Subhājīvakambavanikātherīgāthā

Therīgāthā 14.1

Verses of the Senior Nuns 14.1

Tiṁsanipāta

The Book of the Thirties

Subhājīvakambavanikātherīgāthā

Subhā of Jīvaka’s Mango Grove

Jīvakambavanaṁ rammaṁ,

Going to the lovely mango grove

Gacchantiṁ bhikkhuniṁ subhaṁ;

of Jīvaka, the nun Subhā

Dhuttako sannivāresi,

was held up by a rascal.

Tamenaṁ abravī subhā.

Subhā said this to him:

“Kiṁ te aparādhitaṁ mayā,

“What harm have I done to you,

Yaṁ maṁ ovariyāna tiṭṭhasi;

that you stand in my way?

Na hi pabbajitāya āvuso,

Respectable sir, it’s not proper that a man

Puriso samphusanāya kappati.

should touch a woman gone forth.

Garuke mama satthusāsane,

This training was taught by the Holy One,

Yā sikkhā sugatena desitā;

it is a serious matter in my teacher’s instructions.

Parisuddhapadaṁ anaṅgaṇaṁ,

I am pure and rid of blemishes,

Kiṁ maṁ ovariyāna tiṭṭhasi.

so why do you stand in my way?

Āvilacitto anāvilaṁ,

One whose mind is clouded against one unclouded;

Sarajo vītarajaṁ anaṅgaṇaṁ;

one who is lustful against one free of lust;

Sabbattha vimuttamānasaṁ,

unblemished, my heart is freed in every respect,

Kiṁ maṁ ovariyāna tiṭṭhasi”.

so why do you stand in my way?”

“Daharā ca apāpikā casi,

“You’re young and flawless—

Kiṁ te pabbajjā karissati;

what will going-forth do for you?

Nikkhipa kāsāyacīvaraṁ,

Throw away the ocher robe,

Ehi ramāma supupphite vane.

come and play in the blossom grove.

Madhurañca pavanti sabbaso,

Everywhere, the scent of pollen wafts sweet,

Kusumarajena samuṭṭhitā dumā;

born of the flowering woods.

Paṭhamavasanto sukho utu,

The start of spring is a happy time—

Ehi ramāma supupphite vane.

come and play in the blossom grove.

Kusumitasikharā ca pādapā,

And trees crested with flowers

Abhigajjantiva māluteritā;

cry out, as it were, in the gale.

Kā tuyhaṁ rati bhavissati,

But what kind of fun will you have

Yadi ekā vanamogahissasi.

if you plunge into the woods all alone?

Vāḷamigasaṅghasevitaṁ,

Frequented by packs of predators,

Kuñjaramattakareṇuloḷitaṁ;

and cow elephants aroused by rutting bulls;

Asahāyikā gantumicchasi,

you wish to go without a friend

Rahitaṁ bhiṁsanakaṁ mahāvanaṁ.

to the deserted, awe-inspiring forest.

Tapanīyakatāva dhītikā,

Like a doll made of glittering gold,

Vicarasi cittalateva accharā;

like a nymph wandering the park of bright vines,

Kāsikasukhumehi vaggubhi,

your matchless beauty will shine

Sobhasī suvasanehi nūpame.

in graceful clothes of delicate Kāsian cloth.

Ahaṁ tava vasānugo siyaṁ,

I’ll be under your sway,

Yadi viharemase kānanantare;

if we are to stay in the forest.

Na hi matthi tayā piyattaro,

I love no creature more than you,

Pāṇo kinnarimandalocane.

O pixie with such captivating eyes.

Yadi me vacanaṁ karissasi,

Were you to take up my invitation—

Sukhitā ehi agāramāvasa;

‘Come, be happy, and live in a house’—

Pāsādanivātavāsinī,

you’ll stay in a longhouse sheltered from wind;

Parikammaṁ te karontu nāriyo.

let the ladies look to your needs.

Kāsikasukhumāni dhāraya,

Dressed in delicate Kāsian cloth,

Abhiropehi ca mālavaṇṇakaṁ;

put on your garlands and your cosmetics.

Kañcanamaṇimuttakaṁ bahuṁ,

I’ll make all sorts of adornments for you,

Vividhaṁ ābharaṇaṁ karomi te.

of lustrous gold and gems and pearls.

Sudhotarajapacchadaṁ subhaṁ,

Climb onto a costly bed,

Gonakatūlikasanthataṁ navaṁ;

its coverlet so clean and nice,

Abhiruha sayanaṁ mahārahaṁ,

with a new woolen mattress,

Candanamaṇḍitasāragandhikaṁ.

so fragrant, sprinkled with sandalwood.

Uppalaṁ cudakā samuggataṁ,

As a blue lily risen from the water

Yathā taṁ amanussasevitaṁ;

remains untouched by men,

Evaṁ tvaṁ brahmacārinī,

so too, O chaste and holy lady,

Sakesaṅgesu jaraṁ gamissasi”.

your limbs grow old unshared.”

“Kiṁ te idha sārasammataṁ,

“This carcass is full of putrefaction, it swells

Kuṇapapūramhi susānavaḍḍhane;

the charnel ground, for its nature is to fall apart.

Bhedanadhamme kaḷevare,

What do you think is so essential in it

Yaṁ disvā vimano udikkhasi”.

that you stare at me so crazily?”

“Akkhīni ca tūriyāriva,

“Your eyes are like those of a doe,

Kinnariyāriva pabbatantare;

or a pixie in the mountains;

Tava me nayanāni dakkhiya,

seeing them, erotic delight

Bhiyyo kāmaratī pavaḍḍhati.

swells in me all the more.

Uppalasikharopamāni te,

Your eyes are like a blue lily’s bud

Vimale hāṭakasannibhe mukhe;

in your flawless face
shining like coruscant gold.

Tava me nayanāni dakkhiya,

Seeing them, sensual excitement

Bhiyyo kāmaguṇo pavaḍḍhati.

swells in me all the more.

Api dūragatā saramhase,

Though you may wander far, I’ll still think of you,

Āyatapamhe visuddhadassane;

with lashes so long and eyes so bright.

Na hi matthi tayā piyattaro,

I love no eyes more than yours,

Nayanā kinnarimandalocane”.

O pixie with such bashful eyes.”

“Apathena payātumicchasi,

“You’re setting out on the wrong road!

Candaṁ kīḷanakaṁ gavesasi;

You’re looking to take the moon for your toy!

Meruṁ laṅghetumicchasi,

You’re trying to leap over Mount Meru!

Yo tvaṁ buddhasutaṁ maggayasi.

You, who are hunting a child of the Buddha!

Natthi hi loke sadevake,

For in this world with all its gods,

Rāgo yatthapi dāni me siyā;

there will be no more lust anywhere in me.

Napi naṁ jānāmi kīriso,

I don’t even know what kind it could be,

Atha maggena hato samūlako.

it’s been smashed root and all by the path.

Iṅgālakuyāva ujjhito,

Cast out like sparks from fiery coals,

Visapattoriva aggito kato;

it’s worth no more than a bowl of poison.

Napi naṁ passāmi kīriso,

I don’t even see what kind it could be,

Atha maggena hato samūlako.

it’s been smashed root and all by the path.

Yassā siyā apaccavekkhitaṁ,

Well may you try to seduce the type of lady

Satthā vā anupāsito siyā;

who has not reflected on these things,

Tvaṁ tādisikaṁ palobhaya,

or who has never attended the Teacher:

Jānantiṁ so imaṁ vihaññasi.

but this is a lady who knows—now you’re in trouble!

Mayhañhi akkuṭṭhavandite,

No matter if I am reviled or praised,

Sukhadukkhe ca satī upaṭṭhitā;

or feel pleasure or pain: I stay mindful.

Saṅkhatamasubhanti jāniya,

Knowing that conditions are ugly,

Sabbattheva mano na limpati.

my mind clings to nothing.

Sāhaṁ sugatassa sāvikā,

I am a disciple of the Holy One,

Maggaṭṭhaṅgikayānayāyinī;

riding in the carriage of the eightfold path.

Uddhaṭasallā anāsavā,

The dart pulled out, free of defilements,

Suññāgāragatā ramāmahaṁ.

I’m happy to have reached an empty place.

Diṭṭhā hi mayā sucittitā,

I’ve seen brightly painted

Sombhā dārukapillakāni vā;

dolls and wooden puppets,

Tantīhi ca khīlakehi ca,

tied to sticks and strings,

Vinibaddhā vividhaṁ panaccakā.

and made to dance in many ways.

Tamhuddhaṭe tantikhīlake,

But when the sticks and strings are taken off—

Vissaṭṭhe vikale parikrite;

loosed, disassembled, dismantled,

Na vindeyya khaṇḍaso kate,

irrecoverable, stripped to parts—

Kimhi tattha manaṁ nivesaye.

on what could the mind be fixed?

Tathūpamā dehakāni maṁ,

That’s what my body is really like,

Tehi dhammehi vinā na vattanti;

without those things it can’t go on.

Dhammehi vinā na vattati,

This being so,

Kimhi tattha manaṁ nivesaye.

on what could the mind be fixed?

Yathā haritālena makkhitaṁ,

It’s like when you saw a mural made

Addasa cittikaṁ bhittiyā kataṁ;

by painting yellow orpiment on a wall,

Tamhi te viparītadassanaṁ,

and your vision was deceived by that—

Saññā mānusikā niratthikā.

the perception ‘human’ is pointless.

Māyaṁ viya aggato kataṁ,

Like an illusion cast before you,

Supinanteva suvaṇṇapādapaṁ;

or a golden tree in a dream,

Upagacchasi andha rittakaṁ,

you chase what is hollow, blind one,

Janamajjheriva rupparūpakaṁ.

like a painted doll among the people.

Vaṭṭaniriva koṭarohitā,

Like a ball in a socket,

Majjhe pubbuḷakā saassukā;

with a pupil in the middle, and tears,

Pīḷakoḷikā cettha jāyati,

and mucus comes from there as well,

Vividhā cakkhuvidhā ca piṇḍitā”.

different eye-parts are lumped together.”

Uppāṭiya cārudassanā,

Having plucked it out, the fair-eyed lady

Na ca pajjittha asaṅgamānasā;

was undismayed, unchained in mind.

“Handa te cakkhuṁ harassu taṁ”,

“Come now, take this eye,”

Tassa narassa adāsi tāvade.

she said, and gave it to the man right then.

Tassa ca viramāsi tāvade,

And right then he lost his lust,

Rāgo tattha khamāpayī ca naṁ;

and asked for her forgiveness:

“Sotthi siyā brahmacārinī,

“May you be well, O chaste and holy lady;

Na puno edisakaṁ bhavissati”.

such a thing will not happen again.

“Āsādiya edisaṁ janaṁ,

Attacking a person such as this

Aggiṁ pajjalitaṁva liṅgiya;

is like holding on to a blazing fire,

Gaṇhiya āsīvisaṁ viya,

or grabbing a deadly viper!

Api nu sotthi siyā khamehi no”.

May you be well, please forgive me.”

Muttā ca tato sā bhikkhunī,

When that nun was released

Agamī buddhavarassa santikaṁ;

she went to the presence of the excellent Buddha.

Passiya varapuññalakkhaṇaṁ,

Seeing the one with excellent marks of merit,

Cakkhu āsi yathā purāṇakanti.

her eye became just as it was before.

… Subhā jīvakambavanikā therī ….

Tiṁsanipāto niṭṭhito.