--- title: "Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā" author: "The Elder Monks" translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato" languages: [pi, en] shelf: "Pali Canon" section: 17 of 22 url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/17/ cite: "The Elder Monks, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā, section 17. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/17/" --- # 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. ## 17. Chapter Five · Thag 2.41–2.48 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/17/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/17/#p-N [¶0] Thag 2.41 · Kassapa the Prince > Pali: Thag 2.41 · Kumārakassapattheragāthā [¶1] Oh, the Buddhas! Oh, the Dhammas! Oh, the accomplishments of the Teacher! Here a disciple may realize such a teaching for themselves. > Pali: “Aho buddhā aho dhammā, aho no satthu sampadā; Yattha etādisaṁ dhammaṁ, sāvako sacchikāhiti. [¶2] Through countless eons they obtained substantial forms. This is their last, their very final body in the transmigration through births and deaths; now there’ll be no more future lives. > Pali: Asaṅkheyyesu kappesu, sakkāyādhigatā ahū; Tesamayaṁ pacchimako, carimoyaṁ samussayo; Jātimaraṇasaṁsāro, natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti. [¶3] > Pali: … Kumārakassapo thero …. [¶4] Thag 2.42 · Dhammapāla > Pali: Thag 2.42 · Dhammapālattheragāthā [¶5] The young monk who is devoted to the teaching of the Buddha, wakeful while others sleep— his life is not in vain. > Pali: “Yo have daharo bhikkhu, yuñjati buddhasāsane; Jāgaro sa hi suttesu, amoghaṁ tassa jīvitaṁ. [¶6] So let the wise devote themselves to faith, ethical behavior, confidence, and insight into the teaching, remembering the instructions of the Buddhas. > Pali: Tasmā saddhañca sīlañca, pasādaṁ dhammadassanaṁ; Anuyuñjetha medhāvī, saraṁ buddhāna sāsanan”ti. [¶7] > Pali: … Dhammapālo thero …. [¶8] Thag 2.43 · Brahmāli > Pali: Thag 2.43 · Brahmālittheragāthā [¶9] Whose faculties have become serene, like horses tamed by a charioteer? With conceit and defilements given up, who is such as envied by even the gods? > Pali: “Kassindriyāni samathaṅgatāni, Assā yathā sārathinā sudantā; Pahīnamānassa anāsavassa, Devāpi kassa pihayanti tādinoti. [¶10] My faculties have become serene, like horses tamed by a charioteer. With conceit and defilements given up, I am such as envied by even the gods. > Pali: Mayhindriyāni samathaṅgatāni, Assā yathā sārathinā sudantā; Pahīnamānassa anāsavassa, Devāpi mayhaṁ pihayanti tādino”ti. [¶11] > Pali: … Brahmāli thero …. [¶12] Thag 2.44 · Mogharāja > Pali: Thag 2.44 · Mogharājattheragāthā [¶13] “Your skin is nasty but your heart is good; Mogharāja, you’re always immersed in samādhi. But in the nights of winter, so dark and cold, how will you get by, monk?” > Pali: “Chavipāpaka cittabhaddaka, Mogharāja satataṁ samāhito; Hemantikasītakālarattiyo, Bhikkhu tvaṁsi kathaṁ karissasi”. [¶14] “I’ve heard that all the Magadhans have an abundance of grain. I’ll make my bed under a thatched roof, just like those who live in comfort.” > Pali: “Sampannasassā magadhā, kevalā iti me sutaṁ; Palālacchannako seyyaṁ, yathaññe sukhajīvino”ti. [¶15] > Pali: … Mogharājā thero …. [¶16] Thag 2.45 · Visākhapañcālaputta > Pali: Thag 2.45 · Visākhapañcālaputtattheragāthā [¶17] One should not suspend others from the Saṅgha, nor raise objections against them; and neither disparage nor raise one’s voice against one who has crossed to the further shore. One should not praise oneself among the assemblies, not restless, measured in speech, and true to your vows. > Pali: “Na ukkhipe no ca parikkhipe pare, Na okkhipe pāragataṁ na eraye; Na cattavaṇṇaṁ parisāsu byāhare, Anuddhato sammitabhāṇi subbato. [¶18] For one who sees the meaning so very subtle and fine, who is skilled in thought and placid in manner, who has cultivated mature ethics— it’s not hard to gain extinguishment. > Pali: Susukhumanipuṇatthadassinā, Matikusalena nivātavuttinā; Saṁsevitavuddhasīlinā, Nibbānaṁ na hi tena dullabhan”ti. [¶19] > Pali: … Visākho pañcālaputto thero …. [¶20] Thag 2.46 · Cūḷaka > Pali: Thag 2.46 · Cūḷakattheragāthā [¶21] The peacocks cry out with their fair crests and tails, their lovely blue necks and fair faces, their beautiful song and their call. This broad earth is lush with grass and dew, and the firmament is full of beautiful clouds. > Pali: “Nadanti morā susikhā supekhuṇā, Sunīlagīvā sumukhā sugajjino; Susaddalā cāpi mahāmahī ayaṁ, Subyāpitambu suvalāhakaṁ nabhaṁ. [¶22] One practicing absorption is happy in mind, and their appearance is uplifting; going forth in the teaching of the Buddha is easy for a good person. Realize that supreme state that does not pass, so very pure, subtle, and hard to see. > Pali: Sukallarūpo sumanassa jhāyataṁ, Sunikkamo sādhu subuddhasāsane; Susukkasukkaṁ nipuṇaṁ sududdasaṁ, Phusāhi taṁ uttamamaccutaṁ padan”ti. [¶23] > Pali: … Cūḷako thero …. [¶24] Thag 2.47 · Anūpama > Pali: Thag 2.47 · Anūpamattheragāthā [¶25] The conceited mind, addicted to pleasure, impales itself on its own stake. It always goes where there’s a stake, a chopping board. > Pali: “Nandamānāgataṁ cittaṁ, sūlamāropamānakaṁ; Tena teneva vajasi, yena sūlaṁ kaliṅgaraṁ. [¶26] I declare you the loser mind! I declare you the insidious mind! You’ve found the Teacher so hard to find— don’t lead me away from the goal. > Pali: Tāhaṁ cittakaliṁ brūmi, taṁ brūmi cittadubbhakaṁ; Satthā te dullabho laddho, mānatthe maṁ niyojayī”ti. [¶27] > Pali: … Anūpamo thero …. [¶28] Thag 2.48 · Vajjita > Pali: Thag 2.48 · Vajjitattheragāthā [¶29] Transmigrating for such a long time, I’ve cycled through various states of rebirth, not seeing the noble truths, a blind, unenlightened person. > Pali: “Saṁsaraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ, gatīsu parivattisaṁ; Apassaṁ ariyasaccāni, andhabhūto puthujjano. [¶30] But when I became heedful, transmigrations were mown down. All states of rebirth are cut off; now there’ll be no more future lives. > Pali: Tassa me appamattassa, saṁsārā vinaḷīkatā; Sabbā gatī samucchinnā, natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti. [¶31] > Pali: … Vajjito thero ….