“Ye me pubbe viyākaṁsu,
(iccāyasmā hemako)
Huraṁ gotamasāsanā;
Iccāsi iti bhavissati,
Sabbaṁ taṁ itihītihaṁ;
Sabbaṁ taṁ takkavaḍḍhanaṁ,
Nāhaṁ tattha abhiramiṁ.
“Those who explained to me before,”
(said the venerable Hemaka)
“outside of Gotama’s teaching;
saying ‘So it was, so it will be,’
all that is but hearsay;
all that increases |speculation::reasoning, hypothesizing, theorizing [takka]|,
I did not delight in that.
Tvañca me dhammamakkhāhi,
taṇhānigghātanaṁ muni;
Yaṁ viditvā sato caraṁ,
tare loke visattikaṁ”.
Please explain to me the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|,
O Sage, the |destruction::crushing, demolition [nigghātana]| of |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]|;
having understood which, living mindfully,
one can cross over |attachment to::ensnarement in, entanglement in [visattika]| the world.”
“Idha diṭṭhasutamutaviññātesu,
Piyarūpesu hemaka;
Chandarāgavinodanaṁ,
Nibbānapadamaccutaṁ.
“Here, regarding the seen, heard, |sensed::smelled, tasted, felt, or thought [muta]|, and |cognized::known, understood [viññāta]|,
and whatever has an |agreeable::cherished, endearing [piyarūpa]| nature, Hemaka;
the dispelling of |desire and attachment::desire-passion, sensual craving, intention of sensuality and lust [chandarāga]| [toward these],
is the |imperishable::stable [accutaṁ]| |state of Nibbāna::state of complete quenching [nibbānapada]|.
Etadaññāya ye satā,
Diṭṭhadhammābhinibbutā;
Upasantā ca te sadā,
Tiṇṇā loke visattikan”ti.
Understanding this, the mindful ones,
are quenched in this very life;
always |composed::calmed, tranquil [upasanta]|, they,
have crossed over attachment to the world.”