26. Nirvāṇavarga
The Chapter about Nirvāṇa
(32 Verses)
[26.1]
[adm. + sim.]
Kurmo yathāṅgāni svake kapāle,
samādadhītātmavitarkitāni,
aniḥśrito hy anyam aheṭhayānaḥ,
parinirvṛto nāpavadeta kaṁ cit.
Like a tortoise would gather its limbs inside its shell, one should gather his own thoughts, independent, not harming another, fully emancipated, one should not blame anyone.
[26.2]
[stm.]
Kṣāntiḥ paramaṁ tapas titīkṣā,
Nirvāṇaṁ paramaṁ vadanti Buddhāḥ,
na hi pravrajitaḥ paropatāpī,
śramaṇo bhavati paraṁ viheṭhayaṁ vai.
Enduring forbearance is the supreme austerity, Nirvāṇa is supreme say the Buddhas, for one gone forth is not one who hurts another, an ascetic is not one who harasses another.
[26.3]
[adm.]
Mā kaṁ cit paruṣaṁ brūthaḥ, proktāḥ prativadanti tam,
duḥkhā hi saṁrambhakathāḥ, pratidaṇḍaṁ spṛśanti hi.
Do not say anything harsh, spoken to, they answer him back, impetuous talk is indeed suffering, they indeed strike you with a counter-blow.
[26.4]
[stm. + sim.]
Yadīrayasi hātmānaṁ, kaṁsīvopahatā sadā,
jātimaraṇasaṁsāraṁ ciraṁ hy anubhaviṣyasi.
If you yourself are agitated, like a gong that has been struck repeatedly, I.e. if you always react like a gong that has no choice but just sounds out. you will experience the transmigration of births and deaths for a long time.
[26.5]
[stm. + sim.]
Na tv īrayasi hātmānaṁ kaṁsir nopahatā yathā,
eṣa prāpto ’si Nirvāṇaṁ, saṁrambhas te na vidyate.
But if you yourself are not agitated, like a gong that has not been struck, you are one who has attained Nirvāṇa, impetuosity is not found in you.
[26.6]
[stm.]
Ārogyaparamā lābhā, saṁtuṣṭiparamaṁ dhanam,
viśvāsaparamaṁ mitraṁ, Nirvāṇaparamaṁ sukham.
Health is the supreme gain, contentment is the supreme wealth, the trustworthy one is the supreme friend, Nirvāṇa is the supreme happiness.
[26.7]
[adm.]
Kṣudhā parama rogāṇāṁ, saṁskārā duḥkham eva tu,
etaj jñātvā yathābhūtaṁ, Nirvāṇaparamo bhavet.
Hunger is supreme amongst sicknesses, but conditioned things are truly suffering, knowing this as it really is, let Nirvāṇa be supreme.
[26.8]
[adm.]
Alpakāḥ sugatiṁ yānti, bahavo yānti durgatim,
etaj jñātvā yathābhūtaṁ, Nirvāṇaparamo bhavet.
Few go to a good destination, many go to a bad destination, knowing this as it really is, let Nirvāṇa be supreme.
[26.9]
[stm.]
Sahetuṁ sugatiṁ yānti, sahetuṁ yānti durgatim,
sahetuṁ Parinirvānti, hy evam etat sahetukam.
With cause they go to a good destination, with cause they go to a bad destination, with cause they attain complete emancipation, thus all this has a cause.
[26.10]
[stm. + ana.]
Gatir mṛgāṇāṁ pravaṇam, ākāśaṁ pakṣiṇāṁ gatiḥ,
Dharmo gatir vibhāgīnāṁ, Nirvāṇaṁ tv Arhatāṁ gatiḥ.
The destination of deer is the glen, the destination of birds is the sky, the destination of the discerning is the Dharma, but the destination of the Arhats is Nirvāṇa.
[26.11]
[stm.]
Na hīdaṁ hīnavīryeṇa,
mandenāpy avijānatā,
Nirvāṇaṁ śakyam adhigantuṁ,
sarvagrantha pradālanam.
Not by the one of little energy, by the foolish or even the ignorant, is one able to attain Nirvāṇa, which is the destroyer of all knots. In Pāḷi four knots are recognised, that of the body, covetousness, ill-will and clinging to rules and vows.
[26.12]
[stm. + ana.]
Siñca bhikṣor imāṁ nāvaṁ, siktā laghvī bhaviṣyati,
hitvā rāgaṁ ca doṣaṁ ca, tato Nirvāṇam eṣyasi.
Bail out this boat, monastic, having been bailed out it will be light, abandoning passion and hatred, from there you will go to Nirvāṇa.
[26.13]
[stm.]
Abhūt pūrve, tato nābhūn, nābhūt pūrve, tato hy abhūt,
na cābhūn na bhaviṣyati, na vāpy etarhi vidyate.
Before it was, then it was not, before it was not, then it was, it was not, and it will not be, and even at present it is not found.
[26.14]
[stm.]
Durdṛśaṁ satyam acalaṁ, sudṛśaṁ pratividhyataḥ,
tṛṣṇākṣayaṁ paśyato hi, duḥkhasyānto nirucyate.
The unshakeable truth is hard to see, but for one who comprehends it is easy to see, indeed for the one who sees the destruction of craving, the end of suffering is declared.
[26.15]
[stm.]
Chitvā tṛṣṇāṁ, praśāmyeha rajaḥ sarvaṁ, samāhitaḥ,
viśoṣayitvā saritāṁ – duḥkhasyānto nirucyate.
The composed one, having cut off craving, having settled all impurities here, having dried up the streams – the end of suffering is declared.
[26.16]
[stm.]
Bhitvā kāyaṁ ca saṁjñāṁ ca, vedanāṁ vyupaśāmya ca,
vijñānāstagamaṁ labdhvā – duḥkhasyānto nirucyate.
Having broken attachment to body, perceptions, and feelings, having pacified them, having obtained the going to rest of rebirth consciousness – the end of suffering is declared.
[26.17]
[stm.]
Dṛṣṭe tu dṛṣṭamātreṇa, śrute ca śrutamātratā,
mate tathaiva vijñāte – duḥkhasyānto nirucyate.
But in the seen, there is only the seen, and in the heard there is only the heard, likewise in thinking There may be a conflation of mata (thought) with muta (sensed) in the Sanskrit. and in the cognized – the end of suffering is declared.
[26.18]
[stm.]
“Ene mene” tathā: “dapphe daḍapphe,” ceti budhyataḥ,
sarvasmād viratiḥ pāpād – duḥkhasyānto nirucyate.
For one who understands: “Ene, mene,” “dapphe, daḍapphe,” These are perhaps an early use of dhāraṇīs, which were probably emerging in the tradition around the time the Udānavarga collection was being finalised. abstaining from all wickedness – the end of suffering is declared.
[26.19]
[adm.]
Māśā! Tuṣā saṁśamā ca, sarvatra viraḍī tathā,
sarvasmād viratiḥ pāpād – duḥkhasyānto nirucyate.
Do not hope! Content and restrained, likewise frugal Edgerton has: viraḍa; viraḍa, adj. (= Skt. virala), scarce, rare, sparse: (māra-sena ...) viraḍīkṛta LV 342.2 (vs). Based on this, I am taking the meaning here as being frugal. everywhere, abstinence from all wickedness – the end of suffering is declared.
[26.20]
[stm.]
Aniḥśritasyācalitaṁ, prasrabdhiś ceha vidyate,
na gatir, na cyutiś caiva – duḥkhasyānto nirucyate.
For the one independent and immovable, calm is found here, there is no destination, no passing away In other words there is no rebirth for him, so he doesn’t have a destination after falling away, or dying. – the end of suffering is declared.
[26.21]
[stm.]
Ajāte sati, jātasya vaden niḥsaraṇaṁ sadā,
asaṁskṛtaṁ ca saṁpaśyaṁ saṁskṛtāt parimucyate.
When an unborn exists, one can speak of an escape from the born, seeing the unconditioned, one is fully freed from conditioned things.
[26.22]
[stm.]
Jātaṁ bhūtaṁ samutpannaṁ, kṛtaṁ saṁskṛtam adhruvam,
jarāmaraṇasaṁghātaṁ, moṣadharmapralopanam,
āhāranetrīprabhavaṁ – nālaṁ tad abhinanditum.
What is born, become, arisen, made, conditioned, unstable, afflicted by old age and death, destroying by its deceptive nature, originating in the nutriments and craving This meaning is not noticed by Edgerton, but see DPD: netti 1.3 fem. craving. – that is not suitable to rejoice in.
[26.23]
[stm.]
Tasya niḥsaraṇaṁ śāntam, atarkāvacaraṁ padam,
nirodho duḥkhadharmāṇāṁ, saṁskāropaśamaṁ sukham.
The escape from what is peaceful, a state and domain beyond logic, the cessation of suffering things, the stilling of all conditioned things, happiness.
[26.24]
[decl.]
Abhijānāmy ahaṁ sthānaṁ yatra bhūtaṁ na vidyate,
nākāśaṁ na ca vijñānaṁ, na sūryaś candramā na ca.
I know that state where the elements are not found, no space, no consciousness, neither moon nor sun.
[26.25]
[stm.]
Naivāgatir na ca gatir, nopapattiś cyutir na ca,
apratiṣṭham anālambaṁ – duḥkhāntaḥ sa nirucyate.
There is no coming, no going, no rebirth and no passing away, being unestablished, without support – the end of suffering is declared.
[26.26]
[stm.]
Yatra nāpo na pṛthivī tejo vāyur na gāhate,
na tatra śuklā dyotanti, tamas tatra na vidyate.
Where neither water, earth, fire, and wind take hold, there, the stars do not shine, there, no darkness is found.
[26.27]
[stm.]
Na tatra candramā bhāti, nādityo vai prakāśyate,
yathā tv ihātmanā vetti munir mauneyam ātmanaḥ,
atha rūpād arūpāc ca, sarvaduḥkhāt pramucyate.
There the moon does not shine, nor indeed does the sun give light, and just as the sage here, by himself, knows his own sagacity for himself, then from both form and formless, from all suffering, he is freed.
[26.28]
[stm.]
Niṣṭhāgato hy asaṁtrāsī, na vikanthī na kaukṛtiḥ,
ācchettā bhavaśalyānām, antimo ’sya samucchrayaḥ.
One who has reached the end, without trembling, who has no longing, no regret, one who cuts off the darts of existence, for that one this is his final body.
[26.29]
[stm.]
Eṣā hi paramā niṣṭhā, śāntaṁ padam anuttaram,
kṣayaḥ sarvanimittānāṁ, pradānapadam acyutam.
This is the supreme end, the unsurpassed state of peace, the destruction of all signs, the teaching’s This meaning is from Monier-Williams’ definition (in part): pradāna, n. (for 2. see below) giving, bestowal, presentation … n. teaching, imparting, announcing, declaring Mn. R. Kathās. undying state.
[26.30]
[stm. + sim.]
Tulyam atulyaṁ ca saṁbhavaṁ
bhavasaṁskāram avāsṛjan muniḥ,
ādhyātmarataḥ samāhito,
hy abhinat kośam ivāṇḍasaṁbhavam.
The sage relinquished the measurable and immeasurable, birth and the birth-process, delighted inwardly, composed, he split the shell, like one born from an egg.
[26.31.i]
[stm.]
Jayate dānaṁ Dharmadānaṁ ca sarvaṁ,
jayate ratiṁ Dharmaratiṁś ca sarvām,
jayate balaṁ kṣāntibalaṁ ca sarvaṁ,
jayate sukhaṁ sarvaṭṛṣānirodhaḥ.
The gift of the Dhamma surpasses all gifts, delight in the Dharma surpasses all delights, the strength of forbearance surpasses all strengths, the cessation of craving surpasses all happiness.
[26.31.ii]
[stm.]
Sarvaṁ dānaṁ Dharmadānaṁ jināti,
sarvāṁ ratiṁ Dharmaratiṁ jināti,
sarvaṁ balaṁ kṣāntibalaṁ jināti,
tṛṣṇākṣayaḥ sarvasukhaṁ jināti.
The gift of the Dhamma is victorious over all gifts, delight in the Dhamma is victorious over all delights, the strength of forbearance is victorious over all strengths, craving’s destruction is victorious over all happiness.
Nirvāṇavargaḥ, 26
The Chapter about Nirvāṇa, the Twenty-Sixth