---
title: "Verses of the Senior Nuns · Therīgāthā"
author: "The Elder Nuns"
translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato"
languages: [pi, en]
shelf: "Pali Canon"
section: 2 of 16
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/2/
cite: "The Elder Nuns, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Verses of the Senior Nuns · Therīgāthā, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/2/"
---

# 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.

## 2. The Book of the Twos · Thig 2.1–2.10

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/2/#p-N

[¶0] Thig 2.1 · Abhirūpanandā

> Pali: Thig 2.1 · Abhirūpanandātherīgāthā

[¶1] Nandā, see this bag of bones as
diseased, filthy, and rotten.
With mind unified and serene,
meditate on the ugly aspects of the body.

> Pali: “Āturaṁ asuciṁ pūtiṁ,
passa nande samussayaṁ;
Asubhāya cittaṁ bhāvehi,
ekaggaṁ susamāhitaṁ.

[¶2] Meditate on the signless,
give up the tendency to conceit;
and when you comprehend conceit,
you will live at peace.

> Pali: Animittañca bhāvehi,
mānānusayamujjaha;
Tato mānābhisamayā,
upasantā carissasī”ti.

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

> Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ abhirūpanandā therī gāthāyo abhāsitthāti.

[¶4] Thig 2.2 · Jentā

> Pali: Thig 2.2 · Jentātherīgāthā

[¶5] Of the seven awakening factors,
the path for attaining extinguishment,
I have developed them all,
just as the Buddha taught.

> Pali: “Ye ime satta bojjhaṅgā,
maggā nibbānapattiyā;
Bhāvitā te mayā sabbe,
yathā buddhena desitā.

[¶6] For I have seen the Blessed One,
and this bag of bones is my last.
Transmigration through births is finished,
now there’ll be no more future lives.

> Pali: Diṭṭho hi me so bhagavā,
antimoyaṁ samussayo;
Vikkhīṇo jātisaṁsāro,
natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti.

[¶7] That is how these verses were recited by the senior nun Jentā.

> Pali: Itthaṁ sudaṁ jentā therī gāthāyo abhāsitthāti.

[¶8] Thig 2.3 · Sumaṅgala’s Mother

> Pali: Thig 2.3 · Sumaṅgalamātātherīgāthā

[¶9] I’m well freed, well freed,
so very well freed from the pestle!
My shameless husband was most certainly a mushroom,
my mortar wafted like an eel.

> Pali: “Sumuttikā sumuttikā,
Sādhumuttikāmhi musalassa;
Ahiriko me chattakaṁ vāpi,
Ukkhalikā me deḍḍubhaṁ vāti.

[¶10] Greed and hate sizzle and hiss
as I squelch them.
Having gone to the root of a tree,
I meditate happily, thinking, “Oh, what bliss!”

> Pali: Rāgañca ahaṁ dosañca,
Cicciṭi cicciṭīti vihanāmi;
Sā rukkhamūlamupagamma,
Aho sukhanti sukhato jhāyāmī”ti.

[¶11] > Pali: … Sumaṅgalamātā therī ….

[¶12] Thig 2.4 · Aḍḍhakāsi

> Pali: Thig 2.4 · Aḍḍhakāsitherīgāthā

[¶13] The price for my services
amounted to the nation of Kāsi.
By setting that price,
the townsfolk made me priceless.

> Pali: “Yāva kāsijanapado,
suṅko me tatthako ahu;
Taṁ katvā negamo agghaṁ,
aḍḍhenagghaṁ ṭhapesi maṁ.

[¶14] Then, growing disillusioned with my form,
I became dispassionate.
Don’t journey on and on,
transmigrating through rebirths!
I’ve realized the three knowledges,
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

> Pali: Atha nibbindahaṁ rūpe,
nibbindañca virajjahaṁ;
Mā puna jātisaṁsāraṁ,
sandhāveyyaṁ punappunaṁ;
Tisso vijjā sacchikatā,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanan”ti.

[¶15] > Pali: … Aḍḍhakāsi therī ….

[¶16] Thig 2.5 · Cittā

> Pali: Thig 2.5 · Cittātherīgāthā

[¶17] Even though I’m skinny,
sick, and very feeble,
I climb the mountain,
leaning on a staff.

> Pali: “Kiñcāpi khomhi kisikā,
gilānā bāḷhadubbalā;
Daṇḍamolubbha gacchāmi,
pabbataṁ abhirūhiya.

[¶18] Having laid down my outer robe,
and overturned my bowl,
propping myself against a rock,
I shattered the mass of darkness.

> Pali: Saṅghāṭiṁ nikkhipitvāna,
pattakañca nikujjiya;
Sele khambhesimattānaṁ,
tamokhandhaṁ padāliyā”ti.

[¶19] > Pali: … Cittā therī ….

[¶20] Thig 2.6 · Mettikā

> Pali: Thig 2.6 · Mettikātherīgāthā

[¶21] Though in pain,
feeble, my youth long gone,
I climb the mountain,
leaning on a staff.

> Pali: “Kiñcāpi khomhi dukkhitā,
dubbalā gatayobbanā;
Daṇḍamolubbha gacchāmi,
pabbataṁ abhirūhiya.

[¶22] Having laid down my outer robe
and overturned my bowl,
sitting on a rock,
my mind was freed.
I’ve attained the three knowledges,
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

> Pali: Nikkhipitvāna saṅghāṭiṁ,
pattakañca nikujjiya;
Nisinnā camhi selamhi,
atha cittaṁ vimucci me;
Tisso vijjā anuppattā,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanan”ti.

[¶23] > Pali: … Mettikā therī ….

[¶24] Thig 2.7 · Mittā (2nd)

> Pali: Thig 2.7 · Mittātherīgāthā

[¶25] I rejoiced in the host of gods,
having observed the sabbath
complete in all eight factors,
on the fourteenth and the fifteenth days,

> Pali: “Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiṁ,
yā ca pakkhassa aṭṭhamī;
Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca,
aṭṭhaṅgasusamāgataṁ.

[¶26] and the eighth day of the fortnight,
as well as on the fortnightly special displays.
Today I eat just once a day,
my head is shaven, I wear the outer robe.
I don’t long for the heavenly host,
for stress has been removed from my heart.

> Pali: Uposathaṁ upāgacchiṁ,
devakāyābhinandinī;
Sājja ekena bhattena,
muṇḍā saṅghāṭipārutā;
Devakāyaṁ na patthehaṁ,
vineyya hadaye daran”ti.

[¶27] > Pali: … Mittā therī ….

[¶28] Thig 2.8 · To Abhayā’s Mother From Her Daughter

> Pali: Thig 2.8 · Abhayamātutherīgāthā

[¶29] My dear mother, examine this body,
up from the soles of the feet,
and down from the tips of the hairs,
so impure and foul-smelling.

> Pali: “Uddhaṁ pādatalā amma,
adho ve kesamatthakā;
Paccavekkhassumaṁ kāyaṁ,
asuciṁ pūtigandhikaṁ.

[¶30] Meditating like this,
all my lust is eradicated.
The fever of passion is cut off,
I’m cooled and quenched.

> Pali: Evaṁ viharamānāya,
sabbo rāgo samūhato;
Pariḷāho samucchinno,
sītibhūtāmhi nibbutā”ti.

[¶31] > Pali: … Abhayamātā therī ….

[¶32] Thig 2.9 · Abhayā

> Pali: Thig 2.9 · Abhayātherīgāthā

[¶33] Abhayā, the body is fragile,
yet ordinary people are attached to it.
I’ll lay down the body,
aware and mindful.

> Pali: “Abhaye bhiduro kāyo,
yattha satā puthujjanā;
Nikkhipissāmimaṁ dehaṁ,
sampajānā satīmatī.

[¶34] Though subject to so many painful things,
I have, through my love of diligence,
reached the ending of craving,
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

> Pali: Bahūhi dukkhadhammehi,
appamādaratāya me;
Taṇhakkhayo anuppatto,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanan”ti.

[¶35] > Pali: … Abhayā therī ….

[¶36] Thig 2.10 · Sāmā

> Pali: Thig 2.10 · Sāmātherīgāthā

[¶37] Four or five times
I left my dwelling.
I had failed to find peace of heart,
or any control over my mind.
Now it is the eighth night
since craving was eradicated.

> Pali: “Catukkhattuṁ pañcakkhattuṁ,
vihārā upanikkhamiṁ;
Aladdhā cetaso santiṁ,
citte avasavattinī;
Tassā me aṭṭhamī ratti,
yato taṇhā samūhatā.

[¶38] Though subject to so many painful things,
I have, through my love of diligence,
reached the ending of craving,
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

> Pali: Bahūhi dukkhadhammehi,
appamādaratāya me;
Taṇhakkhayo anuppatto,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanan”ti.

[¶39] > Pali: … Sāmā therī ….

[¶40] > Pali: Dukanipāto niṭṭhito.