“Na me diṭṭho ito pubbe,
(iccāyasmā sāriputto)
Na suto uda kassaci;
Evaṁ vagguvado satthā,
Tusitā gaṇimāgato.
“I have never before seen,
(said the venerable Sāriputta),
nor ever heard before from anyone;
about a teacher of such lovely speech,
who has come from Tusitā, leader of a group—
Sadevakassa lokassa,
yathā dissati cakkhumā;
Sabbaṁ tamaṁ vinodetvā,
ekova ratimajjhagā.
As the clear-eyed one is seen,
in the world with its gods;
having dispelled all darkness,
alone he has attained true delight.
Taṁ buddhaṁ asitaṁ tādiṁ,
akuhaṁ gaṇimāgataṁ;
Bahūnamidha baddhānaṁ,
atthi pañhena āgamaṁ.
To the Buddha, detached, steadfast,
trustworthy, come as leader of a group;
on behalf of the many here who are bound,
I have come with an inquiry.
Bhikkhuno vijigucchato,
bhajato rittamāsanaṁ;
Rukkhamūlaṁ susānaṁ vā,
pabbatānaṁ guhāsu vā.
When a bhikkhu has had enough,
and resorts to a solitary seat;
to the foot of a tree or a cemetery,
or in mountain caves;
Uccāvacesu sayanesu,
kīvanto tattha bheravā;
Yehi bhikkhu na vedheyya,
nigghose sayanāsane.
In the various kinds of lodgings,
how many terrors may arise;
because of which a bhikkhu should not tremble,
dwelling in a quiet retreat?
Katī parissayā loke,
gacchato agataṁ disaṁ;
Ye bhikkhu abhisambhave,
pantamhi sayanāsane.
How many dangers in the world,
confront one going to the untraveled region;
[obstacles] that a bhikkhu must overcome,
when dwelling in a remote retreat?
Kyāssa byappathayo assu,
kyāssassu idha gocarā;
Kāni sīlabbatānāssu,
pahitattassa bhikkhuno.
What way of speech should he adopt?
On what resorts should he rely?
What should be the rules and observances,
of a bhikkhu who is resolute?
Kaṁ so sikkhaṁ samādāya,
ekodi nipako sato;
Kammāro rajatasseva,
niddhame malamattano”.
Having undertaken what training,
while dwelling unified, prudent, and mindful;
would he purify his impurities,
as a smith [removes the flaws] of silver?”
“Vijigucchamānassa yadidaṁ phāsu,
(sāriputtāti bhagavā)
Rittāsanaṁ sayanaṁ sevato ce;
Sambodhikāmassa yathānudhammaṁ,
Taṁ te pavakkhāmi yathā pajānaṁ.
“What is pleasant for one who has had enough,
(The Blessed One said to Sāriputta)
who resorts to a solitary lodging;
desiring full awakening according to the Dhamma,
I will explain to you as I have known it.
Pañcannaṁ dhīro bhayānaṁ na bhāye,
Bhikkhu sato sapariyantacārī;
Ḍaṁsādhipātānaṁ sarīsapānaṁ,
Manussaphassānaṁ catuppadānaṁ.
A wise one, a mindful bhikkhu of bounded conduct,
should not be afraid of five perils:
gadflies and other flies, creeping creatures,
human encounters, and four-footed animals.
Paradhammikānampi na santaseyya,
Disvāpi tesaṁ bahubheravāni;
Athāparāni abhisambhaveyya,
Parissayāni kusalānuesī.
Nor should he be disturbed by followers of other doctrines,
even when he sees the many terrors they pose;
one seeking the good should overcome,
any other dangers [he encounters].
Ātaṅkaphassena khudāya phuṭṭho,
Sītaṁ athuṇhaṁ adhivāsayeyya;
So tehi phuṭṭho bahudhā anoko,
Viriyaṁ parakkammadaḷhaṁ kareyya.
Struck by sickness or by hunger,
he should endure the cold and the heat;
though affected in many ways, the homeless one,
should remain firm in making continuous effort.
Theyyaṁ na kāre na musā bhaṇeyya,
Mettāya phasse tasathāvarāni;
Yadāvilattaṁ manaso vijaññā,
Kaṇhassa pakkhoti vinodayeyya.
He should not steal, nor speak a lie,
he should suffuse the frail and firm with loving-kindness;
if he should recognize any blemish of the mind,
he should dispel it as ‘a faction of the Dark One.’
Kodhātimānassa vasaṁ na gacche,
Mūlampi tesaṁ palikhañña tiṭṭhe;
Athappiyaṁ vā pana appiyaṁ vā,
Addhā bhavanto abhisambhaveyya.
Let him not fall under the sway of anger or arrogance,
their very roots he should dig out and stand firm;
then, withstanding the pleasing and displeasing,
he should overcome them as well.
Paññaṁ purakkhatvā kalyāṇapīti,
Vikkhambhaye tāni parissayāni;
Aratiṁ sahetha sayanamhi pante,
Caturo sahetha paridevadhamme.
Giving precedence to wisdom, rejoicing in the good,
he should overcome those obstacles;
he should subdue discontentment in the solitary lodging,
and prevail over the four grounds for lamentation.
Kiṁsū asissāmi kuva vā asissaṁ,
Dukkhaṁ vata settha kvajja sessaṁ;
Ete vitakke paridevaneyye,
Vinayetha sekho aniketacārī.
‘What will I eat? Where will I eat?
Ugh, I slept badly! Where will I sleep tonight?’
These distressing thoughts should be dispelled,
by the one in training, wandering without abode.
Annañca laddhā vasanañca kāle,
Mattaṁ so jaññā idha tosanatthaṁ;
So tesu gutto yatacāri gāme,
Rusitopi vācaṁ pharusaṁ na vajjā.
Having obtained food and robe on appropriate occasions,
he should know moderation for the sake of contentment;
guarded in these things, wandering restrained in the village,
even when provoked, he should not speak harshly.
Okkhittacakkhu na ca pādalolo,
Jhānānuyutto bahujāgarassa;
Upekkhamārabbha samāhitatto,
Takkāsayaṁ kukkucciyūpachinde.
With eyes cast down and without wanderlust,
engaged in meditation, he should cultivate wakefulness;
being self-composed, arousing equanimity,
he should cut off restlessness and tendency to speculate.
Cudito vacībhi satimābhinande,
Sabrahmacārīsu khilaṁ pabhinde;
Vācaṁ pamuñce kusalaṁ nātivelaṁ,
Janavādadhammāya na cetayeyya.
A mindful one should receive reproach calmly,
and dissolve barrenness toward spiritual companions;
let him speak what is wholesome while being concise,
and let him not be concerned with talk of the world.
Athāparaṁ pañca rajāni loke,
Yesaṁ satīmā vinayāya sikkhe;
Rūpesu saddesu atho rasesu,
Gandhesu phassesu sahetha rāgaṁ.
Further, there are five kinds of dust in the world,
for the removal of which a mindful one should train;
one should overcome passion for forms, sounds,
and after that, flavors, odors, and contacts.
Etesu dhammesu vineyya chandaṁ,
Bhikkhu satimā suvimuttacitto;
Kālena so sammā dhammaṁ parivīmaṁsamāno,
Ekodibhūto vihane tamaṁ so”ti.
Having removed desire for these things,
a mindful bhikkhu, his mind well liberated;
by thoroughly examining the Dhamma at the proper time,
becoming unified, he dispels the darkness.”