Theragāthā 6.14
Translators: sujato
Verses of the Senior Monks 6.14
Chakkanipāta
The Book of the Sixes
Paṭhamavagga
Chapter One
Sabbakāmittheragāthā
Sabbakāmi
“Dvipādakoyaṁ asuci,
This two-legged body is dirty and stinking,
duggandho parihīrati;
full of different carcasses,
Nānākuṇapaparipūro,
and oozing all over the place—
vissavanto tato tato.
but still it is cherished!
Migaṁ nilīnaṁ kūṭena,
Like a lurking deer by a trick,
baḷiseneva ambujaṁ;
like a fish by a hook,
Vānaraṁ viya lepena,
like a langur by tar—
bādhayanti puthujjanaṁ.
they trap an ordinary person.
Rūpā saddā rasā gandhā,
Sights, sounds, tastes, smells,
phoṭṭhabbā ca manoramā;
and touches so delightful:
Pañca kāmaguṇā ete,
these five kinds of sensual stimulation
itthirūpasmi dissare.
are seen in a woman’s body.
Ye etā upasevanti,
Those ordinary people, their minds full of lust,
rattacittā puthujjanā;
who pursue those women:
Vaḍḍhenti kaṭasiṁ ghoraṁ,
they swell the horrors of the charnel ground,
ācinanti punabbhavaṁ.
piling up future lives.
Yo cetā parivajjeti,
One who, being mindful,
sappasseva padā siro;
avoids them
Somaṁ visattikaṁ loke,
like a snake’s head with their foot,
sato samativattati.
gets over clinging to the world.
Kāmesvādīnavaṁ disvā,
Seeing the danger in sensual pleasures,
nekkhammaṁ daṭṭhu khemato;
seeing renunciation as sanctuary,
Nissaṭo sabbakāmehi,
I’ve escaped all sensual pleasures,
patto me āsavakkhayo”ti.
and attained the ending of defilements.
… Sabbakāmitthero ….
Chakkanipāto niṭṭhito.
Tatruddānaṁ
Uruveḷakassapo ca,
thero tekicchakāri ca;
Mahānāgo ca kullo ca,
mālukyo sappadāsako;
Kātiyāno migajālo,
jento sumanasavhayo;
Nhātamuni brahmadatto,
sirimaṇḍo sabbakāmī ca;
Gāthāyo caturāsīti,
therā cettha catuddasāti.