English
The Thirtieth Nipāta Verses of the Elder Subhā of Jīvaka's Mango Grove Jīvaka's delightful mango grove, as the nun Subhā was going; A rogue stopped her, and Subhā spoke to him. "What wrong have I done to you, that you stand blocking my way? Indeed, for a renunciant, friend, a man is not suitable for touching. "Grave is my Teacher's teaching, the training taught by the Fortunate One; A path pure and stainless, why do you stand blocking my way? "You, with a defiled mind, me undefiled, you, with dust, me dust-free, stainless; My mind freed everywhere, why do you stand blocking my way?" "You are young and blameless, what will renunciation do for you? Cast off your saffron robes, come, let us delight in the blooming grove. "Sweetly they blow everywhere, the trees laden with flower dust; The early spring is a pleasant season, come, let us delight in the blooming grove. "The trees with flowering tops, seem to roar, stirred by the wind; What delight will you have, if you enter the forest alone? "Frequented by herds of wild beasts, stirred by rutting elephants; You wish to go companionless, into the desolate, terrifying great forest. "Like a golden doll, you wander like a celestial nymph on a painted creeper; With fine Kāsī garments, charming, you shine in incomparable beautiful clothes. "I would be your obedient servant, if we were to dwell in the forest; For there is no one dearer than you, O creature with eyes like a kinnarī's. "If you will do my bidding, come, dwell happily in my house; Dwelling in a wind-sheltered palace, let women attend to you. "Wear fine Kāsī cloths, and adorn yourself with garlands; Much gold, jewels, and pearls, various ornaments I will make for you. S With a clean, white coverlet, a new mattress of goat's hair, Ascend the couch, most excellent, fragrant with sandalwood and spices. 381. "As a lotus sprung from water, that which is frequented by non-humans; So will you, brahmacārinī, grow old in your own limbs." 382. "What do you value here, in this corpse-filled, charnel-ground-grown, perishable body, that you gaze upon it with a troubled mind?" 383. "Like the eyes of a female musician, like a kinnarī in a mountain cave; Seeing your eyes, my sensual delight increases even more. 384. "Like the tips of lotuses, in your pure, gold-like face; Seeing your eyes, my sensual pleasure increases even more. 385. "Even far away, I would remember, your long-lashed, clear-seeing eyes; There is none dearer to me than you, O kinnarī with moon-like eyes." 386. "You wish to go by a pathless way, you seek the moon as a plaything; You wish to leap over Mount Meru, you who pursue a daughter of the Buddha. 387. "There is no passion in this world, with its devas, that could be in me now; Nor do I know what it is like, for it has been rooted out by the path. 388. "Like a heap of embers cast aside, like a poisonous leaf struck from a tree; Nor do I see what it is like, for it has been rooted out by the path. 389. "If there were one who had not reflected, or had not attended upon the Teacher; You might tempt such a one, but you torment this one who knows. 390. "For me, in praise and blame, in pleasure and pain, mindfulness is present; Knowing that it is conditioned and impure, my mind does not cling anywhere at all. 391. "I am a disciple of the Fortunate One, traveling the eightfold path; With dart extracted, free from defilements, I delight in an empty dwelling. 392. "I have seen well-painted, beautiful wooden puppets; Bound with strings and pegs, in various ways..." Unwavering. 393. When the loom's pegs are pulled out, loosened, broken, scattered, It would not be found in pieces. In what then should one fix the mind? 394. My body is like that, without those qualities it does not exist. Without qualities it does not exist. In what then should one fix the mind? 395. Just as smeared with orpiment, you saw a painting on a wall. In that, your perception is distorted. Human perception is meaningless. 396. Like a magic show performed in front, or a golden tree in a dream. You approach it, blind, it is empty, like a puppet amidst people. 397. Like a whirlpool with a hollow, in the middle, bubbles with tears. Here, boils and pustules arise, and various eye diseases accumulated. 398. Having plucked out her beautiful eyes, she did not waver, her mind unattached. "Here, take your eye!" She gave it to that man immediately. 399. And his passion ceased immediately, his lust there, he apologized to her. "May there be well-being for the celibate woman. This will not happen again." 400. "Having attacked such a person, like embracing a blazing fire, or seizing a venomous snake, could there be well-being? Forgive us!" 401. And then that bhikkhuni, freed, went to the Supreme Buddha's presence. Having seen the marks of supreme merit, her eyes became as they were before. ... Subhā of Jīvaka's Mango Grove, the Elder Nun ... The Thirtieth Nipāta is finished.