1Maggānaṭṭhaṅgiko seṭṭho,
Of paths, the eightfold is the best;
2saccānaṁ caturo padā;
of truths, the four statements;
3Virāgo seṭṭho dhammānaṁ,
dispassion is the best of things,
4dvipadānañca cakkhumā.
and the Clear-eyed One is the best of humans.
5Eseva maggo natthañño,
<em>This</em> is the path, there is no other
6Dassanassa visuddhiyā;
for the purification of vision.
7Etañhi tumhe paṭipajjatha,
You all must practice this,
8Mārassetaṁ pamohanaṁ.
it is the way to baffle Māra.
9Etañhi tumhe paṭipannā,
When you all are practicing this,
10dukkhassantaṁ karissatha;
you will make an end of suffering.
11Akkhāto vo mayā maggo,
I have explained the path to you
12aññāya sallakantanaṁ.
for extracting the thorn with wisdom.
13Tumhehi kiccamātappaṁ,
You yourselves must do the work,
14akkhātāro tathāgatā;
the Realized Ones just show the way.
15Paṭipannā pamokkhanti,
Meditators practicing absorption
16jhāyino mārabandhanā.
are released from Māra’s bonds.
17“Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā”ti,
All conditions are impermanent—
18yadā paññāya passati;
when this is seen with wisdom,
19Atha nibbindati dukkhe,
one grows disillusioned with suffering:
20esa maggo visuddhiyā.
this is the path to purity.
21“Sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā”ti,
All conditions are suffering—
22yadā paññāya passati;
when this is seen with wisdom,
23Atha nibbindati dukkhe,
one grows disillusioned with suffering:
24esa maggo visuddhiyā.
this is the path to purity.
25“Sabbe dhammā anattā”ti,
All things are not-self—
26yadā paññāya passati;
when this is seen with wisdom,
27Atha nibbindati dukkhe,
one grows disillusioned with suffering:
28esa maggo visuddhiyā.
this is the path to purity.
29Uṭṭhānakālamhi anuṭṭhahāno,
They don’t get going when it’s time to start;
30Yuvā balī ālasiyaṁ upeto;
they’re young and strong, but given to sloth.
31Saṁsannasaṅkappamano kusīto,
Their mind depressed in sunken thought,
32Paññāya maggaṁ alaso na vindati.
lazy and slothful, they can’t discern the path.
33Vācānurakkhī manasā susaṁvuto,
Guarded in speech, restrained in mind,
34Kāyena ca nākusalaṁ kayirā;
doing no unskillful bodily deed.
35Ete tayo kammapathe visodhaye,
Purify these three ways of performing deeds,
36Ārādhaye maggamisippaveditaṁ.
and win the path known to seers.
37Yogā ve jāyatī bhūri,
From meditation springs wisdom,
38ayogā bhūrisaṅkhayo;
without meditation, wisdom ends.
39Etaṁ dvedhāpathaṁ ñatvā,
Knowing these two paths—
40bhavāya vibhavāya ca;
of progress and decline—
41Tathāttānaṁ niveseyya,
you should conduct yourself
42yathā bhūri pavaḍḍhati.
so that wisdom grows.
43Vanaṁ chindatha mā rukkhaṁ,
Cut down the jungle, not just a tree;
44vanato jāyate bhayaṁ;
from the jungle springs fear.
45Chetvā vanañca vanathañca,
Having cut down jungle and snarl,
46nibbanā hotha bhikkhavo.
be free of jungles, mendicants!
47Yāva hi vanatho na chijjati,
So long as the vine, no matter how small,
48Aṇumattopi narassa nārisu;
that ties a man to women is not cut,
49Paṭibaddhamanova tāva so,
his mind remains trapped,
50Vaccho khīrapakova mātari.
like a calf suckling its mother.
51Ucchinda sinehamattano,
Cut out affection for oneself,
52Kumudaṁ sāradikaṁva pāṇinā;
like plucking an autumn lotus.
53Santimaggameva brūhaya,
Foster only the path to peace,
54Nibbānaṁ sugatena desitaṁ.
the extinguishment the Holy One taught.
55Idha vassaṁ vasissāmi,
“Here I will stay for the rains;
56idha hemantagimhisu;
here for winter, here the summer”;
57Iti bālo vicinteti,
thus the fool thinks,
58antarāyaṁ na bujjhati.
not realizing the danger.
59Taṁ puttapasusammattaṁ,
As a mighty flood sweeps away a sleeping village,
60byāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ;
death steals away a man
61Suttaṁ gāmaṁ mahoghova,
who dotes on children and cattle,
62maccu ādāya gacchati.
his mind caught up in them.
63Na santi puttā tāṇāya,
Children provide you no shelter,
64na pitā nāpi bandhavā;
nor does father, nor relatives.
65Antakenādhipannassa,
When you’re seized by the terminator,
66natthi ñātīsu tāṇatā.
there’s no shelter in family.
67Etamatthavasaṁ ñatvā,
Knowing the reason for this,
68paṇḍito sīlasaṁvuto;
astute, and ethically restrained,
69Nibbānagamanaṁ maggaṁ,
one would quickly clear the path
70khippameva visodhaye.
that leads to extinguishment.