---
title: "Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā"
author: "The Elder Monks"
translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato"
languages: [pi, en]
shelf: "Pali Canon"
section: 4 of 22
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/4/
cite: "The Elder Monks, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā, section 4. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/4/"
---

# 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.

## 4. Chapter Four · Thag 1.31–1.39

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/4/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/4/#p-N

[¶0] Thag 1.31 · Gahvaratīriya

> Pali: Thag 1.31 · Gahvaratīriyattheragāthā

[¶1] Pestered by flies and mosquitoes
in the wilds, the formidable forest,
one should mindfully endure,
like an elephant at the head of the battle.

> Pali: “Phuṭṭho ḍaṁsehi makasehi,
araññasmiṁ brahāvane;
Nāgo saṅgāmasīseva,
sato tatrādhivāsaye”ti.

[¶2] > Pali: … Gahvaratīriyo thero ….

[¶3] Thag 1.32 · Suppiya

> Pali: Thag 1.32 · Suppiyattheragāthā

[¶4] I’ll swap old age for the unaging,
burning for quenching—
the ultimate peace,
the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.

> Pali: “Ajaraṁ jīramānena,
tappamānena nibbutiṁ;
Nimiyaṁ paramaṁ santiṁ,
yogakkhemaṁ anuttaran”ti.

[¶5] > Pali: … Suppiyo thero ….

[¶6] Thag 1.33 · Sopāka (1st)

> Pali: Thag 1.33 · Sopākattheragāthā

[¶7] Just as a mother would be good
to her beloved only child;
so, to creatures all and everywhere,
let one be good.

> Pali: “Yathāpi ekaputtasmiṁ,
piyasmiṁ kusalī siyā;
Evaṁ sabbesu pāṇesu,
sabbattha kusalo siyā”ti.

[¶8] > Pali: … Sopāko thero ….

[¶9] Thag 1.34 · Posiya

> Pali: Thag 1.34 · Posiyattheragāthā

[¶10] It’s always better for a smart person
to avoid sharing a seat with such women.
I went from the village to the wilderness;
from there I entered a house.
Though I was there to be fed,
I got up and left without taking leave.

> Pali: “Anāsannavarā etā,
niccameva vijānatā;
Gāmā araññamāgamma,
tato gehaṁ upāvisi;
Tato uṭṭhāya pakkāmi,
anāmantetvā posiyo”ti.

[¶11] > Pali: … Posiyo thero ….

[¶12] Thag 1.35 · Sāmaññakāni

> Pali: Thag 1.35 · Sāmaññakānittheragāthā

[¶13] Seeking happiness, they find it through this practice.
They get a good reputation and grow in fame,
those who develop the direct route:
the noble eightfold path to realize freedom from death.

> Pali: “Sukhaṁ sukhattho labhate tadācaraṁ,
Kittiñca pappoti yasassa vaḍḍhati;
Yo ariyamaṭṭhaṅgikamañjasaṁ ujuṁ,
Bhāveti maggaṁ amatassa pattiyā”ti.

[¶14] > Pali: … Sāmaññakānitthero ….

[¶15] Thag 1.36 · Kumāputta

> Pali: Thag 1.36 · Kumāputtattheragāthā

[¶16] Learning is good, living well is good,
the life without abode is always good.
Questions on the meaning, actions that are skillful:
this is the ascetic life for one who has nothing.

> Pali: “Sādhu sutaṁ sādhu caritakaṁ,
Sādhu sadā aniketavihāro;
Atthapucchanaṁ padakkhiṇakammaṁ,
Etaṁ sāmaññamakiñcanassā”ti.

[¶17] > Pali: … Kumāputto thero ….

[¶18] Thag 1.37 · Kumāputtasahāyaka

> Pali: Thag 1.37 · Kumāputtasahāyakattheragāthā

[¶19] Some travel to different countries,
wandering undisciplined.
If they lose their meditation,
what will such rotten conduct achieve?
So you should dispel aggression,
practicing absorption undistracted.

> Pali: “Nānājanapadaṁ yanti,
Vicarantā asaññatā;
Samādhiñca virādhenti,
Kiṁsu raṭṭhacariyā karissati;
Tasmā vineyya sārambhaṁ,
Jhāyeyya apurakkhato”ti.

[¶20] > Pali: … Kumāputtattherassa sahāyako thero ….

[¶21] Thag 1.38 · Gavampati

> Pali: Thag 1.38 · Gavampatittheragāthā

[¶22] His psychic power made the Sarabhū River stand still;
Gavampati is unbound and unperturbed.
The gods bow to that great sage, <j>who has slipped all chains,
and gone beyond rebirth.

> Pali: “Yo iddhiyā sarabhuṁ aṭṭhapesi,
So gavampati asito anejo;
Taṁ sabbasaṅgātigataṁ mahāmuniṁ,
Devā namassanti bhavassa pāragun”ti.

[¶23] > Pali: … Gavampatitthero ….

[¶24] Thag 1.39 · Tissa (1st)

> Pali: Thag 1.39 · Tissattheragāthā

[¶25] Like they’re struck by a sword,
like their head was on fire,
a mendicant should wander mindful
to give up sensual desire.

> Pali: “Sattiyā viya omaṭṭho,
ḍayhamānova matthake;
Kāmarāgappahānāya,
sato bhikkhu paribbaje”ti.

[¶26] > Pali: … Tisso thero ….