---
title: "Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā"
author: "The Elder Monks"
translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato"
languages: [pi, en]
shelf: "Pali Canon"
section: 8 of 22
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/8/
cite: "The Elder Monks, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Verses of the Senior Monks · Theragāthā, section 8. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/8/"
---

# 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.

## 8. Chapter Eight · Thag 1.71–1.79

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/8/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-theragatha/8/#p-N

[¶0] Thag 1.71 · Vacchapāla

> Pali: Thag 1.71 · Vacchapālattheragāthā

[¶1] For one who sees the meaning <j>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.

[¶2] > Pali: … Vacchapālo thero ….

[¶3] Thag 1.72 · Ātuma

> Pali: Thag 1.72 · Ātumattheragāthā

[¶4] A young bamboo is hard to extract
when the point is grown and become all woody.
That’s how I feel with the wife <j>who was arranged for me.
Give me permission—now I’ve gone forth.

> Pali: “Yathā kaḷīro susu vaḍḍhitaggo,
Dunnikkhamo hoti pasākhajāto;
Evaṁ ahaṁ bhariyāyānitāya,
Anumaññaṁ maṁ pabbajitomhi dānī”ti.

[¶5] > Pali: … Ātumo thero ….

[¶6] Thag 1.73 · Māṇava

> Pali: Thag 1.73 · Māṇavattheragāthā

[¶7] Seeing an old person, and one suffering from disease,
and a corpse come to the end of life,
I went forth, becoming a wanderer,
and giving up the pleasures of the senses.

> Pali: “Jiṇṇañca disvā dukhitañca byādhitaṁ,
Matañca disvā gatamāyusaṅkhayaṁ;
Tato ahaṁ nikkhamitūna pabbajiṁ,
Pahāya kāmāni manoramānī”ti.

[¶8] > Pali: … Māṇavo thero ….

[¶9] Thag 1.74 · Suyāmana

> Pali: Thag 1.74 · Suyāmanattheragāthā

[¶10] Sensual desire, ill will,
dullness and drowsiness,
restlessness, and doubt
are not found in a monk at all.

> Pali: “Kāmacchando ca byāpādo,
Thinamiddhañca bhikkhuno;
Uddhaccaṁ vicikicchā ca,
Sabbasova na vijjatī”ti.

[¶11] > Pali: … Suyāmano thero ….

[¶12] Thag 1.75 · Susārada

> Pali: Thag 1.75 · Susāradattheragāthā

[¶13] Good is the sight of those who’ve practiced well:
doubt is cut off and intelligence grows—
even a fool grows wise!
That’s why it’s good to meet good people.

> Pali: “Sādhu suvihitāna dassanaṁ,
Kaṅkhā chijjati buddhi vaḍḍhati;
Bālampi karonti paṇḍitaṁ,
Tasmā sādhu sataṁ samāgamo”ti.

[¶14] > Pali: … Susārado thero ….

[¶15] Thag 1.76 · Piyañjaha

> Pali: Thag 1.76 · Piyañjahattheragāthā

[¶16] Settle down when others spring up;
spring up when others settle down.
Remain when others have departed;
don’t delight when others delight.

> Pali: “Uppatantesu nipate,
nipatantesu uppate;
Vase avasamānesu,
ramamānesu no rame”ti.

[¶17] > Pali: … Piyañjaho thero ….

[¶18] Thag 1.77 · Hatthārohaputta

> Pali: Thag 1.77 · Hatthārohaputtattheragāthā

[¶19] In the past my mind wandered
how it wished, where it liked, as it pleased.
Now I’ll carefully guide it,
as a trainer with a hook guides a rutting elephant.

> Pali: “Idaṁ pure cittamacāri cārikaṁ,
Yenicchakaṁ yatthakāmaṁ yathāsukhaṁ;
Tadajjahaṁ niggahessāmi yoniso,
Hatthippabhinnaṁ viya aṅkusaggaho”ti.

[¶20] > Pali: … Hatthārohaputto thero ….

[¶21] Thag 1.78 · Meṇḍasira

> Pali: Thag 1.78 · Meṇḍasirattheragāthā

[¶22] Transmigrating through countless rebirths,
I’ve journeyed without reward.
I’ve suffered, but now
the mass of suffering has fallen away.

> Pali: “Anekajātisaṁsāraṁ,
sandhāvissaṁ anibbisaṁ;
Tassa me dukkhajātassa,
dukkhakkhandho aparaddho”ti.

[¶23] > Pali: … Meṇḍasiro thero ….

[¶24] Thag 1.79 · Rakkhita

> Pali: Thag 1.79 · Rakkhitattheragāthā

[¶25] All my lust is given up,
all my hate is eradicated,
all my delusion is gone:
I’m cooled, quenched.

> Pali: “Sabbo rāgo pahīno me,
sabbo doso samūhato;
Sabbo me vigato moho,
sītibhūtosmi nibbuto”ti.

[¶26] > Pali: … Rakkhito thero ….