6. Śīlavarga
The Chapter about Virtue
(18 Verses)
[6.1]
[stm.]
Śīlaṁ rakṣeta medhāvī, prārthayaṁ vai sukhatrayam:
praśaṁsā vittalābhaṁ ca, pretya svarge ca modanam.
The intelligent one should protect his virtue, while wishing for three happinesses: praise and the acquisition of wealth, and being glad in heaven after death.
[6.2]
[stm.]
Sthānāny etāni saṁpaśyaṁ śīlaṁ rakṣeta paṇḍitaḥ,
āryo darśanasaṁpannaḥ, sa loke labhate śivam.
Seeing these states, the wise one should protect his virtue, the noble one, endowed with insight, obtains safety in the world.
[6.3]
[stm.]
Sukhaṁ śīlasamādānaṁ, kāyo na paridahyate,
sukhaṁ ca rātrau svapati, pratibuddhaś ca nandati.
Good is the undertaking of virtue, the body is not afflicted, good one sleeps at night, and, having wakened, one is joyful.
[6.4]
[stm.]
Śīlaṁ yāvaj jarā sādhu, śraddhā sādhu pratiṣṭhitā,
prajñā narāṇāṁ ratnaṁ vai, puṇyaṁ coraiḥ sudurharam.
Virtue is good up to old age, established faith is good, wisdom is a jewel amongst humans indeed, it is hard for merit to be carried off by thieves.
[6.5]
[stm.]
Kṛtvā puṇyāni saprajño, datvā dānāni śīlavān,
iha cātha paratrāsau sukhaṁ samadhigacchati.
The wise and virtuous one, having made merit and given gifts, that one then attains happiness both here and in the next world.
[6.76.6]
[stm.]
Śīle pratiṣṭhito bhikṣur, indriyaiś ca susaṁvṛtaḥ,
bhojane cāpi mātrajño, yukto jāgarikāsu ca,
viharann evam ātāpī, hy ahorātram atandritaḥ,
abhavyaḥ parihāṇāya: Nirvāṇasyaiva so ’ntike.
A monastic, established in virtue, well-restrained with the sense-faculties, knowing the measure in food, and devoted to wakefulness, dwelling in this way ardently, diligent, day and night, falling away is impossible for him: that one is indeed in the presence of Nirvāṇa.
[6.8]
[adm.]
Śīle pratiṣṭhito bhikṣuś, cittaṁ prajñāṁ ca bhāvayet,
ātāpī nipako nityaṁ, prāpnuyād duḥkhasaṁkṣayam.
A monastic established in virtue, should cultivate the mind and wisdom, being constantly ardent and discerning, he can attain the complete destruction of suffering.
[6.9]
[adm.]
Tasmāt satataśīlī syāt, samādher anurakṣakaḥ,
vipaśyanāyāṁ śikṣec ca, saṁprajānapratismṛtaḥ.
Therefore, one should be ever virtuous, a guardian of concentration, and one should train in insight, clearly comprehending and mindful.
[6.10]
[stm.]
Sa tu vikṣīnasaṁyogaḥ, kṣīṇamāno niraupadhiḥ,
kāyasya bhedāt, saprajñaḥ, saṁkhyān nopaiti, nirvṛtaḥ.
But one, with yokes destroyed, with conceit destroyed, without adherence, upon the break up of the body, the wise one, emancipated, does not undergo reckoning.
[6.11]
[stm.]
Śīlaṁ samādhiḥ prajñā ca yasya hy ete subhāvitāḥ,
so ’tyantaniṣṭho vimalas tv aśokaḥ kṣīṇasaṁbhavaḥ.
For whom these: virtue, concentration and wisdom, are well-developed, that one is steadfastly grounded, stainless, griefless, with existence destroyed.
[6.12]
[stm. + sim.]
Saṅgāt pramukto hy asita, ājñātāvī niraupadhiḥ,
atikramya Māraviṣayam, ādityo vā virocate.
Freed from attachment, independent, possessing perfect knowledge, without adherence, having overcome Māra’s domain, one shines like the sun.
[6.13]
[stm.]
Uddhatasya pramattasya, bhikṣuṇo bahirātmanaḥ,
śīlaṁ samādhiḥ prajñā ca pāripūriṁ na gacchati.
For the monastic who is arrogant, heedless, himself directed to the exterior, virtue, concentration and wisdom do not reach fulfilment.
[6.14]
[adm. + ana.]
Channam evābhivarṣati, vivṛtaṁ nābhivarṣati,
tasmād dhi cchannaṁ vivared, evaṁ taṁ nābhivarṣati.
It rains down on what is covered, it does not rain down on what is open, therefore, one should open up what is covered, so it does not rain down on it.
[6.15]
[adm.]
Etad dhi dṛṣṭvā śikṣeta sadā śīleṣu paṇḍitaḥ,
Nirvāṇagamanaṁ mārgaṁ kṣipram eva viśodhayet.
Having seen this, the wise one should always train in virtue, he should quickly purify the path leading to Nirvāṇa.
[6.16]
[stm. + ana.]
Na puṣpagandhaḥ prativātam eti,
na vāhnijāt tagarac candanād vā,
satāṁ tu gandhaḥ prativātam eti,
sarvā diśaḥ satpuruṣaḥ pravāti.
The fragrance of flowers does not go against the wind, nor do jasmine, pinwheel or sandalwood, but the fragrance of the good does go against the wind, the good person pervades all directions.
[6.17]
[stm. + ana.]
Tagarāc candanāc cāpi, vārṣikāyās tathotpalāt,
etebhyo gandhajātebhyaḥ, śīlagandhas tv anuttaraḥ.
Among pinwheel, sandalwood, flowery jasmine, likewise the blue water lily, among these kinds of good fragrance, the fragrance of virtue is unsurpassed.
[6.18]
[stm. + ana.]
Alpamātro hy ayaṁ gandho, yo ’yaṁ tagaracandanāt,
yas tu śīlavatāṁ gandho vāti deveṣv apīha saḥ.
Insignificant is this fragrance, that which arises from pinwheel and sandalwood, but the fragrance of one who has virtue here blows even amongst the Devas.
[6.19]
[stm.]
Teṣāṁ viśuddhaśīlānām, apramādavihāriṇām,
samyagājñāvimuktānāṁ – Māro mārgaṁ na vindati.
For those of pure virtue, who live heedfully, who are freed through right knowledge – Māra cannot find their path.
[6.20]
[stm.]
Eṣa kṣemagamo mārga, eṣa mārgo viśuddhaye,
pratipannakāḥ prahāsyanti dhyāyino Mārabandhanam.
This is the path leading to safety, this is the path to purification, the meditators who enter this path will abandon the bonds of Māra.
Śīlavargaḥ, 6.
The Chapter about Virtue, the Sixth.