1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā vaṅgīso āḷaviyaṁ viharati aggāḷave cetiye āyasmatā nigrodhakappena upajjhāyena saddhiṁ.At one time Venerable Vaṅgīsa was staying near Āḷavī, at Āḷavī’s premier shrine, together with his mentor, Venerable Nigrodhakappa.¹

1.3Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā vaṅgīso navako hoti acirapabbajito ohiyyako vihārapālo.Now at that time Vaṅgīsa was junior, recently gone forth. He had been left behind to look after the dwelling.

1.4Atha kho sambahulā itthiyo samalaṅkaritvā yena aggāḷavako ārāmo tenupasaṅkamiṁsu vihārapekkhikāyo.Then several women dressed in all their finery went to the monastery at Āḷavī’s premier shrine in order to inspect the dwelling.²1.5Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa tā itthiyo disvā anabhirati uppajjati, rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti.When Vaṅgīsa saw them he became dissatisfied, with lust infecting his mind.³

1.6Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa etadahosi:Then he thought,1.7“alābhā vata me, na vata me lābhā; dulladdhaṁ vata me, na vata me suladdhaṁ;“It’s my loss, my misfortune,1.8yassa me anabhirati uppannā, rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti, taṁ kutettha labbhā, yaṁ me paro anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādeyya.that I’ve become dissatisfied, with lust infecting my mind. How is it possible for someone else to dispel my discontent and give rise to satisfaction?1.9Yannūnāhaṁ attanāva attano anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādeyyan”ti.Why don’t I do it myself?”

1.10Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso attanāva attano anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādetvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi:Then, on the occasion of dispelling his own discontent and giving rise to satisfaction, he recited these verses:

2.1“Nikkhantaṁ vata maṁ santaṁ,“Now that I’ve renounced2.2agārasmānagāriyaṁ;the lay life for homelessness,2.3Vitakkā upadhāvanti,I’m overrun2.4pagabbhā kaṇhato ime.by the rude thoughts of the Dark One.

3.1Uggaputtā mahissāsā,Even if a thousand warrior chiefs and great archers,⁴3.2sikkhitā daḷhadhammino;well trained, with strong bows,3.3Samantā parikireyyuṁ,were to completely surround me;3.4sahassaṁ apalāyinaṁ.I would never flee.

4.1Sacepi etato bhiyyo,And even if women come,4.2āgamissanti itthiyo;many more than that,4.3Neva maṁ byādhayissanti,they won’t bother me,4.4dhamme samhi patiṭṭhitaṁ.for I stand firm in the teaching.

5.1Sakkhī hi me sutaṁ etaṁ,I heard with my own ears5.2buddhassādiccabandhuno;from the Buddha, Kinsman of the Sun,5.3Nibbānagamanaṁ maggaṁ,about the path going to extinguishment;5.4tattha me nirato mano.that’s what delights my mind.

6.1Evañce maṁ viharantaṁ,Wicked One, if you come near me6.2pāpima upagacchasi;as I meditate like this,6.3Tathā maccu karissāmi,I’ll make sure that you, Death,6.4na me maggampi dakkhasī”ti.won’t even see the path I take.”