Anuruddhattheragāthā

Theragāthā 16.9

Verses of the Senior Monks 16.9

Vīsatinipāta

The Book of the Twenties

Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Anuruddhattheragāthā

Anuruddha

“Pahāya mātāpitaro,

Leaving my mother and father behind,

bhaginī ñātibhātaro;

as well as sisters, kinsmen, and brothers;

Pañca kāmaguṇe hitvā,

having given up the five sensual stimuli,

anuruddhova jhāyati.

Anuruddha practices absorption.

Sameto naccagītehi,

Surrounded by song and dance,

sammatāḷappabodhano;

awakened by cymbals and gongs,

Na tena suddhimajjhagaṁ,

he did not find purification

mārassa visaye rato.

while delighting in Māra’s domain.

Etañca samatikkamma,

But he has gone beyond all that,

rato buddhassa sāsane;

and delights in the Buddha’s teaching.

Sabboghaṁ samatikkamma,

Having crossed over the entire flood,

anuruddhova jhāyati.

Anuruddha practices absorption.

Rūpā saddā rasā gandhā,

Sights, sounds, tastes, smells,

phoṭṭhabbā ca manoramā;

and touches so delightful:

Ete ca samatikkamma,

having crossed over these as well,

anuruddhova jhāyati.

Anuruddha practices absorption.

Piṇḍapātamatikkanto,

Returning from almsround,

eko adutiyo muni;

alone, without partner,

Esati paṁsukūlāni,

seeking rags from the dust heap,

anuruddho anāsavo.

Anuruddha is without defilements.

Vicinī aggahī dhovi,

The thoughtful sage

rajayī dhārayī muni;

selected rags from the dust heap;

Paṁsukūlāni matimā,

he picked them up, washed, dyed, and wore them;

anuruddho anāsavo.

Anuruddha is without defilements.

Mahiccho ca asantuṭṭho,

The principles of someone

saṁsaṭṭho yo ca uddhato;

who has many wishes and is not content,

Tassa dhammā ime honti,

who socializes and is conceited,

pāpakā saṅkilesikā.

are wicked and corrupting.

Sato ca hoti appiccho,

But someone who is mindful, few of wishes,

santuṭṭho avighātavā;

content and untroubled,

Pavivekarato vitto,

delighting in seclusion, joyful,

niccamāraddhavīriyo.

always resolute and energetic;

Tassa dhammā ime honti,

their principles are skillful,

kusalā bodhipakkhikā;

on the side of awakening;

Anāsavo ca so hoti,

they are without defilements—

iti vuttaṁ mahesinā.

so said the great seer.

Mama saṅkappamaññāya,

“Knowing my thoughts,

satthā loke anuttaro;

the supreme Teacher in the world

Manomayena kāyena,

came to me in a mind-made body,

iddhiyā upasaṅkami.

using his psychic power.

Yadā me ahu saṅkappo,

He taught me more

tato uttari desayi;

than I had thought of.

Nippapañcarato buddho,

The Buddha who loves non-proliferation

nippapañcamadesayi.

taught me non-proliferation.

Tassāhaṁ dhammamaññāya,

Understanding that teaching,

vihāsiṁ sāsane rato;

I happily did his bidding.

Tisso vijjā anuppattā,

I’ve attained the three knowledges,

kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.

and have fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

Pañcapaññāsavassāni,

For the last fifty-five years

yato nesajjiko ahaṁ;

I have not lain down to sleep.

Pañcavīsativassāni,

Twenty-five years have passed

yato middhaṁ samūhataṁ.

since I eradicated drowsiness.”

Nāhu assāsapassāsā,

“There was no more breathing

ṭhitacittassa tādino;

for the unaffected one of steady heart.

Anejo santimārabbha,

Imperturbable, committed to peace,

cakkhumā parinibbuto.

the Clear-eyed One was fully quenched.

Asallīnena cittena,

He put up with painful feelings

vedanaṁ ajjhavāsayi;

without flinching.

Pajjotasseva nibbānaṁ,

The liberation of his heart

vimokkho cetaso ahu.

was like the extinguishing of a lamp.”

Ete pacchimakā dāni,

“Now these touches and the other four

munino phassapañcamā;

are the last to be experienced by the sage;

Nāññe dhammā bhavissanti,

nor will there be other phenomena

sambuddhe parinibbute.

since the Buddha was fully quenched.

Natthi dāni punāvāso,

O Penelope, weaver of the web—

devakāyasmi jālini;

there’s no more abodes in the heavenly host.

Vikkhīṇo jātisaṁsāro,

Transmigration through births is finished,

natthi dāni punabbhavo.

now there’ll be no more future lives.”

Yassa muhuttena sahassadhā,

“The mendicant by whom the galaxy

Loko saṁvidito sabrahmakappo;

with the age of the Divinity are known in an hour—

Vasī iddhiguṇe cutūpapāte,

that master of psychic ability sees the gods

Kāle passati devatā sa bhikkhu.

at the time they pass away and are reborn.”

Annabhāro pure āsiṁ,

“In the past I was Annabhāra,

daliddo ghāsahārako;

a poor carrier of fodder.

Samaṇaṁ paṭipādesiṁ,

I practiced as an ascetic,

upariṭṭhaṁ yasassinaṁ.

the renowned Upariṭṭha.

Somhi sakyakule jāto,

Then I was reborn in the Sakyan clan,

anuruddhoti maṁ vidū;

where I was known as ‘Anuruddha’.

Upeto naccagītehi,

Surrounded by song and dance,

sammatāḷappabodhano.

I was awakened by cymbals and gongs.

Athaddasāsiṁ sambuddhaṁ,

Then I saw the Buddha,

satthāraṁ akutobhayaṁ;

the Teacher, fearing nothing from any quarter;

Tasmiṁ cittaṁ pasādetvā,

filling my mind with confidence in him,

pabbajiṁ anagāriyaṁ.

I went forth to homelessness.

Pubbenivāsaṁ jānāmi,

I know my past lives,

yattha me vusitaṁ pure;

the places I used to live.

Tāvatiṁsesu devesu,

I was born as Sakka,

aṭṭhāsiṁ sakkajātiyā.

and stayed among the thirty-three gods.

Sattakkhattuṁ manussindo,

Seven times I was a king of men

ahaṁ rajjamakārayiṁ;

ruling a kingdom,

Cāturanto vijitāvī,

victorious in the four quarters,

jambusaṇḍassa issaro;

lord of the Black Plum Tree Land.

Adaṇḍena asatthena,

Without rod or sword,

dhammena anusāsayiṁ.

I governed by principle.

Ito satta tato satta,

Seven from here, seven from there—

saṁsārāni catuddasa;

fourteen transmigrations in all.

Nivāsamabhijānissaṁ,

I shall remember my past lives:

devaloke ṭhito tadā.

at that time I stayed in the realm of the gods.

Pañcaṅgike samādhimhi,

I have gained complete tranquility

sante ekodibhāvite;

in immersion with five factors.

Paṭippassaddhiladdhamhi,

Peaceful, serene,

dibbacakkhu visujjhi me.

my clairvoyance is purified.

Cutūpapātaṁ jānāmi,

Steady in five-factored absorption,

sattānaṁ āgatiṁ gatiṁ;

I know the passing away and rebirth of beings,

Itthabhāvaññathābhāvaṁ,

their coming and going,

jhāne pañcaṅgike ṭhito.

their lives in this state and that.

Pariciṇṇo mayā satthā,

I’ve served the Teacher

… pe

and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

…

The heavy burden is laid down,

bhavanetti samūhatā.

the leash to existence is eradicated.

Vajjīnaṁ veḷuvagāme,

In the Vajjian village of Veḷuva,

ahaṁ jīvitasaṅkhayā;

my life will come to an end.

Heṭṭhato veḷugumbasmiṁ,

Beneath a thicket of bamboos,

nibbāyissaṁ anāsavo”ti.

being undefiled, I will be fully extinguished.”

… Anuruddho thero ….