Therīgāthā 63

Verses of the Senior Nuns 10.1

The Book of the Elevens

Kisāgotamī

1 “Pointing out how the world works,

the sages have praised good friendship.

Associating with good friends,

even a fool becomes astute.

2 Associate with true persons,

for that is how wisdom grows.

Should you associate with true persons,

you would be freed from all suffering.

3 And you would understand suffering,

its origin and cessation,

the eightfold path,

and so the four noble truths.”

4 “‘A woman’s life is painful,’

explained the Buddha,

guide for those fit to train,

‘and for a co-wife it’s especially so.

After giving birth just once,

5 some women even cut their own throat,

while delicate ladies take poison.

Being guilty of killing a person,

they both undergo ruin.’”

6 “I was on the road, near to giving birth,

when I saw my husband dead.

I gave birth there on the road

before I’d reached my own house.

7 My two children have died,

and on the road my husband lies dead—

oh woe is me!

Mother, father, and brother

all burning up on the same pyre.”

8 “Oh woe is you whose family is lost,

the suffering you have undergone has no measure;

you have been shedding tears

for many thousands of lives.”

9 “While staying in the charnel ground,

I saw my son’s flesh being eaten.

With my family destroyed, condemned by all,

and my husband dead, I realized freedom from death.

10 I’ve developed the noble eightfold path

leading to freedom from death.

I’ve realized extinguishment,

as seen in the mirror of the Dhamma.

11 I’ve plucked out the dart,

laid down the burden,

and done what needed to be done.”

The senior nun Kisāgotamī,

her mind released, said this.