Therīgāthā 5.1
Translators: soma and sujato
Verses of the Elder Bhikkhunīs Verses of the Senior Nuns 5.1
Pañcakanipāta
Chapter of the Fives
The Book of the Fives
Aññataratherīgāthā
Verses of a Certain Unknown Elder An Unnamed Nun (2nd)
“Paṇṇavīsativassāni,
“For twenty-five years,
In the twenty-five years
yato pabbajitā ahaṁ;
since I had gone forth,
since I went forth
Nāccharāsaṅghātamattampi,
I had not experienced serenity of mind,
I have not found peace of mind,
cittassūpasamajjhagaṁ.
not even for a split second.
even for as long as a finger-snap.
Aladdhā cetaso santiṁ,
I had not attained peace of mind—
Failing to find peace of heart,
kāmarāgenavassutā;
I yearned for sensory gratification.
corrupted by sensual desire,
Bāhā paggayha kandantī,
I entered the monastery with my arms in the air,
I cried with flailing arms
vihāraṁ pāvisiṁ ahaṁ.
crying aloud.
as I entered a dwelling.
Sā bhikkhuniṁ upāgacchiṁ,
I approached a bhikkhunī
I approached a nun
yā me saddhāyikā ahu;
whom I trusted.
in whom I had faith.
Sā me dhammamadesesi,
She taught me the Dhamma:
She taught me the Dhamma:
khandhāyatanadhātuyo.
the khandhas, elements, and sense domains.
the aggregates, sense fields, and elements.
Tassā dhammaṁ suṇitvāna,
After I listened to her Dhamma,
When I heard her teaching,
ekamante upāvisiṁ;
I sat down to one side.
I retired to a discreet place.
Pubbenivāsaṁ jānāmi,
I know my past lives,
I know my past lives;
dibbacakkhu visodhitaṁ.
I have purified my divine eye.
my clairvoyance is purified;
Cetopariccañāṇañca,
I am able to read the minds of others,
I comprehend the minds of others;
sotadhātu visodhitā;
and I have purified the ear element.
my clairaudience is purified;
Iddhīpi me sacchikatā,
I have attained psychic powers,
I've realized the psychic powers,
patto me āsavakkhayo;
and reached the destruction of the influences.
and attained the ending of defilements.
Chaḷabhiññā sacchikatā,
I have realized the six special knowledges,
I have realized the six kinds of direct knowledge,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanan”ti.
and completed the teaching of the Buddha.”
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.
… Aññatarā therī ….
A Certain Unknown Elder