Vaṅgīsattheragāthā

Theragāthā 21.1

Verses of the Senior Monks 21.1

Mahānipāta

The Great Book

Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Vaṅgīsattheragāthā

Vaṅgīsa

“Nikkhantaṁ vata maṁ santaṁ,

“Now that I’ve renounced

agārasmānagāriyaṁ;

the lay life for homelessness,

Vitakkā upadhāvanti,

I’m overrun

pagabbhā kaṇhato ime.

by the rude thoughts of the Dark One.

Uggaputtā mahissāsā,

Even if a thousand warrior chiefs and great archers,

sikkhitā daḷhadhammino;

well trained, with strong bows,

Samantā parikireyyuṁ,

were to completely surround me;

sahassaṁ apalāyinaṁ.

I would never flee.

Sacepi ettakā bhiyyo,

And even if women come,

āgamissanti itthiyo;

many more than that,

Neva maṁ byādhayissanti,

they won’t bother me,

dhamme samhi patiṭṭhito.

for I stand firm in the teaching.

Sakkhī hi me sutaṁ etaṁ,

I heard with my own ears

buddhassādiccabandhuno;

from the Buddha, Kinsman of the Sun,

Nibbānagamanaṁ maggaṁ,

about the path going to extinguishment;

tattha me nirato mano.

that’s what delights my mind.

Evañce maṁ viharantaṁ,

Wicked One, if you come near me

pāpima upagacchasi;

as I meditate like this,

Tathā maccu karissāmi,

I’ll make sure that you, Death,

na me maggampi dakkhasi.

won’t even see the path I take.”

Aratiñca ratiñca pahāya,

“Giving up desire and discontent,

Sabbaso gehasitañca vitakkaṁ;

along with all thought of domestic life,

Vanathaṁ na kareyya kuhiñci,

they wouldn’t get snarled in anything;

Nibbanatho avanatho sa bhikkhu.

unsnarled, free of snarls: that’s a real mendicant.

Yamidha pathaviñca vehāsaṁ,

Whatever here is included in form—

Rūpagataṁ jagatogadhaṁ kiñci;

on earth, in the sky, or in planet’s deep—

Parijīyati sabbamaniccaṁ,

wears out, it is all impermanent:

Evaṁ samecca caranti mutattā.

the self-examined live having comprehended this.

Upadhīsu janā gadhitāse,

People are bound to their attachments,

Diṭṭhasute paṭighe ca mute ca;

to impingement of the seen and heard,
and to what is thought.

Ettha vinodaya chandamanejo,

Unstirred, dispel desire for these things;

Yo hettha na limpati muni tamāhu.

for one called ‘a sage’ does not cling to them.

Atha saṭṭhisitā savitakkā,

Trapped in the sixty wrong views,
full of their own opinions,

Puthujjanatāya adhammā niviṭṭhā;

ordinary people are fixed in wrong principles.

Na ca vaggagatassa kuhiñci,

But that mendicant wouldn’t join a sect,

No pana duṭṭhullagāhī sa bhikkhu.

still less would they utter lewd speech.

Dabbo cirarattasamāhito,

Proficient, long serene,

Akuhako nipako apihālu;

free of deceit, alert, without envy,

Santaṁ padaṁ ajjhagamā muni,

the sage has reached the state of peace;

Paṭicca parinibbuto kaṅkhati kālaṁ.

quenched, he awaits his time.”

Mānaṁ pajahassu gotama,

“Give up conceit, Gotama!

Mānapathañca jahassu asesaṁ;

Completely abandon the different kinds of conceit!

Mānapathamhi sa mucchito,

Besotted with the different kinds of conceit,

Vippaṭisārīhuvā cirarattaṁ.

you’ve had regrets for a long time.

Makkhena makkhitā pajā,

Smeared by smears and slain by conceit,

Mānahatā nirayaṁ papatanti;

people fall into hell.

Socanti janā cirarattaṁ,

When people slain by conceit are reborn in hell,

Mānahatā nirayaṁ upapannā.

they grieve for a long time.

Na hi socati bhikkhu kadāci,

But a mendicant who practices rightly,

Maggajino sammā paṭipanno;

a path-victor, never grieves.

Kittiñca sukhañcānubhoti,

They enjoy happiness and a good reputation,

Dhammadasoti tamāhu tathattaṁ.

and they rightly call him a ‘Seer of Truth’.

Tasmā akhilo idha padhānavā,

So being not hard-hearted, but energetic,

Nīvaraṇāni pahāya visuddho;

with hindrances given up, pure;

Mānañca pahāya asesaṁ,

and having completely given up conceit,

Vijjāyantakaro samitāvī”.

the one who makes an end with knowledge
is assuaged.”

“Kāmarāgena ḍayhāmi,

“I’ve got a burning desire for pleasure;

cittaṁ me pariḍayhati;

my mind is on fire!

Sādhu nibbāpanaṁ brūhi,

Please, out of compassion, Gotama,

anukampāya gotama”.

tell me how to quench the flames.”

“Saññāya vipariyesā,

“Your mind is on fire

cittaṁ te pariḍayhati;

because of a perversion of perception.

Nimittaṁ parivajjehi,

Turn away from the sign

subhaṁ rāgūpasaṁhitaṁ. (…)

that’s attractive, provoking lust.

Asubhāya cittaṁ bhāvehi,

With your mind unified and serene,

ekaggaṁ susamāhitaṁ;

meditate on the ugly aspects of the body.

Sati kāyagatā tyatthu,

With mindfulness immersed in the body,

nibbidābahulo bhava.

be full of disillusionment.

Animittañca bhāvehi,

Meditate on the signless,

mānānusayamujjaha;

give up the tendency to conceit;

Tato mānābhisamayā,

and when you comprehend conceit,

upasanto carissasi”.

you will live at peace.”

“Tameva vācaṁ bhāseyya,

“Speak only those words

yāyattānaṁ na tāpaye;

that do not hurt yourself

Pare ca na vihiṁseyya,

nor harm others;

sā ve vācā subhāsitā.

such speech is truly well spoken.

Piyavācameva bhāseyya,

Speak only pleasing words,

yā vācā paṭinanditā;

words gladly welcomed.

Yaṁ anādāya pāpāni,

Pleasing words are those

paresaṁ bhāsate piyaṁ.

that bring nothing bad to others.

Saccaṁ ve amatā vācā,

Truth itself is undying speech:

esa dhammo sanantano;

this is an ancient teaching.

Sacce atthe ca dhamme ca,

Good people say the teaching and meaning

āhu santo patiṭṭhitā.

are grounded in truth.

Yaṁ buddho bhāsati vācaṁ,

The words spoken by the Buddha

khemaṁ nibbānapattiyā;

for finding the sanctuary, extinguishment,

Dukkhassantakiriyāya,

for making an end of suffering:

sā ve vācānamuttamā”.

this really is the best kind of speech.”

“Gambhīrapañño medhāvī,

“Deep in wisdom, intelligent,

maggāmaggassa kovido;

expert in the path and what is not the path;

Sāriputto mahāpañño,

Sāriputta, so greatly wise,

dhammaṁ deseti bhikkhunaṁ.

teaches Dhamma to the mendicants.

Saṅkhittenapi deseti,

He teaches in brief,

vitthārenapi bhāsati;

or he speaks at length.

Sālikāyiva nigghoso,

His call, like a myna bird,

paṭibhānaṁ udiyyati.

overflows with inspiration.

Tassa taṁ desayantassa,

While he teaches

suṇanti madhuraṁ giraṁ;

the mendicants listen to his sweet voice,

Sarena rajanīyena,

sounding attractive,

savanīyena vaggunā;

clear and graceful.

Udaggacittā muditā,

They listen joyfully,

sotaṁ odhenti bhikkhavo”.

their hearts elated.”

“Ajja pannarase visuddhiyā,

“Today, on the fifteenth day sabbath,

Bhikkhū pañcasatā samāgatā;

five hundred monks have gathered together
to purify their precepts.

Saṁyojanabandhanacchidā,

These untroubled sages
have cut off their fetters and bonds,

Anīghā khīṇapunabbhavā isī.

they will not be reborn again.

Cakkavattī yathā rājā,

Just as a wheel-rolling monarch

amaccaparivārito;

surrounded by ministers

Samantā anupariyeti,

travels all around this

sāgarantaṁ mahiṁ imaṁ.

land that’s girt by sea.

Evaṁ vijitasaṅgāmaṁ,

So disciples with the three knowledges,

satthavāhaṁ anuttaraṁ;

conquerors of death,

Sāvakā payirupāsanti,

revere the winner of the battle,

tevijjā maccuhāyino.

the unsurpassed caravan leader.

Sabbe bhagavato puttā,

All are sons of the Blessed One—

palāpettha na vijjati;

there is no rubbish here.

Taṇhāsallassa hantāraṁ,

I bow to the Kinsman of the Sun,

vande ādiccabandhunaṁ.

destroyer of the dart of craving.”

Parosahassaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ,

“Over a thousand mendicants

sugataṁ payirupāsati;

revere the Holy One

Desentaṁ virajaṁ dhammaṁ,

as he teaches the immaculate Dhamma,

nibbānaṁ akutobhayaṁ.

extinguishment, fearing nothing from any quarter.

Suṇanti dhammaṁ vimalaṁ,

They listen to the immaculate Dhamma

sammāsambuddhadesitaṁ;

taught by the fully awakened Buddha;

Sobhati vata sambuddho,

the Buddha shines

bhikkhusaṅghapurakkhato.

at the fore of the mendicant Saṅgha.

‘Nāganāmo’si bhagavā,

Blessed One, your name is ‘Giant’,

isīnaṁ isisattamo;

seventh of the seers.

Mahāmeghova hutvāna,

You are like a great cloud

sāvake abhivassasi.

that rains on your disciples.

Divā vihārā nikkhamma,

I’ve left my day’s meditation,

satthudassanakamyatā;

out of desire to see the Teacher.

Sāvako te mahāvīra,

Great hero, your disciple Vaṅgīsa

pāde vandati vaṅgiso”.

bows at your feet.”

“Ummaggapathaṁ mārassa,

“Having overcome Māra’s wrong path,

Abhibhuyya carati pabhijja khīlāni;

you wander with hard-heartedness dissolved.

Taṁ passatha bandhapamuñcakaraṁ,

See him, the liberator from bonds,

Asitaṁva bhāgaso pavibhajja.

dissecting the unattached section by section.

Oghassa hi nitaraṇatthaṁ,

You have explained in many ways

Anekavihitaṁ maggaṁ akkhāsi;

the path to cross the flood.

Tasmiñca amate akkhāte,

The Seers of Truth stand unfaltering

Dhammadasā ṭhitā asaṁhīrā.

in the freedom from death explained by you.

Pajjotakaro ativijjha,

As the bringer of light who has pierced the truth,

Sabbaṭhitīnaṁ atikkamamaddasa;

you’ve seen what lies beyond all planes.

Ñatvā ca sacchikatvā ca,

When you saw and realized this for yourself,

Aggaṁ so desayi dasaddhānaṁ.

you taught it first to the group of five.

Evaṁ sudesite dhamme,

When the Dhamma has been so well taught,

Ko pamādo vijānataṁ dhammaṁ;

how could those who know it be negligent?

Tasmā hi tassa bhagavato sāsane,

That’s why, being diligent, we should always train

Appamatto sadā namassamanusikkhe”.

respectfully in the Buddha’s teaching.”

“Buddhānubuddho yo thero,

“The senior monk awakened after the Buddha,

koṇḍañño tibbanikkamo;

Koṇḍañña, is keenly energetic.

Lābhī sukhavihārānaṁ,

He regularly gains

vivekānaṁ abhiṇhaso.

the blissful meditations of seclusion.

Yaṁ sāvakena pattabbaṁ,

Whatever can be attained by a disciple

satthu sāsanakārinā;

who does the Teacher’s bidding,

Sabbassa taṁ anuppattaṁ,

he has attained it all,

appamattassa sikkhato.

through diligently training himself.

Mahānubhāvo tevijjo,

With great power and the three knowledges,

cetopariyakovido;

expert in encompassing the minds of others,

Koṇḍañño buddhadāyādo,

Koṇḍañña, the heir to the Buddha,

pāde vandati satthuno”.

bows at the Teacher’s feet.”

“Nagassa passe āsīnaṁ,

“As the sage, who has gone beyond suffering,

muniṁ dukkhassa pāraguṁ;

sits upon the mountain slope,

Sāvakā payirupāsanti,

he is revered by disciples with the three knowledges,

tevijjā maccuhāyino.

conquerors of death.

Cetasā anupariyeti,

Moggallāna, of great psychic power,

moggallāno mahiddhiko;

encompasses with his mind,

Cittaṁ nesaṁ samanvesaṁ,

scrutinizing their minds,

vippamuttaṁ nirūpadhiṁ.

liberated, free of attachments.

Evaṁ sabbaṅgasampannaṁ,

That is how those endowed
with many fine qualities

muniṁ dukkhassa pāraguṁ;

revere Gotama,

Anekākārasampannaṁ,

the sage gone beyond suffering,

payirupāsanti gotamaṁ”.

perfect in every respect.”

“Cando yathā vigatavalāhake nabhe,

“Like the moon on a cloudless night,

Virocati vītamalova bhāṇumā;

like the shining immaculate sun,

Evampi aṅgīrasa tvaṁ mahāmuni,

so too Aṅgīrasa, O great sage,

Atirocasi yasasā sabbalokaṁ”.

your glory outshines the entire world.”

“Kāveyyamattā vicarimha pubbe,

“We used to wander, drunk on poetry,

Gāmā gāmaṁ purā puraṁ;

from village to village, town to town.

Athaddasāma sambuddhaṁ,

Then we saw the Buddha,

Sabbadhammāna pāraguṁ.

who has gone beyond all things.

So me dhammamadesesi,

He, the sage gone beyond suffering,

muni dukkhassa pāragū;

taught me the Dhamma.

Dhammaṁ sutvā pasīdimha,

When we heard the Dhamma,
we became confident—

saddhā no udapajjatha.

faith arose in us.

Tassāhaṁ vacanaṁ sutvā,

Hearing him speak of

khandhe āyatanāni ca;

the aggregates, the sense-fields,

Dhātuyo ca viditvāna,

and the elements, I understood;

pabbajiṁ anagāriyaṁ.

and then I went forth to homelessness.

Bahūnaṁ vata atthāya,

It is for the benefit of many

uppajjanti tathāgatā;

that the Realized Ones arise—

Itthīnaṁ purisānañca,

the men and women

ye te sāsanakārakā.

who follow their instructions.

Tesaṁ kho vata atthāya,

It is truly for their benefit

bodhimajjhagamā muni;

that the sage realized awakening—

Bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnañca,

for the monks and for the nuns

ye nirāmagataddasā.

who see that they’ve reached certainty.

Sudesitā cakkhumatā,

The Clear-eyed One, the Buddha,

buddhenādiccabandhunā;

the Kinsman of the Sun,

Cattāri ariyasaccāni,

has well taught the four noble truths

anukampāya pāṇinaṁ.

out of sympathy for living creatures.

Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ,

Suffering, suffering’s origin,

Dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ;

suffering’s transcendence,

Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,

and the noble eightfold path

Dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.

that leads to the stilling of suffering.

Evamete tathā vuttā,

As these things were taught,

diṭṭhā me te yathā tathā;

so I have seen them.

Sadattho me anuppatto,

I’ve realized my heart’s goal,

kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.

and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

Svāgataṁ vata me āsi,

It was so welcome for me

mama buddhassa santike;

to be in the presence of the Buddha.

Suvibhattesu dhammesu,

Of the well-explained teachings,

yaṁ seṭṭhaṁ tadupāgamiṁ.

I arrived at the best.

Abhiññāpāramippatto,

I’ve realized the perfection of direct knowledge;

sotadhātu visodhitā;

my clairaudience is purified;

Tevijjo iddhipattomhi,

I am master of three knowledges,
attained in psychic power,

cetopariyakovido”.

I’m expert at reading the minds of others.”

“Pucchāmi satthāramanomapaññaṁ,

“I ask the Teacher unrivaled in wisdom,

Diṭṭheva dhamme yo vicikicchānaṁ chettā;

who has cut off all doubts in this very life:

Aggāḷave kālamakāsi bhikkhu,

a monk has died at Āḷavī’s premier shrine,

Ñāto yasassī abhinibbutatto.

who was well-known, famous, and quenched.

Nigrodhakappo iti tassa nāmaṁ,

Nigrodhakappa was his name;

Tayā kataṁ bhagavā brāhmaṇassa;

it was given to that brahmin by you, Blessed One.

So taṁ namassaṁ acari mutyapekho,

He wandered in your honor, yearning for freedom,

Āraddhavīriyo daḷhadhammadassī.

energetic, a resolute Seer of Truth.

Taṁ sāvakaṁ sakka mayampi sabbe,

O Sakyan, All-seer,

Aññātumicchāma samantacakkhu;

we all wish to know about that disciple.

Samavaṭṭhitā no savanāya sotā,

Our ears are eager to hear,

Tuvaṁ no satthā tvamanuttarosi.

for you are the most excellent teacher.

Chinda no vicikicchaṁ brūhi metaṁ,

Cut off our doubt, declare this to us;

Parinibbutaṁ vedaya bhūripañña;

your wisdom is vast, tell us of his quenching!

Majjheva no bhāsa samantacakkhu,

All-seer, speak among us,

Sakkova devāna sahassanetto.

like the thousand-eyed Sakka
in the midst of the gods!

Ye keci ganthā idha mohamaggā,

Whatever ties there are, or paths to delusion,

Aññāṇapakkhā vicikicchaṭhānā;

or things on the side of unknowing,
or that are bases of doubt

Tathāgataṁ patvā na te bhavanti,

vanish on reaching a Realized One,

Cakkhuñhi etaṁ paramaṁ narānaṁ.

for his eye is the best of all people’s.

No ce hi jātu puriso kilese,

If no man were ever to disperse corruptions,

Vāto yathā abbhaghanaṁ vihāne;

like the wind dispersing the stormclouds,

Tamovassa nivuto sabbaloko,

darkness would shroud the whole world;

Jotimantopi na pabhāseyyuṁ.

not even brilliant men would shine.

Dhīrā ca pajjotakarā bhavanti,

The attentive are bringers of light;

Taṁ taṁ ahaṁ vīra tatheva maññe;

my hero, that is what I think of you.

Vipassinaṁ jānamupāgamimha,

We’ve come for your discernment and knowledge:

Parisāsu no āvikarohi kappaṁ.

here in this assembly, declare to us about Kappāyana.

Khippaṁ giraṁ eraya vaggu vagguṁ,

Swiftly send forth your sweet, sweet voice,

Haṁsova paggayha saṇikaṁ nikūja;

like a goose stretching its neck, gently honking,

Bindussarena suvikappitena,

lucid-flowing, with lovely tone:

Sabbeva te ujjugatā suṇoma.

alert, we all listen to you.

Pahīnajātimaraṇaṁ asesaṁ,

You have entirely abandoned birth and death;

Niggayha dhonaṁ vadessāmi dhammaṁ;

curbed and pure, I urge you, speak the Dhamma!

Na kāmakāro hi puthujjanānaṁ,

For ordinary people
have no wish-granter,

Saṅkheyyakāro ca tathāgatānaṁ.

but Realized Ones
have a comprehensibility-granter.

Sampannaveyyākaraṇaṁ tavedaṁ,

Your answer is definitive, and we will adopt it,

Samujjupaññassa samuggahītaṁ;

for you have perfect understanding.

Ayamañjali pacchimo suppaṇāmito,

We raise our cupped palms one last time,

Mā mohayī jānamanomapañña.

one of unrivaled wisdom,
don’t deliberately confuse us.

Paroparaṁ ariyadhammaṁ viditvā,

Knowing the teaching of the noble ones
from top to bottom,

Mā mohayī jānamanomavīriya;

one of unrivaled energy,
don’t deliberately confuse us.

Vāriṁ yathā ghammani ghammatatto,

Like a man baking in the summer sun
would long for water,

Vācābhikaṅkhāmi sutaṁ pavassa.

I long for your voice, so let the sound rain forth.

Yadatthikaṁ brahmacariyaṁ acarī,

Surely Kappāyana did not
lead the spiritual life in vain?

Kappāyano kaccissataṁ amoghaṁ;

Did he realize quenching,

Nibbāyi so ādu saupādiseso,

or did he still have a residue?

Yathā vimutto ahu taṁ suṇoma”.

Let us hear what kind of liberation he had!”

“Acchecchi taṇhaṁ idha nāmarūpe,

“He cut off craving for name and form right here,”

(iti bhagavā)

said the Buddha,

Kaṇhassa sotaṁ dīgharattānusayitaṁ;

“the river of darkness that had long lain within him.

Atāri jātiṁ maraṇaṁ asesaṁ,

He has entirely crossed over birth and death.”

Iccabravi bhagavā pañcaseṭṭho”.

So declared the Blessed One, the leader of the five.

“Esa sutvā pasīdāmi,

“Now that I have heard your words,

vaco te isisattama;

seventh of seers, I am confident.

Amoghaṁ kira me puṭṭhaṁ,

My question, it seems, was not in vain,

na maṁ vañcesi brāhmaṇo.

the brahmin did not deceive me.

Yathā vādī tathā kārī,

As he said, so he did—

ahu buddhassa sāvako;

he was a disciple of the Buddha.

Acchecchi maccuno jālaṁ,

He cut the net of death the deceiver,

tataṁ māyāvino daḷhaṁ.

so extended and strong.

Addasa bhagavā ādiṁ,

Blessed One, Kappāyana saw

upādānassa kappiyo;

the starting point of grasping.

Accagā vata kappāno,

He has indeed gone far beyond

maccudheyyaṁ suduttaraṁ.

Death’s dominion so hard to pass.

Taṁ devadevaṁ vandāmi,

God of gods, best of men, I bow to you,

puttaṁ te dvipaduttama;

and to your son,

Anujātaṁ mahāvīraṁ,

who followed your example, a great hero;

nāgaṁ nāgassa orasan”ti.

a giant, bosom son of a giant.”

Itthaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā vaṅgīso thero gāthāyo abhāsitthāti.

That is how these verses were recited by the senior venerable Vaṅgīsa.

Mahānipāto niṭṭhito.

The Great Book is Finished

Tatruddānaṁ

Sattatimhi nipātamhi,

vaṅgīso paṭibhāṇavā;

Ekova thero natthañño,

gāthāyo ekasattatīti.

Niṭṭhitā theragāthāyo.

Tatruddānaṁ

Sahassaṁ honti tā gāthā,

tīṇi saṭṭhisatāni ca;

Therā ca dve satā saṭṭhi,

cattāro ca pakāsitā.

Sīhanādaṁ naditvāna,

buddhaputtā anāsavā;

Khemantaṁ pāpuṇitvāna,

aggikhandhāva nibbutāti.

Theragāthāpāḷi niṭṭhitā.

The Verses of the Senior Monks are finished.