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Bhaddākuṇḍalakesātherīgāthā

Verses of the Elder Bhaddā Kuṇḍalakesā Bhaddā of the Curly Hair

“Lūnakesī paṅkadharī,
“In the past I would wander with only one robe,
My hair mown off, covered in mud,

ekasāṭī pure cariṁ;
my head shaved and my body covered in mud.
I used to wander wearing just one robe.

Avajje vajjamatinī,
I would see the blameworthy as blameless,
I saw fault where there was none,

vajje cāvajjadassinī.
and the blameless as blameworthy.
and was blind to the actual fault.

Divāvihārā nikkhamma,
Having ventured out from my day’s abiding
Leaving my day’s meditation

gijjhakūṭamhi pabbate;
at Vulture’s Peak Mountain,
on Vulture’s Peak Mountain,

Addasaṁ virajaṁ buddhaṁ,
I saw the stainless Buddha,
I saw the stainless Buddha

bhikkhusaṅghapurakkhataṁ.
leading the monastic Saṅgha.
at the fore of the mendicant Saṅgha.

Nihacca jāṇuṁ vanditvā,
I knelt in respect before him,
I bent my knee and bowed,

sammukhā añjaliṁ akaṁ;
my hands in añjali.
and in his presence raised my joined palms.

‘Ehi bhadde’ti maṁ avaca,
‘Come, Bhaddā!,’ he said.
“Come Bhaddā,” he said;

sā me āsūpasampadā.
That was my higher ordination.
that was my ordination.

Ciṇṇā aṅgā ca magadhā,
I traveled to Aṅga, Magadha,
“I’ve wandered among the Aṅgans and Magadhans,

vajjī kāsī ca kosalā;
Vajji, Kāsi, and Kosala.
the Vajjis, Kāsis, and Kosalans.

Anaṇā paṇṇāsa vassāni,
Free of debt, for fifty years
I have eaten the almsfood of the nations

raṭṭhapiṇḍaṁ abhuñjahaṁ.
I ate the country’s almsfood.
free of debt for fifty years.”

Puññaṁ vata pasavi bahuṁ,
Surely he accumulated so much merit,
“O! He has made so much merit!

Sappañño vatāyaṁ upāsako;
that wise lay devotee,
That lay follower is so very wise.

Yo bhaddāya cīvaraṁ adāsi,
who gave a robe to Bhaddā,
He gave a robe to Bhaddā,

Vippamuttāya sabbaganthehī”ti.
released from all fetters.”
who is released from all ties.”

… Bhaddā kuṇḍalakesā therī ….
The Elder Bhaddā Kuṇḍalakesā