Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.
Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.
Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:
Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, he addressed Venerable Ānanda,
“āyāmānanda, yena pubbārāmo migāramātupāsādo tenupasaṅkamissāma divāvihārāyā”ti.
“Come, Ānanda, let’s go to the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery for the day’s meditation.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.
“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ yena pubbārāmo migāramātupāsādo tenupasaṅkami.
So the Buddha went with Ānanda to the Eastern Monastery.
Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:
In the late afternoon the Buddha came out of retreat and addressed Ānanda,
“āyāmānanda, yena pubbakoṭṭhako tenupasaṅkamissāma gattāni parisiñcitun”ti.
“Come, Ānanda, let’s go to the eastern gate to bathe.”
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.
“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ yena pubbakoṭṭhako tenupasaṅkami gattāni parisiñcituṁ.
So the Buddha went with Ānanda to the eastern gate to bathe.
Pubbakoṭṭhake gattāni parisiñcitvā paccuttaritvā ekacīvaro aṭṭhāsi gattāni pubbāpayamāno.
When he had bathed and emerged from the water he stood in one robe drying his limbs.
Tena kho pana samayena rañño pasenadissa kosalassa seto nāma nāgo mahātūriyatāḷitavāditena pubbakoṭṭhakā paccuttarati.
Now, at that time King Pasenadi had a giant bull elephant called “White”. It emerged from the eastern gate to the beating and playing of musical instruments.
Apissu taṁ jano disvā evamāha:
When people saw it they said,
“abhirūpo vata bho rañño nāgo; dassanīyo vata bho rañño nāgo; pāsādiko vata, bho, rañño nāgo, kāyupapanno vata bho rañño nāgo”ti.
“The royal giant is so handsome! The royal giant is so good-looking! The royal giant is so lovely! The royal giant has such a huge body!”
Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When they said this, Venerable Udāyī said to the Buddha,
“hatthimeva nu kho, bhante, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha:
“Sir, is it only when they see elephants with such a huge, formidable body that people say:
‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’ti, udāhu aññampi kañci mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha: ‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’”ti?
‘A giant, such a giant’? Or do they say it when they see any other creatures with huge, formidable bodies?”
“Hatthimpi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha:
“Udāyī, when they see elephants with such a huge, formidable body people say:
‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’ti.
‘A giant, such a giant!’
Assampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…
And also when they see a horse with a huge, formidable body …
goṇampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…
When they see a bull with a huge, formidable body …
uragampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…
When they see a serpent with a huge, formidable body …
rukkhampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…
When they see a tree with a huge, formidable body …
manussampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha:
And when they see a human being with such a huge, formidable body people say:
‘nāgo vata, bho, nāgo’ti.
‘A giant, such a giant!’
Api ca, udāyi, yo sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya āguṁ na karoti kāyena vācāya manasā, tamahaṁ ‘nāgo’ti brūmī”ti.
But Udāyī, one who does nothing monstrous by way of body, speech, and mind is who I call a ‘giant’ in this world with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.”
“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.
“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!
Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā—
How well said this was by the Buddha:
api ca, udāyi, yo sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya āguṁ na karoti kāyena vācāya manasā, tamahaṁ ‘nāgo’ti brūmīti.
‘But Udāyī, one who does nothing monstrous by way of body, speech, and mind is who I call a “giant” in this world with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.’
Idañca panāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā subhāsitaṁ imāhi gāthāhi anumodāmi—
And I celebrate the well-spoken words of the Buddha with these verses:
Manussabhūtaṁ sambuddhaṁ,
Awakened as a human being,
attadantaṁ samāhitaṁ;
self-tamed and immersed in samādhi,
Iriyamānaṁ brahmapathe,
following the spiritual path,
cittassūpasame rataṁ.
he loves peace of mind.
Yaṁ manussā namassanti,
Revered by people,
sabbadhammāna pāraguṁ;
gone beyond all things,
Devāpi taṁ namassanti,
even the gods revere him;
iti me arahato sutaṁ.
so I’ve heard from the perfected one.
Sabbasaṁyojanātītaṁ,
He has transcended all fetters
vanā nibbanamāgataṁ;
and escaped from entanglements.
Kāmehi nekkhammarataṁ,
Delighting to renounce sensual pleasures,
muttaṁ selāva kañcanaṁ.
he’s freed like lustrous gold from stone.
Sabbe accarucī nāgo,
That giant outshines all,
himavāññe siluccaye;
like the Himalaya beside other mountains.
Sabbesaṁ nāganāmānaṁ,
Of all those named ‘giant’,
saccanāmo anuttaro.
he is truly named, supreme.
Nāgaṁ vo kittayissāmi,
I shall extol the giant for you,
na hi āguṁ karoti so;
for he does nothing monstrous.
Soraccaṁ avihiṁsā ca,
Gentleness and harmlessness
pādā nāgassa te duve.
are two feet of the giant.
Tapo ca brahmacariyaṁ,
Fervor and chastity
caraṇā nāgassa tyāpare;
are his two other feet.
Saddhāhattho mahānāgo,
Faith is the giant’s trunk,
upekkhāsetadantavā.
and equanimity his white tusks.
Sati gīvā siro paññā,
Mindfulness is his neck, his head is wisdom—
vīmaṁsā dhammacintanā;
inquiry and thinking about principles.
Dhammakucchisamātapo,
His belly is the sacred hearth of the Dhamma,
viveko tassa vāladhi.
and his tail is seclusion.
So jhāyī assāsarato,
Practicing absorption, enjoying the breath,
ajjhattaṁ susamāhito;
he is serene within.
Gacchaṁ samāhito nāgo,
The giant is serene when walking,
ṭhito nāgo samāhito.
the giant is serene when standing,
Seyyaṁ samāhito nāgo,
the giant is serene when lying down,
nisinnopi samāhito;
and when sitting, the giant is serene.
Sabbattha saṁvuto nāgo,
The giant is restrained everywhere:
esā nāgassa sampadā.
this is the accomplishment of the giant.
Bhuñjati anavajjāni,
He eats blameless things,
sāvajjāni na bhuñjati;
he doesn’t eat blameworthy things.
Ghāsamacchādanaṁ laddhā,
When he gets food and clothes,
sannidhiṁ parivajjayaṁ.
he avoids storing them up.
Saṁyojanaṁ aṇuṁ thūlaṁ,
Having severed all bonds,
sabbaṁ chetvāna bandhanaṁ;
fetters large and small,
Yena yeneva gacchati,
wherever he goes,
anapekkhova gacchati.
he goes without concern.
Yathāpi udake jātaṁ,
A white lotus,
puṇḍarīkaṁ pavaḍḍhati;
fragrant and delightful,
Nupalippati toyena,
sprouts in water and grows there,
sucigandhaṁ manoramaṁ.
but water does not stick to it.
Tatheva loke sujāto,
Just so the Buddha is born in the world,
buddho loke viharati;
and lives in the world,
Nupalippati lokena,
but the world does not stick to him,
toyena padumaṁ yathā.
as water does not stick to the lotus.
Mahāginīva jalito,
A great blazing fire
anāhārūpasammati;
dies down when the fuel runs out.
Saṅkhāresūpasantesu,
When the coals have gone out
nibbutoti pavuccati.
it’s said to be ‘quenched’.
Atthassāyaṁ viññāpanī,
This simile is taught by the discerning
upamā viññūhi desitā;
to express the meaning clearly.
Viññassanti mahānāgā,
Great giants will understand
nāgaṁ nāgena desitaṁ.
what the giant taught the giant.
Vītarāgo vītadoso,
Free of greed, free of hate,
Vītamoho anāsavo;
free of delusion, undefiled;
Sarīraṁ vijahaṁ nāgo,
the giant, giving up his body,
Parinibbissati anāsavo”ti.
being undefiled, will be fully quenched.”
Paṭhamaṁ.
Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).
At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms.
Then, after the meal, on his return from almsround, he addressed Venerable Ānanda,
“Come, Ānanda, let’s go to the stilt longhouse of Migāra’s mother in the Eastern Monastery for the day’s meditation.”
“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.
So the Buddha went with Ānanda to the Eastern Monastery.
In the late afternoon the Buddha came out of retreat and addressed Ānanda,
“Come, Ānanda, let’s go to the eastern gate to bathe.”
“Yes, sir,” Ānanda replied.
So the Buddha went with Ānanda to the eastern gate to bathe.
When he had bathed and emerged from the water he stood in one robe drying his limbs.
Now, at that time King Pasenadi had a giant bull elephant called “White”. It emerged from the eastern gate to the beating and playing of musical instruments.
When people saw it they said,
“The royal giant is so handsome! The royal giant is so good-looking! The royal giant is so lovely! The royal giant has such a huge body!”
When they said this, Venerable Udāyī said to the Buddha,
“Sir, is it only when they see elephants with such a huge, formidable body that people say:
‘A giant, such a giant’? Or do they say it when they see any other creatures with huge, formidable bodies?”
“Udāyī, when they see elephants with such a huge, formidable body people say:
‘A giant, such a giant!’
And also when they see a horse with a huge, formidable body …
When they see a bull with a huge, formidable body …
When they see a serpent with a huge, formidable body …
When they see a tree with a huge, formidable body …
And when they see a human being with such a huge, formidable body people say:
‘A giant, such a giant!’
But Udāyī, one who does nothing monstrous by way of body, speech, and mind is who I call a ‘giant’ in this world with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.”
“It’s incredible, sir, it’s amazing!
How well said this was by the Buddha:
‘But Udāyī, one who does nothing monstrous by way of body, speech, and mind is who I call a “giant” in this world with its gods, Māras, and Divinities, this population with its ascetics and brahmins, its gods and humans.’
And I celebrate the well-spoken words of the Buddha with these verses:
Awakened as a human being,
self-tamed and immersed in samādhi,
following the spiritual path,
he loves peace of mind.
Revered by people,
gone beyond all things,
even the gods revere him;
so I’ve heard from the perfected one.
He has transcended all fetters
and escaped from entanglements.
Delighting to renounce sensual pleasures,
he’s freed like lustrous gold from stone.
That giant outshines all,
like the Himalaya beside other mountains.
Of all those named ‘giant’,
he is truly named, supreme.
I shall extol the giant for you,
for he does nothing monstrous.
Gentleness and harmlessness
are two feet of the giant.
Fervor and chastity
are his two other feet.
Faith is the giant’s trunk,
and equanimity his white tusks.
Mindfulness is his neck, his head is wisdom—
inquiry and thinking about principles.
His belly is the sacred hearth of the Dhamma,
and his tail is seclusion.
Practicing absorption, enjoying the breath,
he is serene within.
The giant is serene when walking,
the giant is serene when standing,
the giant is serene when lying down,
and when sitting, the giant is serene.
The giant is restrained everywhere:
this is the accomplishment of the giant.
He eats blameless things,
he doesn’t eat blameworthy things.
When he gets food and clothes,
he avoids storing them up.
Having severed all bonds,
fetters large and small,
wherever he goes,
he goes without concern.
A white lotus,
fragrant and delightful,
sprouts in water and grows there,
but water does not stick to it.
Just so the Buddha is born in the world,
and lives in the world,
but the world does not stick to him,
as water does not stick to the lotus.
A great blazing fire
dies down when the fuel runs out.
When the coals have gone out
it’s said to be ‘quenched’.
This simile is taught by the discerning
to express the meaning clearly.
Great giants will understand
what the giant taught the giant.
Free of greed, free of hate,
free of delusion, undefiled;
the giant, giving up his body,
being undefiled, will be fully quenched.”
Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.
Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.
Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:
“āyāmānanda, yena pubbārāmo migāramātupāsādo tenupasaṅkamissāma divāvihārāyā”ti.
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ yena pubbārāmo migāramātupāsādo tenupasaṅkami.
Atha kho bhagavā sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ āmantesi:
“āyāmānanda, yena pubbakoṭṭhako tenupasaṅkamissāma gattāni parisiñcitun”ti.
“Evaṁ, bhante”ti kho āyasmā ānando bhagavato paccassosi.
Atha kho bhagavā āyasmatā ānandena saddhiṁ yena pubbakoṭṭhako tenupasaṅkami gattāni parisiñcituṁ.
Pubbakoṭṭhake gattāni parisiñcitvā paccuttaritvā ekacīvaro aṭṭhāsi gattāni pubbāpayamāno.
Tena kho pana samayena rañño pasenadissa kosalassa seto nāma nāgo mahātūriyatāḷitavāditena pubbakoṭṭhakā paccuttarati.
Apissu taṁ jano disvā evamāha:
“abhirūpo vata bho rañño nāgo; dassanīyo vata bho rañño nāgo; pāsādiko vata, bho, rañño nāgo, kāyupapanno vata bho rañño nāgo”ti.
Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
“hatthimeva nu kho, bhante, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha:
‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’ti, udāhu aññampi kañci mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha: ‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’”ti?
“Hatthimpi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha:
‘nāgo vata bho nāgo’ti.
Assampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…
goṇampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…
uragampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…
rukkhampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ …pe…
manussampi kho, udāyi, mahantaṁ brahantaṁ kāyupapannaṁ jano disvā evamāha:
‘nāgo vata, bho, nāgo’ti.
Api ca, udāyi, yo sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya āguṁ na karoti kāyena vācāya manasā, tamahaṁ ‘nāgo’ti brūmī”ti.
“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.
Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā—
api ca, udāyi, yo sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadevamanussāya āguṁ na karoti kāyena vācāya manasā, tamahaṁ ‘nāgo’ti brūmīti.
Idañca panāhaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā subhāsitaṁ imāhi gāthāhi anumodāmi—
Manussabhūtaṁ sambuddhaṁ,
attadantaṁ samāhitaṁ;
Iriyamānaṁ brahmapathe,
cittassūpasame rataṁ.
Yaṁ manussā namassanti,
sabbadhammāna pāraguṁ;
Devāpi taṁ namassanti,
iti me arahato sutaṁ.
Sabbasaṁyojanātītaṁ,
vanā nibbanamāgataṁ;
Kāmehi nekkhammarataṁ,
muttaṁ selāva kañcanaṁ.
Sabbe accarucī nāgo,
himavāññe siluccaye;
Sabbesaṁ nāganāmānaṁ,
saccanāmo anuttaro.
Nāgaṁ vo kittayissāmi,
na hi āguṁ karoti so;
Soraccaṁ avihiṁsā ca,
pādā nāgassa te duve.
Tapo ca brahmacariyaṁ,
caraṇā nāgassa tyāpare;
Saddhāhattho mahānāgo,
upekkhāsetadantavā.
Sati gīvā siro paññā,
vīmaṁsā dhammacintanā;
Dhammakucchisamātapo,
viveko tassa vāladhi.
So jhāyī assāsarato,
ajjhattaṁ susamāhito;
Gacchaṁ samāhito nāgo,
ṭhito nāgo samāhito.
Seyyaṁ samāhito nāgo,
nisinnopi samāhito;
Sabbattha saṁvuto nāgo,
esā nāgassa sampadā.
Bhuñjati anavajjāni,
sāvajjāni na bhuñjati;
Ghāsamacchādanaṁ laddhā,
sannidhiṁ parivajjayaṁ.
Saṁyojanaṁ aṇuṁ thūlaṁ,
sabbaṁ chetvāna bandhanaṁ;
Yena yeneva gacchati,
anapekkhova gacchati.
Yathāpi udake jātaṁ,
puṇḍarīkaṁ pavaḍḍhati;
Nupalippati toyena,
sucigandhaṁ manoramaṁ.
Tatheva loke sujāto,
buddho loke viharati;
Nupalippati lokena,
toyena padumaṁ yathā.
Mahāginīva jalito,
anāhārūpasammati;
Saṅkhāresūpasantesu,
nibbutoti pavuccati.
Atthassāyaṁ viññāpanī,
upamā viññūhi desitā;
Viññassanti mahānāgā,
nāgaṁ nāgena desitaṁ.
Vītarāgo vītadoso,
Vītamoho anāsavo;
Sarīraṁ vijahaṁ nāgo,
Parinibbissati anāsavo”ti.
Paṭhamaṁ.