The Theragatha — the 'Songs of the Elder Monks' — is one of the oldest and most beloved collections of spiritual poetry in the world. Gathered from the Pali Canon, these verses were composed by the first generations of the Buddha's disciples: men who left homes, families, and kingdoms to sit beneath trees and seek the end of suffering. Their voices are startlingly intimate — at once humble and soaring, full of longing, regret, joy, and hard-won peace. This modern-English edition renders the elders' songs in clear, present-day language that preserves the beauty and depth of the original while inviting today's readers to meet these ancient voices as companions on their own inner journey. Whether you come as a practitioner, a lover of poetry, or a seeker of wisdom, these songs speak across twenty-five centuries with startling freshness. Part of The Sacred Wisdom Library.