It was truly for my benefit that the Buddha went to the Nerañjara River. When I heard his teaching, I shunned wrong view.
I used to perform a diverse spectrum of sacrifices; I served the sacred flame, imagining, “This is purity.” I was a blind, ordinary person.
Caught in the thicket of wrong view, deluded by misapprehension. Thinking impurity was purity, I was blind and ignorant.
I’ve abandoned wrong view; all rebirths are shattered. I serve the fire for those worthy of a religious donation: I bow to the Realized One.
I’ve given up all delusion; craving for continued existence is shattered; transmigration through births is finished; now there’ll be no more future lives.
Nadīkassapa
Thag 5.6 · Nadīkassapattheragāthā
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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.