20. Maggavaggo

20. The Path

273.

Maggānaṭṭhaṅgiko seṭṭho, saccānaṃ caturo padā;

Of paths, the eightfold is best. Of truths, the four sayings.

Virāgo seṭṭho dhammānaṃ, dvipadānañca cakkhumā.

Of qualities, dispassion. Of two-footed beings, the one with the eyes to see.

274.

Eseva [esova (sī. pī.)] maggo natthañño, dassanassa visuddhiyā;

Just this is the path —there is no other— to purify vision.

Etañhi tumhe paṭipajjatha, mārassetaṃ pamohanaṃ.

Follow it, and that will be Mara’s bewilderment.

275.

Etañhi tumhe paṭipannā, dukkhassantaṃ karissatha;

Following it, you put an end to suffering & stress.

Akkhāto vo [akkhāto ve (sī. pī.)] mayā maggo, aññāya sallakantanaṃ [sallasanthanaṃ (sī. pī.), sallasatthanaṃ (syā.)].

I have taught you this path having known —for your knowing— the extraction of arrows.

276.

Tumhehi kiccamātappaṃ, akkhātāro tathāgatā;

It’s for you to strive ardently. Tathagatas simply point out the way.

Paṭipannā pamokkhanti, jhāyino mārabandhanā.

Those who practice, absorbed in jhana: from Mara’s bonds they’ll be freed.

277.

‘‘Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā’’ti, yadā paññāya passati;

When you see with discernment, ‘All fabrications are inconstant’—

Atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.

you grow disenchanted with stress. This is the path to purity.

278.

‘‘Sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā’’ti, yadā paññāya passati;

When you see with discernment, ‘All fabrications are stressful’—

Atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.

you grow disenchanted with stress. This is the path to purity.

279.

‘‘Sabbe dhammā anattā’’ti, yadā paññāya passati;

When you see with discernment, ‘All phenomena are not-self’—

Atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.

you grow disenchanted with stress. This is the path to purity.

280.

Uṭṭhānakālamhi anuṭṭhahāno, yuvā balī ālasiyaṃ upeto;

At the time for initiative he takes no initiative. Young, strong, but lethargic,

Saṃsannasaṅkappamano [asampannasaṅkappamano (ka.)] kusīto, paññāya maggaṃ alaso na vindati.

the resolves of his heart exhausted, the lazy, lethargic one loses the path to discernment.

281.

Vācānurakkhī manasā susaṃvuto, kāyena ca nākusalaṃ kayirā [akusalaṃ na kayirā (sī. syā. kaṃ. pī.)];

Guarded in speech, well-restrainedin mind, you should do nothing unskillful in body.

Ete tayo kammapathe visodhaye, ārādhaye maggamisippaveditaṃ.

Purify these three courses of action. Bring to fruition the path that seers have proclaimed.

282.

Yogā ve jāyatī [jāyate (katthaci)] bhūri, ayogā bhūrisaṅkhayo;

From striving comes wisdom; from not, wisdom’s end.

Etaṃ dvedhāpathaṃ ñatvā, bhavāya vibhavāya ca;

Knowing these two courses —to development, decline—

Tathāttānaṃ niveseyya, yathā bhūri pavaḍḍhati.

conduct yourself so that wisdom will grow.

283.

Vanaṃ chindatha mā rukkhaṃ, vanato jāyate bhayaṃ;

Cut down the forest of desire, not the forest of trees.

Chetvā vanañca vanathañca, nibbanā hotha bhikkhavo.

From the forest of desire come danger & fear. Having cut down this forest & its underbrush, monks, be deforested.

284.

Yāva hi vanatho na chijjati, aṇumattopi narassa nārisu;

For as long as the least bit of underbrush of a man for women is not cleared away,

Paṭibaddhamanova [paṭibandhamanova (ka.)] tāva so, vaccho khīrapakova [khīrapānova (pī.)] mātari.

the heart is fixated like a suckling calf on its mother.

285.

Ucchinda sinehamattano kumudaṃ sāradikaṃva [pāṇinā];

Crush your sense of self-allure like an autumn lily in the hand.

Santimaggameva brūhaya, nibbānaṃ sugatena desitaṃ.

Nurture only the path to peace —Unbinding— as taught by the One Well Gone.

286.

Idha vassaṃ vasissāmi, idha hemantagimhisu;

‘Here I’ll stay for the rains. Here, for the summer & winter.’

Iti bālo vicinteti, antarāyaṃ na bujjhati.

So imagines the fool, unaware of obstructions.

287.

Taṃ puttapasusammattaṃ, byāsattamanasaṃ naraṃ;

That drunk-on-his-sons-&-cattle man, all tangled up in the mind:

Suttaṃ gāmaṃ mahoghova, maccu ādāya gacchati.

death sweeps him away— as a great flood, a village asleep.

288.

Na santi puttā tāṇāya, na pitā nāpi bandhavā;

There are no sons to give shelter, no father, no family

Antakenādhipannassa, natthi ñātīsu tāṇatā.

for one seized by the Ender, no shelter among kin.

289.

Etamatthavasaṃ ñatvā, paṇḍito sīlasaṃvuto;

Realizing this force of reasoning, the wise man, restrained by virtue,

Nibbānagamanaṃ maggaṃ, khippameva visodhaye.

should make the path pure —right away— that goes all the way to Unbinding.

Maggavaggo vīsatimo niṭṭhito.