SNP 5.17 Epilogue — Homage and Piṅgiya's Declaration

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Idamavoca bhagavā magadhesu viharanto pāsāṇake cetiye,

This was said by the Buddha while staying in the land of the Magadhans at the Pāsāṇaka Shrine.

paricārakasoḷasānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ ajjhiṭṭho puṭṭho puṭṭho pañhaṁ byākāsi.

When requested by the sixteen brahmin devotees, he answered their questions one by one.

Ekamekassa cepi pañhassa atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammaṁ paṭipajjeyya, gaccheyyeva jarāmaraṇassa pāraṁ.

If you understand the meaning and the teaching of each of these questions, and practice in line with the teaching, you may go right to the far shore of old age and death.

Pāraṅgamanīyā ime dhammāti, tasmā imassa dhammapariyāyassa pārāyananteva adhivacanaṁ.

These teachings are said to lead to the far shore, which is why the name of this exposition of the teaching is “The Way to the Far Shore”.

Ajito tissametteyyo,

Ajita, Tissametteyya,

puṇṇako atha mettagū;

Puṇṇaka and Mettagū,

Dhotako upasīvo ca,

Dhotaka and Upasiva,

nando ca atha hemako.

Nanda and then Hemaka,

Todeyya-kappā dubhayo,

both Todeyya and Kappa,

jatukaṇṇī ca paṇḍito;

and Jatukaṇṇī the astute,

Bhadrāvudho udayo ca,

Bhadrāvudha and Udaya,

posālo cāpi brāhmaṇo;

and the brahmin Posāla,

Mogharājā ca medhāvī,

Mogharāja the intelligent,

piṅgiyo ca mahāisi.

and Piṅgiya the great seer:

Ete buddhaṁ upāgacchuṁ,

they approached the Buddha,

sampannacaraṇaṁ isiṁ;

the seer of consummate conduct.

Pucchantā nipuṇe pañhe,

Asking their subtle questions,

buddhaseṭṭhaṁ upāgamuṁ.

they came to the most excellent Buddha.

Tesaṁ buddho pabyākāsi,

The Buddha answered their questions

pañhe puṭṭho yathātathaṁ;

in accordance with truth.

Pañhānaṁ veyyākaraṇena,

The sage satisfied the brahmins

tosesi brāhmaṇe muni.

with his answers to their questions.

Te tositā cakkhumatā,

Those who were satisfied by the Clear-eyed One,

buddhenādiccabandhunā;

the Buddha, Kinsman of the Sun,

Brahmacariyamacariṁsu,

led the spiritual life in his presence,

varapaññassa santike.

the one of such outstanding wisdom.

Ekamekassa pañhassa,

If you practice in accordance

yathā buddhena desitaṁ;

with each of these questions

Tathā yo paṭipajjeyya,

as taught by the Buddha,

gacche pāraṁ apārato.

you’ll go from the near shore to the far.

Apārā pāraṁ gaccheyya,

Developing the supreme path,

bhāvento maggamuttamaṁ;

you’ll go from the near shore to the far.

Maggo so pāraṁ gamanāya,

This path is for going to the far shore;

tasmā pārāyanaṁ iti.

that’s why it’s called “The Way to the Far Shore”.

“Pārāyanamanugāyissaṁ,

“I shall keep reciting the Way to the Far Shore,”

(iccāyasmā piṅgiyo)

said Venerable Piṅgiya,

Yathāddakkhi tathākkhāsi;

“which was taught as it was seen

Vimalo bhūrimedhaso,

by the immaculate one of vast intelligence.

Nikkāmo nibbano nāgo;

He is desireless, unentangled, a spiritual giant:

Kissa hetu musā bhaṇe.

why would he speak falsely?

Pahīnamalamohassa,

Come, let me extol

mānamakkhappahāyino;

in sweet words of praise

Handāhaṁ kittayissāmi,

the one who’s given up stains and delusions,

giraṁ vaṇṇūpasañhitaṁ.

conceit and contempt.

Tamonudo buddho samantacakkhu,

The Buddha, all-seer, dispeller of darkness,

Lokantagū sabbabhavātivatto;

has gone to world’s end, beyond all rebirths;

Anāsavo sabbadukkhappahīno,

he is free of defilements, and has given up all suffering,

Saccavhayo brahme upāsito me.

the rightly-named one, brahmin, is revered by me.

Dijo yathā kubbanakaṁ pahāya,

Like a bird that flees a little copse,

Bahupphalaṁ kānanamāvaseyya;

to roost in a forest abounding in fruit,

Evampahaṁ appadasse pahāya,

I’ve left the near-sighted behind,

Mahodadhiṁ haṁsoriva ajjhapatto.

like a swan come to a great river.

Ye me pubbe viyākaṁsu,

Those who explained to me previously,

Huraṁ gotamasāsanā;

before Gotama’s teaching,

Iccāsi iti bhavissati,

said ‘thus it was’ or ‘so it shall be’.

Sabbaṁ taṁ itihītihaṁ;

All that was just the testament of hearsay;

Sabbaṁ taṁ takkavaḍḍhanaṁ.

all that just fostered speculation.

Eko tamanudāsino,

Alone, the dispeller of darkness

jutimā so pabhaṅkaro;

is brilliant, a beacon:

Gotamo bhūripaññāṇo,

Gotama, vast in wisdom,

gotamo bhūrimedhaso.

Gotama, vast in intelligence.

Yo me dhammamadesesi,

He is the one who taught me Dhamma,

Sandiṭṭhikamakālikaṁ;

apparent in the present life, immediately effective,

Taṇhakkhayamanītikaṁ,

the untroubled, the end of craving,

Yassa natthi upamā kvaci”.

to which there is no compare.”

“Kiṁ nu tamhā vippavasasi,

“Why would you dwell apart from him

muhuttamapi piṅgiya;

even for an hour, Piṅgiya?

Gotamā bhūripaññāṇā,

From Gotama, vast in wisdom,

gotamā bhūrimedhasā.

from Gotama, vast in intelligence?

Yo te dhammamadesesi,

He is the one who taught you Dhamma,

Sandiṭṭhikamakālikaṁ;

apparent in the present life, immediately effective,

Taṇhakkhayamanītikaṁ,

the untroubled, the end of craving,

Yassa natthi upamā kvaci”.

to which there is no compare.”

“Nāhaṁ tamhā vippavasāmi,

“I never dwell apart from him,

Muhuttamapi brāhmaṇa;

not even for an hour, brahmin.

Gotamā bhūripaññāṇā,

From Gotama, vast in wisdom,

Gotamā bhūrimedhasā.

from Gotama, vast in intelligence.

Yo me dhammamadesesi,

He is the one who taught me Dhamma,

Sandiṭṭhikamakālikaṁ;

apparent in the present life, immediately effective,

Taṇhakkhayamanītikaṁ,

the untroubled, the end of craving,

Yassa natthi upamā kvaci.

to which there is no compare.

Passāmi naṁ manasā cakkhunāva,

Being diligent, I see him

Rattindivaṁ brāhmaṇa appamatto;

in my mind’s eye day and night.

Namassamāno vivasemi rattiṁ,

I spend the night in homage to him,

Teneva maññāmi avippavāsaṁ.

hence I think I dwell with him.

Saddhā ca pīti ca mano sati ca,

My faith and joy and intent and mindfulness

Nāpentime gotamasāsanamhā;

never stray from Gotama’s teaching.

Yaṁ yaṁ disaṁ vajati bhūripañño,

I bow to whatever direction

Sa tena teneva natohamasmi.

the one of vast wisdom heads.

Jiṇṇassa me dubbalathāmakassa,

I’m old and feeble,

Teneva kāyo na paleti tattha;

so my body cannot go there,

Saṅkappayantāya vajāmi niccaṁ,

but I always travel in my thoughts,

Mano hi me brāhmaṇa tena yutto.

for my mind, brahmin, is bound to him.

Paṅke sayāno pariphandamāno,

Lying floundering in the mud,

Dīpā dīpaṁ upaplaviṁ;

I drifted from island to island.

Athaddasāsiṁ sambuddhaṁ,

Then I saw the Buddha,

Oghatiṇṇamanāsavaṁ”.

the undefiled one who has crossed the flood.”

“Yathā ahū vakkali muttasaddho,

“Just as Vakkali was committed to faith—

Bhadrāvudho āḷavigotamo ca;

Bhadrāvudha and Gotama of Āḷavī too—

Evamevaṁ tvampi pamuñcassu saddhaṁ,

so too you should commit to faith.

Gamissasi tvaṁ piṅgiya maccudheyyassa pāraṁ”.

You will go, Piṅgiya, beyond the domain of death.”

“Esa bhiyyo pasīdāmi,

“My confidence grows

Sutvāna munino vaco;

as I hear the word of the sage,

Vivaṭṭacchado sambuddho,

the Buddha with veil cast off,

Akhilo paṭibhānavā.

so kind and eloquent.

Adhideve abhiññāya,

Having directly known all about the gods,

Sabbaṁ vedi varovaraṁ;

he understands all top to bottom,

Pañhānantakaro satthā,

the teacher who settles all questions

Kaṅkhīnaṁ paṭijānataṁ.

for those who admit their doubts.

Asaṁhīraṁ asaṅkuppaṁ,

The unfaltering, the unshakable:

Yassa natthi upamā kvaci;

that to which there is no compare.

Addhā gamissāmi na mettha kaṅkhā,

For sure I will go there, I have no doubt of that.

Evaṁ maṁ dhārehi adhimuttacittan”ti.

Remember me as one whose mind is made up.”