Theragāthā (Psalms of the Brethren)

“What good does it do you to be in the grove, my dear? You’re like a little bird in the monsoon! The city of Verambhā is nice for you— seclusion is for meditators.”

“Just as the wind in Verambhā scatters the monsoon clouds as they pour down, so the city scatters my perception of seclusion.”

“It’s all black and born of an egg— the crow whose abode is the charnel ground rouses my mindfulness, based on dispassion for the body.”

“He who is not guarded by others, and who does not guard others, truly sleeps at ease, mendicant, unconcerned for sensual pleasures.”

“The water’s clear and the rocks are broad, monkeys and deer are all around; festooned with dewy moss, these rocky crags delight me!

I’ve stayed in the wilderness, in caves and caverns and remote lodgings frequented by beasts of prey.

‘May these beings be killed! May they be slaughtered! May they suffer!’— I’m not aware of having any such ignoble, hateful thoughts.

I’ve served the Teacher and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions. The heavy burden is laid down, the leash to existence is eradicated.

I’ve attained the goal for the sake of which I went forth from the lay life to homelessness— the ending of all fetters.

I don’t long for death; I don’t long for life; I await my time, like a worker waiting for their wages.

I don’t long for death; I don’t long for life; I await my time, aware and mindful.”

One should train just in ethical conduct, for in this world, when ethical conduct is cultivated and well-trained, it provides all success.

Wishing for three kinds of happiness— praise, prosperity, and to delight in heaven after passing away— the wise would take care of their ethics.

The well-behaved have many friends, because of their self-restraint. But one lacking ethics, of bad conduct, drives away their friends.

A man whose ethics are bad has ill-repute and infamy. One who is ethical always has a good reputation, fame, and praise.

Ethical conduct is the starting point and foundation; the mother at the head of all good things: that’s why you should purify your ethics.

Ethics provide a boundary and a restraint, an enjoyment for the mind; the ford where all the Buddhas cross over: that’s why you should purify your ethics.

Ethics are the matchless power; ethics are the ultimate weapon; ethics are the best ornament; ethics are a marvelous coat of armor.

Ethics are a mighty bridge; ethics are the unsurpassed scent; ethics are the best perfume, that float from place to place.

Ethics are the best provision; ethics are the unsurpassed supply for a journey; ethics are the best vehicle that take you from place to place.

In this life they’re criticized; after departing they grieve in a lower realm; a fool is unhappy everywhere, because they are unsteady in ethics.

In this life they’re renowned; after departing they’re happy in heaven; the attentive are happy everywhere, because they are steady in ethics.

Ethical conduct is best in this life, but one with wisdom is supreme. Someone with both virtue and wisdom is victorious among men and gods.

I was born in a low-class family. We were poor, with little to eat. My job was lowly— I threw out the old flowers.

Shunned by people, I was disregarded and held in contempt. I humbled my heart and paid respects to many people.

Then I saw the Buddha at the fore of the mendicant Saṅgha. The great hero was entering the capital city of the Magadhans.

I dropped my flail and approached to pay homage. Out of sympathy for me, the supreme man stood still.

When I had paid homage at the Teacher’s feet, I stood to one side and requested the going forth from the one supreme among all beings.

Consequently, the Teacher, being compassionate, having sympathy for the whole world, said to me, “Come, monk!” That was my ordination.

Staying alone in the wilderness, meditating tirelessly, I have completed what the Teacher taught, just as the victor advised me.

In the first watch of the night, I recollected my past lives. In the middle watch, I purified my clairvoyance. In the last watch, I shattered the mass of darkness.

At the end of the night, as the sunrise drew near, Indra and the Divinity came and revered me with joined hands.

“Homage to you, O thoroughbred! Homage to you, supreme among men! Since your defilements are ended, you, good fellow, are worthy of a religious donation.”

Consequently, having seen me honored by the assembly of gods, the Teacher smiled and said the following:

“By fervor and spiritual practice, by restraint and by self-control: that’s how to become a brahmin, this is the supreme brahmin.”

He who was special in the kingdom, the footman to the king of Aṅga, today is special in the Dhamma— Soṇa has gone beyond suffering.

Five to cut, five to drop, and five more to develop. When a mendicant slips five chains they’re said to have crossed the flood.

If a monk is insolent and negligent, concerned only with externals, their ethics, immersion, and wisdom do not become fulfilled.

They dump what should be done, and do what should not be done. For the insolent and the negligent, their defilements only grow.

Those that have properly undertaken constant mindfulness of the body, don’t cultivate what should not be done, but always do what should be done. Mindful and aware, their defilements come to an end.

The straight path has been explained— go on it and don’t turn back. Urge yourself on and take yourself to extinguishment.

When my energy was over-exerted, the supreme Teacher in the world created the simile of the arched harp for me. The Clear-eyed One taught the Dhamma, and when I heard what he said, I happily did his bidding.

Practicing serenity of mind for the attainment of the highest goal. I’ve attained the three knowledges and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

When you’re dedicated to renunciation and seclusion of the heart; when you’re dedicated to kindness and the end of grasping;

when you’re dedicated to the ending of craving and clarity of heart; and you’ve seen the arising of the senses, your mind is rightly freed.

For that one, rightly freed, a mendicant with peaceful mind, there’s nothing to be improved, and nothing more to do.

As the wind cannot stir a solid mass of rock, so too sights, tastes, sounds, smells, and touches—the lot—

and ideas, whether liked or disliked, don’t disturb the unaffected one. Their mind is steady and unfettered as they observe fall.

Since I’ve gone forth from the lay life to homelessness, I’ve not been aware of any thought that is ignoble and hateful.

“May these beings be killed! May they be slaughtered! May they suffer!”— I’ve not been aware of any such thought in all this long while.

I have been aware of loving-kindness, limitless and well-developed; gradually consolidated as it was taught by the Buddha.

I’m friend and comrade to all, sympathetic for all beings! I develop a mind of love, always delighting in harmlessness.

The unfaltering, the unshakable: I gladden that mind. I develop a divine meditation, which reprobates do not cultivate.

When in a meditation free of placing the mind, a disciple of the Buddha is at that moment blessed with noble silence.

As a rocky mountain is unwavering and well grounded, so when delusion ends, a monk, like a mountain, doesn’t tremble.

To the man who has not a blemish, who is always seeking purity, even a hair-tip of evil seems as big as a stormcloud.

As a frontier city is guarded inside and out, so you should ward yourselves— don’t let the moment pass you by.

I don’t long for death; I don’t long for life; I await my time, like a worker waiting for their wages.

I don’t long for death; I don’t long for life; I await my time, aware and mindful.

I’ve served the Teacher and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions. The heavy burden is laid down, the leash to existence is eradicated.

I’ve attained the goal for the sake of which I went forth from the lay life to homelessness— the ending of all fetters.

Persist with diligence: this is my instruction. Come, I’ll be fully quenched— I’m liberated in every way.

Just as a fine thoroughbred, yoked to a carriage, endures the load. Though oppressed by the heavy burden, it doesn’t shake off the yoke.

So too, those who are as full of wisdom as the ocean is with water, don’t look down on others; this is the teaching of the noble ones <j>for living creatures.

People who fall under the sway of time, the sway of rebirth in this or that state, undergo suffering, and those young men grieve in this life.

Elated by things that bring happiness, downcast by things that bring suffering: this pair destroys the fool who doesn’t see things as they are.

But those who in suffering, and in happiness, and in the middle have overcome the weaver— they stand like Indra’s pillar, neither elated nor downcast.

Not to gain nor loss, not to fame nor reputation, not to criticism nor praise, not to suffering nor happiness—

the wise cling to nothing, like a droplet on a lotus-leaf. They are happy everywhere, and victorious everywhere.

There’s legitimate loss, and there’s illegitimate gain. Legitimate loss is better than illegitimate gain.

There’s the fame of the unintelligent, and there’s the disrepute of the discerning. The disrepute of the discerning is better than the fame of the unintelligent.

There’s praise by simpletons, and there’s criticism by the discerning. Criticism by the discerning is better than praise by fools.

There’s the happiness of sensual pleasures, and there’s the suffering of seclusion. The suffering of seclusion is better than the happiness of sensual pleasures.

There’s life without principles, and there’s death with principles. Death with principles is better than life without principles.

Those who’ve given up desire and anger, their minds at peace <j>regarding rebirth in this or that state, wander in the world unattached, for them nothing is beloved or unloved.

Having developed the awakening factors, the faculties and the powers, having arrived at ultimate peace, the undefiled become fully quenched.

“My confidence grew as I heard the teaching, so full of flavor. Dispassion is what was taught, without any grasping at all.”

“There are so many pretty things in this vast territory. They disturb one’s thoughts, it seems to me, attractive, provoking lust.

Just as a rain cloud would settle the dust blown up by the wind, so thoughts settle down when seen with wisdom.

All conditions are impermanent— when this is seen with wisdom one grows disillusioned with suffering: this is the path to purity.

All conditions are suffering— when this is seen with wisdom one grows disillusioned with suffering: this is the path to purity.

All things are not-self— when this is seen with wisdom one grows disillusioned with suffering: this is the path to purity.”

“The senior monk awakened after the Buddha, Koṇḍañña, is keenly energetic. He has given up birth and death, and has completed the spiritual journey.”

“There are floods, snares, and strong posts, and a mountain hard to crack; snapping the posts and snares, breaking the mountain so hard to break, crossing over to the far shore, a meditator is freed from Māra’s bonds.

When a mendicant is haughty and fickle, relying on bad friends, they sink down in the great flood, overcome by a wave.

But one not restless or fickle, alert, with senses restrained, intelligent, with good friends, makes an end of suffering.

With knobbly knees, thin and veiny, eating and drinking in moderation— this person’s spirit is undaunted.

Pestered by flies and mosquitoes in the wilds, the formidable forest, one should mindfully endure, like an elephant at the head of the battle.

I don’t long for death; I don’t long for life; I await my time, like a worker waiting for their wages.

I don’t long for death; I don’t long for life; I await my time, aware and mindful.

I’ve served the Teacher and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions. The heavy burden is laid down, the leash to existence is eradicated.

I’ve attained the goal for the sake of which I went forth from the lay life to homelessness— what use do I have for protégés?”

Awakened as a human being, self-tamed and immersed in samādhi, following the spiritual path, he loves peace of mind.

Revered by people, gone beyond all things, even the gods revere him; so I’ve heard from the perfected one.

He has transcended all fetters, and escaped from entanglements. Delighting to renounce sensual pleasures, he’s freed like lustrous gold from stone.

That giant outshines all, like the Himalaya beside other mountains. Of all those named “giant”, he is truly named, supreme.

I shall extol the giant for you, for he does nothing monstrous. gentleness and harmlessness are two feet of the giant.

Mindfulness and awareness are his two other feet. Faith is the giant’s trunk, and equanimity his white tusks.

Mindfulness is his neck, his head is wisdom— investigation and thinking about principles. His belly is the sacred hearth of the Dhamma, and his tail is seclusion.

Practicing absorption, enjoying the breath, he is serene within. The giant is serene when walking, the giant is serene when standing,