Thag 16.4

Raṭṭhapālattheragāthā

“Passa cittakataṁ bimbaṁ, arukāyaṁ samussitaṁ; Āturaṁ bahusaṅkappaṁ, yassa natthi dhuvaṁ ṭhiti.

Raṭṭhapāla

“See this fancy puppet, a body built of sores, diseased, obsessed over, in which nothing lasts at all.

Passa cittakataṁ rūpaṁ, maṇinā kuṇḍalena ca; Aṭṭhiṁ tacena onaddhaṁ, saha vatthehi sobhati.

See this fancy figure, with its gems and earrings; it is bones swathed in skin, made pretty by its clothes.

Alattakakatā pādā, mukhaṁ cuṇṇakamakkhitaṁ; Alaṁ bālassa mohāya, no ca pāragavesino.

Rouged feet and powdered face may be enough to beguile a fool, but not a seeker of the far shore.

Aṭṭhapadakatā kesā, nettā añjanamakkhitā; Alaṁ bālassa mohāya, no ca pāragavesino.

Hair in eight braids and eyeshadow may be enough to beguile a fool, but not a seeker of the far shore.

Añjanīva navā cittā, pūtikāyo alaṅkato; Alaṁ bālassa mohāya, no ca pāragavesino.

A rotting body all adorned like a freshly painted makeup box may be enough to beguile a fool, but not a seeker of the far shore.

Odahi migavo pāsaṁ, nāsadā vāguraṁ migo; Bhutvā nivāpaṁ gacchāma, kandante migabandhake.

The hunter laid his snare, but the deer didn’t spring the trap. I’ve eaten the bait and now I go, leaving the trapper to lament.

Chinno pāso migavassa, nāsadā vāguraṁ migo; Bhutvā nivāpaṁ gacchāma, socante migaluddake.

The hunter’s snare is broken, but the deer didn’t spring the trap. I’ve eaten the bait and now I go, leaving the deer-hunter to grieve.”

Passāmi loke sadhane manusse, Laddhāna vittaṁ na dadanti mohā; Luddhā dhanaṁ sannicayaṁ karonti, Bhiyyova kāme abhipatthayanti.

“I see rich people in the world who, because of delusion, give not the wealth they’ve earned. Greedily, they hoard their riches, yearning for ever more sensual pleasures.

Rājā pasayhappathaviṁ vijetvā, Sasāgarantaṁ mahimāvasanto; Oraṁ samuddassa atittarūpo, Pāraṁ samuddassapi patthayetha.

A king who conquered the earth by force, ruling the land from sea to sea, unsatisfied with the near shore of the ocean, would still yearn for the further shore.

Rājā ca aññe ca bahū manussā, Avītataṇhā maraṇaṁ upenti; Ūnāva hutvāna jahanti dehaṁ, Kāmehi lokamhi na hatthi titti.

Not just the king, but others too, reach death not rid of craving. They leave the body still wanting, for in this world sensual pleasures never satisfy.

Kandanti naṁ ñātī pakiriya kese, Aho vatā no amarāti cāhu; Vatthena naṁ pārutaṁ nīharitvā, Citaṁ samodhāya tato ḍahanti.

Relatives lament, their hair disheveled, saying ‘Ah! Alas! They’re not immortal!’ They take out the body wrapped in a shroud, heap up a pyre, and burn it there.

So ḍayhati sūlehi tujjamāno, Ekena vatthena pahāya bhoge; Na mīyamānassa bhavanti tāṇā, Ñātī ca mittā atha vā sahāyā.

It’s poked with stakes while being burnt, in just a single cloth, all wealth gone. Relatives, friends, and companions can’t help you when you’re dying.

Dāyādakā tassa dhanaṁ haranti, Satto pana gacchati yena kammaṁ; Na mīyamānaṁ dhanamanveti kiñci, Puttā ca dārā ca dhanañca raṭṭhaṁ.

Heirs take your riches, while beings fare on according to their deeds. Riches don’t follow you when you die; nor do children, wife, wealth, nor kingdom.

Na dīghamāyuṁ labhate dhanena, Na cāpi vittena jaraṁ vihanti; Appaṁ hidaṁ jīvitamāhu dhīrā, Asassataṁ vippariṇāmadhammaṁ.

Longevity isn’t gained by riches, nor does wealth banish old age; for the attentive say this life is short, it’s perishable and not eternal.

Aḍḍhā daliddā ca phusanti phassaṁ, Bālo ca dhīro ca tatheva phuṭṭho; Bālo hi bālyā vadhitova seti, Dhīro ca no vedhati phassaphuṭṭho.

The rich and the poor feel its touch; the fool and the attentive one feel it too. But the fool lies stricken by their own folly, while the attentive don’t tremble at the touch.

Tasmā hi paññāva dhanena seyyā, Yāya vosānamidhādhigacchati; Abyositattā hi bhavābhavesu, Pāpāni kammāni karoti mohā.

Therefore wisdom’s much better than wealth, since by wisdom you reach consummation in this life. But if because of delusion you don’t reach consummation, you’ll do evil deeds in life after life.

Upeti gabbhañca parañca lokaṁ, Saṁsāramāpajja paramparāya; Tassappapañño abhisaddahanto, Upeti gabbhañca parañca lokaṁ.

One who enters a womb and the world beyond, will transmigrate from one life to the next. While someone of little wisdom, placing faith in them, also enters a womb and the world beyond.

Coro yathā sandhimukhe gahīto, Sakammunā haññati pāpadhammo; Evaṁ pajā pecca paramhi loke, Sakammunā haññati pāpadhammo.

As a bandit caught in a window is punished for his own bad deeds; so after departing, in the world beyond, people are punished for their own bad deeds.

Kāmā hi citrā madhurā manoramā, Virūparūpena mathenti cittaṁ; Ādīnavaṁ kāmaguṇesu disvā, Tasmā ahaṁ pabbajitomhi rāja.

Sensual pleasures are diverse, sweet, delightful; appearing in disguise they disturb the mind. Seeing danger in sensual stimulations, I went forth, O King.

Dumapphalānīva patanti māṇavā, Daharā ca vuḍḍhā ca sarīrabhedā; Etampi disvā pabbajitomhi rāja, Apaṇṇakaṁ sāmaññameva seyyo.

As fruit falls from a tree, so the sons of Manu fall, young and old, when the body breaks up. Seeing this, too, I went forth, O King; it’s a sure bet that the ascetic life is better.”

Saddhāyāhaṁ pabbajito, upeto jinasāsane; Avañjhā mayhaṁ pabbajjā, anaṇo bhuñjāmi bhojanaṁ.

“I went forth out of faith joining the victor’s dispensation. My going forth wasn’t wasted; I enjoy my food free of debt.

Kāme ādittato disvā, Jātarūpāni satthato; Gabbhavokkantito dukkhaṁ, Nirayesu mahabbhayaṁ.

I saw sensual pleasures as burning, gold as a cutting blade, conception in a womb as suffering, and the hells as very fearful.

Etamādīnavaṁ ñatvā, saṁvegaṁ alabhiṁ tadā; Sohaṁ viddho tadā santo, sampatto āsavakkhayaṁ.

Knowing this danger, I was struck with a sense of urgency. I was stabbed, but then I found peace, attaining the end of defilements.

Pariciṇṇo mayā satthā, kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ; Ohito garuko bhāro, bhavanetti samūhatā.

I’ve served the Teacher and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions. The heavy burden is laid down, the leash to existence is eradicated.

Yassatthāya pabbajito, agārasmānagāriyaṁ; So me attho anuppatto, sabbasaṁyojanakkhayo”ti.

I’ve attained the goal for the sake of which I went forth from the lay life to homelessness— the ending of all fetters.”