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Thig 2.81 min read

To Abhayā’s Mother From Her Daughter

Abhayamātutherīgāthā

Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral

  • 0.1Therīgāthā 2.8Verses of the Senior Nuns 2.8
  • 0.2DukanipātaThe Book of the Twos

0.3AbhayamātutherīgāthāTo Abhayā’s Mother From Her Daughter

1.1“Uddhaṁ pādatalā amma,My dear mother, examine this body,11.2adho ve kesamatthakā;up from the soles of the feet,1.3Paccavekkhassumaṁ kāyaṁ,and down from the tips of the hairs,1.4asuciṁ pūtigandhikaṁ.so impure and foul-smelling.

2.1Evaṁ viharamānāya,Meditating like this,22.2sabbo rāgo samūhato;all my lust is eradicated.2.3Pariḷāho samucchinno,The fever of passion is cut off,2.4sītibhūtāmhi nibbutā”ti.I’m cooled and quenched.3

3.1… Abhayamātā therī ….

Translator’s notes

  1. Authorship is unclear in these verses. The first verse is addressed to the mother. The commentary says it was by her son Abhaya, but I think it is more likely by her daughter Abhayā who features in the next poem.

    ↩ thig2.8:1.1

  2. The feminine declension of the last words show that this verse is spoken by a woman. The commentary says it was by the mother, who has quoted her son’s words and adds her own. I read both verses as spoken by the daughter.

    ↩ thig2.8:2.1

  3. It is only from the feminine declension of the last words that we can be sure it is the daughter Abhayā speaking.

    ↩ thig2.8:2.4