English
Whatever beings are assembled here, whether on earth or in the sky; May all beings be happy-minded, and listen carefully to what is spoken. Therefore, O beings, listen all, show loving-kindness to the human race; For those who bring offerings day and night, therefore, protect them diligently. Whatever treasure there is, here or beyond, or any precious gem in the heavens; There is nothing equal to the Tathāgata, this precious gem is in the Buddha; By this truth, may there be well-being. The excellent fading away, dispassion, the deathless, which the Sakyan sage, composed, attained; There is nothing equal to that Dhamma, this precious gem is in the Dhamma; By this truth, may there be well-being. That pure concentration praised by the Buddha, the foremost, which they call immediate; There is nothing equal to that concentration, this precious gem is in the Dhamma; By this truth, may there be well-being. Those eight individuals praised by the good, these are four pairs; They are worthy of offerings, disciples of the Fortunate One, offerings made to them yield great fruit; This precious gem is in the Saṅgha; By this truth, may there be well-being. Those who are well-practiced with firm minds, free from desires in Gotama's teaching; Having attained what should be attained, plunged into the deathless, having obtained freely, enjoying Nibbāna; This precious gem is in the Saṅgha; By this truth, may there be well-being. As an Indra-post, firmly planted in the earth, is unshaken by the four winds; So I declare the good person, who sees the Noble Truths with insight; This precious gem is in the Saṅgha; By this truth, may there be well-being. Those who clearly understand the Noble Truths, well-taught by one of deep wisdom; Even if they are very heedless, they will not take an eighth existence. This precious jewel is also in the Saṅgha, By this truth, may there be well-being. With the attainment of his vision, Three things are abandoned: Self-identity view, and doubt, And whatever there is of rites and rituals. He is completely freed from the four states of woe, And is incapable of committing the six great offenses. This precious jewel is also in the Saṅgha, By this truth, may there be well-being. Even if he commits a bad deed, By body, speech, or mind, He is incapable of concealing it, Such is the incapacity of one who has seen the path. This precious jewel is also in the Saṅgha, By this truth, may there be well-being. Like a forest grove with flowering tops, In the first month of summer, So he taught the excellent Dhamma, Leading to Nibbāna, for the highest good. This precious jewel is in the Buddha, By this truth, may there be well-being. The excellent one, the knower of excellence, the giver of excellence, the bringer of excellence, The unsurpassed one taught the excellent Dhamma. This precious jewel is in the Buddha, By this truth, may there be well-being. The old is exhausted, there is no new arising, Their minds are dispassionate towards future existence. With their seeds destroyed, their desires not growing, These wise ones are extinguished, like this lamp. This precious jewel is also in the Saṅgha, By this truth, may there be well-being. Whatever beings are assembled here, Whether on earth or in the sky, Let us pay homage to the Tathāgata, Honored by gods and humans, the Buddha. May there be well-being. Whatever beings are assembled here, Whether on earth or in the sky, Let us pay homage to the Tathāgata, Honored by gods and humans, the Dhamma. May there be well-being. Whatever beings are assembled here, Whether on earth or in the sky, Let us pay homage to the Tathāgata, honored by gods and humans... The Sangha, constantly honored, we pay homage. May there be well-being! The Jewel Discourse, the first, is finished. 2. The Raw Stench Discourse 242. Wild rice, millet, and Chinese rice, leaves and fruits, roots and fruits, wild fruits; obtained righteously, eating mindfully, not desirous of sensual pleasures, they speak no falsehood. 243. While eating well-prepared, well-finished food, given by others, pure, excellent; consuming rice food, you eat, Kassapa, raw stench. 244. "Raw stench does not suit me," thus you speak, O kinsman of Brahmins; consuming rice food with well-prepared bird meat; I ask you, Kassapa, about this matter: "What kind of raw stench is yours?" 245. Taking life, killing, cutting, binding, stealing, false speech, and deceit, fraud; envy, sexual misconduct with others' wives, this is raw stench, not indeed eating meat. 246. Those people here unrestrained in sensual pleasures, greedy for tastes, resorting to impurity; holding nihilistic views, unequal, hard to lead, this is raw stench, not indeed eating meat. 247. Those who are harsh, cruel, backbiters, betrayers of friends, merciless, excessively proud; not given to giving, and give to no one, this is raw stench, not indeed eating meat. 248. Anger, conceit, obstinacy, antagonism, deceit, envy, and accumulation of idle talk; and excessive pride, association with the ignoble, this is raw stench, not indeed eating meat. 249. Those of evil conduct, informers of debt evasion, fraudulent in business, here, counterfeiters; lowest of men, who here commit evil deeds, this is raw stench, not indeed eating meat. 250. Those people here unrestrained towards living beings, taking others' property, intent on harming; immoral, cruel, harsh, disrespectful, this is raw stench. Greedy for these, hostile, violent, Always striving, they go to darkness after death; Beings fall headlong into hell, This is foul stench, not the eating of meat. Not abstaining from fish and meat, Not nakedness, not shaven head, matted hair, Rough garments, nor serving the fire-sacrifice, Nor the many immortal penances in the world; Nor mantras, oblations, sacrifices, nor seasonal observances, Purify a mortal who has not overcome doubt. He who is guarded in these, with senses known, Walks, established in Dhamma, delighting in uprightness and gentleness; Gone beyond attachment, abandoned all suffering, That wise one is not defiled by what is seen or heard. Thus the Blessed One again and again, Explained this matter, the master of mantras made it known; The sage proclaimed with varied verses, Free from foul stench, unattached, difficult to approach. Having heard the Buddha's well-spoken word, Free from foul stench, dispelling all suffering; With a humble mind, he paid homage to the Tathāgata, And there and then desired ordination. The Discourse on Foul Stench, the second, is finished. One who disregards shame and disgust, Speaking, "I am yours"; Not undertaking deeds that can be endured, Know him as "this is not mine." Meaningless pleasant words, One who speaks to friends; Speaking without acting, The wise understand him. He is not a friend who is always watchful, Suspecting division, always looking for faults; But in whom one rests as a son on the breast, He is truly a friend, who cannot be broken by others. A state that causes joy, Happiness that brings praise; He develops the fruit and benefit, Bearing the burden of a man. Having drunk the taste of solitude, And the taste of tranquility; He becomes free from sorrow, free from evil, They drink the taste of Dhamma-joy. The third Discourse on Conscience is finished. 4. The Discourse on Blessings Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Sāvatthī, in Jeta's Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika's monastery. Then a certain deity, when the night was far advanced, with radiant beauty, illuminating the entire Jeta's Grove, approached the Blessed One. Having approached and paid homage to the Blessed One, she stood to one side. Standing to one side, that deity addressed the Blessed One with a verse: 261. Many gods and humans, have pondered blessings, desiring welfare. Please tell the highest blessing. 262. Not associating with fools, associating with the wise, and honoring those worthy of honor: This is the highest blessing. 263. Dwelling in a suitable land, having made merit in the past, and setting oneself on the right course: This is the highest blessing. 264. Great learning and skill, a well-trained discipline, and speech that is well-spoken: This is the highest blessing. 265. Support of mother and father, support of wife and children, and unconfused occupations: This is the highest blessing. 266. Generosity and righteous conduct, support of relatives, and blameless actions: This is the highest blessing. 267. Cessation from evil, abstinence from evil, restraint from intoxicating drinks, and diligence in wholesome states: This is the highest blessing. 268. Reverence and humility, contentment and gratitude, and hearing the Dhamma at the right time: This is the highest blessing. 269. Patience and obedience, seeing ascetics, and discussing the Dhamma at the right time: This is the highest blessing. 270. Austerity and holy life, seeing the Noble Truths, and realizing Nibbāna: This is the highest blessing. 271. For one whose mind is unshaken, when touched by worldly conditions, sorrowless, stainless, secure: This is the highest blessing. 272. E Having done such things, undefeated everywhere; They go to well-being everywhere, that is their highest blessing. The Discourse on Blessings, the fourth, is finished. 5. The Discourse to Sūciloma Thus have I heard: At one time the Blessed One was dwelling in Gayā, in the abode of the yakkha Sūciloma, on a rock-bed. Now at that time the yakkha Khara and the yakkha Sūciloma were passing not far from the Blessed One. Then the yakkha Khara said to the yakkha Sūciloma: "That is an ascetic." "He is not an ascetic, he is a petty ascetic. I will know whether he is an ascetic or a petty ascetic." Then the yakkha Sūciloma approached the Blessed One; having approached, he brought his body close to the Blessed One's body. Then the Blessed One moved his body away. Then the yakkha Sūciloma said to the Blessed One: "Are you afraid of me, ascetic?