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Mittākāḷītherīgāthā

Verses of the Elder Mittākāḷī Mittākāḷī

“Saddhāya pabbajitvāna,
“I went forth out of faith,
Having gone forth out of faith

agārasmānagāriyaṁ;
from the home life into homelessness;
from the lay life to homelessness,

Vicariṁhaṁ tena tena,
I wandered here and there,
I wandered here and there,

lābhasakkāraussukā.
longing for gain and honor.
jealous of possessions and honors.

Riñcitvā paramaṁ atthaṁ,
Disregarding the highest aim,
Neglecting the highest goal,

hīnamatthaṁ asevihaṁ;
I pursued an inferior goal.
I pursued the lowest.

Kilesānaṁ vasaṁ gantvā,
Controlled by defilements,
Under the sway of corruptions,

sāmaññatthaṁ na bujjhihaṁ.
I did not understand the real purpose of the contemplative life.
I never knew the goal of the ascetic life.

Tassā me ahu saṁvego,
While sitting in my hut,
I was struck with a sense of urgency

nisinnāya vihārake;
I was struck with a sense of urgency:
as I was sitting in my hut:

Ummaggapaṭipannāmhi,
‘I have entered upon the wrong path,
“I’m walking the wrong path,

taṇhāya vasamāgatā.
I am under the control of craving!
under the sway of craving.

Appakaṁ jīvitaṁ mayhaṁ,
Decay and sickness are trampling
My life is short,

jarā byādhi ca maddati;
my trifling life.
trampled by old age and sickness.

Purāyaṁ bhijjati kāyo,
There is no time to waste
Before this body breaks apart,

na me kālo pamajjituṁ.
before this body falls apart.’
there is no time for me to be careless.”

Yathābhūtamavekkhantī,
In conformity with the truth, I observed
I examined in line with the truth

khandhānaṁ udayabbayaṁ;
the rise and fall of the khandhas.
the rise and fall of the aggregates.

Vimuttacittā uṭṭhāsiṁ,
I stood up with a liberated mind,
I stood up with mind liberated,

kataṁ buddhassa sāsanan”ti.
having completed the teaching of the Buddha.”
having fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

… Mittā kāḷī therī ….
The Elder Mittākaḷī