“Pucchāmi taṁ ādiccabandhu,
Vivekaṁ santipadañca mahesi;
Kathaṁ disvā nibbāti bhikkhu,
Anupādiyāno lokasmiṁ kiñci”.
“Kinsman of the sun, great sage, I ask you,
about |seclusion::solitude, detachment [viveka]| and the |state of peace::tranquility, epithet of Nibbāna [santipada]|;
How having seen does a bhikkhu attain |Nibbāna::complete cooling, letting go of everything, deathless, freedom from calamity, the non-disintegrating [nibbāna]|,
not clinging to anything in the world?”
“Mūlaṁ papañcasaṅkhāya,
(iti bhagavā)
Mantā asmīti sabbamuparundhe;
Yā kāci taṇhā ajjhattaṁ,
Tāsaṁ vinayā sadā sato sikkhe.
“Reflecting on the source of conceptual proliferation,
[the Blessed One said]
the wise should cut off the notion ‘I am;’
Whatever cravings there may be internally,
he should train ever mindfully for their removal.
Yaṁ kiñci dhammamabhijaññā,
Ajjhattaṁ atha vāpi bahiddhā;
Na tena thāmaṁ kubbetha,
Na hi sā nibbuti sataṁ vuttā.
Whatever things one might know,
whether internally or externally;
One should not be |rigid::obstinate [thāmas]| on account of that,
for that is not called |quenching::cooling of mental defilements; lit. blown away state [nibbuti]| by the wise.
Seyyo na tena maññeyya,
Nīceyyo atha vāpi sarikkho;
Phuṭṭho anekarūpehi,
Nātumānaṁ vikappayaṁ tiṭṭhe.
Because of this one should not think oneself better,
nor should one consider oneself inferior or equal;
When touched by various kinds of experiences,
one should not regard them personally, nor construct [concepts and opinions].
Ajjhattamevupasame,
Na aññato bhikkhu santimeseyya;
Ajjhattaṁ upasantassa,
Natthi attā kuto nirattā vā.
It is internally that he should achieve peace,
a bhikkhu should not seek peace through another;
For one who is at peace within himself,
there is nothing |taken up::grasped, seized, seen as personal, seen as self [atta]|, much less |cast aside::reject, throw away [niratta]|.
Majjhe yathā samuddassa,
Ūmi no jāyatī ṭhito hoti;
Evaṁ ṭhito anejassa,
Ussadaṁ bhikkhu na kareyya kuhiñci”.
Just as in the middle of the ocean,
no wave arises and the ocean remains steady;
So too, he should be steady, |unruffled::unperturbed, unmoved [aneja]|,
not making any swelling [of conceit] anywhere.”
“Akittayī vivaṭacakkhu,
Sakkhidhammaṁ parissayavinayaṁ;
Paṭipadaṁ vadehi bhaddante,
Pātimokkhaṁ atha vāpi samādhiṁ”.
“The clear-sighted one has made known,
the self-realized Dhamma for the removal of difficulties;
Venerable sir, please speak of the way of practice,
whether of the |moral code of conduct::monastic code of discipline which promotes harmonious and pure conduct with others [pātimokkha]| or of |collectedness::stability of mind, stillness of mind, mental composure [samādhi]|.”
“Cakkhūhi neva lolassa,
Gāmakathāya āvaraye sotaṁ;
Rase ca nānugijjheyya,
Na ca mamāyetha kiñci lokasmiṁ.
“One should not have |longing::eagerness, greed, agitation [lola]| in the eyes,
and should block |street talk::village gossip [gāmakathā]| with the ears;
One should not crave for |flavors::tastes or flavors such as sweetness, bitterness, sourness, saltiness, spiciness, richness, or subtle notes like umami or astringency—any object of gustatory experience that can become desirable, comforting, or indulgent [rase]|,
and one should not |cherish::make, possess, treasure [mamāyati]| anything in the world as ‘mine.’
Phassena yadā phuṭṭhassa,
Paridevaṁ bhikkhu na kareyya kuhiñci;
Bhavañca nābhijappeyya,
Bheravesu ca na sampavedheyya.
When touched by |an experience::contact, sense impingement [phassa]|,
a bhikkhu should not |lament::mourn, wail [paridevi]| anywhere;
He should not yearn for |existence::continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]|,
nor should he |tremble::quake, shake [sampavedhati]| amid |fearful::frightful, terrifying [bherava]| conditions.
Annānamatho pānānaṁ,
Khādanīyānaṁ athopi vatthānaṁ;
Laddhā na sannidhiṁ kayirā,
Na ca parittase tāni alabhamāno.
As for food and drink,
edibles and clothes to wear;
Having obtained them, one should not hoard them,
nor be |upset::anxious, worried [parittasati]| if one does not obtain them.
Jhāyī na pādalolassa,
Virame kukkuccā nappamajjeyya;
Athāsanesu sayanesu,
Appasaddesu bhikkhu vihareyya.
He should be a |meditator::yogi [jhāyi]|, not one |with wanderlust::footloose, lit. with restless feet [pādalola]|,
he should abstain from |remorse::anxiety, restlessness, uneasiness, worry [kukkucca]| and avoid negligence;
In tranquil seats and resting places,
a bhikkhu should dwell.
Niddaṁ na bahulīkareyya,
Jāgariyaṁ bhajeyya ātāpī;
Tandiṁ māyaṁ hassaṁ khiḍḍaṁ,
Methunaṁ vippajahe savibhūsaṁ.
He should not overindulge in sleep,
and should cultivate |wakefulness::lucidity, being awake, being alert [jāgariya]| |with continuous effort::ardent, zealous, with energy, with application [ātāpī]|;
|Laziness::sloth, tiredness [tandi]|, |hypocrisy::trickery, deceitfulness, dishonesty [māya]|, laughter, and |amusement::entertainment, fun, play [khiḍḍa]|,
|sexual activity::sexual intercourse [methuna]|, and |self-adornment::personal ornamentation [savibhūsā]|—he should abandon these.
Āthabbaṇaṁ supinaṁ lakkhaṇaṁ,
No vidahe athopi nakkhattaṁ;
Virutañca gabbhakaraṇaṁ,
Tikicchaṁ māmako na seveyya.
He should not practice |sorcery::witchcraft, magic [āthabbaṇa]|, nor interpret dreams,
auspicious signs, nor practice |astrology::constellation, zodiac [nakkhatta]|;
Nor interpret animal howls, nor |promote conception::causing impregnation; lit. embryo making [gabbhakaraṇa]|,
or |healing::curing [tikicchanta]|—my disciple should not practice these.
Nindāya nappavedheyya,
Na uṇṇameyya pasaṁsito bhikkhu;
Lobhaṁ saha macchariyena,
Kodhaṁ pesuṇiyañca panudeyya.
A bhikkhu should not be stirred by |blame::criticism, disapproval [nindā]|,
nor should he |become arrogant::conceited [uṇṇameti]| when |praised::approved of, commended [pasaṃsi]|;
|Greed::a grasping mental quality of craving, possessiveness, or lustful wanting that clings to objects or experiences; it fuels attachment and obstructs renunciation and contentment [lobha]| along with |stinginess::selfishness, meanness, tight-fistedness [macchara]|,
|anger::rage, wrath, fury, indignation [kodha]| and |divisive talk::back-biting, denigration, slander [pesuṇeyya]|—he should dispel these.
Kayavikkaye na tiṭṭheyya,
Upavādaṁ bhikkhu na kareyya kuhiñci;
Gāme ca nābhisajjeyya,
Lābhakamyā janaṁ na lapayeyya.
A bhikkhu should not engage in |buying and selling::trading, bartering [kayavikkaya]|,
and they should not |speak ill::blame, criticize, insult [upavāda]| at all;
He should not be overly fond of |the village::the local community, the town [gāma]|,
nor should he address people out of desire for gain.
Na ca katthitā siyā bhikkhu,
Na ca vācaṁ payuttaṁ bhāseyya;
Pāgabbhiyaṁ na sikkheyya,
Kathaṁ viggāhikaṁ na kathayeyya.
A bhikkhu should not be |boastful::braggart [katthitar]|,
nor should he speak |with an ulterior motive::in an insinuating way, hinting, intimating [payutta]|;
He should not train in |brashness::cockiness, forwardness, impudence, shameless assertiveness [pāgabbhiya]|,
nor should he engage in contentious talk.
Mosavajje na nīyetha,
Sampajāno saṭhāni na kayirā;
Atha jīvitena paññāya,
Sīlabbatena nāññamatimaññe.
He should not be led into |false speech::lie, untruth [mosavajja]|,
nor should he |intentionally::deliberately, purposefully, fully knowing [sampajāna]| do anything deceptive;
Whether by livelihood or by wisdom,
or by ethics and observances—he should not look down on another.
Sutvā rusito bahuṁ vācaṁ,
Samaṇānaṁ vā puthujanānaṁ;
Pharusena ne na paṭivajjā,
Na hi santo paṭisenikaronti.
When provoked, having heard many words,
whether from ascetics or from common folk;
He should not respond |harshly::roughly, sharply, unkindly [pharusa]|,
for those at peace do not retaliate.
Etañca dhammamaññāya,
Vicinaṁ bhikkhu sadā sato sikkhe;
Santīti nibbutiṁ ñatvā,
Sāsane gotamassa na pamajjeyya.
Having comprehended the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|,
|investigating::examining [vicinanta]|, a bhikkhu should train ever mindfully;
Having known quenching as peace,
he should be |diligent::doing one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamatta]| in Gotama’s dispensation.
Abhibhū hi so anabhibhūto,
Sakkhidhammamanītihamadassī;
Tasmā hi tassa bhagavato sāsane,
Appamatto sadā namassamanusikkhe”ti.
He is |unvanquished::unconquered [anabhibhūta]| for he is the |supreme being::conquerer, vanquisher [abhibhū]|,
who is self-realized in Dhamma, not hearsay;
Therefore, in the Blessed One’s dispensation,
one should train ever diligently with reverence.”