--- title: "Verses of the Senior Nuns · Therīgāthā" author: "The Elder Nuns" translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato" languages: [pi, en] shelf: "Pali Canon" section: 7 of 16 url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/7/ cite: "The Elder Nuns, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Verses of the Senior Nuns · Therīgāthā, section 7. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/7/" --- # 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. ## 7. The Book of the Sevens · Thig 7.1–7.3 Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/7/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/7/#p-N [¶0] Thig 7.1 · Uttarā (2nd) > Pali: Thig 7.1 · Uttarātherīgāthā [¶1] “Taking a pestle, young men pound grain. Providing for partners and children, young men acquire wealth. > Pali: “Musalāni gahetvāna, dhaññaṁ koṭṭenti māṇavā; Puttadārāni posentā, dhanaṁ vindanti māṇavā. [¶2] Work at the Buddha’s bidding, you won’t regret it. Having quickly washed your feet, sit in a discreet place to meditate. > Pali: Ghaṭetha buddhasāsane, yaṁ katvā nānutappati; Khippaṁ pādāni dhovitvā, ekamantaṁ nisīdatha. [¶3] Establish the mind, unified and serene. Examine conditions as alien, not as self.” > Pali: Cittaṁ upaṭṭhapetvāna, ekaggaṁ susamāhitaṁ; Paccavekkhatha saṅkhāre, parato no ca attato”. [¶4] “After hearing her words, the instructions of Paṭācārā, I washed my feet and retired to a discreet place. > Pali: “Tassāhaṁ vacanaṁ sutvā, paṭācārānusāsaniṁ; Pāde pakkhālayitvāna, ekamante upāvisiṁ. [¶5] In the first watch of the night, I recollected my past lives. In the middle watch of the night, I purified my clairvoyance. > Pali: Rattiyā purime yāme, pubbajātimanussariṁ; Rattiyā majjhime yāme, dibbacakkhuṁ visodhayiṁ. [¶6] In the last watch of the night, I shattered the mass of darkness. I rose up master of the three knowledges: your bidding has been done. > Pali: Rattiyā pacchime yāme, tamokhandhaṁ padālayiṁ; Tevijjā atha vuṭṭhāsiṁ, katā te anusāsanī. [¶7] I shall abide honoring you as the Thirty gods honor Sakka, undefeated in battle. Master of the three knowledges, I am free of defilements.” > Pali: Sakkaṁva devā tidasā, saṅgāme aparājitaṁ; Purakkhatvā vihassāmi, tevijjāmhi anāsavā”. [¶8] > Pali: … Uttarā therī …. [¶9] Thig 7.2 · Cālā > Pali: Thig 7.2 · Cālātherīgāthā [¶10] “As a nun with developed faculties, having established mindfulness, I penetrated that peaceful state, the blissful stilling of conditions.” > Pali: “Satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvāna, bhikkhunī bhāvitindriyā; Paṭivijjhi padaṁ santaṁ, saṅkhārūpasamaṁ sukhaṁ”. [¶11] “In whose name did you shave your head? You look like an ascetic, but you don’t approve any creed. Why do you wander as if lost?” > Pali: “Kaṁ nu uddissa muṇḍāsi, samaṇī viya dissasi; Na ca rocesi pāsaṇḍe, kimidaṁ carasi momuhā”. [¶12] “Followers of other creeds rely on their views. They don’t understand the Dhamma, for they’re no experts in the Dhamma. > Pali: “Ito bahiddhā pāsaṇḍā, diṭṭhiyo upanissitā; Na te dhammaṁ vijānanti, na te dhammassa kovidā. [¶13] But there is one born in the Sakyan clan, the unrivaled Buddha; he taught me the Dhamma for going beyond views. > Pali: Atthi sakyakule jāto, buddho appaṭipuggalo; So me dhammamadesesi, diṭṭhīnaṁ samatikkamaṁ. [¶14] Suffering, suffering’s origin, suffering’s transcendence, and the noble eightfold path that leads to the stilling of suffering. > Pali: Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ, Dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ; Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ, Dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ. [¶15] After hearing his words, I happily did his bidding. I’ve attained the three knowledges and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions. > Pali: Tassāhaṁ vacanaṁ sutvā, vihariṁ sāsane ratā; Tisso vijjā anuppattā, kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ. [¶16] Relishing is banished in every respect, and the mass of darkness is shattered. So know this, Wicked One: you’re beaten, terminator!” > Pali: Sabbattha vihatā nandī, tamokhandho padālito; Evaṁ jānāhi pāpima, nihato tvamasi antaka”. [¶17] > Pali: … Cālā therī …. [¶18] Thig 7.3 · Upacālā > Pali: Thig 7.3 · Upacālātherīgāthā [¶19] “A nun with faculties developed, mindful, seeing clearly, I penetrated that peaceful state, which reprobates do not cultivate.” > Pali: “Satimatī cakkhumatī, bhikkhunī bhāvitindriyā; Paṭivijjhi padaṁ santaṁ, akāpurisasevitaṁ”. [¶20] “Why don’t you approve of rebirth? When you’re born, you get to enjoy sensual pleasures. Enjoy erotic delights; don’t regret it later.” > Pali: “Kiṁ nu jātiṁ na rocesi, jāto kāmāni bhuñjati; Bhuñjāhi kāmaratiyo, māhu pacchānutāpinī”. [¶21] “Death comes to those who are born; and when born they fall into suffering: the chopping off of hands and feet, killing, caging, misery. > Pali: “Jātassa maraṇaṁ hoti, hatthapādāna chedanaṁ; Vadhabandhapariklesaṁ, jāto dukkhaṁ nigacchati. [¶22] But there is one born in the Sakyan clan, awakened and undefeated. He taught me the Dhamma for transcending rebirth: > Pali: Atthi sakyakule jāto, sambuddho aparājito; So me dhammamadesesi, jātiyā samatikkamaṁ. [¶23] suffering, suffering’s origin, suffering’s transcendence, and the noble eightfold path that leads to the stilling of suffering. > Pali: Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ, dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ; Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ, dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ. [¶24] After hearing his words, I happily did his bidding. I’ve attained the three knowledges and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions. > Pali: Tassāhaṁ vacanaṁ sutvā, vihariṁ sāsane ratā; Tisso vijjā anuppattā, kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ. [¶25] Relishing is banished in every respect, and the mass of darkness is shattered. So know this, Wicked One: you’re beaten, terminator!” > Pali: Sabbattha vihatā nandī, tamokhandho padālito; Evaṁ jānāhi pāpima, nihato tvamasi antaka”. [¶26] > Pali: … Upacālā therī …. [¶27] > Pali: Sattakanipāto niṭṭhito.