DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.45392#0371
The Pali Canon
The following is an extract from the “ Psalm of
Revata” :
Since I went forth from home to homeless life,
Ne'er have I harboured conscious wish or plan
Un-Ariyan or linked with enmity. . . .
With thought of death I dally not, nor yet
Delight in living. I await the hour
Like any hireling who hath done his task.
With thought of death I dally not, nor yet
Delight in living. I await the hour
With mind discerning and with heedfulness.
The Master hath my fealty and love,
A nd all the Buddha's bidding hath been done.
Low have I laid the heavy load I bore.
Cause for rebirth is found in me no more.
The Good for which I bade the world farewell.
And left the home to lead the homeless life,
That highest Good have L accomplished,
And every bond and fetter is destroyed.
Far more poetic than the verses inspired by the Brethrens’
fear of woman as the subtlest form of worldly snare, are
those of the Sisters themselves, reflecting on the passing
away of their own youth and beauty, and pointing for
themselves the lesson of transcience; and amongst these
none is more interesting than that of the courtesan
Ambapall, whose generosity to the Order we have
already noticed; she was converted by the preaching
of her own son, and studying the law of impermanence
as illustrated in her own ageing body, she uttered
the following verses (nineteen in all, of which I quote
five):
285
The following is an extract from the “ Psalm of
Revata” :
Since I went forth from home to homeless life,
Ne'er have I harboured conscious wish or plan
Un-Ariyan or linked with enmity. . . .
With thought of death I dally not, nor yet
Delight in living. I await the hour
Like any hireling who hath done his task.
With thought of death I dally not, nor yet
Delight in living. I await the hour
With mind discerning and with heedfulness.
The Master hath my fealty and love,
A nd all the Buddha's bidding hath been done.
Low have I laid the heavy load I bore.
Cause for rebirth is found in me no more.
The Good for which I bade the world farewell.
And left the home to lead the homeless life,
That highest Good have L accomplished,
And every bond and fetter is destroyed.
Far more poetic than the verses inspired by the Brethrens’
fear of woman as the subtlest form of worldly snare, are
those of the Sisters themselves, reflecting on the passing
away of their own youth and beauty, and pointing for
themselves the lesson of transcience; and amongst these
none is more interesting than that of the courtesan
Ambapall, whose generosity to the Order we have
already noticed; she was converted by the preaching
of her own son, and studying the law of impermanence
as illustrated in her own ageing body, she uttered
the following verses (nineteen in all, of which I quote
five):
285