AnuruddhaAnuruddhattheragāthā

Leaving my mother and father behind,“Pahāya mātāpitaro, as well as sisters, kinsmen, and brothers;bhaginī ñātibhātaro; having given up the five sensual stimuli,Pañca kāmaguṇe hitvā, Anuruddha practices absorption.anuruddhova jhāyati.

Surrounded by song and dance,Sameto naccagītehi, awakened by cymbals and gongs,sammatāḷappabodhano; he did not find purificationNa tena suddhimajjhagaṁ, while delighting in Māra’s domain.mārassa visaye rato.

But he has gone beyond all that,Etañca samatikkamma, and delights in the Buddha’s teaching.rato buddhassa sāsane; Having crossed over the entire flood,Sabboghaṁ samatikkamma, Anuruddha practices absorption.anuruddhova jhāyati.

Sights, sounds, tastes, smells,Rūpā saddā rasā gandhā, and touches so delightful:phoṭṭhabbā ca manoramā; having crossed over these as well,Ete ca samatikkamma, Anuruddha practices absorption.anuruddhova jhāyati.

Returning from almsround,Piṇḍapātamatikkanto, alone, without partner,eko adutiyo muni; seeking rags from the dust heap,Esati paṁsukūlāni, Anuruddha is without defilements.anuruddho anāsavo.

The thoughtful sageVicinī aggahī dhovi, selected rags from the dust heap;rajayī dhārayī muni; he picked them up, washed, dyed, and wore them;Paṁsukūlāni matimā, Anuruddha is without defilements.anuruddho anāsavo.

The principles of someoneMahiccho ca asantuṭṭho, who has many wishes and is not content,saṁsaṭṭho yo ca uddhato; who socializes and is conceited,Tassa dhammā ime honti, are wicked and corrupting.pāpakā saṅkilesikā.

But someone who is mindful, few of wishes,Sato ca hoti appiccho, content and untroubled,santuṭṭho avighātavā; delighting in seclusion, joyful,Pavivekarato vitto, always resolute and energetic;niccamāraddhavīriyo.

their principles are skillful,Tassa dhammā ime honti, on the side of awakening;kusalā bodhipakkhikā; they are without defilements—Anāsavo ca so hoti, so said the great seer.iti vuttaṁ mahesinā.

“Knowing my thoughts,Mama saṅkappamaññāya, the supreme Teacher in the worldsatthā loke anuttaro; came to me in a mind-made body,Manomayena kāyena, using his psychic power.iddhiyā upasaṅkami.

He taught me moreYadā me ahu saṅkappo, than I had thought of.tato uttari desayi; The Buddha who loves non-proliferationNippapañcarato buddho, taught me non-proliferation.nippapañcamadesayi.

Understanding that teaching,Tassāhaṁ dhammamaññāya, I happily did his bidding.vihāsiṁ sāsane rato; I’ve attained the three knowledges,Tisso vijjā anuppattā, and have fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.

For the last fifty-five yearsPañcapaññāsavassāni, I have not lain down to sleep.yato nesajjiko ahaṁ; Twenty-five years have passedPañcavīsativassāni, since I eradicated drowsiness.”yato middhaṁ samūhataṁ.

“There was no more breathingNāhu assāsapassāsā, for the unaffected one of steady heart.ṭhitacittassa tādino; Imperturbable, committed to peace,Anejo santimārabbha, the Clear-eyed One was fully quenched.cakkhumā parinibbuto.

He put up with painful feelingsAsallīnena cittena, without flinching.vedanaṁ ajjhavāsayi; The liberation of his heartPajjotasseva nibbānaṁ, was like the extinguishing of a lamp.”vimokkho cetaso ahu.

“Now these touches and the other fourEte pacchimakā dāni, are the last to be experienced by the sage;munino phassapañcamā; nor will there be other phenomenaNāññe dhammā bhavissanti, since the Buddha was fully quenched.sambuddhe parinibbute.

O Penelope, weaver of the web—Natthi dāni punāvāso, there’s no more abodes in the heavenly host.devakāyasmi jālini; Transmigration through births is finished,Vikkhīṇo jātisaṁsāro, now there’ll be no more future lives.”natthi dāni punabbhavo.

“The mendicant by whom the galaxyYassa muhuttena sahassadhā, with the age of the Divinity are known in an hour—Loko saṁvidito sabrahmakappo; that master of psychic ability sees the godsVasī iddhiguṇe cutūpapāte, at the time they pass away and are reborn.”Kāle passati devatā sa bhikkhu.

“In the past I was Annabhāra,Annabhāro pure āsiṁ, a poor carrier of fodder.daliddo ghāsahārako; I practiced as an ascetic,Samaṇaṁ paṭipādesiṁ, the renowned Upariṭṭha.upariṭṭhaṁ yasassinaṁ.

Then I was reborn in the Sakyan clan,Somhi sakyakule jāto, where I was known as ‘Anuruddha’.anuruddhoti maṁ vidū; Surrounded by song and dance,Upeto naccagītehi, I was awakened by cymbals and gongs.sammatāḷappabodhano.

Then I saw the Buddha,Athaddasāsiṁ sambuddhaṁ, the Teacher, fearing nothing from any quarter;satthāraṁ akutobhayaṁ; filling my mind with confidence in him,Tasmiṁ cittaṁ pasādetvā, I went forth to homelessness.pabbajiṁ anagāriyaṁ.

I know my past lives,Pubbenivāsaṁ jānāmi, the places I used to live.yattha me vusitaṁ pure; I was born as Sakka,Tāvatiṁsesu devesu, and stayed among the thirty-three gods.aṭṭhāsiṁ sakkajātiyā.

Seven times I was a king of menSattakkhattuṁ manussindo, ruling a kingdom,ahaṁ rajjamakārayiṁ; victorious in the four quarters,Cāturanto vijitāvī, lord of the Black Plum Tree Land.jambusaṇḍassa issaro; Without rod or sword,Adaṇḍena asatthena, I governed by principle.dhammena anusāsayiṁ.

Seven from here, seven from there—Ito satta tato satta, fourteen transmigrations in all.saṁsārāni catuddasa; I shall remember my past lives:Nivāsamabhijānissaṁ, at that time I stayed in the realm of the gods.devaloke ṭhito tadā.

I have gained complete tranquilityPañcaṅgike samādhimhi, in immersion with five factors.sante ekodibhāvite; Peaceful, serene,Paṭippassaddhiladdhamhi, my clairvoyance is purified.dibbacakkhu visujjhi me.

Steady in five-factored absorption,Cutūpapātaṁ jānāmi, I know the passing away and rebirth of beings,sattānaṁ āgatiṁ gatiṁ; their coming and going,Itthabhāvaññathābhāvaṁ, their lives in this state and that.jhāne pañcaṅgike ṭhito.

I’ve served the TeacherPariciṇṇo mayā satthā, and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.… pe The heavy burden is laid down,… the leash to existence is eradicated.bhavanetti samūhatā.

In the Vajjian village of Veḷuva,Vajjīnaṁ veḷuvagāme, my life will come to an end.ahaṁ jīvitasaṅkhayā; Beneath a thicket of bamboos,Heṭṭhato veḷugumbasmiṁ, being undefiled, I will be fully extinguished.”nibbāyissaṁ anāsavo”ti.