Sutta Nipāta | The Aṭṭhakavagga | Contents | Pali
1. Never before have I seen
(said the venerable Sāriputta)
Nor heard from anyone
Of such a sweetly speaking teacher,
Become leader of a following of the contented.
2. Just as the One With Vision is viewed
By the world with its gods,
Having dispelled all darkness
He has arrived at satisfaction all alone.
3. To that Enlightened One, unadhering, being one who is Such,
Who, without scheming, is become leader of a following,
For the many here who are bound
There is one come with a question:
4. For a mendicant feeling aversion,
Resorting to an empty sitting place—
The root of a tree, or a cemetery,
Or in caves in the mountains,
5. In resting places high and low—
What is the extent of the terrors there
By which a mendicant should not be agitated
In his noiseless dwelling place?
6. How many are the troubles in the world
For one going to the quarter never gone
Which a mendicant should readily withstand
In his secluded dwelling place?
7. What should be his manners of speech?
What should be his fields of resort here?
What morality and observances should there be
For a mendicant who has applied himself?
8. Having taken upon himself what training,
Unified in mind, self-possessed, mindful,
Would he blow away his own impurity
Just as a smith does to silver?
9. What is comfort for one feeling aversion,
(Sāriputta, said the Blessed One,)
If availing himself of an empty place for sitting and resting,
Being desirous of full enlightenment in accordance with the Way—
That I shall tell you in accordance with my knowing.
10. Five fearful things a wise man would not fear,
A mendicant, mindful, living in self-restriction:
Biting flies, mosquitoes, crawling things,
Affliction by humans, and beasts.
11. And he would not be intimidated by the followers of other ways,
Even though having seen of them many terrors.
One who is a seeker after adeptness
Would readily withstand other troubles as well.
12. Touched by the affliction of illness, of hunger,
He would endure cold and also heat.
Touched by them in many ways that homeless one,
Putting forth exertion, would make steadfast his vigor.
13. He would not work at thievery; he would not speak what is false;
He would touch with loving kindness the moving and the still.
Whatever he would understand to be turbidity of mind
He would dispel, thinking, “It is on the side of Blackness.”
14. He would not go under the influence of anger and contempt,
And having dug up their root he would stay.
Then what is loved and also what is unloved
He would masterfully withstand, overmastering.
15. Having set understanding before him, exhilarated by righteousness,
He would render groundless those troubles.
He would rise above dissatisfaction in his secluded resting place;
He would rise above four ways of lamentation:
16. “What shall I eat?” or “Where shall I eat?”
“I certainly slept uneasily.” “Where shall I sleep tonight?”
These thoughts which would lead to lamentation
One in training, living without fixed abode, would dismiss.
17. Having got food and clothing at a suitable time
He would know moderation herein for the purpose of contentment.
Guarded with respect to those things, going self-controlled in a village,
He would not speak a harsh word even if provoked.
18. With eyes downcast, and not restless for roving about,
Given to meditation, he would be very wakeful.
Starting with indifference, self-composed,
He would cut off the tendency toward speculation and worry.
19. When reproved with words he, being mindful, would rejoice;
He would break down unyieldingness with colleagues in the Holy Life.
He would let forth speech that is adroit, not excessive;
He would not incline to the way of popular argument.
20. Furthermore, there are five ways of pollution in the world
In the dismissal of which a mindful one should train—
He should rise above passion for forms, sounds,
Also tastes, odors, and touches.
21. A mendicant, possessing mindfulness, with mind completely released,
Would dismiss any preference for these ways.
In good time, rightly, thoroughly investigating the Way,
Become unified in mind, he would strike down the darkness.