0.3CāpātherīgāthāCāpā
1.1“Laṭṭhihattho pure āsi,“Once I carried a hermit’s staff,1.2so dāni migaluddako;but these days I hunt deer.1.3Āsāya palipā ghorā,My desires have made me unable to cross1.4nāsakkhi pārametave.from the awful marsh to the far shore.
2.1Sumattaṁ maṁ maññamānā,Thinking me so in love with her,2.2cāpā puttamatosayi;Cāpā kept our son happy.2.3Cāpāya bandhanaṁ chetvā,Having cut Cāpā’s bond,2.4pabbajissaṁ punopahaṁ”.I’ll go forth once again.”
3.1“Mā me kujjhi mahāvīra,“Don’t be mad at me, great hero!3.2mā me kujjhi mahāmuni;Don’t be mad at me, great sage!3.3Na hi kodhaparetassa,If you’re mired in anger you can’t stay pure,3.4suddhi atthi kuto tapo”.let alone be fervent.”
4.1“Pakkamissañca nāḷāto,“I’m going to leave Nālā!4.2kodha nāḷāya vacchati;For who’d stay here at Nālā!4.3Bandhantī itthirūpena,With their figures, the women trap4.4samaṇe dhammajīvino”.ascetics who live righteously.”
5.1“Ehi kāḷa nivattassu,“Please, Kāḷa, come back to me.5.2bhuñja kāme yathā pure;Enjoy pleasures like you did before.5.3Ahañca te vasīkatā,I’ll be under your control,5.4ye ca me santi ñātakā”.along with any relatives I have.”
6.1“Etto cāpe catubbhāgaṁ,“Cāpā, if even a quarter6.2yathā bhāsasi tvañca me;of what you say were true,6.3Tayi rattassa posassa,it would be a splendid thing6.4uḷāraṁ vata taṁ siyā”.for a man in love with you!”
7.1“Kāḷaṅginiṁva takkāriṁ,“Kāḷa, I am like a sprouting iris7.2pupphitaṁ girimuddhani;flowering on a mountain top,7.3Phullaṁ dālimalaṭṭhiṁva,like a blossoming pomegranate,7.4antodīpeva pāṭaliṁ.like a patala tree on an isle;
8.1Haricandanalittaṅgiṁ,my limbs are anointed with yellow sandalwood,8.2kāsikuttamadhāriniṁ;and I wear the finest Kāsi cloth:8.3Taṁ maṁ rūpavatiṁ santiṁ,when I am so very beautiful,8.4kassa ohāya gacchasi”.how can you abandon me and leave?”
9.1“Sākuntikova sakuṇiṁ,“You’re like a fowler9.2yathā bandhitumicchati;who wants to catch a bird;9.3Āharimena rūpena,but you won’t trap me19.4na maṁ tvaṁ bādhayissasi”.with your costumed form.”
10.1“Imañca me puttaphalaṁ,“But this child, my fruit,10.2kāḷa uppāditaṁ tayā;was begotten by you, Kāḷa.10.3Taṁ maṁ puttavatiṁ santiṁ,When I have this child,10.4kassa ohāya gacchasi”.how can you abandon me and leave?”
11.1“Jahanti putte sappaññā,“The wise give up11.2tato ñātī tato dhanaṁ;children, family, and wealth.11.3Pabbajanti mahāvīrā,Great heroes go forth11.4nāgo chetvāva bandhanaṁ”.like elephants breaking their bonds.”
12.1“Idāni te imaṁ puttaṁ,“Now, this son of yours:12.2Daṇḍena churikāya vā;I’ll strike him to the ground right here,12.3Bhūmiyaṁ vā nisumbhissaṁ,with a stick or with a knife!12.4Puttasokā na gacchasi”.Grieving your son, you will not leave.”
13.1“Sace puttaṁ siṅgālānaṁ,“Even if you feed our son13.2kukkurānaṁ padāhisi;to jackals and dogs,13.3Na maṁ puttakatte jammi,I’d never return again, you bitch,13.4punarāvattayissasi”.not even for the child’s sake.”
14.1“Handa kho dāni bhaddante,“Well then, sir, tell me,14.2kuhiṁ kāḷa gamissasi;where will you go, Kāḷa?14.3Katamaṁ gāmanigamaṁ,To what village or town,14.4nagaraṁ rājadhāniyo”.city or capital?”
15.1“Ahumha pubbe gaṇino,“Last time we had followers,15.2Assamaṇā samaṇamānino;we weren’t ascetics, we just thought we were.15.3Gāmena gāmaṁ vicarimha,We wandered from village to village,15.4Nagare rājadhāniyo.to cities and capitals.
16.1Eso hi bhagavā buddho,But now the Blessed One, the Buddha,16.2nadiṁ nerañjaraṁ pati;back on the bank of the Nerañjara River,16.3Sabbadukkhappahānāya,teaches the Dhamma so that living creatures16.4dhammaṁ deseti pāṇinaṁ;may abandon all suffering.16.5Tassāhaṁ santikaṁ gacchaṁ,I shall go to his presence,16.6so me satthā bhavissati”.he shall be my Teacher.”
17.1“Vandanaṁ dāni vajjāsi,“Now please convey my respects17.2lokanāthaṁ anuttaraṁ;to the supreme protector of the world.17.3Padakkhiṇañca katvāna,Circling him to your right,17.4ādiseyyāsi dakkhiṇaṁ”.dedicate my religious donation.”
18.1“Etaṁ kho labbhamamhehi,“This is the proper thing to do,18.2yathā bhāsasi tvañca me;just as you have said to me.18.3Vandanaṁ dāni te vajjaṁ,I’ll convey your respects18.4lokanāthaṁ anuttaraṁ;to the supreme protector of the world.18.5Padakkhiṇañca katvāna,Circling him to my right,18.6ādisissāmi dakkhiṇaṁ”.I’ll dedicate your religious donation.”
19.1Tato ca kāḷo pakkāmi,Then Kāḷa set out19.2nadiṁ nerañjaraṁ pati;back to the bank of the Nerañjara River.19.3So addasāsi sambuddhaṁ,He saw the Awakened One19.4desentaṁ amataṁ padaṁ.teaching the state free of death:
20.1Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ,suffering, suffering’s origin,20.2dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ;suffering’s transcendence,20.3Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ,and the noble eightfold path20.4dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.that leads to the stilling of suffering.
21.1Tassa pādāni vanditvā,He paid homage at his feet,21.2Katvāna naṁ padakkhiṇaṁ;circling him to his right,21.3Cāpāya ādisitvāna,and conveyed Cāpā’s dedication;21.4Pabbajiṁ anagāriyaṁ;then he went forth to homelessness.21.5Tisso vijjā anuppattā,He attained the three knowledges,21.6Kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ.and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.
22.1… Cāpā therī ….