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Puṇṇātherīgāthā

Puṇṇikā Verses of the Elder Puṇṇā

“Udahārī ahaṁ sīte,
“I used to be a water-carrier. Even when it was cold,
“I am one who bathes in cold water,

sadā udakamotariṁ;
I would always plunge into the water,
always plunging into the water,

Ayyānaṁ daṇḍabhayabhītā,
afraid of my masters’ beatings,
afraid of punishment by the masters,

vācādosabhayaṭṭitā.
harassed by fear of abuse and anger.
terrified of angry words.”

Kassa brāhmaṇa tvaṁ bhīto,
Brahmin, what are you afraid of,
“Why are you doing that, brahmin,

sadā udakamotari;
that you always plunge into the water,
always plunging into the water frightened,

Vedhamānehi gattehi,
your limbs trembling
shivering,

sītaṁ vedayase bhusaṁ”.
in the freezing cold?”
and feeling very cold?”

“Jānantī vata maṁ bhoti,
“Oh, but you already know,
“Dear Puṇṇa, surely you know already,

puṇṇike paripucchasi;
Madam Puṇṇikā, when you ask me:
why do you ask?

Karontaṁ kusalaṁ kammaṁ,
I am doing good deeds,
I am making good karma

rundhantaṁ katapāpakaṁ.
to ward off the wickedness I have done.
to block past bad karma.

Yo ca vuḍḍho daharo vā,
Whosoever young or old
Whether one is young or old,

pāpakammaṁ pakubbati;
performs a wicked deed,
whomever does a bad deed

Dakābhisecanā sopi,
by ablution in water they are
is liberated from their bad deed

pāpakammā pamuccati”.
released from their wicked deed.”
through ritual bathing.”

“Ko nu te idamakkhāsi,
“Who on earth told you this,
“Who told you this,

ajānantassa ajānako;
one ignoramus to another:
one ignorant person to another:

Dakābhisecanā nāma,
‘Actually, by ablution in water one is
‘through ritual bathing

pāpakammā pamuccati.
released from a wicked deed.’
one is liberated from bad deeds’?

Saggaṁ nūna gamissanti,
Would not they all go to heaven, then:
Does this mean that

sabbe maṇḍūkakacchapā;
all the frogs and the turtles,
all frogs, turtles,

Nāgā ca susumārā ca,
serpents, crocodiles,
sea-serpents, crocodiles,

ye caññe udake carā.
and other water-dwellers too?
and all the other marine beings will go to heaven?

Orabbhikā sūkarikā,
Butchers of sheep and pigs,
Those who slaughter sheep and pigs,

macchikā migabandhakā;
fishermen, animal trappers,
fishermen, deer-hunters,

Corā ca vajjhaghātā ca,
bandits, executioners,
thieves, executioners,

ye caññe pāpakammino;
and others of evil deeds:
and others doing bad deeds:

Dakābhisecanā tepi,
by ablution in water they too would be
through ritual bathing,

pāpakammā pamuccare.
released from their wicked deeds.
they would be liberated from their bad deeds.

Sace imā nadiyo te,
If these rivers had carried away
If these rivers could carry away

pāpaṁ pubbe kataṁ vahuṁ;
your bad deeds in the past,
the bad deeds you made in the past,

Puññampimā vaheyyuṁ te,
they would also carry away your good deeds,
they would also carry away your merit,

tena tvaṁ paribāhiro.
from which you’d be prevented.
because it would be outside of yourself.

Yassa brāhmaṇa tvaṁ bhīto,
Brahmin, the thing that you are afraid of,
Whatever you are frightened about, brahmin,

sadā udakamotari;
when you always plunge into the water,
because of which you are always going into the water,

Tameva brahme mā kāsi,
do not do that very thing,
brahmin, just don’t do that;

mā te sītaṁ chaviṁ hane”.
don’t let the cold harm your skin.”
you do not need to let the cold hurt your skin.”

“Kummaggapaṭipannaṁ maṁ,
“I have been on the wrong path,
“I was practicing the wrong path,

ariyamaggaṁ samānayi;
and you’ve guided me to the noble path.
and you have led me to the Noble Path.

Dakābhisecanā bhoti,
Madam, I give to you
Dear Madam, I give you

imaṁ sāṭaṁ dadāmi te”.
this ablution cloth.”
this ritual bathing-cloth.”

“Tuyheva sāṭako hotu,
“Keep the cloth for yourself,
“Let this cloth be yours,

nāhamicchāmi sāṭakaṁ;
I do not want it.
I do not wish to have it.

Sace bhāyasi dukkhassa,
If you fear suffering,
If you are afraid of suffering,

sace te dukkhamappiyaṁ.
if you don’t like suffering,
if you dislike suffering,

Mākāsi pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,
then don’t do bad deeds
do not do any bad deeds,

āvi vā yadi vā raho;
either openly or in secret.
either publicly or privately.

Sace ca pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,
If you should do a bad deed,
If you do a bad deed,

karissasi karosi vā.
or you’re doing one now,
or will do so in the future,

Na te dukkhā pamutyatthi,
you won’t be freed from suffering,
you will not be liberated from your suffering,

upeccāpi palāyato;
though you fly away and flee.
it reaches you even if you try to run away from it.

Sace bhāyasi dukkhassa,
If you fear suffering,
If you are afraid of suffering,

sace te dukkhamappiyaṁ.
if you don’t like suffering,
if you dislike suffering,

Upehi saraṇaṁ buddhaṁ,
go for refuge to the Buddha, the unaffected,
go for refuge to the Buddha,

dhammaṁ saṅghañca tādinaṁ;
to his teaching and to the Sangha.
Dhamma, and Sangha.

Samādiyāhi sīlāni,
Undertake the precepts,
Take up the moral practices,

taṁ te atthāya hehiti”.
that will be good for you.”
for your own sake.”

“Upemi saraṇaṁ buddhaṁ,
“I go for refuge to the Buddha, the unaffected,
“I go for refuge to the Buddha,

dhammaṁ saṅghañca tādinaṁ;
to his teaching and to the Sangha.
Dhamma, and Sangha.

Samādiyāmi sīlāni,
I undertake the precepts,
I take up the moral practices,

taṁ me atthāya hehiti.
that will be good for me.
for my own sake.

Brahmabandhu pure āsiṁ,
I used to be brahmin by kin,
Before I was a kinsman of Brahmā,

ajjamhi saccabrāhmaṇo;
today I truly am a brahmin!
today I am a real brahmin.

Tevijjo vedasampanno,
Master of the three knowledges, <j>accomplished in wisdom,
Possessing the three knowledges and higher insight,

sottiyo camhi nhātako”ti.
I’m a scholar, a bathed initiate.”
I am one who has bathed, and has attained the highest knowledge.”

… Puṇṇā therī ….
The Elder Puṇṇā

Soḷasakanipāto niṭṭhito.
The Chapter of the Sixteens is finished.