Patna Dhamma Verses
Patna Dhammapadaṁ
Āsavavarggaḥ
15: The Chapter about the Pollutants
261-262. Appakā te manuṣyesu ye janā pāragāmino,
athāyam itarā prajā tīram evānudhāvati,
ye ca kho sammad-ākkhāte,
Dhamme dhammānuvattino,
te janā pāram ehinti
maccudheyaṁ suduttaraṁ.
261-262. Amongst humans few people go beyond,
the rest of the people run down the bank,
but those who live righteously,
conforming with this well-taught Dhamma,
those folk will go beyond the realm of death,
which is very hard to cross.
263-264. Kihne dhamme viprahāya,
śukre bhāvetha paṇḍitā,
okā anokam āgamma;
viveko yattha dūramaṁ,
tatthābhiratim eṣāṇā,
hettā kāme akiñcanā,
payirodametha āttānaṁ
cittaṁ kileśehi sabbaśo.
263-264. Having abandoned the dark state,
the wise ones should develop the bright,
having gone forth to homelessness from home;
in solitude, where it is hard to delight,
one should seek to delight in that place,
having given up sense pleasures, and having no possessions,
he should purify the self of defilements of mind in every way.
265. Yassa sambodhi-aṅgehi
samaṁ cittaṁ subhāvitaṁ,
āttānapaṭinissagge,
anupādāya ye ratā,
khīṇāsavā jutīmanto,
te loke parinivtā.
265. For he The number of the pronoun, here singular, is plural in the pādas that follow. who has well developed
with peaceful mind the factors of complete awakening,
having given up the self,
those who delight in being unattached,
pollutant-free, shining forth,
are emancipated in the world.
266. Yad<a>hi kiccaṁ tad apaviddhaṁ,
akiccaṁ puna kīrati,
unnaddhānāṁ pramattānāṁ,
tesaṁ vaddhanti āsavā.
266. That to be done is rejected,
but what is not to be done is done,
for the insolent, the heedless,
their pollutants increase.
267. Yesaṁ ca susamāraddhā
niccaṁ kāyagatā satī,
akiccaṁ te na sevanti,
kicce sātaccakāriṇo,
satānāṁ samprajānānāṁ,
tesaṁ khīyanti āsavā.
267. But for those who always properly undertake
mindfulness of the body
who do not practice what is not to be done,
persisting in what is to be done,
for those mindful ones, those fully aware,
their pollutants are destroyed.
268. Paravajjānupaśśīnāṁ,
niccaṁ ojjhāyasaññinā,
āsavā tesaṁ vaddhanti,
ārā te āsavakkhayā.
268. Those who look for others’ fault,
who constantly perceive offence,
for them the pollutants increase,
they are far from their destruction.
269. Jāgarikām anuyuttānāṁ,
ahorāttānuśikkhiṇāṁ,
Nibbāṇe adhimuttānāṁ,
atthaṁ gacchanti āsavā.
269. For those devoted to being alert,
who train both by day and by night,
who are intent on Nibbāna,
the pollutants are laid to rest.
270. Yesāsavā parikkhīṇā,
āhāre ca aniśśitā,
śuññatā ānimitto ca
vimogho yesa’ gocaro,
ākāśe va śakuntānāṁ,
padaṁ tesaṁ durannayaṁ,
270. For those whose pollutants are destroyed,
who are not dependent on the foods,
for those whose resort is the liberation Reading
like the birds in the sky,
their footprint is hard to find.
271-272. Na hi śīlavrateneva,
bāhuśoccena vā puna,
atha vā samādhilābhena,
vivittaśayanena vā,
phusāma nekkhammasukhaṁ,
apthujjanasevitaṁ;
bhikkhū viśśāsa’ māpādi
aprāpyāsavakkhayaṁ.
271-272. Not even through virtue or vows,
or again through great learning,
or through the attainment of concentration,
or through a secluded dwelling,
do we attain the happiness of renunciation,
not practised by worldly people;
let a monastic not be confident
as long as the destruction of the pollutants is unattained.
273. Nāyaṁ pramajjituṁ kālo,
’prāpyāsavakkhayaṁ,
pramattaṁ dukham anneti,
sīhaṁ vā mgamātikā,
273. This is not the time to be heedless,
while the destruction of the pollutants is unattained,
heedless he follows suffering,
like the mother of deer follows the lion.
274. Gabbham eke okrammanti,
nirayaṁ pāpakammuṇo,
saggaṁ sugatino yānti,
parinivvānti anāsavā.
274. Some fall back into the womb,
but those who are wicked in the underworld,
the righteous go to heaven,
those who are pollutant-free are emancipated.
275. Yathā hrado ’ssa gambhīro,
viprasanno anāvilo,
evaṁ Dhammāṇi śottāna
viprasīdanti paṇḍitā.
275. Like a lake that is deep, clear and unruffled,
just so the wise are confident There is a play on the two meanings of
276. Yassa jitaṁ nāppajjīyati,
jitam assā na upeti antako,
taṁ Buddham anomanikramaṁ,
apadaṁ kena padena nehisi?
276. He whose victory cannot be undone,
whose victory does not come to an end,
the Buddha, the one of superior effort,
by what path will you lead the pathless one?
277. Yassa jālinī visattikā,
tahnā nāsti kahiñci netaye,
taṁ Buddham anantagocaraṁ,
apadaṁ kena padena nehisi.
277. For him there is no desire, attachment,
or craving to lead him anywhere,
the Buddha, whose range is endless,
by what path will you lead the pathless one?
Āsavavarggaḥ
The Chapter about the Pollutants