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Sīhātherīgāthā

Verses of the Elder Sīhā Sīhā

“Ayoniso manasikārā,
“Not applying the mind to see the origin of things,
Due to irrational application of mind,

kāmarāgena aṭṭitā;
I was afflicted with longing to gratify the senses.
I was racked by desire for pleasures of the senses.

Ahosiṁ uddhatā pubbe,
I was restless,
I was restless in the past,

citte avasavattinī.
and I had no power over the mind.
lacking control over my mind.

Pariyuṭṭhitā klesehi,
Overwhelmed by defilements,
Overcome by corruptions,

subhasaññānuvattinī;
I chased anything attractive.
pursuing perceptions of the beautiful,

Samaṁ cittassa na labhiṁ,
Controlled by craving,
I gained no peace of mind.

rāgacittavasānugā.
I could not attain tranquility of mind.
Under the sway of lustful thoughts,

Kisā paṇḍu vivaṇṇā ca,
Emaciated, ugly, feeble,
thin, pale, and wan,

satta vassāni cārihaṁ;
I wandered for seven years,
for seven years I wandered,

Nāhaṁ divā vā rattiṁ vā,
never finding happiness by day or by night,
full of pain,

sukhaṁ vindiṁ sudukkhitā.
full of suffering.
finding no happiness by day or night.

Tato rajjuṁ gahetvāna,
Then I took a rope
Taking a rope

pāvisiṁ vanamantaraṁ;
and entered into the forest.
I entered deep into the forest, thinking:

Varaṁ me idha ubbandhaṁ,
Better for me to be strangled here
“It’s better that I hang myself

yañca hīnaṁ punācare.
than to go back to the inferior life.
than I return to a lesser life.”

Daḷhapāsaṁ karitvāna,
I made a strong noose,
I made a strong noose

rukkhasākhāya bandhiya;
and hung it from the branch of a tree.
and tied it to the branch of a tree.

Pakkhipiṁ pāsaṁ gīvāyaṁ,
As soon as I placed the noose around my neck
Casting it round my neck,

atha cittaṁ vimucci me”ti.
my mind was liberated.”
my mind was freed.

… Sīhā therī ….
The Elder Sīhā