thig13.2:0.1Verses of the Senior Nuns 13.2
thig13.2:0.2The Book of the Twenties
thig13.2:0.3Rohinī
thig13.2:1.1“You fell asleep saying ‘ascetics’;
thig13.2:1.2you woke up saying ‘ascetics’;
thig13.2:1.3you only praise ascetics, madam—
thig13.2:1.4surely you’ll become an ascetic.
thig13.2:2.1You provide ascetics
thig13.2:2.2with abundant food and drink.
thig13.2:2.3I ask you now, Rohiṇī:
thig13.2:2.4why do you like ascetics?
thig13.2:3.1They don’t like to work, they’re lazy,
thig13.2:3.2they live on charity;
thig13.2:3.3always on the lookout, greedy for sweets—
thig13.2:3.4so why do you like ascetics?”
thig13.2:4.1“Dad, for a long time now
thig13.2:4.2you’ve questioned me about ascetics.
thig13.2:4.3I shall extol for you
thig13.2:4.4their wisdom, ethics, and vigor.
thig13.2:5.1They like to work, they’re not lazy;
thig13.2:5.2by giving up greed and hate,
thig13.2:5.3they do the best kind of work—
thig13.2:5.4that’s why I like ascetics.
thig13.2:6.1As for the three roots of evil,
thig13.2:6.2by pure deeds they shake them off.
thig13.2:6.3They have given up all wickedness—
thig13.2:6.4that’s why I like ascetics.
thig13.2:7.1Their bodily actions are pure;
thig13.2:7.2their actions of speech likewise;
thig13.2:7.3their actions of mind are pure—
thig13.2:7.4that’s why I like ascetics.
thig13.2:8.1Immaculate as a conch-shell,
thig13.2:8.2they’re pure inside and out,
thig13.2:8.3full of bright qualities—
thig13.2:8.4that’s why I like ascetics.
thig13.2:9.1They’re learned and memorize the teaching,
thig13.2:9.2noble, living righteously,
thig13.2:9.3teaching the text and its meaning:
thig13.2:9.4that’s why I like ascetics.
thig13.2:10.1They’re learned and memorize the teaching,
thig13.2:10.2noble, living righteously,
thig13.2:10.3unified in mind, and mindful—
thig13.2:10.4that’s why I like ascetics.
thig13.2:11.1Traveling afar, and mindful,
thig13.2:11.2thoughtful in counsel, not restless,
thig13.2:11.3they understand the end of suffering—
thig13.2:11.4that’s why I like ascetics.
thig13.2:12.1When they leave a village,
thig13.2:12.2they don’t look back with longing,
thig13.2:12.3but proceed without concern—
thig13.2:12.4that’s why I like ascetics.
thig13.2:13.1They hoard no goods in storerooms,
thig13.2:13.2nor in pots or baskets.
thig13.2:13.3They seek food prepared by others—
thig13.2:13.4that’s why I like ascetics.
thig13.2:14.1They don’t receive gold coins,
thig13.2:14.2or gold or silver;
thig13.2:14.3feeding on whatever comes that day,
thig13.2:14.4that’s why I like ascetics.
thig13.2:15.1They have gone forth from different families,
thig13.2:15.2even different countries,
thig13.2:15.3and yet they all love one another—
thig13.2:15.4that’s why I like ascetics.”
thig13.2:16.1“Dear Rohinī, it was truly for our benefit
thig13.2:16.2that you were born in our family!
thig13.2:16.3You have faith and such keen respect
thig13.2:16.4for the Buddha, his teaching, and the Saṅgha.
thig13.2:17.1For you understand this
thig13.2:17.2supreme field of merit.
thig13.2:17.3These ascetics will henceforth
thig13.2:17.4receive our religious donation, too.
thig13.2:18.1For there we will place our sacrifice,
thig13.2:18.2and it shall be abundant.”
thig13.2:18.3“If you fear suffering,
thig13.2:18.4if you don’t like suffering,
thig13.2:19.1go for refuge to the Buddha, the unaffected,
thig13.2:19.2to his teaching and to the Saṅgha.
thig13.2:19.3Undertake the precepts,
thig13.2:19.4that will be good for you.”
thig13.2:20.1“I go for refuge to the Buddha, the unaffected,
thig13.2:20.2to his teaching and to the Saṅgha.
thig13.2:20.3I undertake the precepts,
thig13.2:20.4that will be good for me.
thig13.2:21.1I used to be brahmin only by kin,
thig13.2:21.2now I genuinely am a brahmin.
thig13.2:21.3Master of the three knowledges, I’m a scholar,
thig13.2:21.4a knowledge master, a bathed initiate.”