22. Śrutavarga
The Chapter about Learning
(21 Verses)
[22.1]
[stm.]
Sādhu śrutaṁ sucaritaṁ, sādhu cāpy aniketatā,
pradakṣiṇaṁ pravrajyā ca śrāmaṇyasyānulomikam.
Learning and good conduct are good, being homeless is also good, circumambulation and renunciation are in accordance with the ascetic life.
[22.2]
[stm. + sim.]
Bālā ihāvijānantaś caranti hy amarā iva,
vijānatāṁ tu Saddharmam āturasyaiva śarvarī.
Fools who are unknowing here live like they are immortals, but those who understand the True Dhamma are like the night for the sick. This is a very difficult verse. I think this must be the right interpretation though, meaning that those who know the True Dhamma bring relief, like the night, being cooler, brings relief for the sick.
[22.3–22.4 This is a part of a sequence of four verses from 460-463. ]
[stm. + sim.]
Yathā hy agāraṁ succhannaṁ praviśya tamasā sphuṭam,
vidyamānāni rūpāṇi cakṣuṣmāṁ hi na paśyati,
tathaiveha naro nityaṁ jñānavān api yo bhavet,
aśrutvā na vijānāti Dharmāṁ kalyāṇapāpakān.
Just as when entering a well-thatched house that is steeped in darkness, though forms are present one with eyes does not see forms, Rūpāṇi has to be read twice for it to work; otherwise it just says: those with eyes do not see. so, though a human here who would be even consistently knowledgeable, having not heard the Dharma, he does not understand merit and demerit.
[22.5]
[stm. + sim.]
Pradīpena tu rūpāṇi cakṣuṣmāṁ paśyate yathā,
evaṁ śrutvā vijānāti Dharmāṁ kalyāṇapāpakān.
But just as with a lamp one with eyes does see forms, so having heard the Dharma he does understand merit and demerit.
[22.6]
[stm.]
Śrutvā Dharmāṁ vijānāti, śrutvā pāpaṁ na sevate,
śrutvā hy anarthaṁ varjayate, śrutvā prāpnoti nirvṛtim.
Having heard the Dharma one understands, having heard, one does not indulge in demerit, having heard, one avoids what is not beneficial, having heard, one attains emancipation.
[22.7]
[stm.]
Bahuśruto ’pi ced bhavati, śīleṣu tv asamāhitaḥ,
śīlatas taṁ vigarhanti, nāsya saṁpadyate śrutam.
Even if one is greatly learned, but not composed in virtue, on the basis of his poor virtue they censure him, his learning is not successful.
[22.8]
[stm.]
Alpaśruto ’pi ced bhavati, śīleṣu susamāhitaḥ,
śīlatas taṁ praśaṁsanti, tasya saṁpadyate śrutam.
If one has even a little learning, but is well-composed in virtue, on the basis of his virtue they praise him, his learning is successful.
[22.9]
[stm.]
Alpaśruto ’pi ced bhavati, śīleṣu tv asamāhitaḥ,
ubhayatas taṁ vigarhanti, nāsya saṁpadyate vratam.
If one has even a little learning, and is not composed in virtue, they censure him on both accounts, his vow is not successful.
[22.10]
[stm.]
Bahuśruto ’pi ced bhavati, śīleṣu susamāhitaḥ,
ubhayatas taṁ praśaṁsanti, tasya saṁpadyate vratam.
If one is greatly learned, and well-composed in virtue, they praise him on both accounts, his vow is successful.
[22.11]
[rh.q. + sim.]
Bahuśrutaṁ Dharmadharaṁ, prājñaṁ nityaṁ samāhitam,
niṣkaṁ Jāmbunadasyaiva, kas taṁ ninditum arhati?
Learned, an upholder of Dharma, wise, constantly composed, like a coin of the Jambu river, Gold from the Jambu river (Jāmbūnada) was proverbial in Indian literature for being the purest and highest quality gold. who is able to blame him?
[22.12.i.]
[stm.]
Ye me rūpeṇa minvanti, ye me ghoṣeṇa cānvagāḥ,
chandarāgavaśopetā, na māṁ jānanti te janāḥ.
Those who judge my form, those who follow my reputation, overcome by desire and passion, those people know me not.
[22.12.ii.]
[stm.]
Ye rūpeṇa pramiṇvanti, māṁ Notice that to be cogent, we must understand maṁ, me, as working twice in this ghoṣeṇānuyānti ca,
chandarāgavaśopetā, na māṁ jānanti te janāḥ.
Those who judge me by means of form, and pursue me because of reputation, overcome by desire and passion, those people know me not.
[22.13]
[stm.]
Ādhyātmaṁ ca na jānāti, bahirdhā tu vipaśyati,
bahirdāphaladarśī tu, sa vai ghoṣeṇa nīyate.
Not being one who knows the internal, but seeing the externals well, seeing the fruit of the externals, he is led by reputation.
[22.14]
[stm.]
Ādhyātmaṁ tu prajānāti, bahirdhā ca na paśyati,
ādhyātmaphaladarśī tu, sa vai ghoṣeṇa nīyate.
But one who knows the internal well, one does not see the externals, seeing the fruits of the internal, he is still led by reputation.
[22.15]
[stm.]
Ādhyātmaṁ ca na jānāti, bahirdhā ca na paśyati,
ubhaye ’phaladarśī tu, sa vai ghoṣeṇa nīyate.
Not being one who knows the internal, one does not see the externals, seeing the lack of fruit in both, he is still led by reputation.
[22.16]
[stm.]
Ādhyātmaṁ ca prajānāti, bahirdhā ca vipaśyati,
sa tu niḥsaraṇaprajño, na vai ghoṣeṇa nīyate.
But one who knows the internal, and seeing externals well, having wisdom about the escape, he is not led by reputation.
[22.17.i.]
[adm.]
Bahu śṛṇoti śrotreṇa, bahū paśyati cakṣuṣā,
na tad dṛṣṭaṁ śrutaṁ dhīraḥ sarvaṁ śraddhātum arhati.
One hears much with the ear, one sees many things with the eye, the steadfast one ought not to have faith in all that is seen and heard.
[22.17.ii.]
[adm.]
Śrotreṇa śrūyate bahu, dṛśyate bahu Bahu is probably m.c. for bahū, many things, which is how I translate it. cakṣuṣā,
na tad dṛṣṭaṁ śrutaṁ dhīraḥ
sarvaṁ śraddhātum arhati.
One hears much with the ear, one sees many things with the eye, The difference between this and the last verse is in the use of the passive forms śrūyate and dṛśyate. the steadfast one ought not to have faith in all that is seen and heard.
[22.18]
[stm.]
Vijñānasārāṇi subhāṣitāni,
jñātaṁ śrutaṁ caiva samādhisāram,
na tasya vijñānaśrutaṁ mahārthaṁ,
yaḥ sāhaso bhavati naraḥ pramattaḥ.
Well-spoken words have awareness as their essence, knowledge and learning have concentration as their essence, for him consciousness and learning are of no great benefit to him, that person who is rash and heedless.
[22.19]
[stm.]
Dharme tu ye hy āryanivedite ratās,
tadā carante vacasā yadāhuḥ,
te kṣāntisauratyasamādhigocarāḥ,
śrutasya buddher api sāram adhyaguḥ.
But those who take delight in the Dharma taught by the noble ones, and then live in accordance with the words which were spoken, those whose domain is concentration, kindness and forbearance, have attained the essence of intelligence and learning.
Śrutavargaḥ, 22
The Chapter about Learning, the Twenty-Second