Four or five times I left my dwelling; I had failed to find peace of heart, or any control over my mind.
I approached a nun and politely questioned her. She taught me the Dhamma: the elements and sense fields,
the four noble truths, the faculties and the powers, the awakening factors, and the eightfold path for the attainment of the highest goal.
After hearing her words, I did her bidding. In the first watch of the night, I recollected my past lives.
In the middle watch of the night, I purified my clairvoyance. In the last watch of the night, I shattered the mass of darkness.
I then meditated pervading my body with rapture and bliss. On the seventh day I stretched out my feet, having shattered the mass of darkness.
Vijayā
Thig 6.8 · Vijayātherīgāthā
Connections
Collection & context
- TherīgāthāThe 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
Teachings named in the text
Books
- Handful of Leaves: an Anthology from the Sutta PiṭakaEarly Buddhist discourses; Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu (translator and compiler) · Included in anthology
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.