Therīgāthā 43

Verses of the Senior Nuns 5.6

The Book of the Fives

Mittākāḷī

1 Having gone forth in faith

from the lay life to homelessness,

I wandered here and there,

jealous of possessions and honors.

2 Neglecting the highest goal,

I pursued the lowest.

Under the sway of corruptions,

I never knew the goal of the ascetic life.

3 I was struck with a sense of urgency

as I was sitting in my hut:

“I’m walking the wrong path,

under the sway of craving.

4 My life is short,

trampled by old age and sickness.

Before this body breaks apart,

there is no time for me to be careless.”

5 I examined in line with the truth

the rise and fall of the aggregates.

I stood up with mind liberated,

having fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.