Psalms of the Brethren CCIV: Kassapa of Gaya

At morn, at noonday, at the eventide
Thrice in the day I gat me at Gaya
Down in the water at Gaya’s spring feast,
For ‘sins that I have done in other births,

In days gone by, those here and now hereby
I wash away’: — thus did I once believe.

I heard a voice that uttered winning words,
Whereof the burden wedded Norm and Good.
And on their meaning, true and genuine,
I pondered much and reasoned earnestly.

Now from all evil am I truly bathed,
Cleansed from error, pure, immaculate.
In purity heir of the Purified,
His child, even the Buddha’s very son.

For I have plunged into the Eightfold Stream,
And every evil thing I’ve washed away.
The Threefold Wisdom have I found and won,
And all the Buddha bids us do is done.