Vāseṭṭhītherīgāthā

Therīgāthā 6.2

Verses of the Senior Nuns 6.2

Chakkanipāta

The Book of the Sixes

Vāseṭṭhītherīgāthā

Vāseṭṭhī

“Puttasokenahaṁ aṭṭā,

Struck down with grief for my son,

khittacittā visaññinī;

deranged, out of my mind,

Naggā pakiṇṇakesī ca,

nude, my hair flying,

tena tena vicārihaṁ.

I wandered here and there.

Vīthi saṅkārakūṭesu,

I lived on rubbish heaps,

susāne rathiyāsu ca;

in cemeteries and highways.

Acariṁ tīṇi vassāni,

For three years I wandered,

khuppipāsāsamappitā.

stricken by hunger and thirst.

Athaddasāsiṁ sugataṁ,

Then I saw the Holy One

nagaraṁ mithilaṁ pati;

back at the city of Mithilā.

Adantānaṁ dametāraṁ,

Tamer of the untamed,

sambuddhamakutobhayaṁ.

the Awakened One fears nothing from any quarter.

Sacittaṁ paṭiladdhāna,

Regaining my mind,

vanditvāna upāvisiṁ;

I paid homage and sat down.

So me dhammamadesesi,

Out of compassion

anukampāya gotamo.

Gotama taught me the Dhamma.

Tassa dhammaṁ suṇitvāna,

After hearing his teaching,

pabbajiṁ anagāriyaṁ;

I went forth to homelessness.

Yuñjantī satthuvacane,

Applying myself to the Teacher’s words,

sacchākāsiṁ padaṁ sivaṁ.

I realized the state of grace.

Sabbe sokā samucchinnā,

All sorrows are cut off,

pahīnā etadantikā;

given up, they end here.

Pariññātā hi me vatthū,

I’ve fully understood the basis

yato sokāna sambhavo”ti.

from which grief comes to be.

… Vāseṭṭhī therī ….