Thag 16.9

Anuruddhattheragāthā

“Pahāya mātāpitaro, bhaginī ñātibhātaro; Pañca kāmaguṇe hitvā, anuruddhova jhāyati.

Anuruddha

Leaving my mother and father behind, as well as sisters, kinsmen, and brothers; having given up the five sensual stimuli, Anuruddha practices absorption.

Sameto naccagītehi, sammatāḷappabodhano; Na tena suddhimajjhagaṁ, mārassa visaye rato.

Surrounded by song and dance, awakened by cymbals and gongs, he did not find purification while delighting in Māra’s domain.

Etañca samatikkamma, rato buddhassa sāsane; Sabboghaṁ samatikkamma, anuruddhova jhāyati.

But he has gone beyond all that, and delights in the Buddha’s teaching. Having crossed over the entire flood, Anuruddha practices absorption.

Rūpā saddā rasā gandhā, phoṭṭhabbā ca manoramā; Ete ca samatikkamma, anuruddhova jhāyati.

Sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and touches so delightful: having crossed over these as well, Anuruddha practices absorption.

Piṇḍapātamatikkanto, eko adutiyo muni; Esati paṁsukūlāni, anuruddho anāsavo.

Returning from almsround, alone, without partner, seeking rags from the dust heap, Anuruddha is without defilements.

Vicinī aggahī dhovi, rajayī dhārayī muni; Paṁsukūlāni matimā, anuruddho anāsavo.

The thoughtful sage selected rags from the dust heap; he picked them up, washed, dyed, and wore them; Anuruddha is without defilements.

Mahiccho ca asantuṭṭho, saṁsaṭṭho yo ca uddhato; Tassa dhammā ime honti, pāpakā saṅkilesikā.

The principles of someone who has many wishes and is not content, who socializes and is conceited, are wicked and corrupting.

Sato ca hoti appiccho, santuṭṭho avighātavā; Pavivekarato vitto, niccamāraddhavīriyo.

But someone who is mindful, few of wishes, content and untroubled, delighting in seclusion, joyful, always resolute and energetic;

Tassa dhammā ime honti, kusalā bodhipakkhikā; Anāsavo ca so hoti, iti vuttaṁ mahesinā.

their principles are skillful, on the side of awakening; they are without defilements— so said the great seer.

Mama saṅkappamaññāya, satthā loke anuttaro; Manomayena kāyena, iddhiyā upasaṅkami.

“Knowing my thoughts, the supreme Teacher in the world came to me in a mind-made body, using his psychic power.

Yadā me ahu saṅkappo, tato uttari desayi; Nippapañcarato buddho, nippapañcamadesayi.

He taught me more than I had thought of. The Buddha who loves non-proliferation taught me non-proliferation.

Tassāhaṁ dhammamaññāya, vihāsiṁ sāsane rato; Tisso vijjā anuppattā, kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.

Understanding that teaching, I happily did his bidding. I’ve attained the three knowledges, and have fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

Pañcapaññāsavassāni, yato nesajjiko ahaṁ; Pañcavīsativassāni, yato middhaṁ samūhataṁ.

For the last fifty-five years I have not lain down to sleep. Twenty-five years have passed since I eradicated drowsiness.”

Nāhu assāsapassāsā, ṭhitacittassa tādino; Anejo santimārabbha, cakkhumā parinibbuto.

“There was no more breathing for the unaffected one of steady heart. Imperturbable, committed to peace, the Clear-eyed One was fully quenched.

Asallīnena cittena, vedanaṁ ajjhavāsayi; Pajjotasseva nibbānaṁ, vimokkho cetaso ahu.

He put up with painful feelings without flinching. The liberation of his heart was like the extinguishing of a lamp.”

Ete pacchimakā dāni, munino phassapañcamā; Nāññe dhammā bhavissanti, sambuddhe parinibbute.

“Now these touches and the other four are the last to be experienced by the sage; nor will there be other phenomena since the Buddha was fully quenched.

Natthi dāni punāvāso, devakāyasmi jālini; Vikkhīṇo jātisaṁsāro, natthi dāni punabbhavo.

O Penelope, weaver of the web— there’s no more abodes in the heavenly host. Transmigration through births is finished, now there’ll be no more future lives.”

Yassa muhuttena sahassadhā, Loko saṁvidito sabrahmakappo; Vasī iddhiguṇe cutūpapāte, Kāle passati devatā sa bhikkhu.

“The mendicant by whom the galaxy with the age of the Divinity are known in an hour— that master of psychic ability sees the gods at the time they pass away and are reborn.”

Annabhāro pure āsiṁ, daliddo ghāsahārako; Samaṇaṁ paṭipādesiṁ, upariṭṭhaṁ yasassinaṁ.

“In the past I was Annabhāra, a poor carrier of fodder. I practiced as an ascetic, the renowned Upariṭṭha.

Somhi sakyakule jāto, anuruddhoti maṁ vidū; Upeto naccagītehi, sammatāḷappabodhano.

Then I was reborn in the Sakyan clan, where I was known as ‘Anuruddha’. Surrounded by song and dance, I was awakened by cymbals and gongs.

Athaddasāsiṁ sambuddhaṁ, satthāraṁ akutobhayaṁ; Tasmiṁ cittaṁ pasādetvā, pabbajiṁ anagāriyaṁ.

Then I saw the Buddha, the Teacher, fearing nothing from any quarter; filling my mind with confidence in him, I went forth to homelessness.

Pubbenivāsaṁ jānāmi, yattha me vusitaṁ pure; Tāvatiṁsesu devesu, aṭṭhāsiṁ sakkajātiyā.

I know my past lives, the places I used to live. I was born as Sakka, and stayed among the thirty-three gods.

Sattakkhattuṁ manussindo, ahaṁ rajjamakārayiṁ; Cāturanto vijitāvī, jambusaṇḍassa issaro; Adaṇḍena asatthena, dhammena anusāsayiṁ.

Seven times I was a king of men ruling a kingdom, victorious in the four quarters, lord of the Black Plum Tree Land. Without rod or sword, I governed by principle.

Ito satta tato satta, saṁsārāni catuddasa; Nivāsamabhijānissaṁ, devaloke ṭhito tadā.

Seven from here, seven from there— fourteen transmigrations in all. I shall remember my past lives: at that time I stayed in the realm of the gods.

Pañcaṅgike samādhimhi, sante ekodibhāvite; Paṭippassaddhiladdhamhi, dibbacakkhu visujjhi me.

I have gained complete tranquility in immersion with five factors. Peaceful, serene, my clairvoyance is purified.

Cutūpapātaṁ jānāmi, sattānaṁ āgatiṁ gatiṁ; Itthabhāvaññathābhāvaṁ, jhāne pañcaṅgike ṭhito.

Steady in five-factored absorption, I know the passing away and rebirth of beings, their coming and going, their lives in this state and that.

Pariciṇṇo mayā satthā, … pe 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.

Vajjīnaṁ veḷuvagāme, ahaṁ jīvitasaṅkhayā; Heṭṭhato veḷugumbasmiṁ, nibbāyissaṁ anāsavo”ti.

In the Vajjian village of Veḷuva, my life will come to an end. Beneath a thicket of bamboos, being undefiled, I will be fully extinguished.”