Message of The Saints: Thera - and Theri-Gatha
Message of The Saints: Thera - and Theri-Gatha
Message of The Saints: Thera - and Theri-Gatha
Thera-Therī-Gāthā
by
V. F. Gunaratna
1
Tipiṭaka (lit.: the three Baskets) is the name of the Buddhist canonical scriptures.
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Thera: Elder Monk of the Buddhist Monastic Order. Theri: Elder Nun. Gatha: stanzas.
3
There are 264 gāthās uttered by the Theras and 73 by the Theris.
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Published under the titles Psalms of the Brethren and Psalms of the Sisters. Our thanks are due to the Pali
Text Society, London, for kind permission to quote here extensively from these two volumes.
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contempt of the grosser pleasures of life which drag the victim down into a whirlpool of never
ending desires have so deeply influenced some of them, that these thoughts have become the
themes of some of these fascinating poems. Whatever may be the theme, these Gāthas are said
to have been uttered by these saints immediately after their attainment of Arahantship as an
open acknowledgement5 of the cause which led to their final enlightenment. They depict
whether subjectively objectively, some aspect or other of the struggle of the human mind in its
attempt to escape from the slavery of desire, and the consequent beauty of thought combined
with beauty of expression make these extremely delightful reading. Sometimes a rebuke uttered
by the Buddha or by someone else not only helps a Thera to rid himself of the particular fault
which provoked the rebuke but it also urges him most powerfully to progress along the
spiritual path leading to the state of Arahantship, sometimes after a very short time. These
poems do not contain sufficient data about the Monks and Nuns who composed them, nor is
even the identity of some of them known. Much light, however, is thrown by an ancient
Commentary- entitled Paramattha Dīpanī written by one Bhikkhu Dhammapāla of Kañcipūra
(Madras Presidency). This Commentary supplies the background to the incidents mentioned in
these Gāthas without which some of them are unintelligible. The Theras in question were
laymen who came from various levels of social life to join the Order. There were Brahmins,
powerful princes and rich merchants who abandoned the luxurious life of ease and indolence,
and donned the saffron-coloured robe for a life of solitude and meditation. There were also
cultivators, craftsmen, fishermen, actors, elephant-trainers and labourers. To whatsoever rank or
station in life these Theras belonged, there is one common feature which linked one with the
other and each with all, namely, their wonderful religious ardour to which they have given
expression through these inspired verses.
5
This acknowledgement is referred to in the Commentary as añña.
3
peace of the liberated mind. Situations such as these constitute the inspiring contents of the
Thera-Therī Gāthas, and let us now examine some of them.
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passing along the road. He noticed one weary bull stumbling at a rough place on the road and
falling down. The carter released the bull from the yoke and gave it food and drink. Soon the
fatigue was over, the bull arose, it was harnessed again, and again it began to draw the cart. This
sight of the bull falling and subsequently rising again made a deep impression in the mind of
this pleasure-loving Thera who had fallen off the correct path of a Bhikkhu. Thought he to
himself: “Even as this bull having stumbled and fallen, has risen again and is drawing his
cart again, so it behoves me who have fallen from the high position of a noble recluse, to rise
up again and relive ’the noble life.” He began to meditate on this incident and soon attained
Arahantship. This Thera’s short but beautiful stanza runs as follows:
“Even though he trip and fall, the mettled brute
Of noble breed will steadfast stand once more.
So look on me as one who having learned
Of Him the All-Enlightened One, have gained
True insight, am became of noble breed
And of the very Buddha a disciple true.”
5
“Beyond the gardens of Ambataka
In woodland wild, craving and craving’s root
Withdrawn, and rapt in deepest reverie
There happy sits fortunate Bhaddiya.
And some are charmed by cymbals, lutes and drums
And I in leafy shadow of my trees
Do dwell entranced by the Buddha’s Rule.
Let but the Buddha grant one boon to me
And if that boon were mine; I’d choose for all
Perpetual study in control of self.
They who decry me for my shape, and they
Who listen spell-bound to my voice, such folk
In toils of lust and impulse know me not.
The fool hemmed in on every side knows not
The inner life, nor sees the things without
And by a voice forsooth is led away.
And of the inner life he knows not
Yet can discern the things that are without
Watching alone the outer fruits that come
He also by a voice is led away.
He who both understands the inner life
And does discern the things that are without
Clear visioned, by no voice, is led away.”
(An almost similar incident appears in the Visuddhimagga).
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The original of this line is rukkhamūla-gahanaṃ pasakkiya” This is a bidding to betake to the forest
(literally, to the foot of a tree) away from the maddening crowd.
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down. Then, as he entered his room, he obtained insight and in the very act of lying down on
his couch he attained Arahantship. Ānanda Thera’s wonderful devotion and loyalty to his
Master is exceptional. There is no greater example in the whole world of a disciple’s loyalty to
his Master. Even as he lay dying on his death-bed this is what Ānanda Thera uttered:
“The Master has my fealty and love
And all the Buddha’s ordinance is done.
Low have I laid the heavy load I bore,
Cause for rebirth is found in me no more.”
8
Namuci is another name for Māra.
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Who spoke this word of pregnant good to me.
For you now even as for me
No jungle of the mind does bar the way,
A final barrier is made to Ill.
Last mortal frame is this, to which belongs
The way world without end of birth and death
Nor ever comes more rebirth (for you).”
9
Channa was born in King Sudddhodana’s palace as the son of a maid-servant. This moat probably
accounts for his desire to identify himself with the Sakyas by saying “Our Buddha” and ,’Our Doctrine.”
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Inspiration from a Curse
An ox belonging to a caravan-leader called Godatta once fell on the road while it was drawing a
cart. It was not possible to raise the ox although it was beaten severely by Godatta. Then, it is
said, the ox assumed a human voice and uttered a curse on Godatta. This curse had the effect of
impressing deeply on Godatta’s mind the real purpose of life. He gave away all his property
and, having entered the Order, attained Arahantship. Among the verses he uttered this is one:”
Even as the mettled brute of noble breed
Yoked to his load, drawing his load along
Yough worn by burden past his powers (unfair)
Breaks not away, revolting from his bonds,
So they in whom, as water in the sea,
Wisdom abounds, despise not other men.
This among creatures is the Ariyan rule.”
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“Adorned and clad to make a gallant show,
Crowned with a wreath and decked with many gems,
Her feet made red with lac, with slippers alight,
A woman of the town accosted me!
’So young, so fair and you have left the world!
Stay here within my rule and ordinance.
Take your fill of human pleasures.
See, I will give you all the means thereto.
It is the truth that I am telling you
Or if you doubt, I’ll bring you fire10 and swear:
When you and I are old, both of us
Will take our staff to lean upon, and so
We both will leave the world and win both ways.’
Seeing that public woman making plea
And professing obeisance gaily decked
In brave array like snare of Māra laid,
There arose in me the deeper view:
Attention to the fact and to the cause.
The misery of it all was manifest.
Distaste, indifference the mind possessed
And so my heart was set at liberty.
Oh! See the seemly order of the norm.
The three-fold wisdom11 have I made my own
And all the Buddha bids us do is done.”
10
This perhaps refers to the ordeal by fire to test one’s truthfulness as mentioned in the Laws of Manu.
11
This refers to the three special types of knowledge, viz. knowledge of past lives, knowledge of death
and rebirth of beings, and knowledge of the extinction of the taints (asavas).
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”The trees on high by towering cloud refreshed
With the new rain break forth in verdant growth.
To Usabha who for detachment longs,
And has the forest-sense of things,
Does come (from this responsive spring) abundant good.”
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Lone heights where silent Rishis oft resort,
Those are the braes wherein my soul delights.
Here is enough for me who fain would seek
The highest good, a brother filled with zeal.
Here is enough for me who fain would seek
A happy ease, a brother filled with zeal.
Here is enough for me who give myself
To studious toil, so am I filled with zeal.”
This same Mahā Kassapa Thera was once asked how he was able at his time of life to climb the
hills day after day. To this question he replied in the following forceful stanzas:
“Where some do perish as they climb the rocks,
Heir of the Buddha, mindful, self-possessed,
By forces of the spirit fortified,
Does Kassapa ascend the mountain brow.
Returning from the daily round for alms,
Kassapa mounts some craggy coign and sits
In meditation rapt, nor clutching aught,
For far from him has he put fear and dread.
Returning from the daily round for alms
Kassapa mounts some craggy coign and sits
In meditation rapt, nor clutching aught,
For he among those that burn is cool and still.
Returning from the daily round for alms,
Kassapa mounts some craggy point and sits
In meditation rapt, nor clutching aught,
His task is done; he is sane, immune.”
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winds blew. So the Thera was able to persevere in his meditations with eagerness until
Arahantship was soon realized. Enraptured and overjoyed he expressed his accomplishment in
the following delightful stanza:
“The burdened earth is sprinkled by the rain,
The winds blow cool, the lightnings roam on high,
Eased and allayed the obsessions of the mind,
And in my heart, the spirit’s mastery.”
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To an actor on the stage it needs much effort to be indifferent to praise and blame.
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The Therī Gāthas-Their Nature
The Nuns of the time of the Buddha, like the Monks, were renowned for their devotion and
piety. As in the case of some of the Theras a trifling incident in life, a trivial circumstance, often
became the starting point of their spiritual effort which culminated in Arahantship, and they
too, like the Theras, triumphantly proclaimed their achievement in inspired verses. These verses
reflect their religious emotions and aspirations. Most of these nuns too had joined the Order in
their youth and sometimes within a short time, realised Arahantship. As in Thera Gāthas there
is reflected in these Therī Gāthas the struggle between the forces of good and evil and the
indomitable resolve to surmount evil and reach the goal. Hence their appeal to us.
We miss however the poetic excellence that characterizes most of the verses of the Theras. We
also miss that impassioned longing for solitude and that ardent ’love of nature and forest-life so
beautifully expressed in the Thera Gāthas. Nor do ’we find in the -Therī Gāthas much of that
hortatory element which features largely in some of the Thera Gāthas. In language, in sentiment
and in outlook there are differences between the verses of the Theras and those of the Therīs.
This may be traced to the circumstance that in the homes of the early Buddhist era the role of the
woman was so different from the role of the man. There is also the added circumstance that
Buddhist nuns (Bhikkhunī) were not allowed by their Code of Discipline to live alone in secluded
places. Intellectually, too they- were not of equal rank. There are however these two very
noticeable features common to both types of Gāthas, namely, the reflection of great piety and
the manifestation of an unflinching determination to reach the goal.
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On account of her sturdy build she was called Sturdy by the people of her area.
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nunnery when she tripped and fell. She took this as the basis for her meditation and attained
Arahantship. Thereupon she repeated this stanza in triumphant mood:
“Far had I wandered for my daily food,
Weary with shaking limbs I reached my rest.
Leaning upon my staff when even there
I fell to earth—lo! all the misery
Besetting this poor mortal frame lay bare To inward vision.
Prone the body lay.
The heart of me rose up in liberty.”
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Grasping the pin,
I pull the wick right down
Into the oil.
Lo! The Nibbāna of the little lamp!
Emancipation dawns.
My heart is free!”
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For their needs sufficient yields the day.
Hence are recluses dear to me.”
Conclusion
Apart from the poetic excellence of these stanzas, apart from the sublime emotions they
engender, and the note of triumphant joy that resounds within them, these stanzas, one and all,
can never fail to exert a powerful influence for good on those who read them. That the struggle
experienced within oneself between the forces of good and evil can ultimately end in a victory
for the good and that when the struggle is over and the mind is freed from the defilements of
greed, hatred and delusion the resultant position is one of calm, peace and happiness, is the
unmistakable message of these inspired Gāthas. Indeed this message must be most inspiring
when we find that these stanzas forcibly direct the reader’s mind to the great fact that any little
event in life, any incident howsoever trifling, if it is made the object of deep contemplation can
uplift the mind to the highest levels of realization. There is thus in these Thera-Therī-Gāthas a
definite and powerful message of hope to those who feel that evil is insurmountable especially
in a highly materialistic age as the present when moral values are discounted and worldly
considerations reign supreme.
May the Thera-Therī-Gāthas shed their holy influence on the reader and inspire him to take
up the struggle against evil with renewed confidence and redoubled vigour and may he
someday reach the goal.
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