18. Malavaggo

18. Impurities

235.

Paṇḍupalāsova dānisi, yamapurisāpi ca te [taṃ (sī. syā. kaṃ. pī.)] upaṭṭhitā;

You are now like a yellowed leaf. Already Yama’s minions stand near.

Uyyogamukhe ca tiṭṭhasi, pātheyyampi ca te na vijjati.

You stand at the door to departure but have yet to provide for the journey.

236.

So karohi dīpamattano, khippaṃ vāyama paṇḍito bhava;

Make an island for yourself! Work quickly! Be wise!

Niddhantamalo anaṅgaṇo, dibbaṃ ariyabhūmiṃ upehisi [dibbaṃ ariyabhūmimehisi (sī. syā. pī.), dibbamariyabhūmiṃ upehisi (?)].

With impurities all blown away, unblemished, you’ll reach the divine realm of the noble ones.

237.

Upanītavayo ca dānisi, sampayātosi yamassa santike;

You are now right at the end of your time. You are headed to Yama’s presence,

Vāso [vāsopi ca (bahūsu)] te natthi antarā, pātheyyampi ca te na vijjati.

with no place to rest along the way, but have yet to provide for the journey.

238.

So karohi dīpamattano, khippaṃ vāyama paṇḍito bhava;

Make an island for yourself! Work quickly! Be wise!

Niddhantamalo anaṅgaṇo, na punaṃ jātijaraṃ [na puna jātijaraṃ (sī. syā.), na puna jātijjaraṃ (ka.)] upehisi.

With impurities all blown away, unblemished, you won’t again undergo birth & aging.

239.

Anupubbena medhāvī, thokaṃ thokaṃ khaṇe khaṇe;

Just as a silver smith step by step, bit by bit, moment to moment,

Kammāro rajatasseva, niddhame malamattano.

blows away the impurities of molten silver— 61so the wise man, his own.

240.

Ayasāva malaṃ samuṭṭhitaṃ [samuṭṭhāya (ka.)], tatuṭṭhāya [taduṭṭhāya (sī. syā. pī.)] tameva khādati;

Just as rust —iron’s impurity— eats the very iron from which it is born,

Evaṃ atidhonacārinaṃ, sāni kammāni [sakakammāni (sī. pī.)] nayanti duggatiṃ.

so the deeds of one who lives slovenly lead him on to a bad destination.

241.

Asajjhāyamalā mantā, anuṭṭhānamalā gharā;

No recitation: the ruinous impurity of chants. No initiative: of a household.

Malaṃ vaṇṇassa kosajjaṃ, pamādo rakkhato malaṃ.

Indolence: of beauty. Heedlessness: of a guard.

242.

Malitthiyā duccaritaṃ, maccheraṃ dadato malaṃ;

In a woman, misconduct is an impurity. In a donor, stinginess.

Malā ve pāpakā dhammā, asmiṃ loke paramhi ca.

Evil deeds are the real impurities in this world & the next.

243.

Tato malā malataraṃ, avijjā paramaṃ malaṃ;

More impure than these impurities is the ultimate impurity: ignorance.

Etaṃ malaṃ pahantvāna, nimmalā hotha bhikkhavo.

Having abandoned this impurity, monks, you’re impurity-free.

244.

Sujīvaṃ ahirikena, kākasūrena dhaṃsinā;

Life’s easy to live for someone unscrupulous, cunning as a crow,

Pakkhandinā pagabbhena, saṃkiliṭṭhena jīvitaṃ.

corrupt, back-biting, forward, & brash;

245.

Hirīmatā ca dujjīvaṃ, niccaṃ sucigavesinā;

but for someone who’s constantly scrupulous,

Alīnenāppagabbhena, suddhājīvena passatā.

cautious, observant, sincere, pure in his livelihood, clean in his pursuits, it’s hard.

246.

Yo pāṇamatipāteti, musāvādañca bhāsati;

Whoever kills, lies,

Loke adinnamādiyati, paradārañca gacchati.

steals, goes to someone else’s wife,

247.

Surāmerayapānañca, yo naro anuyuñjati;

& is addicted to intoxicants,

Idhevameso lokasmiṃ, mūlaṃ khaṇati attano.

digs himself up by the root right here in this world.

248.

Evaṃ bho purisa jānāhi, pāpadhammā asaññatā;

So know, my good man, that bad deeds are reckless.

Mā taṃ lobho adhammo ca, ciraṃ dukkhāya randhayuṃ.

Don’t let greed & unrighteousness oppress you with long-term pain.

249.

Dadāti ve yathāsaddhaṃ, yathāpasādanaṃ [yattha pasādanaṃ (katthaci)] jano;

People give in line with their faith, in line with conviction.

Tattha yo maṅku bhavati [tattha ce maṃku yo hoti (sī.), tattha yo maṅkuto hoti (syā.)], paresaṃ pānabhojane;

Whoever gets flustered at food & drink given to others,

Na so divā vā rattiṃ vā, samādhimadhigacchati.

attains no concentration by day or by night.

250.

Yassa cetaṃ samucchinnaṃ, mūlaghaccaṃ [mūlaghacchaṃ (ka.)] samūhataṃ;

But one in whom this is cut through up- rooted wiped out—

Sa ve divā vā rattiṃ vā, samādhimadhigacchati.

attains concentration by day or by night.

251.

Natthi rāgasamo aggi, natthi dosasamo gaho;

There’s no fire like passion, no seizure like anger,

Natthi mohasamaṃ jālaṃ, natthi taṇhāsamā nadī.

no snare like delusion, no river like craving.

252.

Sudassaṃ vajjamaññesaṃ, attano pana duddasaṃ;

It’s easy to see the errors of others, but hard to see your own.

Paresaṃ hi so vajjāni, opunāti [ophunāti (ka.)] yathā bhusaṃ;

You winnow like chaff the errors of others,

Attano pana chādeti, kaliṃva kitavā saṭho.

but conceal your own— like a cheat, an unlucky throw.

253.

Paravajjānupassissa , niccaṃ ujjhānasaññino;

If you focus on the errors of others, constantly finding fault,

Āsavā tassa vaḍḍhanti, ārā so āsavakkhayā.

your effluents flourish. You’re far from their ending.

254.

Ākāseva padaṃ natthi, samaṇo natthi bāhire;

There’s no trail in space, no outside contemplative.

Papañcābhiratā pajā, nippapañcā tathāgatā.

People are smitten with objectification, but devoid of objectification are the Tathagatas.

255.

Ākāseva padaṃ natthi, samaṇo natthi bāhire;

There’s no trail in space, no outside contemplative,

Saṅkhārā sassatā natthi, natthi buddhānamiñjitaṃ.

no eternal fabrications, no wavering in the Awakened.

Malavaggo aṭṭhārasamo niṭṭhito.