Ru-Yi Meditation Center
Therigatha · 7.2

Cālā

Cālā — The Book of the Sevens · Poem 2 of 3

Setting
No narrative setting beyond what the verses state; the addressee is named only as Māra, the Wicked One
Speaker
Two voices: Māra, questioning her apparent lack of any creed, then Cālā's reply
Form
Seven four-line verses
Length
under 1 minute to read
Northern parallel
This reading guide does not assert a specific matching text for this poem in other Buddhist literatures.
Difficulty
★★★★☆ — a confrontation over doctrine itself, not desire or rebirth

Why this text

Where Māra's temptations elsewhere in this collection appeal to pleasure or beauty, his approach to Cālā is different: he questions her apparent lack of any creed at all, asking why she ‘wanders as if lost’. Her reply does not name a competing doctrine; it reframes the Buddha's teaching itself as something aimed at going beyond views entirely, distinct from the ‘followers of other creeds’ who merely rely on theirs.

Reading guide

A taunt about doctrine, not desire

‘In whose name did you shave your head? You look like an ascetic, but you don't approve any creed. Why do you wander as if lost?’ is a different kind of temptation from Māra — not an appeal to pleasure, but a challenge to her apparent rootlessness.

Other creeds, critiqued for relying on views

‘Followers of other creeds rely on their views. They don't understand the Dhamma, for they're no experts in the Dhamma’ draws a specific contrast: not superior doctrine against inferior doctrine, but genuine understanding against mere reliance on a position.

The Dhamma framed as going beyond views itself

‘He taught me the Dhamma for going beyond views’ characterizes the Buddha's teaching in a way distinct from most other descriptions in this collection — not one view among competing views, but a path aimed past the entire category.

The four truths, then the shared victory formula

‘Suffering, suffering's origin, suffering's transcendence, and the noble eightfold path’ precedes the same closing quatrain already used in Thig 3.7, 3.8, and 6.3 — a fourth appearance of this collection's recurring victory-over-Māra formula.

Key terms

Cālā — this poem's speaker, whose confrontation with Māra concerns doctrine rather than pleasure.
pāsaṇḍa — “creeds” or sects — named as what ‘followers of other’ paths rely on, in contrast to the Dhamma.
diṭṭhīnaṅ samatikkamaṅ — “going beyond views” — Cālā's own characterization of what the Buddha taught her.
momuhā — “as if lost” or confused — Māra's taunting description of her, in his opening question.
ariyaṅ aṭṭhaṅgika magga — the noble eightfold path, named alongside the four truths in Cālā's own account of the teaching.

The text

The text in full: Māra's question, and Cālā's reply. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).

§1“As a nun with developed faculties, having established mindfulness, I penetrated that peaceful state, the blissful stilling of conditions.”

§2“In whose name did you shave your head? You look like an ascetic, but you don’t approve any creed. Why do you wander as if lost?”

§3“Followers of other creeds rely on their views. They don’t understand the Dhamma, for they’re no experts in the Dhamma.

§4But there is one born in the Sakyan clan, the unrivaled Buddha; he taught me the Dhamma for going beyond views.

§5Suffering, suffering’s origin, suffering’s transcendence, and the noble eightfold path that leads to the stilling of suffering.

§6After hearing his words, I happily did his bidding. I’ve attained the three knowledges and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

§7Relishing is banished in every respect, and the mass of darkness is shattered. So know this, Wicked One: you’re beaten, terminator!”

· · ·

Self-check quiz

Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.

Question 1 of 10
What does Māra question about Cālā, in this poem's opening verse?
Correct: B. A challenge about doctrine and rootlessness, not desire.
Question 2 of 10
How does Cālā characterize 'followers of other creeds'?
Correct: A. A contrast between mere reliance on a view and genuine understanding.
Question 3 of 10
How does Cālā describe the purpose of the Buddha's teaching?
Correct: C. A distinct framing from most other descriptions of the Dhamma in this collection.
Question 4 of 10
What does the poem name alongside the four noble truths?
Correct: B. Named together in this poem's fifth verse.
Question 5 of 10
What quatrain closes this poem, shared with Thig 3.7, 3.8, and 6.3?
Correct: D. A fourth appearance of this collection's recurring victory formula.
Question 6 of 10
What does 'pāsaṇḍa' mean?
Correct: D. Named directly in Cālā's contrast with the Dhamma.
Question 7 of 10
How does Māra's approach to Cālā differ from his temptations to Selā or Somā?
Correct: B. A confrontation over doctrine itself, distinct from earlier temptations.
Question 8 of 10
What does 'momuhā' mean?
Correct: A. Part of his opening taunt, questioning her apparent aimlessness.
Question 9 of 10
What position does this poem hold in the Book of the Sevens?
Correct: C. Following Thig 7.1, continuing the Book of the Sevens.
Question 10 of 10
Who does this poem say taught Cālā the Dhamma?
Correct: C. Named directly in her reply's fourth verse.
Answered 0 of 10 · Correct 0

Further reading

← PreviousThig 7.1 · Uttarā (2nd)