CHAPTER OF POEMS WITH THIRTY VERSES

Verses 366-399: Subhā Jīvakambavanikā: ‘Subhā of Jīvaka's Mango Grove’

VERSE 366

[Early textual editors:]

A rogue stopped the bhikkhunī Subhā while she was going to Jīvaka’s delightful Mango Grove. Subhā said this to him:

Jīvakambavanaṃ rammaṃ gacchantiṃ bhikkhuniṃ subhaṃ
Dhuttako sannivāresi tamenaṃ abravī subhā

COMMENT

‘[Early textual editors:]’: see comment on verses 119-121.

 

VERSE 367

[Subhā:]

‘What wrong have I done you on account of which you stand obstructing me? For it is not appropriate, friend, that a man should touch a woman who has gone forth [into the ascetic life].

Kiṃ te aparādhitaṃ mayā yaṃ maṃ ovariyāna tiṭṭhasi
Na hi pabbajitāya āvuso puriso samphusanāya kappati

 

VERSE 368

‘This precept of mine is explained by the Sublime One in the Teacher’s much esteemed training system. [I have attained] the state of spiritual purity. I am spiritually unblemished. Why do you stand obstructing me?

Garuke mama satthusāsane yā sikkhā sugatena desitā
Parisuddhapadaṃ anaṅgaṇaṃ kiṃ maṃ ovariyāna tiṭṭhasi

 

VERSE 369

‘Why do you, whose mind is full of impurity, full of defilements, stand obstructing me, who am free of spiritual impurity, spiritually unblemished, with a mind that is completely liberated [from perceptually obscuring states]?’

Āvilacitto anāvilaṃ sarajo vītarajaṃ anaṅgaṇaṃ
Sabbattha vimuttamānasaṃ kiṃ maṃ ovariyāna tiṭṭhasi

COMMENT

Anāvilaṃ: ‘free of spiritual impurity.’ See IGPT sv Āvila.

COMMENT

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

 

VERSE 370

[Rogue:]

‘You are young and not bad [looking]. What will going forth [into the ascetic life] do for you? Give up the ochre robe. Come on, let us enjoy ourselves in the wood with its beautiful flowers.

Daharā ca apāpikā casi kiṃ te pabbajjā karissati
Nikkhipa kāsāyacīvaraṃ ehi ramāmase supupphite vane

COMMENT

Apāpikā: ‘not bad [looking].’ Commentary: Apāpikā casī ti rūpena alāmikā ca asi.

 

VERSE 371

‘The towering trees emanate a sweet aroma in all directions with the scent of blossoms. The beginning of spring is a pleasant time [of the year]. Come on, let us enjoy ourselves in the wood with its beautiful flowers.

Madhurañca pavanti sabbaso kusumarajena samuṭṭhitā dumā
Paṭhamavasanto sukho utu ehi ramāmase supupphite vane

COMMENT

Kusumarajena: ‘the scent of blossoms.’ The context shows rajo means scent not pollen.

COMMENT

If ca links to ca in the next verse, it indicates simultaneity: ‘meanwhile’.

 

VERSE 372

‘Meanwhile the trees with blossoming crests rustle when fanned by the breeze. What delight will there be for you if you enter the wood alone?

Kusumitasikharā ca pādapā abhigajjantiva māluteritā
Kā tuyhaṃ rati bhavissati yadi ekā vanamogāhissasi

 

VERSE 373

‘You wish to go without a companion to the lonely, terrifying, great wood that is frequented by groups of the big cats, and resounds with the noise made by rutting and female elephants.

Vāḷamigasaṅghasevitaṃ kuñjaramattakareṇuloḷitaṃ
Asahāyikā gantumicchasi rahitaṃ bhiṃsanakaṃ mahāvanaṃ

COMMENT

Vāḷamigasaṅghasevitaṃ: ‘frequented by groups of the big cats.’ Commentary: Vāḷamigasaṅghasevitan ti sīhavyagghādivāḷamigasamūhehi tattha tattha upasevitaṃ, i.e. lions, tigers, and panthers.

 

VERSE 374

‘[If you marry me] you will go about like a golden doll, like a celestial nymph in the Cittaratha Park [in the Tāvatiṃsa heaven]. You will look glorious in fine muslin garments and beautiful clothing, O incomparable woman!

Tapanīyakatāva dhītikā vicarasi cittaratheva accharā
Kāsikasukhumehi vagguhi sobhasi vasanehi anupame

 

VERSE 375

‘I would be at your command if we lived in a forest glade. For there is no creature more beloved to me than you, O mountain nymph with lovely eyes.

Ahaṃ tava vasānugo siyaṃ yadi viharemase kānanantare
Na hi matthi tayā piyataro pāṇo kinnarimandalocane

COMMENT

Kinnari: ‘O mountain nymph.’ The kinnarī is a mythical bird with a woman’s head. In verse 381 it is associated with mountains.

 

VERSE 376

‘[You will be] happy if you follow my advice. Come and live the household life. You will dwell sheltered from the wind in a palace. Let your ladies-in-waiting attend upon you.

Yadi me vacanaṃ karissasi sukhitā ehi agāramāvasa
Pāsādanivātavāsinī parikammaṃ te karontu nāriyo

 

VERSE 377

‘Wear fine muslin garments. Put on garlands and perfumes. I will make lots of different jewellery for you, made of gold, gems, and pearls.

Kāsikasukhumāni dhāraya abhirohehi ca mālavaṇṇakaṃ
Kañcanamaṇimuttakaṃ bahuṃ vividhaṃ ābharaṇaṃ karomi te

COMMENT

Dhāraya: ‘wear.’ Commentary: Dhārayā ti paridaha, nivāsehi ceva uttariyañca karohi.

COMMENT

Vaṇṇakaṃ: ‘perfumes.’ Commentary: gandhavilepanañca.

 

VERSE 378

‘Climb onto a new and costly bed with a mattress, a fleece blanket, and covered with an exquisite well-laundered bedspread adorned with fine-scented sandalwood.

Sudhotarajapacchadaṃ subhaṃ goṇakatūlika santhataṃ navaṃ
Abhiruha sayanaṃ mahārahaṃ candanamaṇḍitaṃ sāragandhikaṃ

 

VERSE 379

‘Just as a blue lotus in full blossom arisen from the water is untouched by men, likewise you, O practitioner of the religious life, will reach old age with your limbs untouched by men.’

Uppalaṃ v’udakā samuggataṃ suphullam amanussa sevitaṃ
Evaṃ tuvaṃ brahmacārinī sakesu aṅgesu jaraṃ gamissasi

 

VERSE 380

[Subhā:]

‘What is it here that you regard as substantial, in this body, full of animal carcasses, a filler of charnel grounds, destined to destruction. What is it that you see in this body, seeing which you are [so] infatuated [with it]?’

Kiṃ te idha sārasammataṃ kuṇapapūramhi susānavaḍḍhane
Bhedanadhamme kalevare yaṃ disvā vimano udikkhasi

 

VERSE 381

[Rogue:]

‘Your eyes are indeed like a fawn’s, or like a mountain nymph’s. Seeing your eyes my sensuous delight increases all the more.

Akkhīni va turiyāriva kinnariyāriva pabbatantare
Tava me nayanāni dakkhiya bhiyyo kāmarati pavaḍḍhati

COMMENT

Turiyāriva: ‘fawn.’ Commentary: migacchāpāya viya. Chāpa is the young of an animal.

 

VERSE 382

‘Seeing the eyes in your face like shining, spotless buds of a blue lotus, my sensuous yearning increases all the more.

Uppalasikharopamāni te vimale hāṭakasannibhe mukhe
Tava me nayanānudikkhiya bhiyyo kāmaguṇo pavaḍḍhati

COMMENT

Kāmaguṇo: ‘sensuous yearning.’ See IGPT sv Kāma and Guṇa. We take guṇo to mean spiritual quality, and treat it as redundant.

COMMENT

Hāṭakasannibhe: ‘like shining.’ Commentary: Hāṭakasannibhe ti kañcanarūpakassa. PED (sv Kañcana) kañcanavaṇṇa: of gold colour, gilt, shining, bright

 

VERSE 383

‘Even if you go far away I will remember you, you with the long eyelashes, you with the pure gaze. For there are no eyes more beloved to me than yours, O mountain nymph with lovely eyes.’

Api dūragatā saramhase āyatapamhe visuddhadassane
Na hi m’atthi tayā piyatarā nayanā kinnarimandalocane

 

VERSE 384

[Subhā:]

‘You wish to proceed on an impossible path. You want the moon as your playball. You want to hop over Mount Meru, you who have designs on a spiritual daughter of the Buddha.

Apathena payātumicchasi candaṃ kīḷanakaṃ gavesasi
Meruṃ laṅghetumicchasi yo tvaṃ buddhasutaṃ maggayasi

COMMENT

Buddhasutaṃ: ‘a spiritual daughter of the Buddha.’ Commentary: buddhasutaṃ buddhassa bhagavato orasadhītaraṃ. Orasa means ‘true or legitimate,’ says DOP.

 

VERSE 385

‘Because now I have no [object of] attachment in the world, nor in the world of the devas. I do not know [of any previous attachment] that has not been destroyed by the [eightfold] path.

Natthi hi loke sadevake rāgo yattha pi dāni me siyā
Napi naṃ jānāmi kīriso atha maggena hato samūlako

COMMENT

Rāgo: ‘[object of] attachment.’ Commentary: Tattha rāgo yattha pi dāni me siyā ti yattha idāni me rāgo siyā bhaveyya, taṃ ārammaṇaṃ sadevake loke natthi eva.

COMMENT

Napi naṃ jānāmi kīriso: ‘I do not know [of any previous attachment].’ Commentary: Napi naṃ jānāmi kīriso ti naṃ rāgaṃ kīriso ti pi na jānāmi.

 

VERSE 386

‘[My previous attachment] has been scattered like the sparks from a [red-hot] charcoal pit [are scattered by the wind]. I set the value [of those attachments] as equivalent to a bowl of poison. I do not see [any previous attachment] that has not been destroyed by the [eightfold] path.

Iṅgālakuyāva ukkhito visapattoriva agghato kato
Napi naṃ passāmi kīriso atha maggena hato samūlako

COMMENT

Iṅgālakuyāva: ‘sparks from a [red-hot] charcoal pit.’ Commentary: Iṅgālakuyā ti aṅgārakāsuyā.

COMMENT

Ukkhito: ‘scattered by the wind.’ Commentary: vātukkhitto.

 

VERSE 387

‘You should ravish one who has not [properly] contemplated [the five aggregates], or who has not [lovingly] venerated the Teacher [through their practice in accordance with the teaching]. But should you ravish one who knows [the nature of reality], you will [thereafter] suffer hardship.

Yassā siyā apaccavekkhitaṃ satthā vā anupāsito siyā
Tvaṃ tādisikaṃ palobhaya jānantiṃ so imaṃ vihaññasi

COMMENT

Apaccavekkhitaṃ: ‘not [properly] contemplated [the five aggregates].’ Commentary: Yassā siyā apaccavekkhitanti yassā itthiyā idaṃ khandhapañcakaṃ ñāṇena appaṭivekkhitaṃ apariññātaṃ siyā.

COMMENT

Anupāsito: ‘one who has not [lovingly] venerated the Teacher [through his practice in accordance with the teaching].’ Upāsita means honoured, served, attended. The context suggests it should be treated as a synonym of pariciṇṇo, and should be parenthesised accordingly. See IGPT sv Pariciṇṇo mayā satthā. The claim to have venerated the Teacher in this way implies arahantship.

COMMENT

Jānantiṃ: ‘one who knows [the nature of reality].’ We have shown this is the correct parenthesis for Passati, and use it here by virtue of context. See IGPT sv Passati.

COMMENT

Vihaññasi: ‘you will [thereafter] suffer hardship.’ Commentary: sampati āyatiñca vighātaṃ dukkhaṃ āpajjasi.

 

VERSE 388

‘For my mindfulness is established in the midst of both abuse and veneration, pleasure and pain. Knowing that what is originated is unlovely, my mind cleaves to nothing at all.

Mayhaṃ hi akkuṭṭhavandite sukhadukkhe ca sati upaṭṭhitā
Saṅkhatamasubhan ti jāniya sabbattheva mano na limpati

 

VERSE 389

‘I am the disciple of the Sublime One travelling the Path in the eightfold vehicle. With the arrow [of craving] removed, free of perceptually obscuring states, gone to a solitary abode, I find delight [in solitude].

Sāhaṃ sugatassa sāvikā maggaṭṭhaṅgikayānayāyinī
Uddhaṭasallā anāsavā suññāgāragatā ramāmahaṃ

 

VERSE 390

‘For I have seen beautifully painted puppets and dolls made to dance in different ways by being fastened to threads and rods.

Diṭṭhā hi mayā sucittitā sombhā dārukapillakāni vā
Tantihi ca khīlakehi ca vinibaddhā vividhaṃ panaccitā

 

VERSE 391

‘If these threads and rods are cut off, removed, scattered, lost, and broken up, to what there could one attach one’s mind?

Tamhuddhaṭe tantikhīlake visaṭṭhe vikale parukkhite
Avinde khaṇḍaso kate kimhi tattha manaṃ nivesaye

 

VERSE 392

‘Thus, likewise, this [wretched] little body does not continue without these [four material] phenomena. As it does not continue without these [four material] phenomena, to what there can one attach one’s mind?

Tathūpamaṃ dehakam imaṃ tehi dhammehi vinā na vattati
Dhammehi vinā na vattati kimhi tattha manaṃ nivesaye

COMMENT

Tehi dhammehi: ‘these [four material] phenomena.’ Commentary: Tehi dhammehī ti tehi pathaviādīhi ca cakkhādīhi ca dhammehi.

• The four great material phenomena are the indispensible and necessary conditions by which the aggregate of bodily form is to be discerned.
☸ Cattāro kho bhikkhu mahābhūtā hetu cattāro mahābhūtā paccayo rūpakkhandhassa paññāpanāya
(M.3.17).

 

VERSE 393

‘Just as you might see a picture [of a woman] created on a wall, painted with yellow orpiment, by that your vision [of things according to reality] has been perverted. The perception of men is useless.

Yathā haritālena makkhitaṃ addasa cittikaṃ bhittiyā kataṃ
Tamhi te viparītadassanaṃ saññā mānusikā niratthikā

COMMENT

Cittikaṃ: ‘picture [of a woman].’ Commentary: cittikaṃ itthirūpaṃ.

COMMENT

Dassanaṃ: ‘vision [of things according to reality].’ See IGPT sv Dassana.

 

VERSE 394

‘O blind man! You pursue something insubstantial, like an illusion which you esteem, or like a dream of a golden tree, or like a puppet show in front of a crowd.

Māyaṃ viya aggato kataṃ supinanteva suvaṇṇapādapaṃ
Upagacchasi andha rittakaṃ janamajjhe-r-iva rupparūpakaṃ

COMMENT

Aggato kataṃ: ‘esteem.’ PED (Agga1): ‘aggato kata: taken by its worth, valued, esteemed.’

 

VERSE 395

‘[The eye] is like a ball placed in the hollow of a tree. It has a small bubble-like [lens] in the middle, [and is watered] with tears. Eye-discharge is produced here, too. Various types of eyes are put together.’

Vaṭṭani-r-iva koṭarohitā majjhe bubbuḷakā saassukā
Pīḷakoḷikā c’ettha jāyati vividhā cakkhuvidhā ca piṇḍitā

 

VERSE 396

[Early textual editors:]

The lovely looking woman, with her mind liberated [from individual existence], did not cling to the eye. Having plucked it out she said: ‘Come on. Take away this eye for yourself,’ and immediately gave it to that man.

Uppāṭiya cārudassanā na ca sajjittha asaṅgamānasā
Handa te cakkhuṃ harassu taṃ tassa narassa adāsi tāvade

 

VERSE 397

And immediately, there [and then], his lust vanished and he begged her forgiveness.

Tassa ca viramāsi tāvade rāgo tattha khamāpayi ca naṃ

[Rogue:]

‘Become well again, O practitioner of the religious life! No such thing [as this] will [ever] happen again.

Sotthi siyā brahmacārinī na puno edisakaṃ bhavissati

 

VERSE 398

‘As if embracing a blazing fire or grasping a poisonous snake, in assailing such a person [as you] could there be any safety? Please forgive me.’

Āsādiya edisaṃ janaṃ aggiṃ pajjalitaṃ va liṅgiya
Gaṇhiya āsīvisaṃ viya api nu sotthi siyā khamehi no

 

VERSE 399

[Early textual editors:]

And then that bhikkhunī, freed [by that man], went into the presence of the excellent Buddha. On seeing the body marks of the one of excellent merit her eye was restored to its former condition.

Muttā ca tato sā bhikkhunī agami buddhavarassa santikaṃ
Passiya varapuññalakkhaṇaṃ cakkhu āsi yathā purāṇakan ti

COMMENT

The commentary says that when the Buddha then discoursed to Subhā, she became an arahant: Sā pītiṃ vikkhambhetvā tāvadeva vipassanaṃ vaḍḍhetvā saha paṭisambhidāhi arahattaṃ pāpuṇi. But Subhā was already an arahant.