Therīgāthā 6.7
Translators: sujato and soma
Verses of the Senior Nuns 6.7 Verses of the Elder Bhikkhunīs
Chakkanipāta
The Book of the Sixes
Chapter of the Sixes
Guttātherīgāthā
Guttā Verses of the Elder Guttā
“Gutte yadatthaṁ pabbajjā,
Guttā, you have given up your child,
“Guttā, why did you go forth?
hitvā puttaṁ vasuṁ piyaṁ;
your wealth, and all that you love.
You have left behind child, wealth, and all that is dear.
Tameva anubrūhehi,
Foster the goal for which you went forth;
Practice in this way,
mā cittassa vasaṁ gami.
do not fall under the mind’s control.
do not be controlled by the mind.
Cittena vañcitā sattā,
Beings deceived by the mind,
Sentient beings are misguided by the mind,
mārassa visaye ratā;
playing in Māra’s domain,
enjoying the realm of Māra.
Anekajātisaṁsāraṁ,
ignorant, they journey on,
Fools wander along in saṁsāra,
sandhāvanti aviddasū.
transmigrating through countless rebirths.
running through countless births.
Kāmacchandañca byāpādaṁ,
Sensual desire and ill will,
Interest in sensual pleasures, ill will,
sakkāyadiṭṭhimeva ca;
and substantialist view;
attachment to self-identity,
Sīlabbataparāmāsaṁ,
misapprehension of precepts and observances,
clinging to rites and rituals,
vicikicchañca pañcamaṁ.
and doubt as the fifth.
and the fifth is doubt.
Saṁyojanāni etāni,
O nun, when you have given up
Once you abandon these fetters,
pajahitvāna bhikkhunī;
these lower fetters,
Bhikkhunī,
Orambhāgamanīyāni,
you won’t come back
you will not return
nayidaṁ punarehisi.
to this world again.
to the near shore again.
Rāgaṁ mānaṁ avijjañca,
And when you’re rid of desire,
Once you forsake passion, conceit, ignorance,
uddhaccañca vivajjiya;
conceit, ignorance, and restlessness,
and restlessness,
Saṁyojanāni chetvāna,
having cut the fetters,
having cut off the fetters,
dukkhassantaṁ karissasi.
you’ll make an end to suffering.
you will bring suffering to an end.
Khepetvā jātisaṁsāraṁ,
Having wiped out transmigration,
Once you have discarded birth in saṁsāra,
pariññāya punabbhavaṁ;
and fully understood rebirth,
having fully understood how existence is renewed,
Diṭṭheva dhamme nicchātā,
hungerless in this very life,
seeing the Dhamma, without cravings,
upasantā carissatī”ti.
you will live at peace.
you will walk in peace.”
… Guttā therī ….
The Elder Guttā