Aṅgulimālattheragāthā

Theragāthā 16.8

Verses of the Senior Monks 16.8

Vīsatinipāta

The Book of the Twenties

Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Aṅgulimālattheragāthā

Aṅgulimāla

“Gacchaṁ vadesi samaṇaṭṭhitomhi,

“While walking, ascetic, you say ‘I’ve stopped.’

Mamañca brūsi ṭhitamaṭṭhitoti;

And I have stopped, but you tell me I’ve not.

Pucchāmi taṁ samaṇa etamatthaṁ,

I’m asking you this, ascetic:

‘Kathaṁ ṭhito tvaṁ ahamaṭṭhitomhi’”.

how is it you’ve stopped and I have not?”

“Ṭhito ahaṁ aṅgulimāla sabbadā,

“Aṅgulimāla, I have forever stopped—

Sabbesu bhūtesu nidhāya daṇḍaṁ;

I’ve laid aside violence toward all creatures.

Tuvañca pāṇesu asaññatosi,

But you can’t stop yourself
from harming living creatures;

Tasmā ṭhitohaṁ tuvamaṭṭhitosi”.

that’s why I’ve stopped, but you have not.”

“Cirassaṁ vata me mahito mahesī,

“Oh, at long last a renowned great seer,

Mahāvanaṁ samaṇo paccapādi;

an ascetic has followed me into this deep wood.

Sohaṁ cajissāmi sahassapāpaṁ,

Now that I’ve heard your verse on Dhamma,

Sutvāna gāthaṁ tava dhammayuttaṁ”.

I shall discard a thousand evils.”

Icceva coro asimāvudhañca,

With these words,
the bandit hurled his sword and weapons

Sobbhe papāte narake anvakāsi;

down a cliff into an abyss.

Avandi coro sugatassa pāde,

He venerated the Holy One’s feet,

Tattheva pabbajjamayāci buddhaṁ.

and requested the going forth
from the Buddha right away.

Buddho ca kho kāruṇiko mahesi,

Then the Buddha, the compassionate great seer,

Yo satthā lokassa sadevakassa;

the Teacher of the world with its gods,

“Tamehi bhikkhū”ti tadā avoca,

said to him, “Come, monk!”

Eseva tassa ahu bhikkhubhāvo.

And with that he became a monk.

“Yo ca pubbe pamajjitvā,

“He who once was heedless,

pacchā so nappamajjati;

but turned to heedfulness,

Somaṁ lokaṁ pabhāseti,

shines upon this world,

abbhā muttova candimā.

like the moon freed from clouds.

Yassa pāpaṁ kataṁ kammaṁ,

Someone whose bad deed

kusalena pidhīyati;

is supplanted by the good,

Somaṁ lokaṁ pabhāseti,

shines upon this world,

abbhā muttova candimā.

like the moon freed from clouds.

Yo have daharo bhikkhu,

A young mendicant

yuñjati buddhasāsane;

devoted to the Buddha’s teaching,

Somaṁ lokaṁ pabhāseti,

shines upon this world,

abbhā muttova candimā.

like the moon freed from clouds.

Disāpi me dhammakathaṁ suṇantu,

May even my enemies
hear a Dhamma talk!

Disāpi me yuñjantu buddhasāsane;

May even my enemies
devote themselves to the Buddha’s teaching!

Disāpi me te manuje bhajantu,

May even my enemies associate with those good men

Ye dhammamevādapayanti santo.

who establish others in the Dhamma!

Disā hi me khantivādānaṁ,

May even my enemies
hear Dhamma at the right time,

avirodhappasaṁsinaṁ;

from those who teach acceptance,

Suṇantu dhammaṁ kālena,

praising acquiescence;

tañca anuvidhīyantu.

and may they follow that path!

Na hi jātu so mamaṁ hiṁse,

For then they’d never wish harm

aññaṁ vā pana kiñcanaṁ;

upon myself or others.

Pappuyya paramaṁ santiṁ,

Having arrived at ultimate peace,

rakkheyya tasathāvare.

they’d look after creatures firm and frail.

Udakañhi nayanti nettikā,

For while irrigators guide water,

Usukārā namayanti tejanaṁ;

fletchers bend arrows straight,

Dāruṁ namayanti tacchakā,

and carpenters bend timber straight,

Attānaṁ damayanti paṇḍitā.

the astute tame themselves.

Daṇḍeneke damayanti,

Some tame by using the rod,

aṅkusebhi kasāhi ca;

some with goads, and some with whips.

Adaṇḍena asatthena,

But the unaffected one tamed me

ahaṁ dantomhi tādinā.

without rod or sword.

‘Ahiṁsako’ti me nāmaṁ,

My name is ‘Harmless’,

hiṁsakassa pure sato;

though I used to be harmful.

Ajjāhaṁ saccanāmomhi,

The name I bear today is true,

na naṁ hiṁsāmi kiñcanaṁ.

for I do no harm to anyone.

Coro ahaṁ pure āsiṁ,

I used to be a bandit,

aṅgulimāloti vissuto;

the notorious Aṅgulimāla.

Vuyhamāno mahoghena,

Swept away in a great flood,

buddhaṁ saraṇamāgamaṁ.

I went to the Buddha for refuge.

Lohitapāṇi pure āsiṁ,

I used to have blood on my hands,

aṅgulimāloti vissuto;

the notorious Aṅgulimāla.

Saraṇagamanaṁ passa,

See the refuge I’ve found—

bhavanetti samūhatā.

the leash to existence is eradicated.

Tādisaṁ kammaṁ katvāna,

I’ve done many of the sort of deeds

bahuṁ duggatigāminaṁ;

that lead to a bad destination.

Phuṭṭho kammavipākena,

The result of my deeds has already struck me,

anaṇo bhuñjāmi bhojanaṁ.

so I enjoy my food free of debt.

Pamādamanuyuñjanti,

Fools and simpletons

bālā dummedhino janā;

devote themselves to negligence.

Appamādañca medhāvī,

But the wise protect diligence

dhanaṁ seṭṭhaṁva rakkhati.

as their best treasure.

Mā pamādamanuyuñjetha,

Don’t devote yourself to negligence,

mā kāmaratisanthavaṁ;

or delight in erotic intimacy.

Appamatto hi jhāyanto,

For if you’re diligent and practice absorption,

pappoti paramaṁ sukhaṁ.

you’ll attain ultimate happiness.

Svāgataṁ nāpagataṁ,

It was welcome, not unwelcome,

netaṁ dummantitaṁ mama;

the advice I got was good.

Savibhattesu dhammesu,

Of the well-explained teachings,

yaṁ seṭṭhaṁ tadupāgamaṁ.

I arrived at the best.

Svāgataṁ nāpagataṁ,

It was welcome, not unwelcome,

netaṁ dummantitaṁ mama;

the advice I got was good.

Tisso vijjā anuppattā,

I’ve attained the three knowledges,

kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.

and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.”

Araññe rukkhamūle vā,

“In the wilderness, at a tree’s root,

pabbatesu guhāsu vā;

on mountains, or in caves—

Tattha tattheva aṭṭhāsiṁ,

it used to be that wherever I stood,

ubbiggamanaso tadā.

my mind was anxious.

Sukhaṁ sayāmi ṭhāyāmi,

But now I lie down happily and stand up happily,

sukhaṁ kappemi jīvitaṁ;

I live my life happily,

Ahatthapāso mārassa,

out of Māra’s reach;

aho satthānukampito.

the Teacher had sympathy for me.

Brahmajacco pure āsiṁ,

I used to be of brahmin birth,

udicco ubhato ahu;

highborn on both sides,

Sojja putto sugatassa,

now I’m a son of the Holy One,

dhammarājassa satthuno.

the Teacher, King of Dhamma.

Vītataṇho anādāno,

I am rid of craving, free of grasping,

guttadvāro susaṁvuto;

my sense doors are guarded and well-restrained.

Aghamūlaṁ vadhitvāna,

I’ve destroyed the root of gloom,

patto me āsavakkhayo.

and attained the ending of defilements.

Pariciṇṇo mayā satthā,

I’ve served the Teacher

kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ;

and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

Ohito garuko bhāro,

The heavy burden is laid down,

bhavanetti samūhatā”ti.

the leash to existence is eradicated.”

… Aṅgulimālo thero ….