Phussattheragāthā

Theragāthā 17.1

Verses of the Senior Monks 17.1

Tiṁsanipāta

The Book of the Thirties

Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Phussattheragāthā

Phussa

Pāsādike bahū disvā,

Seeing many who inspire confidence,

bhāvitatte susaṁvute;

evolved and well-restrained,

Isi paṇḍarasagotto,

the seer of the Paṇḍara clan,

apucchi phussasavhayaṁ.

asked the one known as Phussa:

“Kiṁchandā kimadhippāyā,

“In future times,

kimākappā bhavissare;

what desire and motivation

Anāgatamhi kālamhi,

and behavior will people have?

taṁ me akkhāhi pucchito”.

Please answer my question.”

“Suṇohi vacanaṁ mayhaṁ,

“Listen to my words,

isipaṇḍarasavhaya;

O seer known as a Paṇḍara,

Sakkaccaṁ upadhārehi,

and remember them carefully,

ācikkhissāmyanāgataṁ.

I will describe the future.

Kodhanā upanāhī ca,

In the future many will be

makkhī thambhī saṭhā bahū;

angry and hostile,

Ussukī nānāvādā ca,

offensive, stubborn, and devious,

bhavissanti anāgate.

jealous, holding divergent views.

Aññātamānino dhamme,

Imagining they understand
the depths of the teaching,

gambhīre tīragocarā;

they resort to the near shore.

Lahukā agarū dhamme,

Superficial and disrespectful toward the teaching,

aññamaññamagāravā.

they lack respect for one another.

Bahū ādīnavā loke,

In the future

uppajjissantyanāgate;

many dangers will arise in the world.

Sudesitaṁ imaṁ dhammaṁ,

Idiots will defile

kilesessanti dummatī.

the Dhamma that was taught so well.

Guṇahīnāpi saṅghamhi,

Though bereft of good qualities,

voharantā visāradā;

unlearned prattlers, too sure of themselves,

Balavanto bhavissanti,

will become powerful

mukharā assutāvino.

in running Saṅgha proceedings.

Guṇavantopi saṅghamhi,

Though possessing good qualities,

voharantā yathātthato;

the conscientious and unbiased,
acting in the proper spirit,

Dubbalā te bhavissanti,

will become weak

hirīmanā anatthikā.

in running Saṅgha proceedings.

Rajataṁ jātarūpañca,

In the future, simpletons will accept

khettaṁ vatthumajeḷakaṁ;

currency and gold,

Dāsidāsañca dummedhā,

fields and land, goats and sheep,

sādiyissantyanāgate.

and bonded servants, male and female.

Ujjhānasaññino bālā,

Fools finding fault in others,

sīlesu asamāhitā;

but unsteady in their own ethics,

Unnaḷā vicarissanti,

will wander about, insolent,

kalahābhiratā magā.

like cantankerous beasts.

Uddhatā ca bhavissanti,

They’ll be haughty,

nīlacīvarapārutā;

wrapped in robes of blue;

Kuhā thaddhā lapā siṅgī,

deceivers and flatterers, pompous and fake,

carissantyariyā viya.

they’ll wander as if they were noble ones.

Telasaṇṭhehi kesehi,

With hair sleeked back with oil,

capalā añjanakkhikā;

fickle, their eyes painted with eyeshadow,

Rathiyāya gamissanti,

they’ll travel on the high-road,

dantavaṇṇikapārutā.

wrapped in robes of ivory color.

Ajegucchaṁ vimuttehi,

The deep-dyed ocher robe,

surattaṁ arahaddhajaṁ;

worn without disgust by the free,

Jigucchissanti kāsāvaṁ,

they will come to loathe,

odātesu samucchitā.

besotted by white clothes.

Lābhakāmā bhavissanti,

They’ll want lots of possessions,

kusītā hīnavīriyā;

and be lazy, lacking energy.

Kicchantā vanapatthāni,

Weary of the forest,

gāmantesu vasissare.

they’ll stay within villages.

Ye ye lābhaṁ labhissanti,

Being unrestrained, they’ll keep company with

micchājīvaratā sadā;

those who acquire profit,

Te teva anusikkhantā,

and who always enjoy wrong livelihood,

bhajissanti asaṁyatā.

following their example.

Ye ye alābhino lābhaṁ,

They won’t respect those

na te pujjā bhavissare;

who don’t get lots of stuff,

Supesalepi te dhīre,

and they won’t associate with the attentive,

sevissanti na te tadā.

even though they’re very amiable.

Milakkhurajanaṁ rattaṁ,

Disparaging their own banner,

garahantā sakaṁ dhajaṁ;

dyed a vermilion color,

Titthiyānaṁ dhajaṁ keci,

some will wear the white banner

dhārissantyavadātakaṁ.

of those of other religions.

Agāravo ca kāsāve,

Then they’ll have no respect

tadā tesaṁ bhavissati;

for the ocher robe.

Paṭisaṅkhā ca kāsāve,

The mendicants will not reflect

bhikkhūnaṁ na bhavissati.

on the nature of the ocher robe.

Abhibhūtassa dukkhena,

This awful lack of reflection

sallaviddhassa ruppato;

was unthinkable to the elephant,

Paṭisaṅkhā mahāghorā,

who was overcome by suffering,

nāgassāsi acintiyā.

inflicted by an arrow strike.

Chaddanto hi tadā disvā,

Then the six-tusked elephant,

surattaṁ arahaddhajaṁ;

seeing the deep-dyed banner of the perfected ones,

Tāvadeva bhaṇī gāthā,

straight away spoke these verses

gajo atthopasaṁhitā.

connected with the goal.

‘Anikkasāvo kāsāvaṁ,

‘One who, not free of stains themselves,

yo vatthaṁ paridhassati;

would wear the robe stained in ocher,

Apeto damasaccena,

bereft of self-control and truth:

na so kāsāvamarahati.

they are not worthy of the ocher robe.

Yo ca vantakasāvassa,

One who’s purged all their stains,

sīlesu susamāhito;

steady in ethics,

Upeto damasaccena,

possessing truth and self-control:

sa ve kāsāvamarahati.

they are truly worthy of the ocher robe.’

Vipannasīlo dummedho,

Devoid of virtue, a simpleton,

pākaṭo kāmakāriyo;

wild, doing what they like,

Vibbhantacitto nissukko,

their minds astray, indolent:

na so kāsāvamarahati.

they are not worthy of the ocher robe.

Yo ca sīlena sampanno,

One accomplished in ethics,

vītarāgo samāhito;

free of greed, serene,

Odātamanasaṅkappo,

their heart’s intention pure:

sa ve kāsāvamarahati.

they are truly worthy of the ocher robe.

Uddhato unnaḷo bālo,

The haughty, insolent fool,

sīlaṁ yassa na vijjati;

who has no ethics at all,

Odātakaṁ arahati,

is worthy of a white robe—

kāsāvaṁ kiṁ karissati.

what use is an ocher robe for them?

Bhikkhū ca bhikkhuniyo ca,

In the future, monks and nuns

duṭṭhacittā anādarā;

with corrupt hearts, lacking regard for others,

Tādīnaṁ mettacittānaṁ,

will disparage those

niggaṇhissantyanāgate.

with hearts of loving-kindness.

Sikkhāpentāpi therehi,

Though trained in wearing the robe

bālā cīvaradhāraṇaṁ;

by senior monks,

Na suṇissanti dummedhā,

simpletons will not listen,

pākaṭā kāmakāriyā.

wild, doing what they like.

Te tathā sikkhitā bālā,

With that kind of attitude to training,

aññamaññaṁ agāravā;

those fools won’t respect each other,

Nādiyissantupajjhāye,

or take any notice of their mentors,

khaḷuṅko viya sārathiṁ.

like a wild colt with its charioteer.

Evaṁ anāgataddhānaṁ,

Even so, in the future,

paṭipatti bhavissati;

this will be the practice

Bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnañca,

of monks and nuns

patte kālamhi pacchime.’

when the latter days have come.

Purā āgacchate etaṁ,

Before this frightening future arrives,

anāgataṁ mahabbhayaṁ;

be easy to admonish,

Subbacā hotha sakhilā,

courteous in speech,

aññamaññaṁ sagāravā.

and respect one another.

Mettacittā kāruṇikā,

Have hearts of love and compassion,

Hotha sīlesu saṁvutā;

and please do keep your precepts.

Āraddhavīriyā pahitattā,

Be energetic, resolute,

Niccaṁ daḷhaparakkamā.

and always staunchly vigorous.

Pamādaṁ bhayato disvā,

Seeing negligence as fearful,

Appamādañca khemato;

and diligence as a sanctuary,

Bhāvethaṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,

develop the eightfold path,

Phusantā amataṁ padan”ti.

realizing the state free of death.”

… Phusso thero ….

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