Verses of the Senior Monks 5.7

The Book of the Fives

Chapter One

Gayākassapa

Three times a day—
morning, midday, and evening—
I plunged into the water at Gayā
for the Gayā spring festival.

“Any bad things I’ve done
in previous lives,
I’ll now wash away right here”—
such was the view I used to hold.

Having heard the fine words,
a passage meaningful and principled,
I rationally reflected
on the true, essential goal.

I’ve washed away all bad things;
I’m stainless, clean, pristine;
the pure heir of the pure one,
a true-born son of the Buddha.

When I plunged into the eightfold stream,
all bad things were washed away.
I’ve attained the three knowledges
and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.