sutta » kn » thig » Therīgāthā 13.4

Sundarītherīgāthā

Verses of the Elder Sundarī Sundarī

“Petāni bhoti puttāni,
“In the past your dead children
“Before, when your children passed away,

khādamānā tuvaṁ pure;
were devoured by scavengers.
you would expose them to be eaten.

Tuvaṁ divā ca ratto ca,
Day and night,
All day and all night

atīva paritappasi.
you were overwhelmed by torment.
you’d be racked with despair.

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

sataputtāni brāhmaṇī;
have been devoured.
seven children in all to be eaten;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Etāni abhisambhontī,
these are acquired
make do with these,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

hemavaṇṇaṁ harittacaṁ;
with golden colored skin,
Golden colored, golden skinned,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

pāde vandati sundarī.
Sundarī, pays homage at your feet.
bows 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 daughter, brahmin!
I am your rightful daughter, brahmin,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

… Sundarī therī ….
The Elder Sundarī