“What good does it do you to be in the grove, my dear? You’re like a little bird in the monsoon! The city of Verambhā is nice for you—seclusion is for meditators.”
“Just as the wind in Verambhā scatters the monsoon clouds as they pour down, so the city scatters my perception of seclusion.”
“It’s all black and born of an egg—the crow whose abode is the charnel ground rouses my mindfulness, based on dispassion for the body.”
“He who is not guarded by others, and who does not guard others, truly sleeps at ease, mendicant, unconcerned for sensual pleasures.”
“The water’s clear and the rocks are broad, monkeys and deer are all around; festooned with dewy moss, these rocky crags delight me!
I’ve stayed in the wilderness, in caves and caverns and remote lodgings frequented by beasts of prey.
‘May these beings be killed! May they be slaughtered! May they suffer!’—I’m not aware of having any such ignoble, hateful thoughts.
I’ve served the Teacher and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions. The heavy burden is laid down, the leash to existence is eradicated.
I’ve attained the goal for the sake of which I went forth from the lay life to homelessness—the ending of all fetters.
I don’t long for death; I don’t long for life; I await my time, like a worker waiting for their wages.
I don’t long for death; I don’t long for life; I await my time, aware and mindful.”
Saṅkicca
Thag 11.1 · Saṅkiccattheragāthā
Connections
Collection & context
- TheragāthāThe collection containing this text
- The Pāli canonCanonical collection in which this edition is preserved
- Theravāda traditionsTransmission and study context
- The early Buddhist communityHistorical and traditional setting
About this edition
Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato and Jessica Walton · SuttaCentral · CC0
This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.
Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.
The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.