Cāpātherīgāthā

Therīgāthā 13.3

Verses of the Senior Nuns 13.3

Vīsatinipāta

The Book of the Twenties

Cāpātherīgāthā

Cāpā

“Laṭṭhihattho pure āsi,

“Once I carried a hermit’s staff,

so dāni migaluddako;

but these days I hunt deer.

Āsāya palipā ghorā,

My desires have made me unable to cross

nāsakkhi pārametave.

from the awful marsh to the far shore.

Sumattaṁ maṁ maññamānā,

Thinking me so in love with her,

cāpā puttamatosayi;

Cāpā kept our son happy.

Cāpāya bandhanaṁ chetvā,

Having cut Cāpā’s bond,

pabbajissaṁ punopahaṁ”.

I’ll go forth once again.”

“Mā me kujjhi mahāvīra,

“Don’t be mad at me, great hero!

mā me kujjhi mahāmuni;

Don’t be mad at me, great sage!

Na hi kodhaparetassa,

If you’re mired in anger you can’t stay pure,

suddhi atthi kuto tapo”.

let alone be fervent.”

“Pakkamissañca nāḷāto,

“I’m going to leave Nālā!

kodha nāḷāya vacchati;

For who’d stay here at Nālā!

Bandhantī itthirūpena,

With their figures, the women trap

samaṇe dhammajīvino”.

ascetics who live righteously.”

“Ehi kāḷa nivattassu,

“Please, Kāḷa, come back to me.

bhuñja kāme yathā pure;

Enjoy pleasures like you did before.

Ahañca te vasīkatā,

I’ll be under your control,

ye ca me santi ñātakā”.

along with any relatives I have.”

“Etto cāpe catubbhāgaṁ,

“Cāpā, if even a quarter

yathā bhāsasi tvañca me;

of what you say were true,

Tayi rattassa posassa,

it would be a splendid thing

uḷāraṁ vata taṁ siyā”.

for a man in love with you!”

“Kāḷaṅginiṁva takkāriṁ,

“Kāḷa, I am like a sprouting iris

pupphitaṁ girimuddhani;

flowering on a mountain top,

Phullaṁ dālimalaṭṭhiṁva,

like a blossoming pomegranate,

antodīpeva pāṭaliṁ.

like a patala tree on an isle;

Haricandanalittaṅgiṁ,

my limbs are anointed with yellow sandalwood,

kāsikuttamadhāriniṁ;

and I wear the finest Kāsi cloth:

Taṁ maṁ rūpavatiṁ santiṁ,

when I am so very beautiful,

kassa ohāya gacchasi”.

how can you abandon me and leave?”

“Sākuntikova sakuṇiṁ,

“You’re like a fowler

yathā bandhitumicchati;

who wants to catch a bird;

Āharimena rūpena,

but you won’t trap me

na maṁ tvaṁ bādhayissasi”.

with your costumed form.”

“Imañca me puttaphalaṁ,

“But this child, my fruit,

kāḷa uppāditaṁ tayā;

was begotten by you, Kāḷa.

Taṁ maṁ puttavatiṁ santiṁ,

When I have this child,

kassa ohāya gacchasi”.

how can you abandon me and leave?”

“Jahanti putte sappaññā,

“The wise give up

tato ñātī tato dhanaṁ;

children, family, and wealth.

Pabbajanti mahāvīrā,

Great heroes go forth

nāgo chetvāva bandhanaṁ”.

like elephants breaking their bonds.”

“Idāni te imaṁ puttaṁ,

“Now, this son of yours:

Daṇḍena churikāya vā;

I’ll strike him to the ground right here,

Bhūmiyaṁ vā nisumbhissaṁ,

with a stick or with a knife!

Puttasokā na gacchasi”.

Grieving your son, you will not leave.”

“Sace puttaṁ siṅgālānaṁ,

“Even if you feed our son

kukkurānaṁ padāhisi;

to jackals and dogs,

Na maṁ puttakatte jammi,

I’d never return again, you bitch,

punarāvattayissasi”.

not even for the child’s sake.”

“Handa kho dāni bhaddante,

“Well then, sir, tell me,

kuhiṁ kāḷa gamissasi;

where will you go, Kāḷa?

Katamaṁ gāmanigamaṁ,

To what village or town,

nagaraṁ rājadhāniyo”.

city or capital?”

“Ahumha pubbe gaṇino,

“Last time we had followers,

Assamaṇā samaṇamānino;

we weren’t ascetics, we just thought we were.

Gāmena gāmaṁ vicarimha,

We wandered from village to village,

Nagare rājadhāniyo.

to cities and capitals.

Eso hi bhagavā buddho,

But now the Blessed One, the Buddha,

nadiṁ nerañjaraṁ pati;

back on the bank of the Nerañjara River,

Sabbadukkhappahānāya,

teaches the Dhamma so that living creatures

dhammaṁ deseti pāṇinaṁ;

may abandon all suffering.

Tassāhaṁ santikaṁ gacchaṁ,

I shall go to his presence,

so me satthā bhavissati”.

he shall be my Teacher.”

“Vandanaṁ dāni vajjāsi,

“Now please convey my respects

lokanāthaṁ anuttaraṁ;

to the supreme protector of the world.

Padakkhiṇañca katvāna,

Circling him to your right,

ādiseyyāsi dakkhiṇaṁ”.

dedicate my religious donation.”

“Etaṁ kho labbhamamhehi,

“This is the proper thing to do,

yathā bhāsasi tvañca me;

just as you have said to me.

Vandanaṁ dāni te vajjaṁ,

I’ll convey your respects

lokanāthaṁ anuttaraṁ;

to the supreme protector of the world.

Padakkhiṇañca katvāna,

Circling him to my right,

ādisissāmi dakkhiṇaṁ”.

I’ll dedicate your religious donation.”

Tato ca kāḷo pakkāmi,

Then Kāḷa set out

nadiṁ nerañjaraṁ pati;

back to the bank of the Nerañjara River.

So addasāsi sambuddhaṁ,

He saw the Awakened One

desentaṁ amataṁ padaṁ.

teaching the state free of death:

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.

Tassa pādāni vanditvā,

He paid homage at his feet,

Katvāna naṁ padakkhiṇaṁ;

circling him to his right,

Cāpāya ādisitvāna,

and conveyed Cāpā’s dedication;

Pabbajiṁ anagāriyaṁ;

then he went forth to homelessness.

Tisso vijjā anuppattā,

He attained the three knowledges,

Kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.

and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

… Cāpā therī ….