Sundara Samudda Thera's Verse

Breaking the Chains of Attachment

The Sundara Samudda Thera shares a powerful account of detachment, illustrating the inner battle between worldly love and spiritual liberation. His verses reveal the difficulty of renouncing attachment to relationships and the ultimate victory of wisdom over desire.

---

The Poem

Pāli:
Ahaṁ bhariyāya satthena, vikatthena vikatthito;
Sundaraṁ samuddaṁ pekkha, kuto tvaṁ idha māgama.

Alikaṁ bhāsasi brahme, natthi saddhammato gati;
Handa pāsaṁ karissāmi, na me bhakkhito bhavissasi.

Ahaṁ pāsaṁ karitvāna, pabbajiṁ anagāriyaṁ;
Sohaṁ padhānapahitatto, arahattam apāpuṁiṁ.

English Translation:
My wife tried to bind me with love, with sweet and deceptive words,
“Sundara Samudda, look at me! Where are you going?”

“You speak falsehood, O Brahmā,” I replied. “There is no real refuge in sensual pleasures.
Instead of being trapped, I will escape—I will not be your prey.”

So I broke free and went forth into homelessness,
With deep effort, I attained the supreme state of an Arahant.

---