Thig 5.8

Soṇātherīgāthā

“Dasa putte vijāyitvā, asmiṁ rūpasamussaye; Tatohaṁ dubbalā jiṇṇā, bhikkhuniṁ upasaṅkamiṁ.

Soṇā

I gave birth to ten sons in this form, this bag of bones. Then, when feeble and old, I approached a nun.

Sā me dhammamadesesi, khandhāyatanadhātuyo; Tassā dhammaṁ suṇitvāna, kese chetvāna pabbajiṁ.

She taught me the Dhamma: the aggregates, sense fields, and elements. When I heard her teaching, I shaved off my hair and went forth.

Tassā me sikkhamānāya, dibbacakkhu visodhitaṁ; Pubbenivāsaṁ jānāmi, yattha me vusitaṁ pure.

When I was a trainee nun, my clairvoyance was clarified, and I knew my past lives, the places I used to live.

Animittañca bhāvemi, ekaggā susamāhitā; Anantarāvimokkhāsiṁ, anupādāya nibbutā.

I meditate on the signless, my mind unified and serene. I achieved the immediate liberation, quenched by not grasping.

Pañcakkhandhā pariññātā, tiṭṭhanti chinnamūlakā; Dhi tavatthu jare jamme, natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti.

The five aggregates are fully understood; they remain, but their root is cut. Curse you, wretched old age! now there’ll be no more future lives.