---
title: "Verses of the Senior Nuns · Therīgāthā"
author: "The Elder Nuns"
translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato"
languages: [pi, en]
shelf: "Pali Canon"
section: 1 of 16
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/1/
cite: "The Elder Nuns, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Verses of the Senior Nuns · Therīgāthā, section 1. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/1/"
---

# Verses of the Senior Nuns · Therīgāthā

*The Elder Nuns, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato*

The first collection of women’s religious poetry: seventy-three nuns tell how they found freedom.

> 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.

## 1. The Book of the Ones · Thig 1.1–1.18

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/1/#p-N

[¶0] Thig 1.1 · An Unnamed Nun (1st)

> Pali: Thig 1.1 · Aññatarātherīgāthā

[¶1] Homage to him, the blessed one, the perfected one, the fully awakened Buddha!

> Pali: Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammāsambuddhassa.

[¶2] Sleep softly, little nun,
wrapped in the cloth you sewed yourself;
for your desire has been quelled,
like vegetables boiled dry in a pot.

> Pali: “Sukhaṁ supāhi therike,
Katvā coḷena pārutā;
Upasanto hi te rāgo,
Sukkhaḍākaṁ va kumbhiyan”ti.

[¶3] That is how this verse was recited by a certain unnamed nun.

> Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ aññatarā therī apaññātā bhikkhunī gāthaṁ abhāsitthāti.

[¶4] Thig 1.2 · Muttā (1st)

> Pali: Thig 1.2 · Muttātherīgāthā

[¶5] Muttā, be released from your yokes,
like the moon released from the eclipse.
When your mind is released,
enjoy your alms free of debt.

> Pali: “Mutte muccassu yogehi,
cando rāhuggahā iva;
Vippamuttena cittena,
anaṇā bhuñja piṇḍakan”ti.

[¶6] That is how the Buddha regularly advised the trainee nun Muttā with these verses.

> Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ bhagavā muttaṁ sikkhamānaṁ imāya gāthāya abhiṇhaṁ ovadatīti.

[¶7] Thig 1.3 · Puṇṇā

> Pali: Thig 1.3 · Puṇṇātherīgāthā

[¶8] Puṇṇā, be filled with good qualities,
like the moon on the fifteenth day.
When your wisdom is full,
shatter the mass of darkness.

> Pali: “Puṇṇe pūrassu dhammehi,
Cando pannaraseriva;
Paripuṇṇāya paññāya,
Tamokhandhaṁ padālayā”ti.

[¶9] That is how this verse was recited by the senior nun Puṇṇā.

> Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ puṇṇā therī gāthaṁ abhāsitthāti.

[¶10] Thig 1.4 · Tissā

> Pali: Thig 1.4 · Tissātherīgāthā

[¶11] Tissā, train in the trainings—
don’t let your yokes overcome you.
Unyoked from all yokes,
live in the world free of defilements.

> Pali: “Tisse sikkhassu sikkhāya,
mā taṁ yogā upaccaguṁ;
Sabbayogavisaṁyuttā,
cara loke anāsavā”ti.

[¶12] > Pali: … Tissā therī ….

[¶13] Thig 1.5 · Another Tissā

> Pali: Thig 1.5 · Aññatarātissātherīgāthā

[¶14] Tissā, apply yourself to good qualities—
don’t let the moment pass you by.
For if you miss your moment,
you’ll grieve when sent to hell.

> Pali: “Tisse yuñjassu dhammehi,
khaṇo taṁ mā upaccagā;
Khaṇātītā hi socanti,
nirayamhi samappitā”ti.

[¶15] > Pali: … Aññatarā tissā therī ….

[¶16] Thig 1.6 · Dhīrā

> Pali: Thig 1.6 · Dhīrātherīgāthā

[¶17] Dhīrā, touch cessation,
the blissful settling of perception.
Win extinguishment,
the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.

> Pali: “Dhīre nirodhaṁ phusehi,
Saññāvūpasamaṁ sukhaṁ;
Ārādhayāhi nibbānaṁ,
Yogakkhemamanuttaran”ti.

[¶18] > Pali: … Dhīrā therī ….

[¶19] Thig 1.7 · Vīrā

> Pali: Thig 1.7 · Vīrātherīgāthā

[¶20] She’s known as Vīrā because of her heroic qualities,
a nun with faculties developed.
She bears her final body,
having vanquished Māra with his legions.

> Pali: “Vīrā vīrehi dhammehi,
bhikkhunī bhāvitindriyā;
Dhāreti antimaṁ dehaṁ,
jetvā māraṁ savāhinin”ti.

[¶21] > Pali: … Vīrā therī ….

[¶22] Thig 1.8 · Mittā (1st)

> Pali: Thig 1.8 · Mittātherīgāthā

[¶23] Having gone forth in faith,
appreciate your spiritual friends, Mittā.
Develop skillful qualities
for the sake of sanctuary from the yoke.

> Pali: “Saddhāya pabbajitvāna,
mitte mittaratā bhava;
Bhāvehi kusale dhamme,
yogakkhemassa pattiyā”ti.

[¶24] > Pali: … Mittā therī ….

[¶25] Thig 1.9 · Bhadrā

> Pali: Thig 1.9 · Bhadrātherīgāthā

[¶26] Having gone forth in faith,
appreciate your blessings, Bhadrā.
Develop skillful qualities
for the sake of the supreme sanctuary from the yoke.

> Pali: “Saddhāya pabbajitvāna,
bhadre bhadraratā bhava;
Bhāvehi kusale dhamme,
yogakkhemamanuttaran”ti.

[¶27] > Pali: … Bhadrā therī ….

[¶28] Thig 1.10 · Upasamā

> Pali: Thig 1.10 · Upasamātherīgāthā

[¶29] Upasamā, cross the flood,
Death’s dominion so hard to pass.
When you have vanquished Māra and his legions,
bear your final body.

> Pali: “Upasame tare oghaṁ,
maccudheyyaṁ suduttaraṁ;
Dhārehi antimaṁ dehaṁ,
jetvā māraṁ savāhinin”ti.

[¶30] > Pali: … Upasamā therī ….

[¶31] Thig 1.11 · Muttā (2nd)

> Pali: Thig 1.11 · Muttātherīgāthā

[¶32] I’m well freed, so very well freed,
freed from the three things that humped me:
the mortar, the pestle,
and my humpbacked husband.
I’m freed from birth and death;
the leash to existence is eradicated.

> Pali: “Sumuttā sādhumuttāmhi,
tīhi khujjehi muttiyā;
Udukkhalena musalena,
patinā khujjakena ca;
Muttāmhi jātimaraṇā,
bhavanetti samūhatā”ti.

[¶33] > Pali: … Muttā therī ….

[¶34] Thig 1.12 · Dhammadinnā

> Pali: Thig 1.12 · Dhammadinnātherīgāthā

[¶35] One who is eager and determined
would be filled with awareness.
Their mind not bound to pleasures of sense,
they’re said to be heading upstream.

> Pali: “Chandajātā avasāyī,
Manasā ca phuṭā siyā;
Kāmesu appaṭibaddhacittā,
Uddhaṁsotāti vuccatī”ti.

[¶36] > Pali: … Dhammadinnā therī ….

[¶37] Thig 1.13 · Visākhā

> Pali: Thig 1.13 · Visākhātherīgāthā

[¶38] Do the Buddha’s bidding,
you won’t regret it.
Having quickly washed your feet,
sit in a discreet place to meditate.

> Pali: “Karotha buddhasāsanaṁ,
yaṁ katvā nānutappati;
Khippaṁ pādāni dhovitvā,
ekamante nisīdathā”ti.

[¶39] > Pali: … Visākhā therī ….

[¶40] Thig 1.14 · Sumanā

> Pali: Thig 1.14 · Sumanātherīgāthā

[¶41] Having seen the elements as suffering,
don’t get reborn again.
When you’ve discarded desire for rebirth,
you will live at peace.

> Pali: “Dhātuyo dukkhato disvā,
mā jātiṁ punarāgami;
Bhave chandaṁ virājetvā,
upasantā carissasī”ti.

[¶42] > Pali: … Sumanā therī ….

[¶43] Thig 1.15 · Uttarā (1st)

> Pali: Thig 1.15 · Uttarātherīgāthā

[¶44] I was restrained
in body, speech, and mind.
Having plucked out craving, root and all,
I’m cooled and quenched.

> Pali: “Kāyena saṁvutā āsiṁ,
vācāya uda cetasā;
Samūlaṁ taṇhamabbuyha,
sītibhūtāmhi nibbutā”ti.

[¶45] > Pali: … Uttarā therī ….

[¶46] Thig 1.16 · Sumanā, Who Went Forth Late in Life

> Pali: Thig 1.16 · Vuḍḍhapabbajitasumanātherīgāthā

[¶47] Sleep softly, old lady,
wrapped in the cloth you sewed yourself;
for your desire has been quelled,
you’re cooled and quenched.

> Pali: “Sukhaṁ tvaṁ vuḍḍhike sehi,
katvā coḷena pārutā;
Upasanto hi te rāgo,
sītibhūtāsi nibbutā”ti.

[¶48] > Pali: … Sumanā vuḍḍhapabbajitā therī ….

[¶49] Thig 1.17 · Dhammā

> Pali: Thig 1.17 · Dhammātherīgāthā

[¶50] I wandered for alms
though feeble, leaning on a staff.
My limbs wobbled
and I fell to the ground right there.
Seeing the danger of the body,
my mind was freed.

> Pali: “Piṇḍapātaṁ caritvāna,
daṇḍamolubbha dubbalā;
Vedhamānehi gattehi,
tattheva nipatiṁ chamā;
Disvā ādīnavaṁ kāye,
atha cittaṁ vimucci me”ti.

[¶51] > Pali: … Dhammā therī ….

[¶52] Thig 1.18 · Saṅghā

> Pali: Thig 1.18 · Saṅghātherīgāthā

[¶53] I gave up my home, my child, my cattle,
and all that I love, and went forth.
And now that I’ve given up desire and hate,
dispelled ignorance,
and plucked out craving, root and all,
I’m at peace, I’m quenched.

> Pali: “Hitvā ghare pabbajitvā,
hitvā puttaṁ pasuṁ piyaṁ;
Hitvā rāgañca dosañca,
avijjañca virājiya;
Samūlaṁ taṇhamabbuyha,
upasantāmhi nibbutā”ti.

[¶54] > Pali: … Saṅghā therī ….

[¶55] > Pali: Ekakanipāto niṭṭhito.