Vāseṭṭhītherīgāthā
Vāseṭṭhī
“Puttasokenahaṁ aṭṭā, Struck down with grief for my son,
khittacittā visaññinī; deranged, out of my mind,
Naggā pakiṇṇakesī ca, naked, my hair flying,
tena tena vicārihaṁ. I wandered here and there.
Vīthi saṅkārakūṭesu,
I lived on rubbish heaps,
susāne rathiyāsu ca; in cemeteries and highways.
Acariṁ tīṇi vassāni, For three years I wandered,
khuppipāsāsamappitā. stricken by hunger and thirst.
Athaddasāsiṁ sugataṁ, Then I saw the Holy One
nagaraṁ mithilaṁ pati;
back at the city of Mithilā.
Adantānaṁ dametāraṁ, Tamer of the untamed,
sambuddhamakutobhayaṁ. the Awakened One fears nothing from any quarter.
Sacittaṁ paṭiladdhāna, Regaining my mind,
vanditvāna upāvisiṁ; I paid homage and sat down.
So me dhammamadesesi, Out of compassion
anukampāya gotamo. Gotama taught me the Dhamma.
Tassa dhammaṁ suṇitvāna, After hearing his teaching,
pabbajiṁ anagāriyaṁ; I went forth to homelessness.
Yuñjantī satthuvacane, Applying myself to the Teacher’s words,
sacchākāsiṁ padaṁ sivaṁ. I realized the state of grace.
Sabbe sokā samucchinnā, All sorrows are cut off,
pahīnā etadantikā; given up, they end here.
Pariññātā hi me vatthū, I’ve fully understood the basis
yato sokāna sambhavo”ti. from which grief comes to be.