--- title: "Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā" author: "The Elder Monks" translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato" languages: [pi, en] shelf: "Pali Canon" section: 16 of 22 url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/16/ cite: "The Elder Monks, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā, section 16. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/16/" --- # 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. ## 16. Chapter Four · Thag 2.31–2.40 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/16/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/16/#p-N [¶0] Thag 2.31 · Migasira > Pali: Thag 2.31 · Migasirattheragāthā [¶1] When I had gone forth in the teaching of the Buddha, while letting go, I rose up; escaping the sensual realm. > Pali: “Yato ahaṁ pabbajito, sammāsambuddhasāsane; Vimuccamāno uggacchiṁ, kāmadhātuṁ upaccagaṁ. [¶2] Then, as the supreme one looked on, my mind was freed. My freedom is unshakable with the ending of all fetters. > Pali: Brahmuno pekkhamānassa, tato cittaṁ vimucci me; Akuppā me vimuttīti, sabbasaṁyojanakkhayā”ti. [¶3] > Pali: … Migasiro thero …. [¶4] Thag 2.32 · Sivaka > Pali: Thag 2.32 · Sivakattheragāthā [¶5] Houses are impermanent— on and on, life after life. I’ve been searching for the house-builder— painful is birth again and again. > Pali: “Aniccāni gahakāni, tattha tattha punappunaṁ; Gahakāraṁ gavesanto, dukkhā jāti punappunaṁ. [¶6] I’ve seen you, house-builder! You won’t build a house again. Your rafters are all broken, your ridgepole is shattered. My mind is without boundaries: in this very life it will dissipate. > Pali: Gahakāraka diṭṭhosi, puna gehaṁ na kāhasi; Sabbā te phāsukā bhaggā, thūṇikā ca vidālitā; Vimariyādikataṁ cittaṁ, idheva vidhamissatī”ti. [¶7] > Pali: … Sivako thero …. [¶8] Thag 2.33 · Upavāṇa > Pali: Thag 2.33 · Upavāṇattheragāthā [¶9] The perfected one, the Holy One in the world, the sage is afflicted by winds. If there’s hot water, give it to the sage, brahmin. > Pali: “Arahaṁ sugato loke, vātehābādhiko muni; Sace uṇhodakaṁ atthi, munino dehi brāhmaṇa. [¶10] I wish to bring it to the one who is esteemed by the estimable, honored by the honorable, and venerated by the venerable. > Pali: Pūjito pūjaneyyānaṁ, sakkareyyāna sakkato; Apacitopaceyyānaṁ, tassa icchāmi hātave”ti. [¶11] > Pali: … Upavāṇo thero …. [¶12] Thag 2.34 · Isidinna > Pali: Thag 2.34 · Isidinnattheragāthā [¶13] I’ve seen lay disciples who have memorized discourses, saying, “Sensual pleasures are impermanent”. But they’re obsessed with jeweled earrings, concerned for their partners and children. > Pali: “Diṭṭhā mayā dhammadharā upāsakā, Kāmā aniccā iti bhāsamānā; Sārattarattā maṇikuṇḍalesu, Puttesu dāresu ca te apekkhā. [¶14] To be honest, they don’t know Dhamma, even though they say “Sensual pleasures are impermanent”. They don’t have the power to cut their lust, so they cling to children, wives, and wealth. > Pali: Addhā na jānanti yatodha dhammaṁ, Kāmā aniccā iti cāpi āhu; Rāgañca tesaṁ na balatthi chettuṁ, Tasmā sitā puttadāraṁ dhanañcā”ti. [¶15] > Pali: … Isidinno thero …. [¶16] Thag 2.35 · Sambulakaccāna > Pali: Thag 2.35 · Sambulakaccānattheragāthā [¶17] The heavens rain, the heavens pour, I’m staying alone in a frightful hole. But while I’m staying alone in that frightful hole, I’ve no fear, no dread, no goosebumps. > Pali: “Devo ca vassati, devo ca gaḷagaḷāyati, Ekako cāhaṁ bherave bile viharāmi; Tassa mayhaṁ ekakassa bherave bile viharato, Natthi bhayaṁ vā chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā. [¶18] This is my normal state while staying alone in a frightful hole: I’ve no fear, no dread, no goosebumps. > Pali: Dhammatā mamesā yassa me, Ekakassa bherave bile; Viharato natthi bhayaṁ vā, Chambhitattaṁ vā lomahaṁso vā”ti. [¶19] > Pali: … Sambulakaccāno thero …. [¶20] Thag 2.36 · Nitaka > Pali: Thag 2.36 · Nitakattheragāthā [¶21] Whose mind is like a rock, steady, never trembling— free of desire for desirable things, not getting annoyed when things are annoying? From where will suffering strike one whose mind is developed like this? > Pali: “Kassa selūpamaṁ cittaṁ, ṭhitaṁ nānupakampati; Virattaṁ rajanīyesu, kuppanīye na kuppati; Yassevaṁ bhāvitaṁ cittaṁ, kuto taṁ dukkhamessati. [¶22] My mind is like a rock, steady, never trembling— free of desire for desirable things, not getting annoyed when things are annoying. From where will suffering strike me whose mind is developed like this? > Pali: Mama selūpamaṁ cittaṁ, ṭhitaṁ nānupakampati; Virattaṁ rajanīyesu, kuppanīye na kuppati; Mamevaṁ bhāvitaṁ cittaṁ, kuto maṁ dukkhamessatī”ti. [¶23] > Pali: … Nitako thero …. [¶24] Thag 2.37 · Soṇapoṭiriya > Pali: Thag 2.37 · Soṇapoṭiriyattheragāthā [¶25] Night, with her garland of stars, is not only for sleeping. For those who know, this night is really for waking. > Pali: “Na tāva supituṁ hoti, ratti nakkhattamālinī; Paṭijaggitumevesā, ratti hoti vijānatā”. [¶26] Were I to fall from the back of an elephant, trampled by the tuskers that follow, better for me to die in battle, than to live on in defeat. > Pali: “Hatthikkhandhāvapatitaṁ, kuñjaro ce anukkame; Saṅgāme me mataṁ seyyo, yañce jīve parājito”ti. [¶27] > Pali: … Soṇo poṭiriyo thero …. [¶28] Thag 2.38 · Nisabha > Pali: Thag 2.38 · Nisabhattheragāthā [¶29] One who’s given up the five sensual stimuli, so pleasing and delightful, and who’s left the home life out of faith— let them make an end to suffering! > Pali: “Pañca kāmaguṇe hitvā, Piyarūpe manorame; Saddhāya gharā nikkhamma, Dukkhassantakaro bhave. [¶30] I don’t long for death; I don’t long for life; I await my time, aware and mindful. > Pali: Nābhinandāmi maraṇaṁ, nābhinandāmi jīvitaṁ; Kālañca paṭikaṅkhāmi, sampajāno patissato”ti. [¶31] > Pali: … Nisabho thero …. [¶32] Thag 2.39 · Usabha (2nd) > Pali: Thag 2.39 · Usabhattheragāthā [¶33] Arranging a robe over my shoulder, the color of young mango sprouts, I entered the village for alms sitting on an elephant’s neck! > Pali: “Ambapallavasaṅkāsaṁ, aṁse katvāna cīvaraṁ; Nisinno hatthigīvāyaṁ, gāmaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁ. [¶34] But when I dismounted from the elephant, I was struck with a sense of urgency. I burned with shame, but then I found peace, and attained the ending of defilements. > Pali: Hatthikkhandhato oruyha, saṁvegaṁ alabhiṁ tadā; Sohaṁ ditto tadā santo, patto me āsavakkhayo”ti. [¶35] > Pali: … Usabho thero …. [¶36] Thag 2.40 · Kappaṭakura > Pali: Thag 2.40 · Kappaṭakurattheragāthā [¶37] This chap, “Rag-rice”, he sure is a rag! Into the vase of freedom from death, polished and overflowing, sufficient teaching has been poured; the path to build up absorptions has been laid out. > Pali: “Ayamiti kappaṭo kappaṭakuro, Acchāya atibharitāya; Amataghaṭikāyaṁ dhammakaṭamatto, Katapadaṁ jhānāni ocetuṁ. [¶38] Don’t nod off, Rag— I’ll smack your ear! You know no limit, nodding off in the midst of the Saṅgha! > Pali: Mā kho tvaṁ kappaṭa pacālesi, Mā tvaṁ upakaṇṇamhi tāḷessaṁ; Na hi tvaṁ kappaṭa mattamaññāsi, Saṅghamajjhamhi pacalāyamāno”ti. [¶39] > Pali: … Kappaṭakuro thero … [¶40] > Pali: vaggo catuttho. [¶41] > Pali: Tassuddānaṁ [¶42] > Pali: Migasiro sivako ca, upavāṇo ca paṇḍito; Isidinno ca kaccāno, nitako ca mahāvasī; Poṭiriyaputto nisabho, usabho kappaṭakuroti.