English
The Chapter of Eights 1. Verses of the Elder Mahākaccāyana 494. One should not do much work, One should avoid people, not strive; He who is zealous, greedy for tastes, Loses the goal that leads to happiness. 495. Indeed, they declared it a mire, This veneration and homage in families; A subtle dart, hard to extract, Honor is hard for a base person to abandon. 496. Not by another's instruction, Should a mortal do evil deeds; One should not engage in it oneself, Out of regard for kinsmen of deeds. 497. Not by others' word is one a thief, Not by others' word is one a sage; As one knows oneself, So do the devas know one. 498. Others do not know, "We are perishing here"; But those who know this, From that, their quarrels cease. 499. A wise person lives, Even with loss of wealth; But without gaining wisdom, Even a wealthy person does not truly live. 500. One hears all with the ear, One sees all with the eye; But the wise one should not, Cling to all seen and heard. 501. One should be as if blind, though having eyes, As if deaf, though having ears; As if mute, though having wisdom, As if weak, though having strength; Then, when a matter arises, One should lie like a dead person. ... The Elder Mahākaccāyana. 2. Verses of the Elder Sirimitta 502. Not angry, not resentful, Not deceitful, free from slander; Indeed, such a monk, Does not grieve after death. 503. Not angry, not resentful, Not deceitful, free from slander; A monk with guarded doors always, Does not grieve after death. 504. Not angry, not resentful, Not deceitful, free from slander; That monk of good conduct, Does not grieve after death. 505. Not angry, not resentful, Not deceitful, free from slander; That monk of good friendship, Does not grieve after death. 506. Not angry, not resentful, Not deceitful, free from slander; That monk of good wisdom, Does not grieve after death. 507. Whose faith in the Tathāgata, Is unshakeable, well-established; And whose conduct... Whose good, beloved by the noble, is praised. 508. In the Saṅgha, whose faith exists, And whose vision is upright; ‘Not poor’ they call him, His life is not in vain. 509. Therefore, faith and virtue, Clarity and Dhamma-vision; The wise one should practice, Remembering the Buddhas’ teaching. … Elder Sirimitto …. 3. The Verses of Elder Mahāpanthaka 510. When first I saw The Teacher, fearless; Then urgency arose in me, Having seen the supreme man. 511. Who would push away fortune, That comes with hands and feet; Such a Teacher, having pleased, He would then displease. 512. Then I abandoned Children and wife, Wealth and grain; Having cut hair and beard, I went forth into homelessness. 513. Endowed with training and livelihood, Well-restrained in the senses; Saluting the Fully Awakened One, I dwelt unconquered. 514. Then for me was a resolve, Desired by the mind; I would not sit even for a moment, While craving’s dart was not uprooted. 515. As I thus dwelt, See my energy and effort; The three knowledges were attained, The Buddha’s teaching was done. 516. I know past lives, The divine eye is purified; I am an Arahant, worthy of offerings, Completely freed, without substratum. 517. Then at the end of the night, At the rising of the sun; Having dried up all craving, I sat in cross-legged posture. … Elder Mahāpanthaka …. The Section of Eights is finished. Therein is the summary: Elder Mahākaccāyana, Sirimitto, Mahāpanthaka; These in the Eights Section, Are twenty-four verses.