At one time Venerable Vaṅgīsa was staying near Āḷavī, at Āḷavī’s premier shrine, together with his mentor, Venerable Nigrodhakappa. Ekaṁ samayaṁ …pe… āyasmā vaṅgīso āḷaviyaṁ viharati aggāḷave cetiye āyasmatā nigrodhakappena upajjhāyena saddhiṁ.

Now at that time after Venerable Nigrodhakappa had finished his meal, on his return from almsround, he would enter his dwelling and not emerge for the rest of that day, or the next. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā nigrodhakappo pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto vihāraṁ pavisati, sāyaṁ vā nikkhamati aparajju vā kāle.

And at that time Venerable Vaṅgīsa became dissatisfied, as lust infected his mind. Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato vaṅgīsassa anabhirati uppannā hoti, rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti.

Then he thought, Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa etadahosi: “It’s my loss, my misfortune, “alābhā vata me, na vata me lābhā; dulladdhaṁ vata me, na vata me suladdhaṁ; that I’ve become dissatisfied, with lust infecting my mind. How is it possible for someone else to dispel my discontent and give rise to satisfaction? yassa me anabhirati uppannā, rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti; taṁ kutettha labbhā, yaṁ me paro anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādeyya. Why don’t I do it myself?” Yannūnāhaṁ attanāva attano anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādeyyan”ti.

Then, on the occasion of dispelling his own discontent and giving rise to satisfaction, he recited these verses: Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso attanāva attano anabhiratiṁ vinodetvā abhiratiṁ uppādetvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imā gāthāyo abhāsi:

“Giving up desire and discontent, “Aratiñca ratiñca pahāya, along with all thoughts of domestic life, Sabbaso gehasitañca vitakkaṁ; they wouldn’t get snarled in anything; Vanathaṁ na kareyya kuhiñci, unsnarled, undesiring: that’s a real mendicant. Nibbanatho arato sa hi bhikkhu.

Whatever here is included in form—Yamidha pathaviñca vehāsaṁ, on earth, in the sky, or in planet’s deep—Rūpagatañca jagatogadhaṁ; wears out, it is all impermanent: Kiñci parijīyati sabbamaniccaṁ, the self-examined live having comprehended this. Evaṁ samecca caranti mutattā.

People are bound to their attachments, Upadhīsu janā gadhitāse, to impingement of the seen and heard, <j>and to what is thought. Diṭṭhasute paṭighe ca mute ca; Unstirred, dispel desire for these things; Ettha vinodaya chandamanejo, for one called ‘a sage’ does not cling to them. Yo ettha na limpati taṁ munimāhu.

Trapped in the sixty wrong views, <j>full of their own opinions, Atha saṭṭhinissitā savitakkā, ordinary people are fixed in wrong principles. Puthū janatāya adhammā niviṭṭhā; But that mendicant wouldn’t join a sect, Na ca vaggagatassa kuhiñci, still less would they utter lewd speech. No pana duṭṭhullabhāṇī sa bhikkhu.

Clever, serene for a long time, Dabbo cirarattasamāhito, free of deceit, alert, without envy, Akuhako nipako apihālu; the sage has reached the state of peace; Santaṁ padaṁ ajjhagamā muni paṭicca, quenched, he awaits his time.” Parinibbuto kaṅkhati kālan”ti.