sutta » kn » thig » Therīgāthā 13.4

Sundarītherīgāthā

Sundarī Verses of the Elder Sundarī

“Petāni bhoti puttāni,
“Before, good lady, when feeding
“In the past your dead children

khādamānā tuvaṁ pure;
your departed children,
were devoured by scavengers.

Tuvaṁ divā ca ratto ca,
you’d be racked with despair
Day and night,

atīva paritappasi.
all day and all night.
you were overwhelmed by torment.

Sājja sabbāni khāditvā,
Today, brahmin lady, you have fed
All of your seven children

sataputtāni brāhmaṇī;
all seven children.
have been devoured.

Vāseṭṭhi kena vaṇṇena,
Vāseṭṭhī, what is the reason why
Brahmin Vāseṭṭhi, how come you

na bāḷhaṁ paritappasi”.
you’re not so filled with despair?”
don’t look so strongly tormented now?”

“Bahūni puttasatāni,
“Many hundreds of children,
“Brahmin, both you and I,

ñātisaṅghasatāni ca;
hundreds of family circles,
have had hundreds of children

Khāditāni atītaṁse,
both mine and yours, brahmin,
and hundreds of relatives devoured

mama tuyhañca brāhmaṇa.
have been fed in the past.
at some point in the past.

Sāhaṁ nissaraṇaṁ ñatvā,
Having known the escape
I have understood the escape

jātiyā maraṇassa ca;
from rebirth and death
from birth and death

Na socāmi na rodāmi,
I neither grieve nor lament,
so I do not sorrow, I do not weep,

na cāpi paritappayiṁ”.
nor do I despair.”
and I am not tormented.”

“Abbhutaṁ vata vāseṭṭhi,
“Wow, Vaseṭṭhī, the words you speak
“It certainly is wonderful, Vāseṭṭhi,

vācaṁ bhāsasi edisiṁ;
really are amazing!
that you make such a statement!

Kassa tvaṁ dhammamaññāya,
Whose teaching did you understand
Whose Dhamma have you learned,

giraṁ bhāsasi edisiṁ”.
that you say these things?”
that you speak in this way?”

“Esa brāhmaṇa sambuddho,
“Brahmin, the Awakened One
“There is, brahmin, the Self-Enlightened one,

nagaraṁ mithilaṁ pati;
back at the city of Mithilā,
in the town of Mithilā,

Sabbadukkhappahānāya,
teaches the Dhamma so that living creatures
who teaches the Dhamma to sentient beings

dhammaṁ desesi pāṇinaṁ.
may abandon all suffering.
so they can remove all suffering.

Tassa brahme arahato,
After hearing the perfected one’s teaching,
Brahmin, once I heard the teaching

dhammaṁ sutvā nirūpadhiṁ;
brahmin, which is free of all attachments,
of non-acquisition from that Arahant,

Tattha viññātasaddhammā,
having understood the true teaching there,
I immediately understood the true Dhamma,

puttasokaṁ byapānudiṁ”.
I’ve swept away grief for children.”
and dispelled the grief I had for my lost children.”

“So ahampi gamissāmi,
“I too shall go
“I too will go

nagaraṁ mithilaṁ pati;
to the city of Mithilā.
to the town of Mithilā.

Appeva maṁ so bhagavā,
Hopefully the Buddha may release me
Perhaps the Bhagavant

sabbadukkhā pamocaye”.
from all suffering.”
can set me free of all suffering.”

Addasa brāhmaṇo buddhaṁ,
The brahmin saw the Buddha,
The brahmin saw the Buddha,

vippamuttaṁ nirūpadhiṁ;
liberated, free of attachments.
released, free from acquisitions.

Svassa dhammamadesesi,
He taught him the Dhamma,
The Sage gone beyond suffering

muni dukkhassa pāragū.
the sage gone beyond suffering:
taught him the Dhamma:

Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ,
suffering, suffering’s origin,
suffering, the origin of suffering,

dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ;
suffering’s transcendence,
the overcoming of suffering,

Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,
and the noble eightfold path
and the Noble eightfold path

dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.
that leads to the stilling of suffering.
leading to the appeasement of suffering.

Tattha viññātasaddhammo,
Having understood the true teaching there,
He immediately understood the true Dhamma,

pabbajjaṁ samarocayi;
he chose to go forth.
and was happy to go forth.

Sujāto tīhi rattīhi,
Three days later
On the third night,

tisso vijjā aphassayi.
Sujāta realized the three knowledges.
Sujāta attained the three knowledges.

“Ehi sārathi gacchāhi,
“Please, charioteer, go;
“Come here, charioteer,

rathaṁ niyyādayāhimaṁ;
take back this carriage.
take this chariot back,

Ārogyaṁ brāhmaṇiṁ vajja,
Bidding my brahmin lady good health, say:
wish my brahmin lady freedom from disease, and tell her:

‘pabbaji dāni brāhmaṇo;
‘The brahmin has now gone forth.
‘The brahmin has now gone forth.

Sujāto tīhi rattīhi,
After three days,
On the third night,

tisso vijjā aphassayi’”.
Sujāta realized the three knowledges.’”
Sujāta attained the three knowledges.’”

Tato ca rathamādāya,
Then taking the carriage,
So the charioteer, took the chariot

sahassañcāpi sārathi;
along with a thousand coins, the charioteer
and a thousand,

Ārogyaṁ brāhmaṇiṁvoca,
bade the brahmin lady good health, and said:
and wishing the brahmin lady freedom from disease, he said:

“pabbaji dāni brāhmaṇo;
“The brahmin has now gone forth.
“The brahmin has now gone forth.

Sujāto tīhi rattīhi,
After three days,
On the third night,

tisso vijjā aphassayi”.
Sujāta realized the three knowledges.”
Sujāta attained the three knowledges.”

“Etañcāhaṁ assarathaṁ,
Hearing that the brahmin had the three knowledges, <j>the lady replied:
“Charioteer, I give you this horse and carriage,

sahassañcāpi sārathi;
“I present to you this horse and carriage,
as well as the thousand

Tevijjaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ sutvā,
O charioteer, along with 1000 coins,
and a full bowl,

puṇṇapattaṁ dadāmi te”.
and a full bowl as a gift.”
since I hear that the brahmin possesses the three knowledges.”

“Tuyheva hotvassaratho,
“Keep the horse and carriage, lady,
“Take this horse and carriage,

sahassañcāpi brāhmaṇi;
along with the thousand coins.
and the thousand, brahmin lady,

Ahampi pabbajissāmi,
I too shall go forth in his presence,
I too will go forth,

varapaññassa santike”.
the one of such splendid wisdom.”
near this excellent and wise one.”

“Hatthī gavassaṁ maṇikuṇḍalañca,
“Elephants, cattle, jeweled earrings,
“An elephant, an ox, and a jeweled earring;

Phītañcimaṁ gahavibhavaṁ pahāya;
such opulent domestic wealth:
after giving up such opulent householder wealth,

Pitā pabbajito tuyhaṁ,
having given it up, your father went forth,
your father went forth.

Bhuñja bhogāni sundarī;
enjoy these riches Sundarī,
Sundarī, enjoy these possessions,

Tuvaṁ dāyādikā kule”.
you are the family heir.”
you are the heir in the family.”

“Hatthī gavassaṁ maṇikuṇḍalañca,
“Elephants, cattle, jeweled earrings,
“An elephant, an ox, and a jeweled earring,

Rammaṁ cimaṁ gahavibhavaṁ pahāya;
such delightful domestic wealth:
after giving up such charming householder wealth,

Pitā pabbajito mayhaṁ,
having given it up, my father went forth,
my father went forth,

Puttasokena aṭṭito;
racked by grief for his son.
struck by grief after losing his child.

Ahampi pabbajissāmi,
I too shall go forth,
I too will go forth,

Bhātusokena aṭṭitā”.
racked by grief for my brother.”
struck by grief after losing my brother.”

“So te ijjhatu saṅkappo,
“Sundarī, may the wish you desire
“May your intention and aspiration

yaṁ tvaṁ patthesi sundarī;
come true.
Sundarī, come to fruition.

Uttiṭṭhapiṇḍo uñcho ca,
Leftovers as gleanings,
Lumps of leftover food for sustenance,

paṁsukūlañca cīvaraṁ;
and cast-off rags as robes—
and robes made from discarded rags:

Etāni abhisambhontī,
make do with these,
these are acquired

paraloke anāsavā”.
free of defilements regarding the next life.”
free from influences in the world to come.”

“Sikkhamānāya me ayye,
“Ma’am, while I am still a trainee nun,
“Because of the training, Ayya,

dibbacakkhu visodhitaṁ;
my clairvoyance is clarified;
I have purified my divine eye.

Pubbenivāsaṁ jānāmi,
I know my past lives,
I know my past lives,

yattha me vusitaṁ pure.
the places I used to live.
where I dwelt previously.

Tuvaṁ nissāya kalyāṇi,
Relying on a fine lady like you,
On account of your support, beautiful one,

theri saṅghassa sobhane;
a senior nun who beautifies the Sangha,
Elder Sobhanā who beautifies the Sangha,

Tisso vijjā anuppattā,
I’ve attained the three knowledges,
I obtained the three knowledges,

kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.
and completed the teaching of the Buddha.

Anujānāhi me ayye,
Give me permission ma’am,
Allow me, Ayya,

icche sāvatthi gantave;
I wish to go to Sāvatthī,
to go to Sāvatthī where I desire to be,

Sīhanādaṁ nadissāmi,
where I shall roar my lion’s roar
I will roar my lion’s roar,

buddhaseṭṭhassa santike”.
before the best of Buddhas.”
in the presence of the foremost Buddha.”

“Passa sundari satthāraṁ,
“Sundarī, see the Teacher!
“Sundarī, see the Teacher,

hemavaṇṇaṁ harittacaṁ;
Snow gold in tint, <j>with sun-golden skin;
with golden colored skin,

Adantānaṁ dametāraṁ,
tamer of the untamed,
tamer of the untamed,

sambuddhamakutobhayaṁ”.
the Awakened One who fears nothing <j>from any quarter.”
the self-enlightened one, fearless everywhere.”

“Passa sundarimāyantiṁ,
“See Sundarī coming,
“See Sundarī coming,

vippamuttaṁ nirūpadhiṁ;
liberated, free of attachments.
released, free from acquisitions,

Vītarāgaṁ visaṁyuttaṁ,
desireless, detached,
free from passion, unbound,

katakiccamanāsavaṁ.
her task completed, without defilements.”
one who has done what was to be done, free from influences.”

Bārāṇasito nikkhamma,
“Having set forth from Varanasi
“Having left Bārāṇasī,

tava santikamāgatā;
and come to your presence, great hero,
coming near you,

Sāvikā te mahāvīra,
your disciple Sundarī
Great Hero, your female disciple,

pāde vandati sundarī.
bows at your feet.
Sundarī, pays homage at your feet.

Tuvaṁ buddho tuvaṁ satthā,
You are the Buddha, you are the Teacher,
You are the Buddha, you are the Teacher,

tuyhaṁ dhītāmhi brāhmaṇa;
I am your rightful daughter, brahmin,
I am your daughter, brahmin!

Orasā mukhato jātā,
born of your mouth.
Legitimate, born from your mouth,

katakiccā anāsavā”.
I’ve completed the task <j>and am free of defilements.”
one who has done what was to be done, free from influences.”

“Tassā te svāgataṁ bhadde,
“Then welcome, good lady,
“You are welcome here, lucky one,

tato te adurāgataṁ;
you’re by no means unwelcome.
you are indeed welcome here.

Evañhi dantā āyanti,
For this is how the tamed come
In this way the tamed ones come,

satthu pādāni vandikā;
bowing at the Teacher’s feet;
paying homage at the Teacher’s feet.

Vītarāgā visaṁyuttā,
desireless, detached,
Free from passion, unbound,

katakiccā anāsavā”.
the task completed, without defilements.”
they have done what was to be done, free from influences.”

… Sundarī therī ….
The Elder Sundarī