Thig 13.4

Sundarītherīgāthā

“Petāni bhoti puttāni, khādamānā tuvaṁ pure; Tuvaṁ divā ca ratto ca, atīva paritappasi.

Sundarī

“Before, worthy lady, when feeding your departed children, you’d be racked with despair all day and all night.

Sājja sabbāni khāditvā, sataputtāni brāhmaṇī; Vāseṭṭhi kena vaṇṇena, na bāḷhaṁ paritappasi”.

Today, brahmin lady, you have fed all seven children. Vāseṭṭhī, how do you explain why you’re not so filled with despair?”

“Bahūni puttasatāni, ñātisaṅghasatāni ca; Khāditāni atītaṁse, mama tuyhañca brāhmaṇa.

“Many hundreds of children, hundreds of family circles, both mine and yours, brahmin, have been fed in the past.

Sāhaṁ nissaraṇaṁ ñatvā, jātiyā maraṇassa ca; Na socāmi na rodāmi, na cāpi paritappayiṁ”.

Having known the escape from rebirth and death I neither grieve nor lament, nor do I despair.”

“Abbhutaṁ vata vāseṭṭhi, vācaṁ bhāsasi edisiṁ; Kassa tvaṁ dhammamaññāya, giraṁ bhāsasi edisiṁ”.

“Wow, Vaseṭṭhī, the words you speak really are amazing! Whose teaching did you understand that you say these things?”

“Esa brāhmaṇa sambuddho, nagaraṁ mithilaṁ pati; Sabbadukkhappahānāya, dhammaṁ desesi pāṇinaṁ.

“Brahmin, the Awakened One back at the city of Mithilā, teaches the Dhamma so that living creatures may abandon all suffering.

Tassa brahme arahato, dhammaṁ sutvā nirūpadhiṁ; Tattha viññātasaddhammā, puttasokaṁ byapānudiṁ”.

After hearing the perfected one’s teaching, brahmin, which is free of all attachments, having understood the true teaching there, I’ve cast aside grief for children.”

“So ahampi gamissāmi, nagaraṁ mithilaṁ pati; Appeva maṁ so bhagavā, sabbadukkhā pamocaye”.

“I too shall go to the city of Mithilā. Hopefully the Buddha may release me from all suffering.”

Addasa brāhmaṇo buddhaṁ, vippamuttaṁ nirūpadhiṁ; Svassa dhammamadesesi, muni dukkhassa pāragū.

The brahmin saw the Buddha, liberated, free of attachments. He taught him the Dhamma, the sage gone beyond suffering:

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.

Tattha viññātasaddhammo, pabbajjaṁ samarocayi; Sujāto tīhi rattīhi, tisso vijjā aphassayi.

Having understood the true teaching there, he chose to go forth. Three days later Sujāta realized the three knowledges.

“Ehi sārathi gacchāhi, rathaṁ niyyādayāhimaṁ; Ārogyaṁ brāhmaṇiṁ vajja, ‘pabbaji dāni brāhmaṇo; Sujāto tīhi rattīhi, tisso vijjā aphassayi’”.

“Please, charioteer, go; take back this carriage. Bidding my brahmin lady good health, say: ‘The brahmin has now gone forth. After three days, Sujāta realized the three knowledges.’”

Tato ca rathamādāya, sahassañcāpi sārathi; Ārogyaṁ brāhmaṇiṁvoca, “pabbaji dāni brāhmaṇo; Sujāto tīhi rattīhi, tisso vijjā aphassayi”.

Then taking the carriage, along with a thousand coins, the charioteer bade the brahmin lady good health, and said: “The brahmin has now gone forth. After three days, Sujāta realized the three knowledges.”

“Etañcāhaṁ assarathaṁ, sahassañcāpi sārathi; Tevijjaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ sutvā, puṇṇapattaṁ dadāmi te”.

Hearing that the brahmin had the three knowledges, the lady replied: “I present to you this horse and carriage, O charioteer, along with 1000 coins, and a full bowl as a gift.”

“Tuyheva hotvassaratho, sahassañcāpi brāhmaṇi; Ahampi pabbajissāmi, varapaññassa santike”.

“Keep the horse and carriage, lady, along with the thousand coins. I too shall go forth in his presence, the one of such outstanding wisdom.”

“Hatthī gavassaṁ maṇikuṇḍalañca, Phītañcimaṁ gahavibhavaṁ pahāya; Pitā pabbajito tuyhaṁ, Bhuñja bhogāni sundarī; Tuvaṁ dāyādikā kule”.

“Elephants, cattle, jeweled earrings, such opulent domestic worth: having given it up, your father went forth, enjoy these riches Sundarī, you are the family heir.”

“Hatthī gavassaṁ maṇikuṇḍalañca, Rammaṁ cimaṁ gahavibhavaṁ pahāya; Pitā pabbajito mayhaṁ, Puttasokena aṭṭito; Ahampi pabbajissāmi, Bhātusokena aṭṭitā”.

“Elephants, cattle, jeweled earrings, such delightful domestic worth: having given it up, my father went forth, racked by grief for his son. I too shall go forth, racked by grief for my brother.”

“So te ijjhatu saṅkappo, yaṁ tvaṁ patthesi sundarī; Uttiṭṭhapiṇḍo uñcho ca, paṁsukūlañca cīvaraṁ; Etāni abhisambhontī, paraloke anāsavā”.

“Sundarī, may the wish you desire come true. Leftovers as gleanings, and cast-off rags as robes— make do with these, free of defilements regarding the next life.”

“Sikkhamānāya me ayye, dibbacakkhu visodhitaṁ; Pubbenivāsaṁ jānāmi, yattha me vusitaṁ pure.

“Ma’am, while I am still a trainee nun, my clairvoyance is clarified; I know my past lives, the places I used to live.

Tuvaṁ nissāya kalyāṇi, theri saṅghassa sobhane; Tisso vijjā anuppattā, kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.

Relying on a fine lady like you, a senior nun who graces the Saṅgha, I’ve attained the three knowledges, and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

Anujānāhi me ayye, icche sāvatthi gantave; Sīhanādaṁ nadissāmi, buddhaseṭṭhassa santike”.

Give me permission ma’am, I wish to go to Sāvatthī, where I shall roar my lion’s roar before the best of Buddhas.”

“Passa sundari satthāraṁ, hemavaṇṇaṁ harittacaṁ; Adantānaṁ dametāraṁ, sambuddhamakutobhayaṁ”.

“Sundarī, see the Teacher! Snow gold in tint, with sun-golden skin; tamer of the untamed, the Awakened One who fears nothing from any quarter.”

“Passa sundarimāyantiṁ, vippamuttaṁ nirūpadhiṁ; Vītarāgaṁ visaṁyuttaṁ, katakiccamanāsavaṁ.

“See Sundarī coming, liberated, free of attachments. desireless, detached, her task completed, without defilements.”

Bārāṇasito nikkhamma, tava santikamāgatā; Sāvikā te mahāvīra, pāde vandati sundarī.

“Having set forth from Varanasi and come to your presence, great hero, your disciple Sundarī bows at your feet.

Tuvaṁ buddho tuvaṁ satthā, tuyhaṁ dhītāmhi brāhmaṇa; Orasā mukhato jātā, katakiccā anāsavā”.

You are the Buddha, you are the Teacher, I am your bosom daughter, brahmin, born of your mouth. I’ve completed the task and am free of defilements.”

“Tassā te svāgataṁ bhadde, tato te adurāgataṁ; Evañhi dantā āyanti, satthu pādāni vandikā; Vītarāgā visaṁyuttā, katakiccā anāsavā”.

“Then welcome, good lady, you’re by no means unwelcome. For this is how the tamed come bowing at the Teacher’s feet; desireless, detached, the task completed, without defilements.”