When the crane with its beautiful white wings, startled by fear of the dark cloud, flees, seeking shelter—then the River Ajakaraṇī delights me.
When the crane, so very pure and white, startled by fear of the dark rcloud, seeks a cave to shelter in, but can’t see one—then the River Ajakaraṇī delights me.
Who wouldn’t be delighted by the black plum trees that grace both banks of the river, there, behind my cave?
Well rid of the pack of jackals, mad for the dead, the lazy frogs croak: “Today is no time to stray from mountain streams; Ajakaraṇī is safe, pleasant, and delightful.”
Sappaka
Thag 4.11 · Sappakattheragāthā
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.