Ānandattheragāthā

Theragāthā 17.3

Verses of the Senior Monks 17.3

Tiṁsanipāta

The Book of the Thirties

Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Ānandattheragāthā

Ānanda

“Pisuṇena ca kodhanena ca,

“The astute would not make friends

Maccharinā ca vibhūtanandinā;

with the slanderous or the hateful,

Sakhitaṁ na kareyya paṇḍito,

with a miser or a gloater,

Pāpo kāpurisena saṅgamo.

for it’s bad to consort with reprobates.

Saddhena ca pesalena ca,

The astute would make friends

Paññavatā bahussutena ca;

with the faithful and the pleasant,

Sakhitaṁ kareyya paṇḍito,

the wise and the learned,

Bhaddo sappurisena saṅgamo.

for it’s a blessing to consort with true persons.”

Passa cittakataṁ bimbaṁ,

“See this fancy puppet,

… pe

a body built of sores,

…

diseased, obsessed over,

yassa natthi dhuvaṁ ṭhiti.

in which nothing lasts at all.

Passa cittakataṁ bimbaṁ,

See this fancy puppet,

… pe

with its gems and earrings;

…

it is bones swathed in skin,

vatthehi sobhati.

made pretty by its clothes.

Alattakakatā,

Rouged feet

… pe

and powdered face

…

may be enough to beguile a fool,

no ca pāragavesino.

but not a seeker of the far shore.

Aṭṭhapadakatā,

Hair in eight braids

… pe

and eyeshadow

…

may be enough to beguile a fool,

no ca pāragavesino.

but not a seeker of the far shore.

Añjanīva navā,

A rotting body all adorned

… pe

like a freshly painted makeup box

…

may be enough to beguile a fool,

no ca pāragavesino.

but not a seeker of the far shore.”

Bahussuto cittakathī,

“Gotama is learned, a brilliant speaker,

buddhassa paricārako;

the attendant to the Buddha.

Pannabhāro visaññutto,

With burden put down, detached,

seyyaṁ kappeti gotamo.

Gotama made his bed.

Khīṇāsavo visaññutto,

Defilements ended, detached,

saṅgātīto sunibbuto;

he has got over clinging and become quenched.

Dhāreti antimaṁ dehaṁ,

He bears his final body,

jātimaraṇapāragū.

having gone beyond birth and death.”

Yasmiṁ patiṭṭhitā dhammā,

“Gotama stands firm

buddhassādiccabandhuno;

on the path that leads to quenching,

Nibbānagamane magge,

where the teachings of the Buddha,

soyaṁ tiṭṭhati gotamo.

the Kinsman of the Sun, are grounded.”

Dvāsīti buddhato gaṇhiṁ,

“82,000 from the Buddha,

dve sahassāni bhikkhuto;

and 2,000 more from the monks:

Caturāsītisahassāni,

84,000 teachings I’ve learned,

ye me dhammā pavattino.

and these are what I promulgate.”

Appassutāyaṁ puriso,

“A person of little learning

balibaddova jīrati;

ages like an ox—

Maṁsāni tassa vaḍḍhanti,

their flesh grows,

paññā tassa na vaḍḍhati.

but not their wisdom.

Bahussuto appassutaṁ,

A learned person who, on account of their learning,

yo sutenātimaññati;

looks down on someone of little learning,

Andho padīpadhārova,

strikes me as like

tatheva paṭibhāti maṁ.

a blind man holding a lamp.

Bahussutaṁ upāseyya,

You should stay close to a learned person—

sutañca na vināsaye;

don’t lose what you’ve learned.

Taṁ mūlaṁ brahmacariyassa,

It is the root of the spiritual life,

tasmā dhammadharo siyā.

which is why you should memorize the teaching.

Pubbāparaññū atthaññū,

Knowing the sequence and meaning of the teaching,

niruttipadakovido;

expert in the definition of terms,

Suggahītañca gaṇhāti,

they make sure it is well memorized,

atthañcopaparikkhati.

and then examine the meaning.

Khantyā chandikato hoti,

Accepting the teachings, they become enthusiastic;

ussahitvā tuleti taṁ;

making an attempt, they weigh up the teaching.

Samaye so padahati,

When it’s time, they strive

ajjhattaṁ susamāhito.

serene inside themselves.

Bahussutaṁ dhammadharaṁ,

If you want to understand the teaching,

sappaññaṁ buddhasāvakaṁ;

you should befriend that sort,

Dhammaviññāṇamākaṅkhaṁ,

who are learned and have memorized the teachings,

taṁ bhajetha tathāvidhaṁ.

wise disciples of the Buddha.

Bahussuto dhammadharo,

One who is learned
and has memorized the teaching,

kosārakkho mahesino;

a keeper of the great seer’s treasury,

Cakkhu sabbassa lokassa,

is a visionary for the whole world,

pūjanīyo bahussuto.

learned and honorable.

Dhammārāmo dhammarato,

Delighting in the teaching, enjoying the teaching,

dhammaṁ anuvicintayaṁ;

contemplating the teaching,

Dhammaṁ anussaraṁ bhikkhu,

a mendicant who recollects the teaching

saddhammā na parihāyati.

doesn’t fall away from the true teaching.”

Kāyamaccheragaruno,

“When your body is pampered and heavy,

hiyyamāne anuṭṭhahe;

while your remaining time is running out,

Sarīrasukhagiddhassa,

greedy for physical pleasure,

kuto samaṇaphāsutā.

how can you be comfortable as an ascetic?”

Na pakkhanti disā sabbā,

“I’m completely disorientated!

dhammā na paṭibhanti maṁ;

The teachings don’t spring to mind!

Gate kalyāṇamittamhi,

With the passing of our good friend,

andhakāraṁva khāyati.

everything seems dark.

Abbhatītasahāyassa,

When your friend has passed away,

atītagatasatthuno;

and your Teacher is past and gone,

Natthi etādisaṁ mittaṁ,

there’s no friend like

yathā kāyagatā sati.

mindfulness of the body.

Ye purāṇā atītā te,

The old have passed away,

navehi na sameti me;

and I don’t agree with the new.

Svajja ekova jhāyāmi,

Today I meditate alone

vassupetova pakkhimā”.

like a bird snug in its nest.”

“Dassanāya abhikkante,

“Many visitors from abroad

nānāverajjake bahū;

have come to visit.

Mā vārayittha sotāro,

Don’t block the audience,

passantu samayo mamaṁ”.

let the congregation see me.”

“Dassanāya abhikkante,

“Lots of visitors from abroad

nānāverajjake puthu;

have come to visit.

Karoti satthā okāsaṁ,

The teacher grants them the opportunity,

na nivāreti cakkhumā.

the Clear-eyed One doesn’t turn them away.”

Paṇṇavīsativassāni,

“In the twenty five years that have passed

sekhabhūtassa me sato;

since I became a trainee,

Na kāmasaññā uppajji,

no sensual perception has arisen in me:

passa dhammasudhammataṁ.

behold the clear rightness of the teaching!

Paṇṇavīsativassāni,

In the twenty-five years

sekhabhūtassa me sato;

since I became a trainee,

Na dosasaññā uppajji,

no malicious perception has arisen in me:

passa dhammasudhammataṁ.

behold the clear rightness of the teaching!”

Paṇṇavīsativassāni,

“For twenty-five years

bhagavantaṁ upaṭṭhahiṁ;

I attended on the Buddha

Mettena kāyakammena,

with loving deeds,

chāyāva anapāyinī.

like a shadow that never left.

Paṇṇavīsativassāni,

For twenty-five years

bhagavantaṁ upaṭṭhahiṁ;

I attended on the Buddha

Mettena vacīkammena,

with loving words,

chāyāva anapāyinī.

like a shadow that never left.

Paṇṇavīsativassāni,

For twenty-five years

bhagavantaṁ upaṭṭhahiṁ;

I attended on the Buddha

Mettena manokammena,

with loving thoughts,

chāyāva anapāyinī.

like a shadow that never left.

Buddhassa caṅkamantassa,

While the Buddha was walking mindfully,

piṭṭhito anucaṅkamiṁ;

I walked behind him.

Dhamme desiyamānamhi,

As he taught the Dhamma,

ñāṇaṁ me udapajjatha.

knowledge arose in me.”

Ahaṁ sakaraṇīyomhi,

“I’m a trainee, who has more to do;

sekho appattamānaso;

my heart’s desire is still unfulfilled.

Satthu ca parinibbānaṁ,

Yet the Teacher, who was so compassionate to me,

yo amhaṁ anukampako.

has become fully extinguished.

Tadāsi yaṁ bhiṁsanakaṁ,

Then there was terror!

tadāsi lomahaṁsanaṁ;

Then they had goosebumps!

Sabbākāravarūpete,

When the Buddha, endowed with all fine qualities,

sambuddhe parinibbute”.

was fully quenched.”

“Bahussuto dhammadharo,

“Ānanda, who was learned
and had memorized the teaching,

kosārakkho mahesino;

a keeper of the great seer’s treasury,

Cakkhu sabbassa lokassa,

a visionary for the entire world,

ānando parinibbuto.

has become fully quenched.

Bahussuto dhammadharo,

He was learned
and had memorized the teaching,

kosārakkho mahesino;

a keeper of the great seer’s treasury,

Cakkhu sabbassa lokassa,

a visionary for the entire world,

andhakāre tamonudo.

in thick of night he dispelled the dark.

Gatimanto satimanto,

He is the seer who remembered the teachings,

dhitimanto ca yo isi;

and mastered their sequence, holding them firm.

Saddhammadhārako thero,

The senior monk who memorized the teaching,

ānando ratanākaro”.

Ānanda was a mine of gems.”

“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,

natthi dāni punabbhavo”ti.

now there’ll be no more future lives.”

… Ānando thero …

Tiṁsanipāto niṭṭhito.

Tatruddānaṁ

Phusso patisso ānando,

tayotime pakittitā;

Gāthāyo tattha saṅkhātā,

sataṁ pañca ca uttarīti.