Therīgāthā 5.4
Translators: sujato and soma
Verses of the Senior Nuns 5.4 Verses of the Elder Bhikkhunīs
Pañcakanipāta
The Book of the Fives
Chapter of the Fives
Sundarīnandātherīgāthā
Sundarīnandā Verses of the Elder Sundarīnandā
“Āturaṁ asuciṁ pūtiṁ,
“Nandā, see this bag of bones as
“Nandā, see this body as diseased,
passa nande samussayaṁ;
diseased, filthy, and rotten.
impure, and rotten.
Asubhāya cittaṁ bhāvehi,
With mind unified and serene,
Cultivate awareness of the unattractive,
ekaggaṁ susamāhitaṁ.
meditate on the ugly aspects of the body:
with a well-collected, one-pointed mind.
Yathā idaṁ tathā etaṁ,
as this is, so is that,
As this is, so is that,
yathā etaṁ tathā idaṁ;
as that is, so is this.
as that is, so is this.
Duggandhaṁ pūtikaṁ vāti,
A foul stink wafts from it,
Only fools enjoy
bālānaṁ abhinanditaṁ.
it is the fools’ delight.”
the vile smell of rotten winds.”
Evametaṁ avekkhantī,
Reflecting in such a way,
“I looked at it in this way
rattindivamatanditā;
tireless all day and night,
relentlessly, by day and by night,
Tato sakāya paññāya,
having broken through
saw it for myself with wisdom,
abhinibbijjha dakkhisaṁ”.
with my own wisdom, I saw.
and had a breakthrough.
“Tassā me appamattāya,
Being diligent,
I heedfully investigated
vicinantiyā yoniso;
rationally investigating,
the origin of things
Yathābhūtaṁ ayaṁ kāyo,
I truly saw this body
to accurately see this body
diṭṭho santarabāhiro.
both inside and out.
inside and out.
Atha nibbindahaṁ kāye,
Then, growing disillusioned with the body,
Then I was disenchanted by the body,
ajjhattañca virajjahaṁ;
I became dispassionate within.
and I became dispassionate.
Appamattā visaṁyuttā,
Diligent, detached,
Heedful, unbound,
upasantāmhi nibbutā”ti.
I’m quenched and at peace.
I am quenched and at peace.”
… Sundarīnandā therī ….
The Elder Sundarīnandā