Piṇḍolabhāradvājattheragāthā

Theragāthā 2.2

Verses of the Senior Monks 2.2

Dukanipāta

The Book of the Twos

Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Piṇḍolabhāradvājattheragāthā

Bhāradvāja the Alms-Gatherer

“Nayidaṁ anayena jīvitaṁ,

You can’t live by fasting,

Nāhāro hadayassa santiko;

but food doesn’t lead to peace of heart.

Āhāraṭṭhitiko samussayo,

Seeing how this bag of bones is sustained by food,

Iti disvāna carāmi esanaṁ.

I wander, seeking.

Paṅkoti hi naṁ pavedayuṁ,

They know it’s just a swamp,

Yāyaṁ vandanapūjanā kulesu;

this homage and veneration in respectable families.

Sukhumaṁ sallaṁ durubbahaṁ,

Honor is a subtle dart, hard to extract,

Sakkāro kāpurisena dujjaho”ti.

and hard for a reprobate to give up.

Itthaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā piṇḍolabhāradvājo thero gāthāyo abhāsitthāti.

That is how these verses were recited by the senior venerable Bhāradvāja the Alms-Gatherer.