---
title: "Verses of the Senior Nuns · Therīgāthā"
author: "The Elder Nuns"
translator: "Bhikkhu Sujato"
languages: [pi, en]
shelf: "Pali Canon"
section: 8 of 16
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/8/
cite: "The Elder Nuns, tr. Bhikkhu Sujato, Verses of the Senior Nuns · Therīgāthā, section 8. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pali-therigatha/8/"
---

# 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.

## 8. The Book of the Eights · Thig 8.1

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

[¶0] Thig 8.1 · Sīsūpacālā

> Pali: Thig 8.1 · Sīsūpacālātherīgāthā

[¶1] “A nun accomplished in ethics,
her sense faculties well-restrained,
would realize the peaceful state,
so delectable and nutritious.”

> Pali: “Bhikkhunī sīlasampannā,
indriyesu susaṁvutā;
Adhigacche padaṁ santaṁ,
asecanakamojavaṁ”.

[¶2] “There are the gods of the thirty-three, <j>and those of Yama;
also the Joyful Deities,
the gods who love to create,
and the gods who control what is created by others.
Set your heart on such places,
where you used to live.”

> Pali: “Tāvatiṁsā ca yāmā ca,
tusitā cāpi devatā;
Nimmānaratino devā,
ye devā vasavattino;
Tattha cittaṁ paṇīdhehi,
yattha te vusitaṁ pure”.

[¶3] “The gods of the thirty-three, <j>and those of Yama;
also the Joyful Deities,
the gods who love to create,
and the gods who control what is created by others—

> Pali: “Tāvatiṁsā ca yāmā ca,
tusitā cāpi devatā;
Nimmānaratino devā,
ye devā vasavattino.

[¶4] time after time, life after life,
are governed by substantial reality.
They haven’t passed beyond substantial reality,
those who transmigrate through birth and death.

> Pali: Kālaṁ kālaṁ bhavābhavaṁ,
sakkāyasmiṁ purakkhatā;
Avītivattā sakkāyaṁ,
jātimaraṇasārino.

[¶5] All the world is on fire,
all the world is alight,
all the world is ablaze,
all the world is rocking.

> Pali: Sabbo ādīpito loko,
sabbo loko padīpito;
Sabbo pajjalito loko,
sabbo loko pakampito.

[¶6] The Buddha taught me the Dhamma,
unshakable, incomparable,
not frequented by ordinary people;
my mind adores that place.

> Pali: Akampiyaṁ atuliyaṁ,
aputhujjanasevitaṁ;
Buddho dhammamadesesi,
tattha me nirato mano.

[¶7] 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.

[¶8] 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”.

[¶9] > Pali: … Sīsūpacālā therī ….

[¶10] > Pali: Aṭṭhakanipāto niṭṭhito.