The Great Book

Sumedhā

thig16.1:1 In Mantāvatī city, Sumedhā, the daughter of King Koñca’s chief queen, was converted by those who practice the Buddha’s teaching.

thig16.1:2 She was virtuous, a brilliant speaker, learned, and trained in the Buddha’s instructions. She went up to her mother and father and said: “Pay heed, both of you!

thig16.1:3 I delight in salvation! No state of life is eternal, not even that of the angels; what then of sensual pleasures, so hollow, offering little gratification and much distress.

thig16.1:4 Sensual pleasures are bitter as the venom of a snake, yet fools are infatuated by them. Sent to hell for a very long time, they are beaten and tortured.

thig16.1:5 Those who grow in wickedness ever lament in Hell <j>due to their own bad deeds. They’re fools, unrestrained in body, mind, and speech.

thig16.1:6 Those witless, senseless fools, trapped by the origin of suffering, are ignorant, not understanding the noble truths when they are being taught.

thig16.1:7 Most people, mum, ignorant of the truths taught by the excellent Buddha, look forward to a state of life, longing for a place among the angels.

thig16.1:8 Yet even a place among the angels in an impermanent state of life is not eternal. But fools are not scared of going astray time and again.

thig16.1:9 The lower realms and other states may be gained somehow or other. But for those who end up in a lower realm, there is no way to go forth in the hells.

thig16.1:10 May you both grant me permission to go forth in the dispensation of him of the ten powers. Living at ease, I shall apply myself to giving up craving for this world.

thig16.1:11 Why look forward to a new state of life in this useless, insubstantial body? Grant me permission, I shall go forth to make an end of craving for a new life.

thig16.1:12 A Buddha has arisen, the time has come, the unlucky moment has passed. As long as I live I’ll never betray my ethical precepts or my chaste path.”

thig16.1:13 Then Sumedhā said to her parents: “So long as I remain a layperson, I’ll refuse to eat any food, until I’ve fallen under the sway of death.”

thig16.1:14 Upset, her mother burst into tears, while her father, though grieved, tried his best to persuade her as she lay collapsed upstairs in the longhouse.

thig16.1:15 “Get up child, why do you grieve so? You’re already betrothed to be married! King Anīkaratta the handsome is in Vāraṇavatī: he is your betrothed.

thig16.1:16 You shall be the chief queen, wife of King Anīkaratta. Ethical precepts, the chaste path— going forth is hard to do, my child.

thig16.1:17 As a royal there is command, wealth, authority, and the happiness of possessions. Enjoy sensual pleasures while you’re still young! Let your wedding take place, my child!”

thig16.1:18 Then Sumedhā said to him: “Let this not come to pass! Existence is hollow! I shall either go forth or die, but I shall never marry.

thig16.1:19 Why cling to this rotting body so foul, stinking of fluids, a horrifying water-bag carcass, always oozing, full of filth?

thig16.1:20 Knowing it like I do, what’s the point? A carcass is vile, smeared with flesh and blood, food for birds and swarms of worms— why have we been given it?

thig16.1:21 Before long the body, bereft of consciousness, is carried out to the charnel ground, to be discarded like an old log by relatives in disgust.

thig16.1:22 When they’ve discarded it in the charnel ground, to be eaten by others, your own parents bathe themselves, disgusted; what then of people at large?

thig16.1:23 They’re attached to this hollow carcass, this mass of sinews and bone; this rotting body full of saliva, tears, feces, and pus.

thig16.1:24 If anyone were to dissect it, turning it inside out, the unbearable stench would disgust even their own mother.

thig16.1:25 Rationally examining the aggregates, elements, and sense fields as conditioned, rooted in birth, suffering— why would I wish for marriage?

thig16.1:26 Let three hundred sharp swords fall on my body everyday! Even if the slaughter lasted a hundred years it’d be worth it if it led to the end of suffering.

thig16.1:27 One who understands the Teacher’s words would put up with this slaughter: ‘Long for you is the wandering being killed time and time again.’

thig16.1:28 Among jinn and humans, in the realm of animals or that of demons, among the spirits or in Hell, endless killings are seen.

thig16.1:29 The hells are full of killing, for the corrupt who have fallen to Hell. Even among the angels there is no shelter, for no happiness excels salvation.

thig16.1:30 Those who are committed to the dispensation of him of the ten powers attain extinguishment. Living at ease, they apply themselves to giving up craving for this world.

thig16.1:31 On this very day, dad, I shall renounce: what’s to enjoy in hollow riches? I’m disillusioned with sensual pleasures, they’re like vomit, made like a palm stump.”

thig16.1:32 As she spoke thus to her father, Anīkaratta, to whom she was betrothed, approached from Vāraṇavatī at the time appointed for the marriage.

thig16.1:33 Then Sumedhā took up a knife, and cut off her hair, so black, thick, and soft. Shutting herself in the longhouse, she entered the first absorption.

thig16.1:34 And as she entered it there, Anīkaratta arrived at the city. Then in the longhouse, Sumedhā well developed the perception of impermanence.

thig16.1:35 As she investigated in meditation, Anīkaratta quickly climbed the stairs. His limbs adorned with gems <j>and honey-yellow gold, he begged Sumedhā with cupped palms:

thig16.1:36 “As a royal there is command, wealth, authority, and the happiness of possessions. Enjoy sensual pleasures while you’re still young! Sensual pleasures are hard to find in the world!

thig16.1:37 I’ve handed royalty to you— enjoy riches, give gifts! Don’t be sad; your parents are upset.”

thig16.1:38 Sumedhā, having no use for sensual pleasures, and having done away with delusion, <j>spoke right back: “Do not take pleasure in sensuality! See the danger in sensual pleasures!

thig16.1:39 Mandhātā, king of four continents, foremost in enjoying sensual pleasures, died unsated, his desires unfulfilled.

thig16.1:40 Were the seven jewels to rain from the sky all over the ten directions, there would be no sating of sensual pleasures: people die insatiable.

thig16.1:41 Like a butcher’s knife and chopping board, sensual pleasures are like a cobra’s head. They burn like a fire-brand, they resemble a skeleton.

thig16.1:42 Sensual pleasures are impermanent and unstable, they’re full of suffering, a terrible poison; like a hot iron ball, the root of gloom, their fruit is pain.

thig16.1:43 Sensual pleasures are like fruits of a tree, like scraps of meat, painful, they trick you like a dream; sensual pleasures are like borrowed goods.

thig16.1:44 Sensual pleasures are like swords and spears; a disease, a boil, gloom and trouble. Like a pit of glowing coals, the root of gloom, fear and slaughter.

thig16.1:45 Thus sensual pleasures have been explained to be obstructions, so full of suffering. Please leave! As for me, I have no trust in any state of life.

thig16.1:46 What can someone else do for me when their own head is burning? When stalked by old age and death, you should strive to destroy them.”

thig16.1:47 She opened the door and saw her parents with Anīkaratta, sitting crying on the floor. And so she said this:

thig16.1:48 “The way of error is long for fools, crying again and again <j>at their long error— the death of a father, the killing of a brother or of themselves.

thig16.1:49 Remember the ocean of tears, of milk, of blood— the long sorrow of fools. Remember the bones piled up by beings gone astray.

thig16.1:50 Remember the four oceans compared with tears, milk, and blood. Remember bones piled up high as Mount Vepulla in the course of a single eon.

thig16.1:51 Heedless wandering without known beginning is compared to this broad Black Plum Tree Land; if divided into lumps the size of jujube seeds, they’d still be fewer than his mother’s mothers.

thig16.1:52 Remember the grass, sticks, and leaves, compare that with no known beginning: if split into chips four inches in size, they’d still be fewer than his father’s fathers.

thig16.1:53 Remember the one-eyed turtle <j>and the yoke with a hole blown in the ocean from east to west— sticking the head in the hole is a metaphor for gaining a human birth.

thig16.1:54 Remember the form of this unlucky body, insubstantial as a lump of foam. See the aggregates as impermanent, remember the hells so full of distress.

thig16.1:55 Remember those swelling the charnel grounds again and again in life after life. Remember the danger of gharials! Remember the four truths!

thig16.1:56 When freedom from death is there to be found, why would you drink the five bitter poisons? For all erotic delights are so much more bitter than them.

thig16.1:57 When freedom from death is there to be found, why would you burn for sensual pleasures? For all erotic delights are burning, boiling, bubbling, seething.

thig16.1:58 When there is freedom from enmity, why would you want your enemy, sensual pleasures? Many enemies take a share of your sensual pleasures: kings, fire, robbers, flood, and unloved heirs.

thig16.1:59 When liberation is there to be found, what good are sensual pleasures that kill and bind? For though unwilling, <j>when sensual pleasures are there, they are subject to the pain of killing and binding.

thig16.1:60 As a blazing grass torch burns one who grasps it without letting go, sensual pleasures are like a grass torch, burning those who do not let go.

thig16.1:61 Don’t give up abundant happiness for the trivial joys of sensual pleasure. Don’t fret later, like a catfish on a hook.

thig16.1:62 Deliberately control yourself <j>among sensual pleasures! You’re like a hound fixed to a chain: sensual pleasures will surely devour you as hungry corpse-workers would a hound.

thig16.1:63 Harnessed to sensual pleasure, you undergo endless pain, along with much mental anguish: relinquish sensual pleasures, they don’t last!

thig16.1:64 When the unaging is there to be found, what good are sensual pleasures in which is old age? All lives everywhere are bonded to death and sickness.

thig16.1:65 This is freedom from old age, freedom from death! This is freedom from old age and death, the sorrowless state! Free of enmity, unconstricted, faultless, fearless, without tribulations.

thig16.1:66 This freedom from death has been realized by many; even today it can be obtained by those who rationally apply themselves; but it’s impossible if you don’t try.”

thig16.1:67 So said Sumedhā, lacking delight in conditioned things. Soothing Anīkaratta, Sumedhā cast her hair on the ground.

thig16.1:68 Standing up, Anīkaratta raised his cupped palms to her father and begged: “Let go of Sumedhā, so that she may go forth! She will see the truth of liberation.”

thig16.1:69 Released by her mother and father, she went forth, afraid of grief and fear. While still a trainee nun <j>she realized the six direct knowledges, along with the highest fruit.

thig16.1:70 The extinguishment of the princess was incredible and amazing; on her deathbed, she declared her several past deeds.

thig16.1:71 “In the time of the Buddha Koṇāgamana, we three friends gave the gift of a newly-built dwelling in the Saṅgha’s monastery.

thig16.1:72 Ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times, ten thousand times, we rejoiced in the company of the angels, let alone among humans.

thig16.1:73 We were mighty in the angels’ company, let alone among humans! I was queen to a king with the seven treasures— I was the treasure of a wife.

thig16.1:74 That was the cause, that the origin, that the root, that was the acceptance of the dispensation; that first meeting culminated in extinguishment for one delighting in the teaching.

thig16.1:75 So say those who have faith in the words of the one unrivaled in wisdom. They’re disillusioned with any state of life, and being disillusioned they become dispassionate.”

thig16.1:76 That is how these verses were recited by the senior nun Sumedhā.

thig16.1:77 The Verses of the Senior Nuns are finished.