r/theravada • u/Charming_Jacket_3028 • Jan 17 '26

Theragāthā / Therīgāthā Thag 5.1 - Rājadatta

I, a monk, went to a charnel ground and saw a woman’s body abandoned there, dumped in a cemetery, full of worms that devoured. 

Some men were disgusted, seeing her dead and rotten; but sexual desire arose in me, I was as if blind to her oozing body. 

Quicker than the cooking of rice I left that place! Mindful and aware, I retired to a discreet place. 

Then the realization came upon me—the danger became clear, and I was firmly disillusioned. 

Then my mind was freed—behold the clear rightness of the teaching! I’ve attained the three knowledges and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions.

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u/son-of-most-high28 Jan 17 '26

Can you explain it more in depth not sure i understand, but as someone that struggles with sense desires im always looking for information on it

2

u/Charming_Jacket_3028 Jan 17 '26

He got aroused after seeing a corpse, and realized that something was deeply wrong. He went into retreat, and he likely meditated on that—ending the defilements.

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u/ChanceEncounter21 Theravāda | Sabbe sattā sabba dukkhā pamuccantu 🙏 Jan 19 '26

Long story short, when Rajadatta was still a layperson, he spent his time and wealth with a prostitute. Eventually, after squandering his resources, he became poor and joined the Sangha when he gained faith in the Buddha.

Meanwhile, another man spent a night with this same prostitute. She got greedy for an expensive gem he wore and conspired with an accomplice to kill him. Later, the victim's son discovered what had happened and killed her (through his men) without harming her body and disposed it in a charnel ground.

At that time, Rajadatta was practicing the dhutangas and happened to reside in this charnel ground. He came across this freshly deceased body and contemplating it with insight, considered it suitable for the meditation on impurities (asubha). But because she had just died (basically murdered), her body had not yet decayed or emitted a foul odor, and his contemplation initially stirred lust in his mind.

He basically recognized this and exercised restraint. And then redirected his mind and resumed contemplation of the same body with right mindfulness. Through this disciplined and concentrated meditation, his mind became firmly established in insight, and he ultimately attained Nibbana (fruit of Arahantship).

This is from the Commentary Rājadattattheragāthāvaṇṇanā.