Thig 3.5 — Verses of the Elder Ubbirī

English translation by Ṭhānissaro Bhikkhu.

Translation

Text

Thig 3:5 Ubbiri

[Ubbiri recalls the Buddha’s words:]
“‘Jīva, my daughter,’
you cry in the woods.
Come to your senses, Ubbiri.
        84,000
    all named Jīva
have been burned in that charnel ground.
For which of them do you grieve?”

Pulling out
    —completely out—
the arrow so hard to see,
embedded in my heart,
he expelled from me
    —overcome with grief—
the grief
over my daughter.

Today—with arrow removed,
    without hunger, entirely
        unbound—
to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Saṅgha I go,
    for refuge to
    the Sage.