Ano­pamā­therī­gāthā &

Vakkali­thera­gāthā
- an analytical study

Group 9
Ria Palwankar, Harishchandra Kadam, Vidya Hire, Sachin Jadhav, Deepa Kamath

Department of Pali,
University of Mumbai
Contents :
I. Approach
II. Analysis
III. Conclusion
IV. References
I. Approach
We have analysed the characteristics of the two
personalities given to us - Therī­Ano­pamā­and Thera
Vakkali through 4 questions:

1. Where did they come from?

2. How did they see the Buddha?

3. What motivated them to ordain?

4. What happened after they ordained?

II. Analysis
1. Where did they come from?

Brahmin
family
 Merchant
family, ucce
kule, seṭṭhiputtehi Learned
 Wealthy family, in the
mahaddhane vedas
Beautiful,
Skilled priest
vaṇṇarūpena
sampannā

Quite sought after

for marriage
 2. How did they see the Buddha?

 She uses these words – With the first sight,

to describe the Buddha he was hooked to
lokajeṭṭhaṃ Buddha’s beauty
t le l o ss al
b na anuttaraṃ
u
S ter ties Gr tern
In ali anukampāya Ex rm – He followed
qu fo
Buddha around
 She pays homage to his
feet , showing reverence
tassa pādāni vanditvā
 3. What motivated them to
ordain?
 She reflects upon the – Out of craving for
futility of a household not being able to see
life and approaches the the Buddha, Vakkali
Buddha
Thera enters the
order
While hearing Buddha,
she attains the  path of
non-return (anāgami)
and then enters the
order.

phussayiṃ tatiyaṃ
phalaṃ
 4. What happened after they ordained?

On the seventh – Buddha had to

night, she proclaims intervene firmly and
“ craving has ask Thera to leave.
withered ”, implying
she is an Arahant “ dhammaṃ passati 
somaṃ passati;  
me sattami ratti yato yo maṃ passati 
taṇhā visositā
so dhammaṃ passati
”
4. What happened after they ordained?
– Practising in the jungle,
proclaiming hardships yet at
peace
pītisukhena vipulena
pharamāno samussayaṃ
lūkhampi abhisambhonto
viharissāmi kānane
 
– Putting efforts and remembering
Buddha, motivating oneself
towards the goal

bhāvento viharissāmi kānane

anussaranto sambuddhaṃ
4. What happened after they ordained?

– Declared foremost in
faith
saddhādhimuttānam

– Thera Vakkali attained*

enlightenment through
faith & efforts
III. Conclusion
• The importance of therī­gāthā & thera­gāthā as a
text in the Pali canon: The diversity of personalities brings
to life the practise and we are taken into a different dimension
of the teachings
• Starkly contrasting personalities and their journey
towards nibbāna. Though root tendencies were
different in quality and quantity, the Buddha guided
them appropriately towards final extinguishment
• Conditions and their impact: internal, external and
the ones they create.
• FAITH
Ano­pamā­therī­gāthā
Ucce kule ahaṃ jātā bahuvitte mahaddhane
Vaṇṇarūpena sampannā dhītā meghassa atrajā
 
Patthitā rājaputtehi seṭṭhiputtehi bhijjhitā
Pitu me pesayī dūtaṃ detha mayhaṃ anopamaṃ 

Yattakaṃ tulitā esā tuyhaṃ dhītā anūpamā 

Tato aṭṭhaguṇaṃ dassaṃ hiraññaṃ ratanāni ca 
 
Sāhaṃ disvāna sambuddhaṃ lokajeṭṭhaṃ anuttaraṃ
Tassa pādāni vanditvā ekamantaṃ upāvisiṃ 
 
So me dhammamadesesi anukampāya gotamo
Nisinnā āsane tasmiṃ phussayiṃ tatiyaṃ phalaṃ 
 
Tato kesāni chetvāna pabbajiṃ anagāriyaṃ
Ajja me sattami ratti yato taṇhā visositā
[PTS.] …for reference
Vakkali­thera­gāthā
Vātarogābhinīto tvaṃ viharaṃ kānane vane, 
Paviṭṭhagocare lūkhe kathaṃ bhikkhu karissasi. 
 
Pītisukhena vipulena pharamāno samussayaṃ, 
Lūkhampi abhisambhonto viharissāmi kānane. 
 
Bhāvento satipaṭṭhāne indriyāni balāni ca, 
Bojjhaṅgāni ca bhāvento viharissāmi kānane. 
 
Āraddhaviriye pahatatte niccaṃ daḷhaparakkame,
Samagge sahite disvā viharissāmi kānane. 
 
Anussaranto sambuddhaṃ aggaṃ dantaṃ samāhitaṃ, 
Atandito rattindivaṃ viharissāmi kānane. 

[PTS]
…for reference
IV. References
• Anopamātherīgāthā  Thig 6.5
• Vakkalittheragāthā  Thag 5.8
• Vakkali Sutta  SN 22.87
• Vakkalittheraapadāna  Tha Ap 534
Thank you