sutta » kn » thig » Therīgāthā 6.3

Khemātherīgāthā

Verses of the Elder Khemā Khemā

“Daharā tvaṁ rūpavatī,
“You are young and beautiful,
“You’re so young and beautiful!

ahampi daharo yuvā;
I am also a young lad.
I too am young, just a youth.

Pañcaṅgikena turiyena,
Come, Khemā, let’s have a good time
Come, Khemā, let us enjoy

ehi kheme ramāmase”.
with heavenly music.”
the music of a five-piece band.”

“Iminā pūtikāyena,
“This putrid body,
“This body is rotting,

āturena pabhaṅgunā;
diseased and brittle,
ailing and frail,

Aṭṭiyāmi harāyāmi,
only brings trials and tribulations.
I’m horrified and repelled by it,

kāmataṇhā samūhatā.
I have uprooted craving for sensual pleasures.
and I’ve eradicated sensual craving.

Sattisūlūpamā kāmā,
Sensual pleasures are like the handle of an axe,
Sensual pleasures are like swords and stakes;

khandhāsaṁ adhikuṭṭanā;
and one’s khandhas the executioner’s block.
the aggregates are their chopping block.

Yaṁ ‘tvaṁ kāmaratiṁ’ brūsi,
The sensual pleasures that you call appealing
What you call sensual delight

‘aratī’ dāni sā mama.
no longer appeal to me.
is now no delight for me.

Sabbattha vihatā nandī,
In this way all fixation is annihilated,
Relishing is destroyed in every respect,

tamokhandho padālito;
the mass of darkness destroyed.
and the mass of darkness is shattered.

Evaṁ jānāhi pāpima,
Thus be aware, Wicked One,
So know this, Wicked One:

nihato tvamasi antaka.
Death—you are destroyed!
you’re beaten, terminator!”

Nakkhattāni namassantā,
I used to pay homage to constellations,
“Worshiping the stars,

aggiṁ paricaraṁ vane;
worshiping fire in the forest.
serving the sacred flame in a grove;

Yathābhuccamajānantā,
Ignorant of truth,
failing to grasp the true nature of things,

bālā suddhimamaññatha.
I was a fool with a misconception of purity.
foolish me, I thought this was purity.

Ahañca kho namassantī,
But now I pay homage to the Buddha,
But now I worship the Awakened One,

sambuddhaṁ purisuttamaṁ;
the most excellent of men.
supreme among men.

Pamuttā sabbadukkhehi,
Liberated from all suffering,
Doing the teacher’s bidding,

satthusāsanakārikā”ti.
I follow the teaching of the Teacher.”
I am released from all suffering.”

… Khemā therī ….
The Elder Khemā