Sutta Piṭaka
Cāpātherīgāthā
Cāpātherīgāthā
“Laṭṭhihattho pure āsi, so dāni migaluddako; Āsāya palipā ghorā, nāsakkhi pārametave.
Cāpā
“Once I carried a hermit’s staff, but these days I hunt deer. My desires have made me unable to cross from the awful marsh to the far shore.
Sumattaṁ maṁ maññamānā, cāpā puttamatosayi; Cāpāya bandhanaṁ chetvā, pabbajissaṁ punopahaṁ”.
Thinking me so in love with her, Cāpā kept our son happy. Having cut Cāpā’s bond, I’ll go forth once again.”
“Mā me kujjhi mahāvīra, mā me kujjhi mahāmuni; Na hi kodhaparetassa, suddhi atthi kuto tapo”.
“Don’t be mad at me, great hero! Don’t be mad at me, great sage! If you’re mired in anger you can’t stay pure, let alone be fervent.”
“Pakkamissañca nāḷāto, kodha nāḷāya vacchati; Bandhantī itthirūpena, samaṇe dhammajīvino”.
“I’m going to leave Nālā! For who’d stay here at Nālā! With their figures, the women trap ascetics who live righteously.”
“Ehi kāḷa nivattassu, bhuñja kāme yathā pure; Ahañca te vasīkatā, ye ca me santi ñātakā”.
“Please, Kāḷa, come back to me. Enjoy pleasures like you did before. I’ll be under your control, along with any relatives I have.”
“Etto cāpe catubbhāgaṁ, yathā bhāsasi tvañca me; Tayi rattassa posassa, uḷāraṁ vata taṁ siyā”.
“Cāpā, if even a quarter of what you say were true, it would be a splendid thing for a man in love with you!”
“Kāḷaṅginiṁva takkāriṁ, pupphitaṁ girimuddhani; Phullaṁ dālimalaṭṭhiṁva, antodīpeva pāṭaliṁ.
“Kāḷa, I am like a sprouting iris flowering on a mountain top, like a blossoming pomegranate, like a patala tree on an isle;
Haricandanalittaṅgiṁ, kāsikuttamadhāriniṁ; Taṁ maṁ rūpavatiṁ santiṁ, kassa ohāya gacchasi”.
my limbs are anointed with yellow sandalwood, and I wear the finest Kāsi cloth: when I am so very beautiful, how can you abandon me and leave?”
“Sākuntikova sakuṇiṁ, yathā bandhitumicchati; Āharimena rūpena, na maṁ tvaṁ bādhayissasi”.
“You’re like a fowler who wants to catch a bird; but you won’t trap me with your costumed form.”
“Imañca me puttaphalaṁ, kāḷa uppāditaṁ tayā; Taṁ maṁ puttavatiṁ santiṁ, kassa ohāya gacchasi”.
“But this child, my fruit, was begotten by you, Kāḷa. When I have this child, how can you abandon me and leave?”
“Jahanti putte sappaññā, tato ñātī tato dhanaṁ; Pabbajanti mahāvīrā, nāgo chetvāva bandhanaṁ”.
“The wise give up children, family, and wealth. Great heroes go forth like elephants breaking their bonds.”
“Idāni te imaṁ puttaṁ, Daṇḍena churikāya vā; Bhūmiyaṁ vā nisumbhissaṁ, Puttasokā na gacchasi”.
“Now, this son of yours: I’ll strike him to the ground right here, with a stick or with a knife! Grieving your son, you will not leave.”
“Sace puttaṁ siṅgālānaṁ, kukkurānaṁ padāhisi; Na maṁ puttakatte jammi, punarāvattayissasi”.
“Even if you feed our son to jackals and dogs, I’d never return again, you bitch, not even for the child’s sake.”
“Handa kho dāni bhaddante, kuhiṁ kāḷa gamissasi; Katamaṁ gāmanigamaṁ, nagaraṁ rājadhāniyo”.
“Well then, sir, tell me, where will you go, Kāḷa? To what village or town, city or capital?”
“Ahumha pubbe gaṇino, Assamaṇā samaṇamānino; Gāmena gāmaṁ vicarimha, Nagare rājadhāniyo.
“Last time we had followers, we weren’t ascetics, we just thought we were. We wandered from village to village, to cities and capitals.
Eso hi bhagavā buddho, nadiṁ nerañjaraṁ pati; Sabbadukkhappahānāya, dhammaṁ deseti pāṇinaṁ; Tassāhaṁ santikaṁ gacchaṁ, so me satthā bhavissati”.
But now the Blessed One, the Buddha, back on the bank of the Nerañjara River, teaches the Dhamma so that living creatures may abandon all suffering. I shall go to his presence, he shall be my Teacher.”
“Vandanaṁ dāni vajjāsi, lokanāthaṁ anuttaraṁ; Padakkhiṇañca katvāna, ādiseyyāsi dakkhiṇaṁ”.
“Now please convey my respects to the supreme protector of the world. Circling him to your right, dedicate my religious donation.”
“Etaṁ kho labbhamamhehi, yathā bhāsasi tvañca me; Vandanaṁ dāni te vajjaṁ, lokanāthaṁ anuttaraṁ; Padakkhiṇañca katvāna, ādisissāmi dakkhiṇaṁ”.
“This is the proper thing to do, just as you have said to me. I’ll convey your respects to the supreme protector of the world. Circling him to my right, I’ll dedicate your religious donation.”
Tato ca kāḷo pakkāmi, nadiṁ nerañjaraṁ pati; So addasāsi sambuddhaṁ, desentaṁ amataṁ padaṁ.
Then Kāḷa set out back to the bank of the Nerañjara River. He saw the Awakened One teaching the state free of death:
Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ, dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ; Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ, dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.
suffering, suffering’s origin, suffering’s transcendence, and the noble eightfold path that leads to the stilling of suffering.
Tassa pādāni vanditvā, Katvāna naṁ padakkhiṇaṁ; Cāpāya ādisitvāna, Pabbajiṁ anagāriyaṁ; Tisso vijjā anuppattā, Kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.
He paid homage at his feet, circling him to his right, and conveyed Cāpā’s dedication; then he went forth to homelessness. He attained the three knowledges, and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.