CHAPTER OF POEMS WITH SINGLE VERSES

Verse 1: A certain bhikkhunī (Aññatarātherī)

[The Buddha:]

Sleep soundly, little elder sister, clad in a rag-robe you stitched [yourself]. For your attachment is incinerated like burnt vegetables in a stewpot.

Sukhaṃ supāhi therike katvā coḷena pārutā
Upasanto hi te rāgo sukkhaḍākaṃ va kumbhiyan ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Sleep softly, little Sturdy, take thy rest
At ease, wrapt in the robe thyself hast made.
Stilled are the passions that would rage within,
Withered as potherbs in the oven dried.

COMMENT

Seeing her cooking burst into flames when she was a laywoman led this unknown person to profound insight, non-returnership, bhikkhunī ordination, and finally arahantship. When the Buddha confirmed her accomplishment in this verse, he also humorously proved his knowledge of the connection between the important events of her life.

COMMENT

Therike: ‘little elder sister.’ Thera: ‘may come from sthā in sense of standing over, lasting (one year or more), cp. thāvara old age, then ‘old=venerable’; (in meaning to be compared with Lat. senior,’ says PED. The title Aññatarātherī shows that Therikā is not her name. Mrs Rhys Davids wavers, saying ‘a certain Sister’ in the title, and ‘little Sturdy’ in the verse. The -ka suffix (‘little’) likely indicates youth.

COMMENT

Coḷena: ‘rag-robe.’ Commentary: paṃsukūlacoḷehi cīvaraṃ katvā

COMMENT

Rāgo: ‘attachment.’ See IGPT sv Rāga.

COMMENT

Upasanto: ‘incinerated.’ Commentary: daḍḍho. In verse ‘the need to fit the sentence to the metre influences the choice of vocabulary, so that unusual synonyms and rare words may be used’ (Warder, p.355). Mrs Rhys Davids says, ‘Without accepting in blind faith the accuracy of the synonyms or equipollent phrases supplied in its exegesis, I have, in many ambiguous terms, been determined by the ruling of the Commentator, as representing the most ancient orthodox tradition ’(Introduction, Psalms).

COMMENT

The commentary says the words spoken by the Buddha in many verses of the Therīgāthā were communicated by supernormal means. For example, concerning Muttā’s verses below it says the Buddha made his appearance via a psychically created image of himself (Satthā surabhigandhakuṭiyā nisinnova obhāsaṃ vissajjetvā tassā purato nisinno viya attānaṃ dassetvā). This explains a gap in the suttas which give the unfriendly impression that, apart from his foster mother Mahāpajāpatī, bhikkhunīs rarely received the Buddha’s personal attention. These poems of the Therīgāthā give the opposite impression, being full of tenderness and humour.

 

Verse 2: Muttā: ‘Freed [from individual existence]’

[The Buddha:]

Muttā, be freed from [the four] states of bondage [to individual existence] like the moon is free from the grasp of Rāhu’s [mouth]. With mind freed [from individual existence], being free of karmic debt, enjoy your almsfood.

Mutte muccassu yogehi cando rāhuggahā iva
Vippamuttena cittena anaṇā bhuñja piṇḍakan ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Get free, Liberta, free e’en as the Moon
From out the Dragon’s jaws sails clear on high.
Wipe off the debts that hinder thee, and so,
With heart at liberty, break thou thy fast.

COMMENT

Muttā was the daughter of a brahman in Sāvatthī who went forth into the ascetic life under Mahāpajāpatī as a sikkhamānā, a term we explain below. Most of these first Therīgāthā verses were originally spoken by the Buddha, to be later repeated in triumph by the bhikkhunīs themselves. On the meaning of Muttā’s name see IGPT sv Mutta.

COMMENT

Yogehi: ‘[the four] states of bondage [to individual existence],’ i.e. kāmayogo, bhavayogo, diṭṭhiyogo, avijjāyogo. See IGPT sv Yoga.

COMMENT

Rāhuggahā: ‘the grasp of Rāhu’s [mouth].’ That Rahu captures objects with his mouth is indicated in the Suriya Sutta (mā rāhu gilī, S.1.51). Also see BDPPN.

COMMENT

Vippamuttena: ‘freed [from individual existence].’ See IGPT sv Mutta.

COMMENT

Anaṇā: ‘free of karmic debt.’ See IGPT sv Anaṇa.

COMMENT

Five notes concerning the training of the Buddha’s ordained female disciples:

1) Girls could become sāmaṇerīs (‘novices’) at 15 years old (Vin.1.79). As sāmaṇerīs they undertook the 10 precepts (Vin.1.83). At 18 they could become sikkhamānās (‘probationers’) (Vin.4.328). Women over 18 could become sikkhamānās without being sāmaṇerīs.

2) The sikkhamānā ordination involved affirming a commitment to the first 6 precepts for 2 years, but presumably involved maintaining all 10 precepts, including not using money and perfume. The need to reaffirm the 6 precepts suggests that the sāmaṇerīs’ adherence to these precepts was lax. Perhaps, for example, they ate after midday because ‘an individual under twenty is not able to endure hunger’ (Vin.1.78). Not having to affirm a commitment to all 10 precepts suggests that some sikkhamānās continued to use money, perhaps as nunnery stewards. After 2 years training, sikkhamānās could become bhikkhunīs (Vin.4.319-321).

3) Married women were not allowed to become bhikkhunīs till after 12 years of marriage (gihīgatā nāma purisantaragatā vuccati, Vin.4.322). This ‘marriage period’ likely began when they were 8 years old because the reason given for the rule was that girls ordained after less than 12 years marriage were ‘unable to endure cold and heat etc.’ which is the same reason that is given for not ordaining people under 20 years old. Some married/betrothed women may have been sikkhamānās longer than 2 years while they waited for the 12 years to expire.

4) If sikkhamānās wanted to become bhikkhunīs they were obliged to ask for their parents’ and husband’s permission to do so (Vin.4.334). But asking for permission does not necessarily mean getting it, because ordaining ‘without consent’ is defined as ‘not asking permission’ (ananuññātā ti anāpucchā, Vin.4.335). This explains why some husbands would hunt down their ex-wives (Vin.4.326).

5) The Buddha had to specifically prohibit the ordaining of pregnant sikkhamānās (Yā pana bhikkhunī gabbhiniṃ vuṭṭhāpeyya pācittiyan ti, Vin.4.317) and also had to establish rules for women pregnant at the time of bhikkhunī ordination, to allow them to live with their male children (Vin.2.278). These cases presumably arose from rape.

 

Verse 3: Puṇṇā: ‘Full [of Good Spiritual Qualities]’

[The Buddha:]

‘Puṇṇā, be full of good spiritual qualities, like the moon [is full] on the fifteenth day [of the half-month]. With perfect penetrative discernment obliterate the mass of inward darkness.’

Puṇṇe pūrassu dhammehi cando pannarase-r-iva
Paripuṇṇāya paññāya tamokkhandhaṃ padālayā ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Fill up, Puṇṇā, the orb of holy life,
E’en as on fifteenth day the full-orb’d moon.
Fill full the perfect knowledge of the Path,
And scatter all the gloom of ignorance.(3)

COMMENT

Puṇṇā became a sikkhamānā in Sāvatthī under Mahāpajāpatī at aged 20. While she was meditating in solitude the Buddha, who was sitting in his Fragrant Hut, recited this verse to her by supernormal communication.

COMMENT

Dhammehi: ‘good spiritual qualities.’ See IGPT sv Dhamma. Commentary: sattatiṃsa-bodhipakkhiya-dhammehi paripuṇṇā hohi.

COMMENT

Paññāya: ‘penetrative discernment.’ See IGPT sv Pajānāti.

COMMENT

Tamo: ‘inward darkness.’ Inward darkness equals the āsavas. See IGPT sv Kaṇha.

 

Verse 4: Tissā

[The Buddha:]

‘Tissā, be trained in the training [of the higher virtue, the higher mental states, and the higher penetrative discernment]. May [these] endeavours not be lost to you. Being emancipated from every tie to individual existence, live the religious life in the world free of perceptually obscuring states.

Tisse sikkhassu sikkhāya mā taṃ yogā upaccaguṃ
Sabbayogavisaṃyuttā cara loke anāsavā ti

Psalms of the Sisters

O Tissā! train thyself in the trainings three.
See that the great conjuncture now at hand
Pass thee not by! Unloose all other yokes,
And fare thou forth purged of the deadly Drugs.

COMMENT

Tissā was born in Kapilavatthu and went forth together with Mahāpajāpatī.

COMMENT

Sikkhāya: ‘in the training [of the higher virtue, the higher mental states, and the higher penetrative discernment].’ Commentary: adhisīlasikkhādikāya tividhāya sikkhāya sikkha.

• And what does he train in? He trains in the higher virtue, the higher mental states, and the higher penetrative discernment.
Kiñca sikkhati: adhisīlampi sikkhati adhicittampi sikkhati adhipaññampi sikkhati (A.1.231).

COMMENT

Yogā: ‘[these] endeavours.’ PED (Yoga): ‘connection, bond, means; fig. application, endeavour, device.’ Yogā refers to the three trainings just mentioned. But the commentary conceives yogā to mean the ‘conjunctions’ of manussattaṃ, indriyāvekallaṃ, buddhuppādo, and saddhāpaṭilābho. It is hard to see why a plural would be used for this. Nonetheless, Mrs Rhys Davids agrees with this, and even points to Tissā’s lucky birth sign as part of the fortunate conjunction of events, saying that ‘There is more in this little poem than is at first apparent.’

COMMENT

Cara: ‘live the religious life.’ See IGPT sv Eko care khaggavisāṇakappo.

COMMENT

Sabbayogavisaṃyuttā: ‘Being emancipated from every tie to individual existence.’ See IGPT sv Yoga and Saṃyutta.

COMMENT

Anāsavā: ‘free of perceptually obscuring states.’ See IGPT sv Āsava.

 

Verse 5: Another Tissā

[The Buddha:]

‘Tissā, apply yourself to [the cultivation of] good spiritual qualities. May the [rare] opportunity [to live the religious life] not pass you by, because those who miss the opportunity grieve when consigned to hell.’

Tisse yuñjassu dhammehi khaṇo taṃ mā upaccagā
Khaṇātītā hi socanti nirayamhi samappitā ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Tissā! lay well upon thy heart the yoke
Of noblest culture. See the moment come!
Let it not pass thee by! for many they
Who mourn in misery that moment past.

COMMENT

Tissā was born in Kapilavatthu and went forth together with Mahāpajāpatī.

COMMENT

Dhammehi: ‘good spiritual qualities.’ Commentary: samathavipassanādhammehi ariyehi bodhipakkhiyadhammehi ca yuñja yogaṃ karohi. See IGPT sv Dhamma.

COMMENT

Khaṇo: ‘the [rare] opportunity [to live the religious life].’ We parenthesise brahmacariyavāsāya for two reasons:

1) Commentary to Th.v.1004: Khaṇo vo mā upaccagā ti aṭṭhahi akkhaṇehi vivajjito ayaṃ navamo khaṇo mā tumhe atikkamī ti attho.

2) Aṭṭha akkhaṇā asamayā brahmacariyavāsāya. Ekova bhikkhave khaṇo ca samayo ca brahmacariyavāsāya (A.4.227).

 

Verse 6: Dhīrā

[The Buddha:]

‘Dhīrā, attain the ending [of originated phenomena], the subsiding of perception, bliss. Reach the Untroubled, the unsurpassed safety from [the danger of] bondage [to individual existence].’

Dhīre nirodhaṃ phusehi saññāvūpasamaṃ sukhaṃ
Ārādhayāhi nibbānaṃ yogakkhemaṃ anuttaran ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Come, O Dhīrā, reach up and touch the goal
Where all distractions cease, where sense is stilled,
Where dwelleth bliss; win thou Nibbana, win
That sure Salvation which hath no beyond.

COMMENT

Dhīrā was born in Kapilavatthu and went forth together with Mahāpajāpatī.

COMMENT

Nirodhaṃ: ‘ending [of originated phenomena].’ This equals the ending of perception and sense impression. See IGPT sv Nirodha.

• The phenomenon of the ending of perception and sense impression is a phenomenon attained with the ending [of originated phenomena].
yāyaṃ bhikkhu saññāvedayitanirodhadhātu ayaṃ dhātu nirodhaṃ paṭicca paññāyatī ti (S.2.151).

COMMENT

Nibbānaṃ: ‘the Untroubled.’ See IGPT sv Nibbāna.

COMMENT

Yogakkhemaṃ: ‘safety from [the danger of] bondage [to individual existence].’ See IGPT sv Yogakkhema.

 

Verse 7: Another Dhīrā: ‘Resolute’

[To herself:]

[You are called] Dhīrā on account of your resolute qualities. You are a bhikkhunī with the [five] spiritual faculties developed. Bear your last body having conquered Māra and his elephant.

Dhīrā dhīrehi dhammehi bhikkhunī bhāvitindriyā
Dhārehi antimaṃ dehaṃ jetvā māraṃ savāhanan ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Dhīrā, brave Sister! who hath valiantly
Thy faculties in noblest culture trained,
Bear to this end thy last incarnate frame,
For thou hast conquered Māra and his host.

COMMENT

The author of this verse is alternatively called Vīrā. Norman says ‘The fact that the gloss includes -viriya tends to favour the reading vīrā’. However, we have accepted Dhīra (as does Norman, in fact!) because of its placement next to verse 6, the first Dhīra. This second Dhīra, too, was born in Kapilavatthu and went forth together with Mahāpajāpatī.

COMMENT

Māraṃ savāhanan ti: ‘Māra and his elephant.’ See comment on verse 56.

COMMENT

Bhāvitindriyā: ‘the [five] spiritual faculties developed.’

• When five spiritual faculties have been developed and cultivated, a bhikkhu whose āsavas are destroyed declares his arahantship. Which five? The faculties of faith [in the perfection of the Perfect One’s enlightenment], energetic application [to the practice], mindfulness, inward collectedness, and penetrative discernment.
Pañcannaṃ kho bhikkhave indriyassa bhāvitattā bahulīkatattā khīṇāsavo bhikkhu aññaṃ vyākaroti... Katamesaṃ pañcannaṃ. Saddhindriyassa viriyindriyassa satindriyassa samādhindriyassa paññindriyassa (S.5.223).

 

Verse 8: Mittā: ‘Friend’

[The Buddha:]

‘Mittā, having gone forth [into the ascetic life] out of faith [in the perfection of the Perfect One’s enlightenment], be one who takes delight in [virtuous] friendship. Aiming to attain safety from [the danger of] bondage [to individual existence], develop spiritually wholesome factors.’

Saddhāya pabbajitvāna mitte mittaratā bhava
Bhāvehi kusale dhamme yogakkhemassa pattiyā ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Mittā, thou Sister friend! who camest forth
Convinced in heart, love thou in thought and deed
Friends worthy of thy love. So train thyself
In ways of good to win the safe, sure Peace.

COMMENT

Mittā was born in Kapilavatthu and went forth together with Mahāpajāpatī.

COMMENT

Mittaratā: ‘one who takes delight in [virtuous] friendship.’ Commentary: kalyāṇamittesu abhiratā. See IGPT sv Kalyāṇa.

COMMENT

Saddhāya: ‘out of faith [in the perfection of the Perfect One’s enlightenment].’ See IGPT sv Saddha.

COMMENT

Kusale dhamme: ‘spiritually wholesome factors.’ See IGPT sv Kusala.

COMMENT

Yogakkhemassa: ‘safety from [the danger of] bondage [to individual existence].’ See IGPT sv Yogakkhema.

 

Verse 9: Bhadrā: ‘Auspicious’

[The Buddha:]

‘Bhadrā, having gone forth [into the ascetic life] out of faith [in the perfection of the Perfect One’s enlightenment], be one who takes delight in what is auspicious. Develop spiritually wholesome factors [in order to attain] safety from [the danger of] bondage [to individual existence].’

Saddhāya pabbajitvāna bhadre bhadraratā bhava
Bhāvehi kusale dhamme yogakkhemaṃ anuttaran ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Bhadrā, who camest forth convinced in heart,
To sure felicity, O fortunate!
That heart devote. Develop all that's good,
Faring to uttermost Security.

COMMENT

Bhadrā was born in Kapilavatthu and went forth together with Mahāpajāpatī.

COMMENT

Saddhāya: ‘out of faith [in the perfection of the Perfect One’s enlightenment].’ See IGPT sv Saddhā.

COMMENT

Yogakkhemaṃ anuttaran: ‘[in order to attain] safety from [the danger of] bondage [to individual existence].’ Commentary: tassa pattiyā kusale bodhipakkhiyadhamme bhāvehī ti attho. See IGPT sv Yogakkhema.

 

Verse 10: Upasamā

[The Buddha:]

‘Cross the flood [of suffering], Upasama, the realm of death so hard to get beyond. Bear your last body having conquered Māra and his elephant.’

Upasame tare oghaṃ maccudheyyaṃ suduttaraṃ
Dhārehi antimaṃ dehaṃ jetvā māraṃ savāhanan ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Upasamā! cross thou serene and calm
The raging difficult Flood where death doth reign.
Bear to this end thy last incarnate frame,
For thou hast vanquished Māra and his host.

COMMENT

Upasamā was born in Kapilavatthu and went forth together with Mahāpajāpatī.

COMMENT

Oghaṃ: ‘the flood [of suffering].’ See IGPT sv Ogha.

COMMENT

Māraṃ savāhanan ti: ‘Māra and his elephant.’ See comment on verse 56.

 

Verse 11: Another Muttā: ‘Freed [from individual existence]’

I am well freed, gloriously freed through my freedom from three crooked things: my mortar, my pestle, and my hunchbacked husband. I am freed from birth and death. The conduit to renewed states of individual existence has been abolished.

Sumuttā sādhu muttāmhi tīhi khujjehi muttiyā
Udukkhalena musalena patinā khujjakena ca
Muttāmhi jātimaraṇā bhavanetti samūhatā ti

Psalms of the Sisters

O free, indeed! O gloriously free
Am I in freedom from three crooked things:–
From quern, from mortar, from my crookback'd lord!
Ay, but I'm free from rebirth and from death,
And all that dragged me back is hurled away.

COMMENT

Muttā was born in Kosala of a poor brahman and was given in marriage to a hunchbacked brahman.

COMMENT

Bhavanetti: ‘the conduit to renewed states of individual existence.’

• The fondness, attachment, spiritually fettering delight, craving, clinging, grasping, obstinate adherence, stubborn attachment, and identification in regards to bodily form: this is called the conduit to renewed states of individual existence.
rūpe kho rādha yo chando yo rāgo yā nandi yā taṇhā ye upayūpādānā cetaso adhiṭṭhānābhinivesānusayā ayaṃ vuccati bhavanetti... vedanāya... saññāya... saṅkhāresu... viññāṇe (S.3.191).

 

Verse 12: Dhammadinnā

One should be eager and determined [to understand the teaching]. One should suffuse [one’s body] with the [pure and clean] mind [of fourth jhāna]. One should not be emotionally bound to sensuous pleasures. [A person like this] is called ‘going upstream [to Nibbāna].’

Chandajātā avasāyī manasā ca phuṭhā siyā
Kāmesu appaṭibaddhacittā uddhaṃsotā ti vuccatī ti

Psalms of the Sisters

In whom desire to reach the final rest
Is born suffusing all the mind of her,
Whose heart by lure of sense-desire no more
Is held–BOUND UPSTREAM: so shall she be called.

COMMENT

Dhammadinnā left Visākha, her husband, and took ordination after he became a non-returner. She was soon an arahant. Visākha later interviewed her in the Cūḷavedalla Sutta (M.1.299). She became the foremost of bhikkhunīs who are speakers on the teaching (A.1.25).

COMMENT

Chandajātā: ‘eager [to understand the teaching].’ See IGPT sv Chanda.

COMMENT

Avasāyī: ‘determined [to understand the teaching].’ DOP gives ‘determined’ sv Avasāyi. We take the object from chandajātā. We explain the parenthesis in IGPT sv Chanda.

COMMENT

Manasā ca phuṭhā siyā: ‘should suffuse [one’s body] with the [pure and clean] mind [of fourth jhāna].’ The five factors of right inward collectedness to be developed are: suffusion with rapture, suffusion with physical pleasure, suffusion with mind, suffusion with light, and the object of meditation: Pañcaṅgiko sammāsamādhi; pītipharaṇatā sukhapharaṇatā cetopharaṇatā ālokapharaṇatā paccavekkhaṇanimittaṃ (D.3.277-8). If suffusion with rapture and physical pleasure corresponds to the first three jhānas, then suffusion with mind corresponds to fourth jhāna, in which a bhikkhu sits, permeating his body with a pure and clean mind (imameva kāyaṃ parisuddhena cetasā pariyodātena pharitvā nisinno hoti. Nāssa kiñci sabbāvato kāyassa parisuddhena cetasā pariyodātena apphuṭaṃ hoti (D.1.75-76).

COMMENT

Appaṭibaddhacitto: ‘not emotionally bound.’ See IGPT sv Baddha.

 

Verse 13: Visākhā

[A self-admonishment:]

Undertake the Buddha’s training system. Having done so one does not [later] regret it. Wash your feet quickly and sit down somewhere quiet.

Karotha buddhasāsanaṃ yaṃ katvā nānutappati
Khippaṃ pādāni dhovitvā ekamante nisīdathā ti

Psalms of the Sisters

The Buddha’s will be done! See that ye do
His will. An ye have done it, never more
Need ye repent the deed. Wash, then, in haste
Your feet and sit ye down aloof; alone.

COMMENT

Visākhā was born in Kapilavatthu and went forth together with Mahāpajāpatī. The commentary says she spoke this verse after attaining arahantship. If so, then she was repeating the words that had led her to that state.

COMMENT

Sāsanaṃ: ‘training system.’ See IGPT sv Sāsana.

COMMENT

Nānutappati: ‘one does not [later] regret it.’ Parenthesis accords with pacchā ca-m-anutappati (Th.v.261).

COMMENT

Ekamante: ‘somewhere quiet.’ See IGPT sv Ekamantaṃ.

 

Verse 14: Sumanā

[The Buddha:]

‘See the [eighteen] elements of sensation as intrinsically unsatisfactory

lest you are reborn. Having discarded fondness for individual existence you will live the religious life inwardly at peace.’

Dhātuyo dukkhato disvā mā jātiṃ puna-r-āgami
Bhave chandaṃ virājetvā upasantā carissasī ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Hast thou not seen sorrow and ill in all
The springs of life? Come thou not back to birth!
Cast out the passionate desire again to Be.
So shalt thou go thy ways calm and serene.

COMMENT

Sumanā was born in Kapilavatthu and went forth together with Mahāpajāpatī.

COMMENT

Dhātuyo: ‘[eighteen] elements of sensation.’ Commentary: cakkhādidhātuyo. See IGPT sv Dhātu.

• There are these eighteen elements of sensation: the phenomenon of sight, the phenomenon of visible objects, the phenomenon of the visual field of sensation etc.
Aṭṭhārasa kho imā ānanda dhātuyo cakkhudhātu rūpadhātu cakkhuviññāṇadhātu (M.3.62).

COMMENT

Dukkhato: ‘intrinsically unsatisfactory.’ See IGPT sv Dukkha.

COMMENT

Bhave: ‘individual existence.’ See IGPT sv Bhava.

COMMENT

Chandaṃ: ‘fondness.’ See IGPT sv Chanda.

COMMENT

Carissasī: ‘you will live the religious life.’ See IGPT sv Eko care khaggavisāṇakappo.

 

Verse 15: Uttarā

I was restrained in conduct of body, speech, and mind. Having removed [the arrow of] craving together with its origin, I am freed from inward distress. I have realised the Untroubled.

Kāyena saṃvutā āsiṃ vācāya uda cetasā
Samūlaṃ taṇhaṃ abbuyha sītibhūtamhi nibbutā ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Well have I disciplined myself in act,
In speech and eke in thought, rapt and intent.
Craving with root of craving is o'ercome;
Cool am I now; I know Nibbana's peace.

COMMENT

Uttarā was born in Kapilavatthu and went forth together with Mahāpajāpatī.

COMMENT

Samūlaṃ: ‘together with its origin.’ Craving arises from seeing things in the wrong way, which is therefore its origin, as follows:

• Whatever ascetics and Brahmanists at present regard that in the world which is agreeable and pleasing as lasting, as essentially substantial, as endowed with personal qualities, as unailing, as free of danger: they nurture craving.
Yepi hi keci bhikkhave etarahi samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā yaṃ loke piyarūpaṃ sātarūpaṃ taṃ niccato passanti sukhato passanti attato passanti ārogyato passanti khemato passanti te taṇhaṃ vaḍḍhenti

• Whatever ascetics and Brahmanists at present regard that in the world which is agreeable and pleasing as unlasting, as intrinsically unsatisfactory, as void of personal qualities, as an illness, as full of danger: they abandon craving.
Yepi hi ke ci bhikkhave etarahi samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā yaṃ loko piyarūpaṃ sātarūpaṃ taṃ aniccato passanti dukkhato passanti anattato passanti rogato passanti bhayato passanti. Te taṇhaṃ pajahanti (S.2.110-112).

COMMENT

Sītibhūtamhi: ‘I am freed from inward distress.’ See IGPT sv Sītibhūta.

COMMENT

Nibbutā: ‘realised the Untroubled.’ In verse, parinibbuto is often abbreviated to nibbuto. See IGPT sv Nibbāna.

 

Verse 16: Vuḍḍhapabbajitasumanā: ‘Sumanā, who went forth into the ascetic life when old’

[The Buddha:]

‘Sleep soundly, old woman, clad in a rag-robe you stitched [yourself]. Your attachment has completely subsided. You are freed from inward distress. You have realised the Untroubled.’

Sukhaṃ tvaṃ vuḍḍhike sehi katvā coḷena pārutā
Upasanto hi te rāgo sītibhūtāsi nibbutā ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Happily rest, thou venerable dame!
Rest thee, wrapt in the robe thyself hast made.
Stilled are the passions that have raged within.
Cool art thou now, knowing Nibbana's peace.

COMMENT

Sumanā: King Pasenadi’s sister.

COMMENT

Sītibhūtāsi: ‘freed from inward distress.’ See IGPT sv Sītibhūta.

 

Verse 17: Dhammā

While walking on almsround leaning on a stick, a frail woman with trembling limbs, I toppled over right there onto the ground. On realising the wretchedness of the body, my mind was liberated [from perceptually obscuring states].

Piṇḍapātaṃ caritvāna daṇḍamolubbha dubbalā
Vedhamānehi gattehi tattheva nipatiṃ chamā
Disvā ādīnavaṃ kāye atha cittaṃ vimucci me ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Far had I wandered for my daily food;
Weary with shaking limbs I reached my rest,
Leaning upon my staff, when even there
I fell to earth. Lo! all the misery
Besetting this poor mortal frame lay bare
To inward vision. Prone the body lay;
The heart of me rose up in liberty.

COMMENT

Born in Sāvatthī and forbidden to go forth by her husband, Dhammā became a bhikkhunī after his death.

COMMENT

Ādīnavaṃ: ‘wretchedness.’ See IGPT sv Ādīnava.

COMMENT

Vimucci: ‘liberated [from perceptually obscuring states].’ See IGPT sv Vimutta.

 

Verse 18: Saṅghā

Having abandoned the household life and gone forth [into the ascetic life], having abandoned my beloved sons and cattle, having abandoned attachment and hatred, having discarded uninsightfulness into reality, having removed [the arrow of] craving together with its origin, I am inwardly at peace. I have realised the Untroubled.

Hitvā ghare pabbajitvā hitvā puttaṃ pasuṃ piyaṃ
Hitvā rāgañca dosañca avijjañca virājiya
Samūlaṃ taṇhaṃ abbuyha upasantāmhi nibbutā ti

Psalms of the Sisters

Home have I left, for I have left my world!
Child have I left, and all my cherish’d herds!
Lust have I left, and Ill-will, too, is gone,
And Ignorance have I put far from me;
Craving and root of Craving overpowered,
Cool am I now, knowing Nibbana’s peace.

COMMENT

Saṅghā was born in Kapilavatthu and went forth together with Mahāpajāpatī.

COMMENT

Piyaṃ: ‘beloved.’ See IGPT sv Piya.

COMMENT

Puttaṃ: ‘sons.’ Commentary: putte. Norman comments ‘The glossing of puttaṃ by a plural is strange.’ But the same word occurs at S.1.15 where arahants (arahanto) have likewise abandoned their sons (puttaṃ).

COMMENT

Rāgañca: ‘attachment.’ See IGPT sv Rāga.

COMMENT

Samūlaṃ taṇhaṃ: ‘craving together with its origin.’ See comment on verse 15.