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Verses of the Elder Bhikkhunīs Chapter of the Fives Verses of the Elder Mittākāḷī “I went forth out of faith, from the home life into homelessness; I wandered here and there, longing for gain and honor. Disregarding the highest aim, I pursued an inferior goal. Controlled by defilements, I did not understand the real purpose of the contemplative life. While sitting in my hut, I was struck with a sense of urgency: ‘I have entered upon the wrong path, I am under the control of craving! Decay and sickness are trampling my trifling life. There is no time to waste before this body falls apart.’ In conformity with the truth, I observed the rise and fall of the khandhas. I stood up with a liberated mind, having completed the teaching of the Buddha.” The Elder Mittākaḷī