SundarīSundarītherīgāthā

“Before, worthy lady, when feeding“Petāni bhoti puttāni, your departed children,khādamānā tuvaṁ pure; you’d be racked with despairTuvaṁ divā ca ratto ca, all day and all night.atīva paritappasi.

Today, brahmin lady, you have fedSājja sabbāni khāditvā, all seven children.sataputtāni brāhmaṇī; Vāseṭṭhī, how do you explain whyVāseṭṭhi kena vaṇṇena, you’re not so filled with despair?”na bāḷhaṁ paritappasi”.

“Many hundreds of children,“Bahūni puttasatāni, hundreds of family circles,ñātisaṅghasatāni ca; both mine and yours, brahmin,Khāditāni atītaṁse, have been fed in the past.mama tuyhañca brāhmaṇa.

Having known the escapeSāhaṁ nissaraṇaṁ ñatvā, from rebirth and deathjātiyā maraṇassa ca; I neither grieve nor lament,Na socāmi na rodāmi, nor do I despair.”na cāpi paritappayiṁ”.

“Wow, Vaseṭṭhī, the words you speak“Abbhutaṁ vata vāseṭṭhi, really are amazing!vācaṁ bhāsasi edisiṁ; Whose teaching did you understandKassa tvaṁ dhammamaññāya, that you say these things?”giraṁ bhāsasi edisiṁ”.

“Brahmin, the Awakened One“Esa brāhmaṇa sambuddho, back at the city of Mithilā,nagaraṁ mithilaṁ pati; teaches the Dhamma so that living creaturesSabbadukkhappahānāya, may abandon all suffering.dhammaṁ desesi pāṇinaṁ.

After hearing the perfected one’s teaching,Tassa brahme arahato, brahmin, which is free of all attachments,dhammaṁ sutvā nirūpadhiṁ; having understood the true teaching there,Tattha viññātasaddhammā, I’ve cast aside grief for children.”puttasokaṁ byapānudiṁ”.

“I too shall go“So ahampi gamissāmi, to the city of Mithilā.nagaraṁ mithilaṁ pati; Hopefully the Buddha may release meAppeva maṁ so bhagavā, from all suffering.”sabbadukkhā pamocaye”.

The brahmin saw the Buddha,Addasa brāhmaṇo buddhaṁ, liberated, free of attachments.vippamuttaṁ nirūpadhiṁ; He taught him the Dhamma,Svassa dhammamadesesi, the sage gone beyond suffering:muni dukkhassa pāragū.

suffering, suffering’s origin,Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ, suffering’s transcendence,dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ; and the noble eightfold pathAriyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ, that leads to the stilling of suffering.dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.

Having understood the true teaching there,Tattha viññātasaddhammo, he chose to go forth.pabbajjaṁ samarocayi; Three days laterSujāto tīhi rattīhi, Sujāta realized the three knowledges.tisso vijjā aphassayi.

“Please, charioteer, go;“Ehi sārathi gacchāhi, take back this carriage.rathaṁ niyyādayāhimaṁ; Bidding my brahmin lady good health, say:Ārogyaṁ brāhmaṇiṁ vajja, ‘The brahmin has now gone forth.‘pabbaji dāni brāhmaṇo; After three days,Sujāto tīhi rattīhi, Sujāta realized the three knowledges.’”tisso vijjā aphassayi’”.

Then taking the carriage,Tato ca rathamādāya, along with a thousand coins, the charioteersahassañcāpi sārathi; bade the brahmin lady good health, and said:Ārogyaṁ brāhmaṇiṁvoca, “The brahmin has now gone forth.“pabbaji dāni brāhmaṇo; After three days,Sujāto tīhi rattīhi, Sujāta realized the three knowledges.”tisso vijjā aphassayi”.

Hearing that the brahmin had the three knowledges, <j>the lady replied:“Etañcāhaṁ assarathaṁ, “I present to you this horse and carriage,sahassañcāpi sārathi; O charioteer, along with 1000 coins,Tevijjaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ sutvā, and a full bowl as a gift.”puṇṇapattaṁ dadāmi te”.

“Keep the horse and carriage, lady,“Tuyheva hotvassaratho, along with the thousand coins.sahassañcāpi brāhmaṇi; I too shall go forth in his presence,Ahampi pabbajissāmi, the one of such outstanding wisdom.”varapaññassa santike”.

“Elephants, cattle, jeweled earrings,“Hatthī gavassaṁ maṇikuṇḍalañca, such opulent domestic worth:Phītañcimaṁ gahavibhavaṁ pahāya; having given it up, your father went forth,Pitā pabbajito tuyhaṁ, enjoy these riches Sundarī,Bhuñja bhogāni sundarī; you are the family heir.”Tuvaṁ dāyādikā kule”.

“Elephants, cattle, jeweled earrings,“Hatthī gavassaṁ maṇikuṇḍalañca, such delightful domestic worth:Rammaṁ cimaṁ gahavibhavaṁ pahāya; having given it up, my father went forth,Pitā pabbajito mayhaṁ, racked by grief for his son.Puttasokena aṭṭito; I too shall go forth,Ahampi pabbajissāmi, racked by grief for my brother.”Bhātusokena aṭṭitā”.

“Sundarī, may the wish you desire“So te ijjhatu saṅkappo, come true.yaṁ tvaṁ patthesi sundarī; Leftovers as gleanings,Uttiṭṭhapiṇḍo uñcho ca, and cast-off rags as robes—paṁsukūlañca cīvaraṁ; make do with these,Etāni abhisambhontī, free of defilements regarding the next life.”paraloke anāsavā”.

“Ma’am, while I am still a trainee nun,“Sikkhamānāya me ayye, my clairvoyance is clarified;dibbacakkhu visodhitaṁ; I know my past lives,Pubbenivāsaṁ jānāmi, the places I used to live.yattha me vusitaṁ pure.

Relying on a fine lady like you,Tuvaṁ nissāya kalyāṇi, a senior nun who graces the Saṅgha,theri saṅghassa sobhane; I’ve attained the three knowledges,Tisso vijjā anuppattā, and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.

Give me permission ma’am,Anujānāhi me ayye, I wish to go to Sāvatthī,icche sāvatthi gantave; where I shall roar my lion’s roarSīhanādaṁ nadissāmi, before the best of Buddhas.”buddhaseṭṭhassa santike”.

“Sundarī, see the Teacher!“Passa sundari satthāraṁ, Snow gold in tint, <j>with sun-golden skin;hemavaṇṇaṁ harittacaṁ; tamer of the untamed,Adantānaṁ dametāraṁ, the Awakened One who fears nothing <j>from any quarter.”sambuddhamakutobhayaṁ”.

“See Sundarī coming,“Passa sundarimāyantiṁ, liberated, free of attachments.vippamuttaṁ nirūpadhiṁ; desireless, detached,Vītarāgaṁ visaṁyuttaṁ, her task completed, without defilements.”katakiccamanāsavaṁ.

“Having set forth from VaranasiBārāṇasito nikkhamma, and come to your presence, great hero,tava santikamāgatā; your disciple SundarīSāvikā te mahāvīra, bows at your feet.pāde vandati sundarī.

You are the Buddha, you are the Teacher,Tuvaṁ buddho tuvaṁ satthā, I am your bosom daughter, brahmin,tuyhaṁ dhītāmhi brāhmaṇa; born of your mouth.Orasā mukhato jātā, I’ve completed the task <j>and am free of defilements.”katakiccā anāsavā”.

“Then welcome, good lady,“Tassā te svāgataṁ bhadde, you’re by no means unwelcome.tato te adurāgataṁ; For this is how the tamed comeEvañhi dantā āyanti, bowing at the Teacher’s feet;satthu pādāni vandikā; desireless, detached,Vītarāgā visaṁyuttā, the task completed, without defilements.”katakiccā anāsavā”.