Mahākassapattheragāthā

Theragāthā 18.1

Verses of the Senior Monks 18.1

Cattālīsanipāta

The Book of the Forties

Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Mahākassapattheragāthā

Mahākassapa

“Na gaṇena purakkhato care,

“You shouldn’t live for the adulation of a following;

Vimano hoti samādhi dullabho;

it turns your mind, making it hard to get immersion.

Nānājanasaṅgaho dukho,

Seeing that popularity is suffering,

Iti disvāna gaṇaṁ na rocaye.

you shouldn’t consent to a following.

Na kulāni upabbaje muni,

A sage should not visit respectable families;

Vimano hoti samādhi dullabho;

it turns your mind, making it hard to get immersion.

So ussukko rasānugiddho,

If you’re eager and greedy for flavors,

Atthaṁ riñcati yo sukhāvaho.

you’ll miss the goal that brings such happiness.

Paṅkoti hi naṁ avedayuṁ,

They know it really is a bog,

Yāyaṁ vandanapūjanā kulesu;

this homage and veneration in respectable families.

Sukhumaṁ sallaṁ durubbahaṁ,

Honor is a subtle dart, hard to extract,

Sakkāro kāpurisena dujjaho.

and hard for a reprobate to give up.”

Senāsanamhā oruyha,

“I came down from my lodging

nagaraṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁ;

and entered the city for alms.

Bhuñjantaṁ purisaṁ kuṭṭhiṁ,

I courteously stood by

sakkaccaṁ taṁ upaṭṭhahiṁ.

while a leper ate.

So me pakkena hatthena,

With his putrid hand

ālopaṁ upanāmayi;

he offered me a morsel.

Ālopaṁ pakkhipantassa,

Putting the morsel in my bowl,

aṅguli cettha chijjatha.

his finger dropped off right there.

Kuṭṭamūlañca nissāya,

Sitting by a wall,

ālopaṁ taṁ abhuñjisaṁ;

I ate that lump of rice.

Bhuñjamāne vā bhutte vā,

I did not feel any disgust

jegucchaṁ me na vijjati.

while eating or afterwards.

Uttiṭṭhapiṇḍo āhāro,

Anyone who makes use of

pūtimuttañca osadhaṁ;

leftovers for food,

Senāsanaṁ rukkhamūlaṁ,

rancid urine as medicine,

paṁsukūlañca cīvaraṁ;

the root of a tree as lodging,

Yassete abhisambhutvā,

and cast-off rags as robes,

sa ve cātuddiso naro.

is at ease in any quarter.”

Yattha eke vihaññanti,

“Where some have fallen to ruin

āruhantā siluccayaṁ;

while climbing the mountain,

Tassa buddhassa dāyādo,

there Kassapa ascends;

sampajāno patissato;

an heir of the Buddha,

Iddhibalenupatthaddho,

aware and mindful,

kassapo abhirūhati.

owing to his psychic powers.

Piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto,

Returning from almsround,

selamāruyha kassapo;

Kassapa ascends the mountain,

Jhāyati anupādāno,

and practices absorption without grasping,

pahīnabhayabheravo.

with fear and dread given up.

Piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto,

Returning from almsround,

selamāruyha kassapo;

Kassapa ascends the mountain,

Jhāyati anupādāno,

and practices absorption without grasping,

ḍayhamānesu nibbuto.

quenched amongst those who burn.

Piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto,

Returning from almsround,

selamāruyha kassapo;

Kassapa ascends the mountain,

Jhāyati anupādāno,

and practices absorption without grasping,

katakicco anāsavo.

his task completed, free of defilements.”

Karerimālāvitatā,

“Strewn with garlands of the musk-rose tree,

bhūmibhāgā manoramā;

these regions are so delightful, so lovely,

Kuñjarābhirudā rammā,

echoing with the trumpeting of elephants:

te selā ramayanti maṁ.

these rocky crags delight me!

Nīlabbhavaṇṇā rucirā,

Glistening, they look like blue stormclouds,

vārisītā sucindharā;

with waters cool and streams so clear,

Indagopakasañchannā,

and covered all in ladybugs:

te selā ramayanti maṁ.

these rocky crags delight me!

Nīlabbhakūṭasadisā,

Like the peak of a blue stormcloud,

kūṭāgāravarūpamā;

or like a fine bungalow, lovely,

Vāraṇābhirudā rammā,

echoing with the trumpeting of elephants:

te selā ramayanti maṁ.

these rocky crags delight me!

Abhivuṭṭhā rammatalā,

The rain comes down on the lovely flats,

nagā isibhi sevitā;

in the mountains frequented by seers.

Abbhunnaditā sikhīhi,

Echoing with the cries of peacocks,

te selā ramayanti maṁ.

these rocky crags delight me!

Alaṁ jhāyitukāmassa,

It’s enough for me, who loves absorption,

pahitattassa me sato;

to remain resolute.

Alaṁ me atthakāmassa,

It’s enough for me,

pahitattassa bhikkhuno.

a resolute monk who wants what’s best.

Alaṁ me phāsukāmassa,

It’s enough for me,

pahitattassa bhikkhuno;

a resolute monk who loves comfort.

Alaṁ me yogakāmassa,

It’s enough for me,

pahitattassa tādino.

resolute and unaffected, loving meditation.

Umāpupphena samānā,

Covered with flowers of flax,

gaganāvabbhachāditā;

like the welkin covered with stormclouds,

Nānādijagaṇākiṇṇā,

full of flocks of many different birds,

te selā ramayanti maṁ.

these rocky crags delight me!

Anākiṇṇā gahaṭṭhehi,

Empty of householders,

migasaṅghanisevitā;

frequented by herds of deer,

Nānādijagaṇākiṇṇā,

full of flocks of many different birds,

te selā ramayanti maṁ.

these rocky crags delight me!

Acchodikā puthusilā,

The water’s clear and the rocks are broad,

gonaṅgulamigāyutā;

monkeys and deer are all around;

Ambusevālasañchannā,

festooned with dewy moss,

te selā ramayanti maṁ.

these rocky crags delight me!”

Na pañcaṅgikena turiyena,

“Even the music of a five-piece band

Rati me hoti tādisī;

can never give such pleasure

Yathā ekaggacittassa,

as when, with unified mind,

Sammā dhammaṁ vipassato.

you rightly discern the Dhamma.”

Kammaṁ bahukaṁ na kāraye,

“Don’t get involved in lots of work,

Parivajjeyya janaṁ na uyyame;

avoid people, and don’t try to acquire things.

Ussukko so rasānugiddho,

If you’re eager and greedy for flavors,

Atthaṁ riñcati yo sukhāvaho.

you’ll miss the goal that brings such happiness.

Kammaṁ bahukaṁ na kāraye,

Don’t get involved in lots of work,

Parivajjeyya anattaneyyametaṁ;

avoid what doesn’t lead to the goal.

Kicchati kāyo kilamati,

The body gets worn out and fatigued,

Dukkhito so samathaṁ na vindati.

and when you ache, you won’t find serenity.”

Oṭṭhappahatamattena,

“You won’t see yourself

attānampi na passati;

by merely reciting words,

Patthaddhagīvo carati,

wandering stiff-necked

ahaṁ seyyoti maññati.

and thinking, ‘I’m better than them.’

Aseyyo seyyasamānaṁ,

The fool is no better,

bālo maññati attānaṁ;

but they think they are.

Na taṁ viññū pasaṁsanti,

The wise don’t praise

patthaddhamānasaṁ naraṁ.

pompous people.

Yo ca seyyohamasmīti,

Whoever does not waver

nāhaṁ seyyoti vā pana;

due to the discriminations—

Hīno taṁsadiso vāti,

‘I am better’, ‘I’m not better’,

vidhāsu na vikampati.

‘I am worse’, or ‘I am the same’—

Paññavantaṁ tathā tādiṁ,

with such understanding, unaffected,

sīlesu susamāhitaṁ;

steady in ethics,

Cetosamathamanuttaṁ,

and devoted to serenity of mind:

tañce viññū pasaṁsare.

that is who the wise praise.”

Yassa sabrahmacārīsu,

“Whoever has no respect

gāravo nūpalabbhati;

for their spiritual companions

Ārakā hoti saddhammā,

is as far from the true teaching

nabhato puthavī yathā.

as the earth is from the sky.

Yesañca hiriottappaṁ,

Those whose conscience and prudence

sadā sammā upaṭṭhitaṁ;

are always rightly established,

Virūḷhabrahmacariyā te,

thrive in the spiritual life;

tesaṁ khīṇā punabbhavā.

for them, there are no future lives.

Uddhato capalo bhikkhu,

When a mendicant who is haughty and fickle

paṁsukūlena pāruto;

wears rags from the rubbish-heap,

Kapīva sīhacammena,

that doesn’t make them shine:

na so tenupasobhati.

they’re like a monkey in a lion skin.

Anuddhato acapalo,

But if they not restless or fickle,

nipako saṁvutindriyo;

alert, with senses restrained,

Sobhati paṁsukūlena,

then, wearing rags from the rubbish-heap, they shine

sīhova girigabbhare.

like a lion in a mountain cave.”

Ete sambahulā devā,

“These many gods

iddhimanto yasassino;

powerful and glorious,

Dasadevasahassāni,

all 10,000 of them,

sabbe te brahmakāyikā.

belong to the host of the Divinity.

Dhammasenāpatiṁ vīraṁ,

They stand with cupped palms

mahājhāyiṁ samāhitaṁ;

honoring Sāriputta,

Sāriputtaṁ namassantā,

the General of the Dhamma, the hero,

tiṭṭhanti pañjalīkatā.

the serene great meditator:

‘Namo te purisājañña,

‘Homage to you, O thoroughbred!

namo te purisuttama;

Homage to you, supreme among men!

Yassa te nābhijānāma,

We don’t understand

yampi nissāya jhāyati.

the basis of your absorption.

Accheraṁ vata buddhānaṁ,

The profound domain of the Buddhas

gambhīro gocaro sako;

is truly amazing.

Ye mayaṁ nābhijānāma,

We don’t understand,

vālavedhisamāgatā’.

though we’ve gathered here to split hairs.’

Taṁ tathā devakāyehi,

When he saw the host of gods

pūjitaṁ pūjanārahaṁ;

paying homage to Sāriputta—

Sāriputtaṁ tadā disvā,

who is truly worthy of homage—

kappinassa sitaṁ ahu.

Kappina smiled.”

Yāvatā buddhakhettamhi,

“As far as the range of the Buddha extends,

ṭhapayitvā mahāmuniṁ;

I am distinguished in austerities.

Dhutaguṇe visiṭṭhohaṁ,

I have no equal,

sadiso me na vijjati.

apart from the great sage himself.

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.

now there’ll be no more future lives.”

Na cīvare na sayane,

“Like a lotus flower

bhojane nupalimpati;

to which water will not stick,

Gotamo anappameyyo,

Gotama the immeasurable is unstained

muḷālapupphaṁ vimalaṁva;

by robes, lodgings, or food.

Ambunā nekkhammaninno,

He inclines to renunciation,

tibhavābhinissaṭo.

and has escaped the three states of existence.

Satipaṭṭhānagīvo so,

The great sage’s neck is mindfulness meditation;

saddhāhattho mahāmuni;

faith is his hands, and wisdom his head.

Paññāsīso mahāñāṇī,

Having great knowledge,

sadā carati nibbuto”ti.

he always wanders, quenched.”

… Mahākassapo thero …

Cattālīsanipāto niṭṭhito.

The Book of the Forties is finished.

Tatruddānaṁ

Cattālīsanipātamhi,

mahākassapasavhayo;

Ekova thero gāthāyo,

cattālīsa duvepi cāti.