Parayanavaggo: Verses on the Recital of the Way to the Beyond

(Pārāyanānugītigāthā)
(Verses on the Recital of the Way to the Beyond)

“Pārāyanaṁ anugāyissaṁ, icc-āyasmā Pingiyo,
“I will recite the Way to the Beyond, said venerable Piṅgiya,

yathā addakkhi tathā akkhāsi: vimalo bhūrimedhaso,
as he saw it, so he explained: unstained, with great intelligence,

nikkāmo nibbano Nāgo, kissa hetu musā bhaṇe? [156 (1131) 8]
the one free from sense desire, the unentangled one, the Strong One, why should he speak falsely?

Pahīnamalamohassa, mānamakkhappahāyino,
Of the one who gave up stain and delusion, who gave up conceit and malevolence,

handāhaṁ kittayissāmi giraṁ vaṇṇ?pasaṁhitaṁ:[157 (1132) 9]
come now, I will proclaim this lyric which is endowed with beauty:

Tamonudo Buddho Samantacakkhu,
The Buddha, the darkness-dispeller, the All-Seeing Visionary,

lokantagū sabbabhavātivatto,
who has gone to the end of the world, transcended all of existence

anāsavo sabbadukkhappahīno,
given up all suffering, the one pollutant-free,

saccavhayo brahme upāsito me. [158 (1133) 10]
whose very name is truth - O brahmin, (you are) worshipped by me.

Dijo yathā kubbanakaṁ pahāya,
Just as a bird who has given up a barren woodland,

bahupphalaṁ kānanam-āvaseyya,
might live in a forest which has much fruit,

evaṁ p' ahaṁ appadasse pahāya,
so too I have given up those of little wisdom,

mahodadhiṁ haṁsa-r-iv' ajjhapattaṁ. [159 (1134) 11]
like a swan who has arrived at the great sea.

Ye me pubbe viyākaṁsu, huraṁ Gotamasāsanā,
Those who explained (things) to me in the past, before Gotama’s teaching,

‘iccāsi iti bhavissati’, sabbaṁ taṁ itihītihaṁ,
saying ‘it was so, and so it will be’, all that was just hearsay,

sabbaṁ taṁ takkavaḍḍhanaṁ. [160 (1135) 12]
all that just increased my thoughts.

Eko Tamanud' āsīno, Jutimā so Pabhankaro,
Alone sits the Darkness-Dispeller, the Bright One, the Light-Maker,

Gotamo Bhūripaññāṇo, Gotamo Bhūrimedhaso. [161 (1136) 13]
Gotama of Great Knowledge, Gotama of Great Intelligence.

Yo me Dhammam-adesesi, sandiṭṭhikam-akālikaṁ,
He who taught the Teaching to me, which is visible, not subject to time,

taṇhakkhayam-anītikaṁ, yassa n' atthi upamā kvaci.” [162 (1137) 14]
the end of craving, beyond calamity, for which there is nowhere a likeness.”

“Kin-nu tamhā vippavasasi muhuttam-api Piṅgiya,
[Bāvari:] “Then why do you dwell apart from him, even for a second, Piṅgiya,

Gotamā Bhūripaññāṇā, Gotamā Bhūrimedhasā, [163 (1138) 15]
from Gotama of Great Knowledge, Gotama of Great Intelligence,

yo te Dhammam-adesesi, sandiṭṭhikam-akālikaṁ,
he who taught the Teaching to you, which is visible, not subject to time,

taṇhakkhayam-anītikaṁ, yassa n' atthi upamā kvaci?” [164 (1139) 16]
the end of craving, beyond calamity, for which there is nowhere a likeness?”

“Nāhaṁ tamhā vippavasāmi muhuttam-api brāhmaṇa,
“I would not dwell apart from him even for a second, brahmin,

Gotamā Bhūripaññāṇā, Gotamā Bhūrimedhasā, [165 (1140) 17]
from Gotama of Great Knowledge, Gotama of Great Intelligence,

yo me Dhammam-adesesi, sandiṭṭhikam-akālikaṁ,
he who taught the Teaching to me, which is visible, not subject to time,

taṇhakkhayam-anītikaṁ, yassa n' atthi upamā kvaci. [166 (1141) 18]
the end of craving, beyond calamity, for which there is nowhere a likeness.

Passāmi naṁ manasā cakkhunā va,
I see him in my mind as though with the eye,

rattindivaṁ brāhmaṇa appamatto.
(as I dwell) heedful night and day, brahmin.

Namassamāno vivasemi rattiṁ,
revering him I make the night pass by,

ten' eva maññāmi avippavāsaṁ. [167 (1142) 19]
for that reason I think there is no (real) dwelling apart.

Saddhā ca pīti ca mano satī ca
My confidence, happiness, mind, and mindfulness,

nāpenti me Gotamasāsanamhā,
do not depart from Gotama’s teaching,

yaṁ yaṁ disaṁ vajati Bhūripañño
whatever direction the One of Great Wisdom goes to

sa tena ten' eva nato 'ham-asmi. [168 (1143) 20]
it is that very place that I am inclined.

Jiṇṇassa me dubbalathāmakassa,
I am old, without strength and feeble,

ten' eva kāyo na paleti tattha,
because of that my body does not go there,

sankappayattāya vajāmi niccaṁ,
but by an effort of thought I always go,

mano hi me brāhmaṇa tena yutto. [169 (1144) 21]
for my mind, Brahmin, is joined to him.

Panke sayāno pariphandamāno,
Lying down in a quagmire I was trembling,

dīpā dīpaṁ upallaviṁ,
I drifted from island to island,

ath' addasāsiṁ Sambuddhaṁ, oghatiṇṇam-anāsavaṁ.” [170 (1145) 22]
then I saw the Sambuddha, the flood-crosser, the one pollutant-free.”

“Yathā ahū Vakkali muttasaddho -
[The Buddha:] “Just as Vakkali released his confidence -

Bhadrāvudho Āḷavigotamo ca -
and Bhadrāvudha, and Āḷavi-gotama -

ĕvam-eva tvam-pi pamuñcassu saddhaṁ,
just like that you must release your confidence,

gamissasi tvaṁ Piṅgiya Maccudheyyassa pāraṁ.” [171 (1146) 23]
and you will go, Piṅgiya, beyond the realm of Death.”The Buddha said this because Piṅgiya was still at the stage of Non-Returner (Anāgāmī).

“Esa bhiyyo pasīdāmi, sutvāna munino vaco,
“I am more and more sure about this, having heard the sage’s word,

vivaṭṭacchaddŏ Sambuddho, akhilo paṭibhānavā, [172 (1147) 24]
the cover-remover, the Sambuddha, who is unhindered, assured in speech,

adhideve abhiññāya, sabbaṁ vedi paroparaṁ,
who knows the great gods, who has understood everything far and near,

pañhān' antakaro Satthā kankhīnaṁ paṭijānataṁ. [173 (1148) 25]
the Teacher who makes an end to questions in those who have doubts, and make them known.

Asaṁhīraṁ Asaṁkuppaṁ, yassa n' atthi upamā kvaci,
The Indestructible, the Unagitated, for which there is nowhere a likeness,

Addhā gamissāmi na m' ettha kankhā,
Surely I will go there, about this I have no doubt,

evaṁ maṁ dhārehi adhimuttacittan”-ti. [174 (1149) 26]
thus bear me in mind as one whose heart is intent (on Nibbāna).”