Therīgāthā is the ninth book of the Khuddaka Nikāya in the Pali Canon (Tipiṭaka). It contains 522 verses attributed to seventy-three elder nuns, most of whom lived during the time of the Buddha.

These poems celebrate the joy of liberation and the contemplative life. The nuns speak with pride and gratitude about their spiritual attainments, as well as about the teachers who guided them on the path. The teachings of the Dhamma are expressed in vivid and personal ways, through concrete experiences such as the fading color of hair, the trembling of weakening limbs, or the “burning and seething” sensations of greed and hatred.

Therīgāthā is one of the oldest spiritual texts in which women’s voices predominate. This collection forms a pair with the Theragāthā (“Verses of the Elder Monks”). Both texts are among the earliest and most extensive records of those leading a contemplative life.