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Theragāthā 8.3 Verses of the Senior Monks 8.3
Aṭṭhakanipāta The Book of the Eights
Paṭhamavagga Chapter One
Mahāpanthakattheragāthā Mahāpanthaka
“Yadā paṭhamamaddakkhiṁ, When I first saw the Teacher
satthāramakutobhayaṁ; who fears nothing from any quarter,
Tato me ahu saṁvego, I was struck with a sense of urgency,
passitvā purisuttamaṁ. seeing the supreme among men.
Siriṁ hatthehi pādehi, Anyone who, having found such a Teacher,
yo paṇāmeyya āgataṁ; would lose them again,
Etādisaṁ so satthāraṁ, is like one who, when approached by Lady Luck,
ārādhetvā virādhaye. would ward her off with their hands and feet. “Lady Luck” is Siri, later famed as goddess of fortune and prosperity. The same idiom recurs at MN 49:5.9. As to why someone would ward her off, Siri (Sanskrit śrī) is identified with Lakṣmī “the undeparting” (Śrī Sūkta 2, lakṣmīmanapagāminīm). Atharva Veda 7.115 opens with, “Fly away wicked Lakṣmī, vanish, fly hence”. Apparently 101 Lakṣmīs attach to a man when born, and the spell chases away the wicked (pāpi) while keeping the good (puṇya). In this case the Pali text does not draw directly from the Veda, as there is no close verbal parallel, and the Pali presents as irrational an action that makes good sense in the context of the Vedic passage. Rather, it would seem, the Pali draws from a more general cultural awareness.
Tadāhaṁ puttadārañca, Then I left behind my children and wives,
dhanadhaññañca chaḍḍayiṁ; my riches and my grain;
Kesamassūni chedetvā, I had my hair and beard cut off,
pabbajiṁ anagāriyaṁ. and went forth to homelessness.
Sikkhāsājīvasampanno, Endowed with the monastic training and livelihood,
indriyesu susaṁvuto; my sense faculties well-restrained,
Namassamāno sambuddhaṁ, paying homage to the Buddha,
vihāsiṁ aparājito. I meditated undefeated.
Tato me paṇidhī āsi, Then a wish occurred to me,
cetaso abhipatthito; my heart’s truest wish:
Na nisīde muhuttampi, I wouldn’t sit down, not even for a short while,
taṇhāsalle anūhate. until the dart of craving was plucked.
Tassa mevaṁ viharato, As I meditate like this,
passa vīriyaparakkamaṁ; see my energy and vigor!
Tisso vijjā anuppattā, I’ve attained the three knowledges,
kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ. and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.
Pubbenivāsaṁ jānāmi, I know my past lives,
dibbacakkhu visodhitaṁ; my clairvoyance is clarified;
Arahā dakkhiṇeyyomhi, I’m perfected, worthy of offerings,
vippamutto nirūpadhi. liberated, free of attachments.
Tato ratyā vivasāne, Then, at the end of the night,
sūriyuggamanaṁ pati; as the rising of the sun drew near,
Sabbaṁ taṇhaṁ visosetvā, all craving was dried up,
pallaṅkena upāvisin”ti. so I sat down cross-legged.
… Mahāpanthako thero …
Aṭṭhakanipāto niṭṭhito.
Tatruddānaṁ
Mahākaccāyano thero,
sirimitto mahāpanthako;
Ete aṭṭhanipātamhi,
gāthāyo catuvīsatīti.