English
The Book of the Fives 1. The Verses of a Certain Elder Nun 67. Twenty-five years, since I was ordained; Not even for a finger-snap's duration, did I find peace of mind. 68. Not having found peace of heart, soaked in sensual lust; Raising my arms, weeping, I entered the monastery. 69. I approached a nun, who was my confidante; She taught me the Dhamma, the aggregates, sense-bases, and elements. 70. Having heard her Dhamma, I sat down to one side; I knew my past lives, my divine eye was purified. 71. The knowledge of others' minds, the divine ear element was purified; My psychic powers were realized, the destruction of defilements was attained; The six higher knowledges were realized, the Buddha's teaching was done. ... A Certain Elder Nun ... 2. The Verses of Vimala the Elder Nun 72. Intoxicated by beauty and form, by charm and fame; And stiff with youth, I despised others. 73. Having adorned this body, well-painted, deluding fools; I stood at the courtesan's door, like a hunter setting a snare. 74. Displaying my ornaments, revealing much that was hidden; I performed various tricks, mocking many people. 75. Today, having gone for alms, shaven-headed, wrapped in a robe; Seated at the foot of a tree, I am one who has attained the thought-free state. 76. All fetters are cut off, both divine and human; Having exhausted all defilements, I am cooled, extinguished. ... Vimala, the former courtesan, the Elder Nun ... 3. The Verses of Siha the Elder Nun 77. Through unwise attention, tormented by sensual lust; I was agitated before, my mind not under control. 78. Overwhelmed by defilements, following the perception of beauty; I did not find mental equanimity, following the sway of a lustful mind. 79. Thin, pale, and discolored, I wandered for seven years; Neither by day nor by night, did I find happiness, greatly suffering. 80. Then taking a rope, I entered the forest; Better for me here to hang myself and what is low, they do again. 81. Having made a strong noose, tied to a tree branch; I put the noose around my neck, then my mind was freed. … Sīhā the Elder …. 4. The Verses of Sundarīnandā the Elder 82. "Afflicted, impure, putrid, see, Nanda, this body; Cultivate your mind on impurity, one-pointed, well-composed. 83. "As this is, so is that, as that is, so is this; It smells foul, putrid, delighted in by fools. 84. "Thus observing this, day and night, untiring; Then with my own wisdom, I shall see, penetrating. 85. "For me, diligent, investigating wisely; This body as it truly is, was seen, inside and out. 86. "Then I became disenchanted with the body, and dispassionate within; Diligent, disjoined, I am calmed, extinguished." … Sundarīnandā the Elder …. 5. The Verses of Nanduttarā the Elder 87. "Fire, and moon, and sun, and deities I worshipped; Having gone to river fords, I descended into the water. 88. "Undertaking many vows, I shaved half my head; I made my bed on the ground, I did not eat food at night. 89. "Delighting in adornment and decoration, with bathing and anointing; I attended to this body, afflicted by sensual lust. 90. "Then having gained faith, I went forth into homelessness; Having seen the body as it truly is, sensual lust was uprooted. 91. "All existences are cut off, and desires and longings too; Disjoined from all ties, my mind attained peace." … Nanduttarā the Elder …. 6. The Verses of Mittākāḷī the Elder 92. "Having gone forth by faith, from home to homelessness; I wandered here and there, eager for gain and honor. 93. "Abandoning the highest goal, I pursued a lower one; Having gone under the sway of defilements, I did not understand the goal of recluseship. 94. "For me, there arose a sense of urgency, as I sat in the monastery; I had gone astray from the path, under the sway of craving did not come. 95. My life is short, old age and sickness crush it; Before this body breaks, it is not time for me to be heedless. 96. Seeing things as they are, the rise and fall of the aggregates; With a mind freed, I arose, the Buddha's teaching has been done. ... Mittā Kāḷī the Elder. 7. The Verses of Sakulā the Elder 97. Dwelling in a house, I heard the bhikkhu's Dhamma; I saw the stainless Dhamma, Nibbāna, the deathless state. 98. So I, abandoning son and daughter, wealth and grain; Having had my hair cut off, went forth into homelessness. 99. As I trained, serene, cultivating the straight path; I abandoned lust and hatred, and the defilements rooted in them. 100. Having been fully ordained as a bhikkhunī, I recollected my past lives; My divine eye was purified, stainless, well-developed. 101. Seeing the aggregates as alien, arisen from causes, and perishing; I abandoned all defilements, I am cooled, unbound. ... Sakulā the Elder. 8. The Verses of Soṇā the Elder 102. Having given birth to ten sons, in this mass of form; Then I, weak and old, approached a bhikkhunī. 103. She taught me the Dhamma, the aggregates, sense-bases, and elements; Having heard her Dhamma, I cut my hair and went forth. 104. As I trained with her, my divine eye was purified; I know my past abodes, where I lived before. 105. And I cultivate the signless, one-pointed, well-concentrated; I was liberated without interval, unbound without clinging. 106. The five aggregates are fully understood, their roots cut off; Fie on you, old age and birth! There is no more rebirth now. ... Soṇā the Elder. 9. The Verses of Bhaddā Kuṇḍalakesā the Elder 107. With shorn hair, covered in mud, I wandered before in a single cloth; Thinking wrong to be right, and seeing right as wrong. 108. Leaving my day-abode, on Vulture Peak mountain; I saw the stainless Buddha preceded by the community of bhikkhus. 109. Kneeling down, having paid homage, I made an añjali in front. He said to me, ‘Come, good lady.’ That was my full ordination. 110. I wandered in Aṅga and Magadha, in Vajji, Kāsī, and Kosala. For fifty years, without debt, I consumed the country's alms. 111. Indeed, he generated much merit, truly, this wise lay follower, who gave a robe to Bhaddā, who is liberated from all ties. … The Elder Bhaddā Kuṇḍalakesā…. 10. The Verses of the Elder Paṭācārā 112. Plowing the field with plows, sowing seeds on the ground, supporting children and wives, people acquire wealth. 113. Why do I, endowed with virtue, who practices the Teacher's instruction, not attain Nibbāna, diligent and not conceited? 114. Having washed my feet, I poured the water. And seeing the foot-water, flowing from the high ground to the low. 115. Then I concentrated my mind, like a good horse. Then, taking a lamp, I entered the monastery. Having looked at my bed, I sat down on the couch. 116. Then, taking a needle, I pulled down the wick. Just as the lamp was extinguished, so was the liberation of my mind. … The Elder Paṭācārā…. 11. The Verses of the Thirty Elders 117. ‘Taking pestles, people pound grain. Supporting children and wives, people acquire wealth. 118. ‘Practice the Buddha’s teaching, which, having done, one does not regret. Quickly wash your feet, and sit down to one side. Devoted to mental tranquility, practice the Buddha’s teaching.’ 119. Having heard her words, the instruction of Paṭācārā, having washed their feet, they sat down to one side. Devoted to mental tranquility, they practiced the Buddha’s teaching. 120. In the first watch of the night, they recollected past lives. In the middle watch of the night, they purified the divine eye. In the last watch of the night, they shattered the mass of darkness. 121. Rising, they paid homage to her feet, ‘You have done...’ Instruction; As the Tidasā gods Indra, unconquered in battle, having put him in front, we dwell, we are three-knowledge, without defilements. Thus indeed about thirty elder nuns in the presence of Paṭācārā declared their knowledge. 12. The Verses of the Elder Nun Candā 122. I was wretched before, a widow and childless; without friends or relatives, I did not obtain food or clothing. 123. Taking bowl and staff, begging from house to house; tormented by cold and heat, I wandered for seven years. 124. Then seeing a nun, who had obtained food and drink; I approached and said, "The homeless life of renunciation." 125. And she, out of compassion for me, Paṭācārā, ordained me; Then having advised me, she directed me to the highest goal. 126. Having heard her words, I followed her instruction; The noble lady's advice was not in vain, I am three-knowledge, without defilements. … The Elder Nun Candā … The Chapter of Fives is finished.