An Unnamed Nun (2nd)

Aññataratherīgāthā

67 In the twenty-five years
since I went forth
I have not found peace of mind,
even for as long as a finger-snap.

67"Paṇṇavīsativassāni,
yato pabbajitā ahaṁ;
Nāccharāsaṅghātamattampi,
cittassūpasamajjhagaṁ.

68 Failing to find peace of heart,
corrupted by sensual desire,
I cried with flailing arms
as I entered a dwelling.

68Aladdhā cetaso santiṁ,
kāmarāgenavassutā;
Bāhā paggayha kandantī,
vihāraṁ pāvisiṁ ahaṁ.

69 I approached a nun
in whom I had faith.
She taught me the Dhamma:
the aggregates, sense fields, and elements.

69Sā bhikkhuniṁ upāgacchiṁ,
yā me saddhāyikā ahu;
Sā me dhammamadesesi,
khandhāyatanadhātuyo.

70 When I heard her teaching,
I retired to a discreet place.
I know my past lives;
my clairvoyance is purified;

70Tassā dhammaṁ suṇitvāna,
ekamante upāvisiṁ;
Pubbenivāsaṁ jānāmi,
dibbacakkhu visodhitaṁ.

71 I comprehend the minds of others;
my clairaudience is purified;
I've realized the psychic powers,
and attained the ending of defilements.
I have realized the six kinds of direct knowledge,
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

71Cetopariccañāṇañca,
sotadhātu visodhitā;
Iddhīpi me sacchikatā,
patto me āsavakkhayo;
Chaḷabhiññā sacchikatā,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanan"ti.

Vimalā, the Former Courtesan

Vimalātherīgāthā

72 Intoxicated by my appearance,
my figure, my beauty, my fame,
and owing to my youth,
I despised other women.

72"Mattā vaṇṇena rūpena,
sobhaggena yasena ca;
Yobbanena cupatthaddhā,
aññāsamatimaññihaṁ.

73 I adorned this body,
so fancy, cooed over by fools,
and stood at the brothel door,
like a hunter laying a snare.

73Vibhūsetvā imaṁ kāyaṁ,
sucittaṁ bālalāpanaṁ;
Aṭṭhāsiṁ vesidvāramhi,
luddo pāsamivoḍḍiya.

74 I stripped for them,
revealing my many hidden treasures.
Creating an intricate illusion,
I laughed, teasing those men.

74Piḷandhanaṁ vidaṁsentī,
guyhaṁ pakāsikaṁ bahuṁ;
Akāsiṁ vividhaṁ māyaṁ,
ujjagghantī bahuṁ janaṁ.

75 Today, having wandered for alms,
my head shaven, wearing the outer robe,
I sat at the root of a tree to meditate;
I've gained freedom from thought.

75Sājja piṇḍaṁ caritvāna,
muṇḍā saṅghāṭipārutā;
Nisinnā rukkhamūlamhi,
avitakkassa lābhinī.

76 All bonds are cut off,
both human and divine.
Having wiped out all defilements,
I have become cooled and quenched.

76Sabbe yogā samucchinnā,
ye dibbā ye ca mānusā;
Khepetvā āsave sabbe,
sītibhūtāmhi nibbutā"ti.

Sīhā

Sīhātherīgāthā

77 Due to improper attention,
I was racked by desire for pleasures of the senses.
I was restless in the past,
lacking control over my mind.

77"Ayoniso manasikārā,
kāmarāgena aṭṭitā;
Ahosiṁ uddhatā pubbe,
citte avasavattinī.

78 Overcome by corruptions,
pursuing perceptions of the beautiful,
I gained no peace of mind.
Under the sway of lustful thoughts,

78Pariyuṭṭhitā klesehi,
subhasaññānuvattinī;
Samaṁ cittassa na labhiṁ,
rāgacittavasānugā.

79 thin, pale, and wan,
for seven years I wandered,
full of pain,
finding no happiness by day or night.

79Kisā paṇḍu vivaṇṇā ca,
satta vassāni cārihaṁ;
Nāhaṁ divā vā rattiṁ vā,
sukhaṁ vindiṁ sudukkhitā.

80 Taking a rope
I entered deep into the forest, thinking:
“It’s better that I hang myself
than I return to a lesser life.”

80Tato rajjuṁ gahetvāna,
pāvisiṁ vanamantaraṁ;
Varaṁ me idha ubbandhaṁ,
yañca hīnaṁ punācare.

81 I made a strong noose
and tied it to the branch of a tree.
Casting it round my neck,
my mind was freed.

81Daḷhapāsaṁ karitvāna,
rukkhasākhāya bandhiya;
Pakkhipiṁ pāsaṁ gīvāyaṁ,
atha cittaṁ vimucci me"ti.

Sundarīnandā

Sundarīnandā

82“Nandā, see this bag of bones as
diseased, filthy, and rotten.
With mind unified and serene,
meditate on the ugly aspects of the body:

82"Āturaṁ asuciṁ pūtiṁ,
passa nande samussayaṁ;
Asubhāya cittaṁ bhāvehi,
ekaggaṁ susamāhitaṁ.

83 as this is, so is that,
as that is, so is this.
A foul stink wafts from it,
it is the fools’ delight.”

83Yathā idaṁ tathā etaṁ,
yathā etaṁ tathā idaṁ;
Duggandhaṁ pūtikaṁ vāti,
bālānaṁ abhinanditaṁ.

84 Reflecting in such a way,
tireless all day and night,
having broken through
with my own wisdom, I saw.

84Evametaṁ avekkhantī,
rattindivamatanditā;
Tato sakāya paññāya,
abhinibbijjha dakkhisaṁ".

85 Being diligent,
properly investigating,
I truly saw this body
both inside and out.

85"Tassā me appamattāya,
vicinantiyā yoniso;
Yathābhūtaṁ ayaṁ kāyo,
diṭṭho santarabāhiro.

86 Then, growing disillusioned with the body,
I became dispassionate within.
Diligent, detached,
I’m quenched and at peace.

86Atha nibbindahaṁ kāye,
ajjhattañca virajjahaṁ;
Appamattā visaṁyuttā,
upasantāmhi nibbutā"ti.

Nanduttarā

Nanduttarātherīgāthā

87 In the past I worshiped the sacred flame,
the moon, the sun, and the gods.
Having gone to a river ford,
I plunged into the water.

87"Aggiṁ candañca sūriyañca,
devatā ca namassihaṁ;
Nadītitthāni gantvāna,
udakaṁ oruhāmihaṁ.

88 Undertaking many vows,
I shaved half my head.
Preparing a bed on the ground,
I ate no food at night.

88Bahūvatasamādānā,
aḍḍhaṁ sīsassa olikhiṁ;
Chamāya seyyaṁ kappemi,
rattiṁ bhattaṁ na bhuñjahaṁ.

89 I loved my ornaments and decorations;
and with baths and oil-massages,
I pandered to this body,
racked by desire for pleasures of the senses.

89Vibhūsāmaṇḍanaratā,
nhāpanucchādanehi ca;
Upakāsiṁ imaṁ kāyaṁ,
kāmarāgena aṭṭitā.

90 But then I gained faith,
and went forth to homelessness.
Truly seeing the body,
desire for sensual pleasure is eradicated.

90Tato saddhaṁ labhitvāna,
pabbajiṁ anagāriyaṁ;
Disvā kāyaṁ yathābhūtaṁ,
kāmarāgo samūhato.

91 All rebirths are cut off,
wishes and aspirations too.
Detached from all attachments,
I've found peace of mind.

91Sabbe bhavā samucchinnā,
icchā ca patthanāpi ca;
Sabbayogavisaṁyuttā,
santiṁ pāpuṇi cetaso"ti.

Mittākāḷī

6 Mittākāḷītherīgāthā

92 Having gone forth out of faith
from the lay life to homelessness,
I wandered here and there,
jealous of possessions and honors.

92"Saddhāya pabbajitvāna,
agārasmānagāriyaṁ;
Vicariṁhaṁ tena tena,
lābhasakkāraussukā.

93 Neglecting the highest goal,
I pursued the lowest.
Under the sway of corruptions,
I never knew the goal of the ascetic life.

93Riñcitvā paramaṁ atthaṁ,
hīnamatthaṁ asevihaṁ;
Kilesānaṁ vasaṁ gantvā,
sāmaññatthaṁ na bujjhihaṁ.

94 I was struck with a sense of urgency
as I was sitting in my hut:
“I’m walking the wrong path,
under the sway of craving.

94Tassā me ahu saṁvego,
nisinnāya vihārake;
Ummaggapaṭipannāmhi,
taṇhāya vasamāgatā.

95 My life is short,
trampled by old age and sickness.
Before this body breaks apart,
there is no time for me to be careless.”

95Appakaṁ jīvitaṁ mayhaṁ,
jarā byādhi ca maddati;
Purāyaṁ bhijjati kāyo,
na me kālo pamajjituṁ.

96 I examined in line with reality
the rise and fall of the aggregates.
I stood up with mind liberated,
having fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

96Yathābhūtamavekkhantī,
khandhānaṁ udayabbayaṁ;
Vimuttacittā uṭṭhāsiṁ,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanan"ti.

Sakulā

Sakulātherīgāthā

97 While staying at home
I heard the teaching from a monk.
I saw the stainless Dhamma,
extinguishment, the imperishable state.

97"Agārasmiṁ vasantīhaṁ,
dhammaṁ sutvāna bhikkhuno;
Addasaṁ virajaṁ dhammaṁ,
nibbānaṁ padamaccutaṁ.

98 Leaving behind my son and my daughter,
my riches and my grain,
I had my hair cut off,
and went forth to homelessness.

98Sāhaṁ puttaṁ dhītarañca,
dhanadhaññañca chaḍḍiya;
Kese chedāpayitvāna,
pabbajiṁ anagāriyaṁ.

99 As a trainee nun,
I developed the direct path.
I gave up greed and hate,
along with associated defilements.

99Sikkhamānā ahaṁ santī,
bhāventī maggamañjasaṁ;
Pahāsiṁ rāgadosañca,
tadekaṭṭhe ca āsave.

100 When I was fully ordained as a nun,
I recollected my past lives,
and purified my clairvoyance,
immaculate and fully developed.

100Bhikkhunī upasampajja,
pubbajātimanussariṁ;
Dibbacakkhu visodhitaṁ,
vimalaṁ sādhubhāvitaṁ.

101 Conditions are born of causes, crumbling;
having seen them as other,
I gave up all defilements,
I’m cooled and quenched.

101Saṅkhāre parato disvā,
hetujāte palokite;
Pahāsiṁ āsave sabbe,
sītibhūtāmhi nibbutā"ti.

Soṇā

Soṇātherīgāthā

102 I gave birth to ten sons
in this form, this bag of bones.
Then, when feeble and old,
I approached a nun.

102"Dasa putte vijāyitvā,
asmiṁ rūpasamussaye;
Tatohaṁ dubbalā jiṇṇā,
bhikkhuniṁ upasaṅkamiṁ.

103 She taught me the Dhamma:
the aggregates, sense fields, and elements.
When I heard her teaching,
I shaved off my hair and went forth.

103Sā me dhammamadesesi,
khandhāyatanadhātuyo;
Tassā dhammaṁ suṇitvāna,
kese chetvāna pabbajiṁ.

104 When I was a trainee nun,
my clairvoyance was clarified,
and I knew my past lives,
the places I used to live.

104Tassā me sikkhamānāya,
dibbacakkhu visodhitaṁ;
Pubbenivāsaṁ jānāmi,
yattha me vusitaṁ pure.

105 I meditate on the signless,
my mind unified and serene.
I achieved the immediate liberation,
extinguished by not grasping.

105Animittañca bhāvemi,
ekaggā susamāhitā;
Anantarāvimokkhāsiṁ,
anupādāya nibbutā.

106 The five aggregates are fully understood;
they remain, but their root is cut.
Curse you, wretched old age!
now there’ll be no more future lives.

106Pañcakkhandhā pariññātā,
tiṭṭhanti chinnamūlakā;
Dhi tavatthu jare jamme,
natthi dāni punabbhavo"ti.

Bhaddā of the Curly Hair

Bhaddākuṇḍalakesātherīgāthā

107 My hair mown off, covered in mud,
I used to wander wearing just one robe.
I saw fault where there was none,
and was blind to the actual fault.

107"Lūnakesī paṅkadharī,
ekasāṭī pure cariṁ;
Avajje vajjamatinī,
vajje cāvajjadassinī.

108 Leaving my day’s meditation
on Vulture’s Peak Mountain,
I saw the stainless Buddha
at the fore of the mendicant Saṅgha.

108Divāvihārā nikkhamma,
gijjhakūṭamhi pabbate;
Addasaṁ virajaṁ buddhaṁ,
bhikkhusaṁghapurakkhataṁ.

109 I bent my knee and bowed,
and in his presence raised my joined palms.
“Come Bhaddā,” he said;
that was my ordination.

109Nihacca jāṇuṁ vanditvā,
sammukhā añjaliṁ akaṁ;
‘Ehi bhadde’ti maṁ avaca,
sā me āsūpasampadā.

110 “I’ve wandered among the Aṅgans and Magadhans,
the Vajjīs, Kāsīs, and Kosalans.
I have eaten the almsfood of the nations
free of debt for fifty years.”

110Ciṇṇā aṅgā ca magadhā,
vajjī kāsī ca kosalā;
Anaṇā paṇṇāsa vassāni,
raṭṭhapiṇḍaṁ abhuñjahaṁ.

111 “O! He has made so much merit!
That lay follower is so very wise.
He gave a robe to Bhaddā,
who is released from all ties.”

111Puññaṁ vata pasavi bahuṁ,
Sappañño vatāyaṁ upāsako;
Yo bhaddāya cīvaraṁ adāsi,
Vippamuttāya sabbaganthehī"ti.

Paṭācārā

Paṭācārātherīgāthā

112 Plowing the fields,
sowing seeds in the ground,
supporting partners and children,
young men acquire wealth.

112"Naṅgalehi kasaṁ khettaṁ,
bījāni pavapaṁ chamā;
Puttadārāni posentā,
dhanaṁ vindanti māṇavā.

113 I am accomplished in ethics,
and I do the Teacher’s bidding,
being neither lazy nor restless—
why then do I not achieve quenching?

113Kimahaṁ sīlasampannā,
satthusāsanakārikā;
Nibbānaṁ nādhigacchāmi,
akusītā anuddhatā.

114 Having washed my feet,
I took note of the water,
seeing the foot-washing water
flowing from high ground to low.

114Pāde pakkhālayitvāna,
udakesu karomahaṁ;
Pādodakañca disvāna,
thalato ninnamāgataṁ.

115 My mind became serene,
like a fine thoroughbred steed.
Then, taking a lamp,
I entered my dwelling,
inspected the bed,
and sat on my cot.

115Tato cittaṁ samādhesiṁ,
assaṁ bhadraṁvajāniyaṁ;
Tato dīpaṁ gahetvāna,
vihāraṁ pāvisiṁ ahaṁ;
Seyyaṁ olokayitvāna,
mañcakamhi upāvisiṁ.

116 Then, grabbing the pin,
I drew out the wick.
The liberation of my heart
was like the quenching of the lamp.

116Tato sūciṁ gahetvāna,
vaṭṭiṁ okassayāmahaṁ;
Padīpasseva nibbānaṁ,
vimokkho ahu cetaso"ti.

Thirty Nuns

Tiṁsamattātherīgāthā

117 “Taking a pestle,
young men pound grain.
Supporting partners and children,
young men acquire wealth.

117"Musalāni gahetvāna,
dhaññaṁ koṭṭenti māṇavā;
Puttadārāni posentā,
dhanaṁ vindanti māṇavā.

118 Do the Buddha’s bidding,
you won’t regret it.
Having quickly washed your feet,
sit in a discreet place to meditate.
Devoted to serenity of heart,
do the Buddha’s bidding.”

118Karotha buddhasāsanaṁ,
yaṁ katvā nānutappati;
Khippaṁ pādāni dhovitvā,
ekamante nisīdatha;
Cetosamathamanuyuttā,
karotha buddhasāsanaṁ".

119 After hearing her words,
the instructions of Paṭācārā,
they washed their feet
and retired to a discreet place.
Devoted to serenity of heart,
they did the Buddha’s bidding.

119Tassā tā vacanaṁ sutvā,
paṭācārāya sāsanaṁ;
Pāde pakkhālayitvāna,
ekamantaṁ upāvisuṁ;
Cetosamathamanuyuttā,
akaṁsu buddhasāsanaṁ.

120 In the first watch of the night,
they recollected their past lives.
In the middle watch of the night,
they purified their clairvoyance.
In the last watch of the night,
they shattered the mass of darkness.

120Rattiyā purime yāme,
pubbajātimanussaruṁ;
Rattiyā majjhime yāme,
dibbacakkhuṁ visodhayuṁ;
Rattiyā pacchime yāme,
tamokhandhaṁ padālayuṁ.

121 They rose and paid homage at her feet:
“We have done your bidding;
we shall abide honoring you,
as the thirty gods honor Indra,
undefeated in battle.
Masters of the three knowledges, we are free of defilements.”

121Uṭṭhāya pāde vandiṁsu,
"katā te anusāsanī;
Indaṁva devā tidasā,
saṅgāme aparājitaṁ;
Purakkhatvā vihassāma,
tevijjāmha anāsavā"ti.

Candā

Candātherīgāthā

122 I used to be in a sorry state.
As a childless widow,
bereft of friends or relatives,
I got neither food nor clothes.

122"Duggatāhaṁ pure āsiṁ,
vidhavā ca aputtikā;
Vinā mittehi ñātīhi,
bhattacoḷassa nādhigaṁ.

123 I took a bowl and a staff
and went begging from family to family.
For seven years I wandered,
burned by heat and cold.

123Pattaṁ daṇḍañca gaṇhitvā,
bhikkhamānā kulā kulaṁ;
Sītuṇhena ca ḍayhantī,
satta vassāni cārihaṁ.

124 Then I saw a nun
receiving food and drink.
Approaching her, I said:
“Send me forth to homelessness.”

124Bhikkhunīṁ puna disvāna,
annapānassa lābhiniṁ;
Upasaṅkamma avocaṁ,
‘pabbajjaṁ anagāriyaṁ’.

125 Out of compassion for me,
Paṭācārā gave me the going forth.
Then, having advised me,
she urged me on to the ultimate goal.

125Sā ca maṁ anukampāya,
pabbājesi paṭācārā;
Tato maṁ ovaditvāna,
paramatthe niyojayi.

126 After hearing her words,
I did her bidding.
The lady’s advice was not in vain:
master of the three knowledges, I am free of defilements.

126Tassāhaṁ vacanaṁ sutvā,
akāsiṁ anusāsaniṁ;
Amogho ayyāyovādo,
tevijjāmhi anāsavā"ti.