Idheva suddhī iti vādayanti,
Nāññesu dhammesu visuddhimāhu;
Yaṁ nissitā tattha subhaṁ vadānā,
Paccekasaccesu puthū niviṭṭhā.
They declare, ‘Purity is found here alone,’
claiming there is no purification in other doctrines;
Whatever they depend on, asserting it as |good::beautiful, excellent [subha]|,
many are |established in::entrenched in, settled down in [niviṭṭha]| [their own] |separate truths::personal interpretations of the truth [paccekasacca]|.
Te vādakāmā parisaṁ vigayha,
Bālaṁ dahantī mithu aññamaññaṁ;
Vadanti te aññasitā kathojjaṁ,
Pasaṁsakāmā kusalā vadānā.
Those |eager for debate::desiring dispute, wanting an argument [vādakāma]|, |diving into::plunging into [vigayha]| the assembly,
mutually they consider one another fools;
|Reliant on others’ view::dependent on another [aññasita]|, they argue,
|desiring praise::seeking acclaim, wanting approval [pasaṁsakāma]|, saying, ‘we are experts.’
Yutto kathāyaṁ parisāya majjhe,
Pasaṁsamicchaṁ vinighāti hoti;
Apāhatasmiṁ pana maṅku hoti,
Nindāya so kuppati randhamesī.
Keen on speaking in the midst of an assembly,
|desiring::wishing for [iccha]| praise, he becomes |anxious::apprehensive [vinighāti]|;
When refuted, he feels |humiliated::ashamed, embarrassed [maṅku]|,
|shaken::agitated, disturbed [kuppati]| by |blame::criticism, disapproval [nindā]|, he |seeks faults in others::looks for a weak-spot in his opponent [randhamesī]|.
Yamassa vādaṁ parihīnamāhu,
Apāhataṁ pañhavimaṁsakāse;
Paridevati socati hīnavādo,
Upaccagā manti anutthunāti.
When their argument is found wanting,
and the judges consider it refuted;
The defeated debater |laments::mourns, wails [paridevati]| in |sorrow::grief [socati]|,
thinking, ‘I have been surpassed,’ he moans.
Ete vivādā samaṇesu jātā,
Etesu ugghātinighāti hoti;
Etampi disvā virame kathojjaṁ,
Na haññadatthatthi pasaṁsalābhā.
These |dispute::argument, contention [vivāda]|s have arisen among ascetics,
in these, there is both elation and dejection;
Also seeing this, one should refrain from debates,
for there is no other benefit than |praise::approval, acclaim, admiration [pasaṁsa]| and |gain::benefit, profit [lābha]|.
Pasaṁsito vā pana tattha hoti,
Akkhāya vādaṁ parisāya majjhe;
So hassatī unnamatī ca tena,
Pappuyya tamatthaṁ yathā mano ahu.
If, however, he is praised there,
having declared his doctrine before the assembly;
He is |elated::thrilled [hassatī]| by this and swells with |pride::arrogance, conceit, self-importance [unnamatī]|,
having obtained the end his mind desired.
Yā unnatī sāssa vighātabhūmi,
Mānātimānaṁ vadate paneso;
Etampi disvā na vivādayetha,
Na hi tena suddhiṁ kusalā vadanti.
That pride becomes the |ground for his downfall::basis for his ruin [vighātabhūmi]|,
filled with |conceit::self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification and fuels rebirth [māna]|, he speaks arrogantly;
Having seen this too, one should not |dispute::cause quarrel, start argument [vivādayati]|,
for the wise say this does not bring |purity::purification, holiness [suddhi]|.
Sūro yathā rājakhādāya puṭṭho,
Abhigajjameti paṭisūramicchaṁ;
Yeneva so tena palehi sūra,
Pubbeva natthi yadidaṁ yudhāya.
Just as a hero, nourished on the king’s food,
strides forth roaring, craving a foe;
By that same urge, hero, withdraw instead,
for there was no prior reason for this |fight::combat, contest [yudha]|.
Ye diṭṭhimuggayha vivādayanti,
Idameva saccanti ca vādayanti;
Te tvaṁ vadassū na hi tedha atthi,
Vādamhi jāte paṭisenikattā.
Those who |cling to their views::grasp at an opinion [diṭṭhimuggayha]| and argue,
saying ‘this alone is true,’ and disputing;
Tell them, “There’s no point in that,”
for with debate arises a |debater::lit. opposition-maker [paṭisenikattar]|.
Visenikatvā pana ye caranti,
Diṭṭhīhi diṭṭhiṁ avirujjhamānā;
Tesu tvaṁ kiṁ labhetho pasūra,
Yesīdha natthī paramuggahītaṁ.
But those wander |having disarmed::at peace; (comm) having destroyed the army of defilements [visenikatvā]|,
not opposing one view with another;
What can you gain from them, |Pasūra::name of a wandering ascetic famed for debate [pasūra]|,
from those who have |grasped nothing as supreme::held nothing to be the highest, not taken anything as the best [natthī + paramuggahīta]|?
Atha tvaṁ pavitakkamāgamā,
Manasā diṭṭhigatāni cintayanto;
Dhonena yugaṁ samāgamā,
Na hi tvaṁ sakkhasi sampayātaveti.
But you, approaching through mere |speculation::reasoning, hypothesizing, theorizing [pavitakka]|,
pondering doctrines within your mind;
Having met the pure one [in contest],
You indeed cannot prevail.