Pali: Thag 2.23 · Sobhitattheragāthā [¶9] As a monk, mindful and wise, empowered and full of energy, I recollected five hundred eons in a single night. > Pali: “Satimā paññavā bhikkhu, āraddhabalavīriyo; Pañca kappasatānāhaṁ, ekarattiṁ anussariṁ. [¶10] Developing the four mindfulness meditations, the seven factors of awakening, and the eightfold path, I recollected five hundred eons in a single night. > Pali: Cattāro satipaṭṭhāne, satta aṭṭha ca bhāvayaṁ; Pañca kappasatānāhaṁ, ekarattiṁ anussarin”ti. [¶11] > Pali: … Sobhito thero …. [¶12] Thag 2.24 · Valliya (3rd) > Pali: Thag 2.24 · Valliyattheragāthā [¶13] The duty of one whose energy is strong; the duty of one who longs to wake up: that I’ll do, I won’t fail— see my energy and vigor! > Pali: “Yaṁ kiccaṁ daḷhavīriyena, yaṁ kiccaṁ boddhumicchatā; Karissaṁ nāvarajjhissaṁ, passa vīriyaṁ parakkamaṁ. [¶14] Teach me the path, the direct route whose objective is freedom from death. I’ll know it with wisdom, as the Ganges knows the ocean. > Pali: Tvañca me maggamakkhāhi, añjasaṁ amatogadhaṁ; Ahaṁ monena monissaṁ, gaṅgāsotova sāgaran”ti. [¶15] > Pali: … Valliyo thero …. [¶16] Thag 2.25 · Vītasoka > Pali: Thag 2.25 · Vītasokattheragāthā [¶17] The barber approached to shave my head. I picked up a mirror and examined my body. > Pali: “Kese me olikhissanti, kappako upasaṅkami; Tato ādāsamādāya, sarīraṁ paccavekkhisaṁ. [¶18] My body appeared hollow; I once was blind, but the darkness disappeared. My fancy hairdo has been cut off: now there’ll be no more future lives. > Pali: Tuccho kāyo adissittha, andhakāro tamo byagā; Sabbe coḷā samucchinnā, natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti. [¶19] > Pali: … Vītasoko thero …. [¶20] Thag 2.26 · Puṇṇamāsa (2nd) > Pali: Thag 2.26 · Puṇṇamāsattheragāthā [¶21] I gave up the five hindrances for the sake of sanctuary from the yoke. I took Dhamma as a mirror for knowing and seeing myself. > Pali: “Pañca nīvaraṇe hitvā, yogakkhemassa pattiyā; Dhammādāsaṁ gahetvāna, ñāṇadassanamattano. [¶22] I examined this body, all of it, inside and out. Internally and externally my body appeared hollow. > Pali: Paccavekkhiṁ imaṁ kāyaṁ, sabbaṁ santarabāhiraṁ; Ajjhattañca bahiddhā ca, tuccho kāyo adissathā”ti. [¶23] > Pali: … Puṇṇamāso thero …. [¶24] Thag 2.27 · Nandaka (1st) > Pali: Thag 2.27 · Nandakattheragāthā [¶25] Though a fine thoroughbred may stumble, it soon stands firm again. It gains even more urgency, and draws its load undeterred. > Pali: “Yathāpi bhaddo ājañño, khalitvā patitiṭṭhati; Bhiyyo laddhāna saṁvegaṁ, adīno vahate dhuraṁ. [¶26] Even so is one accomplished in vision, a disciple of the Buddha. Remember me as a thoroughbred, the Buddha’s bosom son. > Pali: Evaṁ dassanasampannaṁ, sammāsambuddhasāvakaṁ; Ājānīyaṁ maṁ dhāretha, puttaṁ buddhassa orasan”ti. [¶27] > Pali: … Nandako thero …. [¶28] Thag 2.28 · Bharata > Pali: Thag 2.28 · Bharatattheragāthā [¶29] Come, Nandaka, let’s go to visit our preceptor. We’ll roar our lion’s roar before the best of Buddhas. > Pali: “Ehi nandaka gacchāma, upajjhāyassa santikaṁ; Sīhanādaṁ nadissāma, buddhaseṭṭhassa sammukhā. [¶30] The sage gave us the going forth out of compassion, so we could realize the ending of all fetters— now we have reached that goal. > Pali: Yāya no anukampāya, amhe pabbājayī muni; So no attho anuppatto, sabbasaṁyojanakkhayo”ti. [¶31] > Pali: … Bharato thero …. [¶32] Thag 2.29 · Bhāradvāja > Pali: Thag 2.29 · Bhāradvājattheragāthā [¶33] This is how the wise roar: like lions in mountain caves, heroes, triumphant in battle, having vanquished Māra with his legions. > Pali: “Nadanti evaṁ sappaññā, sīhāva girigabbhare; Vīrā vijitasaṅgāmā, jetvā māraṁ savāhiniṁ. [¶34] I’ve served the Teacher; I’ve honored the Dhamma and the Saṅgha; I’m happy and joyful, because I’ve seen my son free of defilements. > Pali: Satthā ca pariciṇṇo me, dhammo saṅgho ca pūjito; Ahañca vitto sumano, puttaṁ disvā anāsavan”ti. [¶35] > Pali: … Bhāradvājo thero …. [¶36] Thag 2.30 · Kaṇhadinna > Pali: Thag 2.30 · Kaṇhadinnattheragāthā [¶37] I regularly sat close by true persons and learnt the teaching. What I learned, I practiced, the direct route whose objective is freedom from death. > Pali: “Upāsitā sappurisā, sutā dhammā abhiṇhaso; Sutvāna paṭipajjissaṁ, añjasaṁ amatogadhaṁ. [¶38] I’ve slain the desire for continued existence, it won’t be found in me again. It was not, and it won’t be in me, and it isn’t found in me now. > Pali: Bhavarāgahatassa me sato, Bhavarāgo puna me na vijjati; Na cāhu na ca me bhavissati, Na ca me etarahi vijjatī”ti. [¶39] > Pali: … Kaṇhadinno thero … [¶40] > Pali: vaggo tatiyo. [¶41] > Pali: Tassuddānaṁ [¶42] > Pali: Uttaro bhaddajitthero, sobhito valliyo isi; Vītasoko ca yo thero, puṇṇamāso ca nandako; Bharato bhāradvājo ca, kaṇhadinno mahāmunīti.