Kullattheragāthā

Theragāthā 6.4

Verses of the Senior Monks 6.4

Chakkanipāta

The Book of the Sixes

Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Kullattheragāthā

Kulla

“Kullo sivathikaṁ gantvā,

I, Kulla, went to a charnel ground

addasa itthimujjhitaṁ;

and saw a woman’s body abandoned there,

Apaviddhaṁ susānasmiṁ,

dumped in a cemetery,

khajjantiṁ kimihī phuṭaṁ.

full of worms that devoured.

Āturaṁ asuciṁ pūtiṁ,

“See this bag of bones, Kulla—

passa kulla samussayaṁ;

diseased, filthy, rotten,

Uggharantaṁ paggharantaṁ,

oozing and trickling,

bālānaṁ abhinanditaṁ.

a fool’s delight.”

Dhammādāsaṁ gahetvāna,

Taking the teaching as a mirror

ñāṇadassanapattiyā;

for realizing knowledge and vision,

Paccavekkhiṁ imaṁ kāyaṁ,

I examined this body,

tucchaṁ santarabāhiraṁ.

hollow, inside and out.

Yathā idaṁ tathā etaṁ,

As this is, so is that;

yathā etaṁ tathā idaṁ;

as that is, so is this.

Yathā adho tathā uddhaṁ,

As below, so above;

yathā uddhaṁ tathā adho.

as above, so below.

Yathā divā tathā rattiṁ,

As by day, so by night;

yathā rattiṁ tathā divā;

as by night, so by day.

Yathā pure tathā pacchā,

As before, so behind;

yathā pacchā tathā pure.

as behind, so before.

Pañcaṅgikena turiyena,

Even the music of a five-piece band

Na ratī hoti tādisī;

can never give such pleasure

Yathā ekaggacittassa,

as when, with unified mind,

Sammā dhammaṁ vipassato”ti.

you rightly discern the Dhamma.

… Kullo thero ….