Therīgāthā 40

Verses of the Senior Nuns 5.3

The Book of the Fives

1 Due to irrational application of mind,

I was racked by desire for pleasures of the senses.

I was restless in the past,

lacking control over my mind.

2 Overcome by corruptions,

pursuing perceptions of the beautiful,

I gained no peace of mind.

Under the sway of lustful thoughts,

3 thin, pale, and wan,

for seven years I wandered,

full of pain,

finding no happiness by day or night.

4 Taking a rope

I entered deep into the forest, thinking:

“It’s better that I hang myself

than I return to a lesser life.”

5 I made a strong noose

and tied it to the branch of a tree.

Casting it round my neck,

my mind was freed.