Sarabhaṅgattheragāthā

Theragāthā 7.5

Verses of the Senior Monks 7.5

Sattakanipāta

The Book of the Sevens

Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Sarabhaṅgattheragāthā

Sarabhaṅga

“Sare hatthehi bhañjitvā,

I broke the reeds off with my hands,

katvāna kuṭimacchisaṁ;

made a hut, and stayed there.

Tena me sarabhaṅgoti,

That’s how I became known

nāmaṁ sammutiyā ahu.

as “Reed-breaker”.

Na mayhaṁ kappate ajja,

But now it’s not appropriate

sare hatthehi bhañjituṁ;

for me to break reeds with my hands.

Sikkhāpadā no paññattā,

The training rules have been laid down for us

gotamena yasassinā.

by Gotama the renowned.

Sakalaṁ samattaṁ rogaṁ,

Previously, I, Sarabhaṅga,

Sarabhaṅgo nāddasaṁ pubbe;

didn’t see the disease in its entirety.

Soyaṁ rogo diṭṭho,

But now I have seen the disease,

Vacanakarenātidevassa.

as I’ve practiced what was taught
by he who is beyond the gods.

Yeneva maggena gato vipassī,

Gotama traveled by that direct route;

Yeneva maggena sikhī ca vessabhū;

the same path traveled by Vipassī,

Kakusandhakoṇāgamano ca kassapo,

by Sikhī, Vessabhū,

Tenañjasena agamāsi gotamo.

Kakusandha, Koṇāgamana, and Kassapa.

Vītataṇhā anādānā,

These seven Buddhas have plunged into the ending,

satta buddhā khayogadhā;

free of craving, without grasping,

Yehāyaṁ desito dhammo,

having become Dhamma, unaffected.

dhammabhūtehi tādibhi.

They have taught this Dhamma

Cattāri ariyasaccāni,

out of compassion for living creatures—

anukampāya pāṇinaṁ;

suffering, origin, path,

Dukkhaṁ samudayo maggo,

and cessation, the ending of suffering.

nirodho dukkhasaṅkhayo.

In these four noble truths,

Yasmiṁ nivattate dukkhaṁ,

the endless suffering of transmigration

saṁsārasmiṁ anantakaṁ;

finally comes to an end.

Bhedā imassa kāyassa,

When the body breaks up,

jīvitassa ca saṅkhayā;

and life comes to an end,

Añño punabbhavo natthi,

there are no future lives;

suvimuttomhi sabbadhī”ti.

I’m everywhere well freed.

… Sarabhaṅgo thero …

Sattakanipāto niṭṭhito.

Tatruddānaṁ

Sundarasamuddo thero,

thero lakuṇḍabhaddiyo;

Bhaddo thero ca sopāko,

sarabhaṅgo mahāisi;

Sattake pañcakā therā,

gāthāyo pañcatiṁsatīti.