English
Twice I asked the Sakyan, The Visionary did not answer me; And a third time, O divine one, I have heard that you will answer. 142. This world, the other world, the Brahma world with its deities; Your view does not know, of Gotama, the renowned one. 143. Having thus seen the excellent, I have come with a question; How, regarding the world, does the King of Death not see? 144. Regard the world as empty, Mogharāja, always mindful; Having removed the view of self, thus you will cross over death; Regarding the world in this way, the King of Death does not see. The fifteenth question of the student Mogharāja. 16. The Question of the Student Piṅgiya 145. I am old, weak, my complexion faded, My eyes are not clear, my hearing is not easy; Let me not perish bewildered in between, Teach me the Dhamma by which I may know; The abandoning of birth and aging here. 146. Seeing beings afflicted by forms, People, heedless, suffer through forms; Therefore, Piṅgiya, being heedful, abandon form for non-recurrence. 147. The four main directions, the four intermediate directions, Above and below, these ten directions; Nothing unseen, unheard, unperceived by you, Nor unknown, exists in the world; Teach me the Dhamma by which I may know, The abandoning of birth and aging here. 148. Seeing people overcome by craving, Arisen in suffering, surrounded by aging; Therefore, Piṅgiya, being heedful, abandon craving for non-recurrence. The sixteenth question of the student Piṅgiya. 17. The Verses of Praise for the Way to the Far Shore Thus spoke the Blessed One, dwelling in Magadha, at the Pāsāṇaka shrine, being requested and questioned by sixteen attendant brahmins, he answered their questions. If one understands the meaning of each question, understands the Dhamma, and practices according to the Dhamma, one would surely reach the far shore of old age and death. "These teachings lead to the far shore" – therefore, the designation for this discourse on Dhamma is "The Way to the Far Shore." 149. Ajita, Tissa-Metteyya, Then Puṇṇaka, and Mettagū; Dhotaka and Upasīva, And Nanda, then Hemaka. 150. Todeyya and Kappa, both, And Jatukaṇṇī, the wise; Bhadrāvudha and Udaya, And Posāla, the brahmin; Mogharāja, the sagacious, And Piṅgiya, the great sage. 151. These approached the Buddha, The sage of perfect conduct; Asking subtle questions, They came to the best of Buddhas. 152. To them the Buddha explained, When questioned, the questions truly; By answering their questions, The sage pleased the brahmins. 153. Pleased by the One with Vision, The Buddha, kinsman of the sun; They lived the holy life, In the presence of the supremely wise. 154. For each and every question, As taught by the Buddha; Whoever practices accordingly, Would go from this shore to the far shore. 155. From this shore to the far shore one would go, Developing the supreme path; That path is for going to the far shore, Therefore, it is called "The Way to the Far Shore." 156. "I will sing of the Way to the Far Shore," "As he saw, so he declared, The Stainless One, of vast wisdom; Desireless, extinguished, the Great Being, For what reason would he speak falsely?" 157. "Of him who has abandoned defilement and delusion, Who has given up conceit and contempt; Come now, I will proclaim, Words filled with praise." 158. "The Buddha, dispeller of darkness, all-seeing, Has reached the world's end, transcending all existence; Without taints, all suffering abandoned, Called Truth, the Brahma, he is served by me." 159. "As a bird, having abandoned a small thicket," He should dwell in a forest with many fruits. Thus I, having abandoned the shallow ones, have reached the great ocean, like a swan. 160. Those who previously declared to me, apart from Gotama's teaching: "It was thus, it will be thus." All that is mere hearsay, all that is an increase of speculation. 161. Alone, unattached to darkness, he is radiant, a light-maker. Gotama, of vast wisdom, Gotama, of vast intelligence. 162. He who taught me the Dhamma, visible here and now, timeless, the destruction of craving, free from affliction, to which there is no equal anywhere. 163. Why do you dwell apart from him, even for a moment, Piṅgiya? From Gotama, of vast wisdom, from Gotama, of vast intelligence. 164. He who taught you the Dhamma, visible here and now, timeless, the destruction of craving, free from affliction, to which there is no equal anywhere. 165. I do not dwell apart from him, even for a moment, brahmin; from Gotama, of vast wisdom, from Gotama, of vast intelligence. 166. He who taught me the Dhamma, visible here and now, timeless, the destruction of craving, free from affliction, to which there is no equal anywhere. 167. I see him with my mind, as if with my eyes, day and night, brahmin, diligently. Worshipping, I spend the night, by that, I consider it not dwelling apart. 168. Faith and joy and mind and mindfulness, these do not depart from Gotama's teaching. Whichever direction the widely wise one goes, I am bowed down in that very direction. 169. For me, who is old and weak in strength, therefore my body does not go there. I always go by intention, for my mind, brahmin, is joined with him. 170. Lying in the mud, struggling, I swam from island to island. Then I saw the Perfectly Awakened One, crossed over the flood, without defilements. 171. Just as Vakkali was released by faith, and Bhadrāvudha, and Āḷavigotama; even so, you too, release your faith, you will go, Piṅgiya, to the far shore of death's domain. 172. I am even more gladdened, having heard the sage's words. The Fully Awakened One, with the veil removed, akhi. Look, he is quick-witted. 173. Having directly known the devas, He knows all, higher and lower; The Teacher who ends questions, For those who acknowledge their doubts. 174. Unshaken, unperturbed, For whom there is no comparison anywhere; Surely I will go, no doubt for me in this, Thus hold me in mind with resolute faith. The verses of the Pārāyana Recitation are concluded.