Sutta Nipata Chapter 4: The Chapter of the Eights - Aṭṭhakavagga
4:15 Taking Up Arms
- © Translated from the Pali by Bhante Sujato.(More copyright information)
935
Peril stems from those who take up arms—
just look at people in conflict!
I shall extol how I came to be
stirred with a sense of urgency.
936
I saw this population flounder,
like a fish in a little puddle.
Seeing them fight each other,
fear came upon me.
937
The world around was hollow,
all directions were in turmoil.
Wanting a home for myself,
I saw nowhere unsettled.
938
Yet even in their settlement they fight—
seeing that, I grew uneasy.
Then I saw a dart there,
so hard to see, stuck in the heart.
939
When struck by that dart,
you run around in all directions.
But when that same dart has been plucked out,
you neither run around nor sink down.
940
(On that topic, the trainings are recited.)
Whatever attachments there are in the world,
don’t pursue them.
Having pierced through sensual pleasures in every way,
train yourself for quenching.
941
Be truthful, not rude,
free of deceit, and rid of slander;
without anger, a sage would cross over
the evils of greed and avarice.
942
Prevail over sleepiness, sloth, and drowsiness,
don’t abide in negligence,
A person intent on quenching
would not stand for arrogance.
943
Don’t be led into lying,
or get caught up in fondness for form.
Completely understand conceit,
and desist from hasty conduct.
944
Don’t relish the old,
or welcome the new.
Don’t grieve for what is running out,
or get attached to things that pull you in.
945
Greed, I say, is the great flood,
and longing is the current—
the basis, the compulsion,
the swamp of sensuality so hard to get past.
946
The sage never strays from the truth;
the brahman stands firm on the shore.
Having given up everything,
they are said to be at peace.
947
They have truly known, they’re a knowledge master,
understanding the teaching, they are independent.
They rightly proceed in the world,
not coveting anything here.
948
One who has crossed over sensuality here,
the snare in the world so hard to get past,
grieves not, nor hopes;
they’ve cut the strings, they’re no longer bound.
949
What came before, let wither away,
and after, let there be nothing.
If you don’t grasp at the middle,
you will live at peace.
950
One who has no sense of ownership
in the whole realm of name and form,
does not grieve for that which is not,
they suffer no loss in the world.
951
If you don’t think of anything
as belonging to yourself or others,
not finding anything to be ‘mine’,
you won’t grieve, thinking ‘I don’t have it’.
952
Not bitter, not fawning,
unstirred, everywhere even;
when asked about one who is unshakable,
I declare that that is the benefit.
953
For the unstirred who understand,
there’s no performance of deeds.
Desisting from instigation,
they see sanctuary everywhere.
954
A sage doesn’t speak of themselves as being
among superiors, inferiors, or equals.
Peaceful, rid of stinginess,
they neither take nor reject.
935"Attadaṇḍā bhayaṁ jātaṁ,
janaṁ passatha medhagaṁ;
Saṁvegaṁ kittayissāmi,
yathā saṁvijitaṁ mayā.
936
Phandamānaṁ pajaṁ disvā,
macche appodake yathā;
Aññamaññehi byāruddhe,
disvā maṁ bhayamāvisi.
937
Samantamasāro loko,
disā sabbā sameritā;
Icchaṁ bhavanamattano,
nāddasāsiṁ anositaṁ.
938
Osāne tveva byāruddhe,
Disvā me aratī ahu;
Athettha sallamaddakkhiṁ,
Duddasaṁ hadayanissitaṁ.
939
Yena sallena otiṇṇo,
disā sabbā vidhāvati;
Tameva sallamabbuyha,
na dhāvati na sīdati.
940
Tattha sikkhānugīyanti,
yāni loke gadhitāni;
Na tesu pasuto siyā,
nibbijjha sabbaso kāme;
Sikkhe nibbānamattano.
941
Sacco siyā appagabbho,
amāyo rittapesuṇo;
Akkodhano lobhapāpaṁ,
vevicchaṁ vitare muni.
942
Niddaṁ tandiṁ sahe thīnaṁ,
pamādena na saṁvase;
Atimāne na tiṭṭheyya,
nibbānamanaso naro.
943
Mosavajje na nīyetha,
rūpe snehaṁ na kubbaye;
Mānañca parijāneyya,
sāhasā virato care.
944
Purāṇaṁ nābhinandeyya,
Nave khantiṁ na kubbaye;
Hiyyamāne na soceyya,
Ākāsaṁ na sito siyā.
945
Gedhaṁ brūmi mahoghoti,
Ājavaṁ brūmi jappanaṁ;
Ārammaṇaṁ pakappanaṁ,
Kāmapanko duraccayo.
946
Saccā avokkamma muni,
Thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo;
Sabbaṁ so paṭinissajja,
Sa ve santoti vuccati.
947
Sa ve vidvā sa vedagū,
Ñatvā dhammaṁ anissito;
Sammā so loke iriyāno,
Na pihetīdha kassaci.
948
Yodha kāme accatari,
Sangaṁ loke duraccayaṁ;
Na so socati nājjheti,
Chinnasoto abandhano.
949
Yaṁ pubbe taṁ visosehi,
Pacchā te māhu kiñcanaṁ;
Majjhe ce no gahessasi,
Upasanto carissasi.
950
Sabbaso nāmarūpasmiṁ,
Yassa natthi mamāyitaṁ;
Asatā ca na socati,
Sa ve loke na jīyati.
951
Yassa natthi idaṁ meti,
Paresaṁ vāpi kiñcanaṁ;
Mamattaṁ so asaṁvindaṁ,
Natthi meti na socati.
952
Aniṭṭhurī ananugiddho,
Anejo sabbadhī samo;
Tamānisaṁsaṁ pabrūmi,
Pucchito avikampinaṁ.
953
Anejassa vijānato,
Natthi kāci nisankhati;
Virato so viyārabbhā,
Khemaṁ passati sabbadhi.
954
Na samesu na omesu,
Na ussesu vadate muni;
Santo so vītamaccharo,
Nādeti na nirassatī"ti.
Attadaṇḍasuttaṁ pannarasamaṁ.