The
Theragatha (-gatha), often translated as
Verses of the Elder Monks (Pali:
thera elder (masculine) +
gatha verse), is a
Buddhist scripture, a collection of short poems supposedly recited by early members of the
Buddhist sangha. In the
Pali Canon, the Theragatha is classified as part of the
Khuddaka Nikaya, the collection of short books in the
Sutta Pitaka. Many of the verses of the Theragatha concern the attempts of monks to overcome the temptations of
Mara. It consists of 264 poems, organized into 21 chapters. Notable texts from the Theragatha include the eighth poem of chapter sixteen, consisting of verses recited by the reformed killer
Angulimala, and the third poem of chapter seventeen, in which the Buddha's cousin and retainer
Ananda mourns the passing of his master. The natural companion to the Theragatha is the
Therigatha, the Verses of the Elder Nuns.