Eight verses on overcoming the mire of delusion by avoiding attachment to sensory pleasures, discerning their causes, and practicing for being free of ‘mine’.
Satto guhāyaṁ bahunābhichanno,
Tiṭṭhaṁ naro mohanasmiṁ pagāḷho;
Dūre vivekā hi tathāvidho so,
Kāmā hi loke na hi suppahāyā.
Stuck in the cave [of ignorance], enveloped by many layers,
stands deeply mired in |delusion::illusion, hallucination, misapprehension, distorted view; that which fuels further confusion and doubt [moha]|;
Such a one is far from |seclusion::solitude, detachment [viveka]|,
For sensual pleasures in the world are not |easily abandoned::easy to renounce, easy to give up [suppahāya]|.
Icchānidānā bhavasātabaddhā,
Te duppamuñcā na hi aññamokkhā;
Pacchā pure vāpi apekkhamānā,
Ime va kāme purime va jappaṁ.
Based upon desire, bound to enjoyment of |existence::being, becoming; continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]|,
they are difficult to release, for one cannot be released by another;
Whether reflecting on the past or anticipating the future,
they long for these desires, recurring echoes of the past.
Kāmesu giddhā pasutā pamūḷhā,
Avadāniyā te visame niviṭṭhā;
Dukkhūpanītā paridevayanti,
Kiṁsū bhavissāma ito cutāse.
|Greedy::desirous [giddha]|, entangled, and |deluded by::bewildered by, deceived by [pamūḷha]| sensual pleasures,
they are cast into dire and perilous circumstances;
Led into suffering, they |lament::mourn, wail [paridevayanti]|,
‘What indeed shall we become after departing from here?’”
Tasmā hi sikkhetha idheva jantu,
Yaṁ kiñci jaññā visamanti loke;
Na tassa hetū visamaṁ careyya,
Appañhidaṁ jīvitamāhu dhīrā.
Therefore one should |train:: practice [sikkhati]| earnestly here and now,
by discerning the causes of turmoil in the world;
One should avoid actions that provoke further discord,
for the |steadfast ones::intelligent ones, stable, wise [dhīrā]| proclaim, “Life is fleeting.”
Passāmi loke pariphandamānaṁ,
Pajaṁ imaṁ taṇhagataṁ bhavesu;
Hīnā narā maccumukhe lapanti,
Avītataṇhāse bhavābhavesu.
I see in the world, beings struggling,
engulfed in craving for states of |existence::being, becoming; continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]|;
Base individuals chatter at death’s door,
unquenched in the craving for repeated existence.
Mamāyite passatha phandamāne,
Maccheva appodake khīṇasote;
Etampi disvā amamo careyya,
Bhavesu āsattimakubbamāno.
Observe them |quivering::trembling [phandamāna]| in identities claimed as ‘mine’,
just like fish in a dwindling stream of little water;
Having seen this too, one should take nothing as ‘mine’,
not forming attachments to states of existence.
Ubhosu antesu vineyya chandaṁ,
Phassaṁ pariññāya anānugiddho;
Yadattagarahī tadakubbamāno,
Na lippatī diṭṭhasutesu dhīro.
Alleviating |desire::intention, wish, impulse, interest [chanda]| |for both ends::for two extremes [ubhonte]|,
|completely comprehending::fully understanding [pariññā]| |contact::sense impingement, raw experience, touch [phassa]|, |without craving::not following lustful impulse, not greedy [anānugiddha]|;
Not doing anything for which one blames oneself,
the wise person is not |entangled::smeared, stuck [lippati]| by things seen or heard.
Saññaṁ pariññā vitareyya oghaṁ,
Pariggahesu muni nopalitto;
Abbūḷhasallo caramappamatto,
Nāsīsatī lokamimaṁ parañcāti.
Fully understanding perception, one overcomes the |flood::deluge, torrent of defilements [ogha]|,
amidst all |possessions::attachments, grasping, worldly belongings [pariggaha]|, the sage remains disentangled;
|Having extracted the dart::With the dart of affliction and suffering removed [abbūḷhasalla]|, he wanders |with diligence::quality of doing one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamatta]|,
devoid of desire for this world or beyond.
Stuck in the cave [of ignorance], enveloped by many layers,
stands deeply mired in |delusion::illusion, hallucination, misapprehension, distorted view; that which fuels further confusion and doubt [moha]|;
Such a one is far from |seclusion::solitude, detachment [viveka]|,
For sensual pleasures in the world are not |easily abandoned::easy to renounce, easy to give up [suppahāya]|.
Based upon desire, bound to enjoyment of |existence::being, becoming; continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]|,
they are difficult to release, for one cannot be released by another;
Whether reflecting on the past or anticipating the future,
they long for these desires, recurring echoes of the past.
|Greedy::desirous [giddha]|, entangled, and |deluded by::bewildered by, deceived by [pamūḷha]| sensual pleasures,
they are cast into dire and perilous circumstances;
Led into suffering, they |lament::mourn, wail [paridevayanti]|,
‘What indeed shall we become after departing from here?’”
Therefore one should |train:: practice [sikkhati]| earnestly here and now,
by discerning the causes of turmoil in the world;
One should avoid actions that provoke further discord,
for the |steadfast ones::intelligent ones, stable, wise [dhīrā]| proclaim, “Life is fleeting.”
I see in the world, beings struggling,
engulfed in craving for states of |existence::being, becoming; continued conditional existence, the karmically conditioned mode of being that leads to future rebirth [bhava]|;
Base individuals chatter at death’s door,
unquenched in the craving for repeated existence.
Observe them |quivering::trembling [phandamāna]| in identities claimed as ‘mine’,
just like fish in a dwindling stream of little water;
Having seen this too, one should take nothing as ‘mine’,
not forming attachments to states of existence.
Alleviating |desire::intention, wish, impulse, interest [chanda]| |for both ends::for two extremes [ubhonte]|,
|completely comprehending::fully understanding [pariññā]| |contact::sense impingement, raw experience, touch [phassa]|, |without craving::not following lustful impulse, not greedy [anānugiddha]|;
Not doing anything for which one blames oneself,
the wise person is not |entangled::smeared, stuck [lippati]| by things seen or heard.
Fully understanding perception, one overcomes the |flood::deluge, torrent of defilements [ogha]|,
amidst all |possessions::attachments, grasping, worldly belongings [pariggaha]|, the sage remains disentangled;
|Having extracted the dart::With the dart of affliction and suffering removed [abbūḷhasalla]|, he wanders |with diligence::quality of doing one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamatta]|,
devoid of desire for this world or beyond.
Satto guhāyaṁ bahunābhichanno,
Tiṭṭhaṁ naro mohanasmiṁ pagāḷho;
Dūre vivekā hi tathāvidho so,
Kāmā hi loke na hi suppahāyā.
Icchānidānā bhavasātabaddhā,
Te duppamuñcā na hi aññamokkhā;
Pacchā pure vāpi apekkhamānā,
Ime va kāme purime va jappaṁ.
Kāmesu giddhā pasutā pamūḷhā,
Avadāniyā te visame niviṭṭhā;
Dukkhūpanītā paridevayanti,
Kiṁsū bhavissāma ito cutāse.
Tasmā hi sikkhetha idheva jantu,
Yaṁ kiñci jaññā visamanti loke;
Na tassa hetū visamaṁ careyya,
Appañhidaṁ jīvitamāhu dhīrā.
Passāmi loke pariphandamānaṁ,
Pajaṁ imaṁ taṇhagataṁ bhavesu;
Hīnā narā maccumukhe lapanti,
Avītataṇhāse bhavābhavesu.
Mamāyite passatha phandamāne,
Maccheva appodake khīṇasote;
Etampi disvā amamo careyya,
Bhavesu āsattimakubbamāno.
Ubhosu antesu vineyya chandaṁ,
Phassaṁ pariññāya anānugiddho;
Yadattagarahī tadakubbamāno,
Na lippatī diṭṭhasutesu dhīro.
Saññaṁ pariññā vitareyya oghaṁ,
Pariggahesu muni nopalitto;
Abbūḷhasallo caramappamatto,
Nāsīsatī lokamimaṁ parañcāti.