1“Attadaṇḍā bhayaṁ jātaṁ,
Peril stems from those who take up arms—
2janaṁ passatha medhagaṁ;
just look how people conflict!
3Saṁvegaṁ kittayissāmi,
I shall extol how I came to be
4yathā saṁvijitaṁ mayā.
stirred with a sense of urgency.
5Phandamānaṁ pajaṁ disvā,
I saw this population flounder,
6macche appodake yathā;
like a fish in a little puddle.
7Aññamaññehi byāruddhe,
Seeing them at odds with each other,
8disvā maṁ bhayamāvisi.
fear came upon me.
9Samantamasāro loko,
The world around was volatile,
10disā sabbā sameritā;
all directions were in turmoil.
11Icchaṁ bhavanamattano,
Wanting a home for myself,
12nāddasāsiṁ anositaṁ.
I saw nowhere unsettled.
13Osāne tveva byāruddhe,
Yet even in their settlement they were at odds—
14Disvā me aratī ahu;
seeing that, I grew uneasy.
15Athettha sallamaddakkhiṁ,
Then I saw a dart there,
16Duddasaṁ hadayanissitaṁ.
so hard to see, stuck in the heart.
17Yena sallena otiṇṇo,
When struck by that dart,
18disā sabbā vidhāvati;
you run around in all directions.
19Tameva sallamabbuyha,
But when that same dart has been plucked out,
20na dhāvati na sīdati.
you neither run around nor sink down.
21Tattha sikkhānugīyanti,
(On that topic, the trainings are recited.)
22yāni loke gadhitāni;
Whatever attachments there are in the world,
23Na tesu pasuto siyā,
don’t pursue them.
24nibbijjha sabbaso kāme;
Having pierced through sensual pleasures <j>in every way,
25Sikkhe nibbānamattano.
train yourself for extinguishment.
26Sacco siyā appagabbho,
Be truthful, not rude,
27amāyo rittapesuṇo;
free of deceit, and rid of slander;
28Akkodhano lobhapāpaṁ,
without anger, a sage would cross over
29vevicchaṁ vitare muni.
the evils of greed and avarice.
30Niddaṁ tandiṁ sahe thīnaṁ,
Prevail over sleepiness, sloth, and drowsiness,
31pamādena na saṁvase;
don’t abide in negligence,
32Atimāne na tiṭṭheyya,
A person intent on quenching
33nibbānamanaso naro.
would not stand for arrogance.
34Mosavajje na nīyetha,
Don’t be led into lying,
35rūpe snehaṁ na kubbaye;
or get caught up in affection for form.
36Mānañca parijāneyya,
Completely understand conceit,
37sāhasā virato care.
and desist from hasty conduct.
38Purāṇaṁ nābhinandeyya,
Don’t relish the old,
39Nave khantiṁ na kubbaye;
or welcome the new.
40Hiyyamāne na soceyya,
Don’t grieve for what is running out,
41Ākāsaṁ na sito siyā.
or get attached to things that pull you in.
42Gedhaṁ brūmi mahoghoti,
Greed, I say, is the great flood,
43Ājavaṁ brūmi jappanaṁ;
and longing is the current—
44Ārammaṇaṁ pakappanaṁ,
the basis, the compulsion,
45Kāmapaṅko duraccayo.
the swamp of sensuality so hard to get past.
46Saccā avokkamma muni,
The sage never strays from the truth;
47Thale tiṭṭhati brāhmaṇo;
the brahmin stands on solid ground.
48Sabbaṁ so paṭinissajja,
Having given up everything,
49Sa ve santoti vuccati.
they are said to be at peace.
50Sa ve vidvā sa vedagū,
They have truly known, they’re a knowledge master,
51Ñatvā dhammaṁ anissito;
understanding the teaching, they are independent.
52Sammā so loke iriyāno,
They rightly proceed in the world,
53Na pihetīdha kassaci.
not coveting anything here.
54Yodha kāme accatari,
One who has crossed over sensuality here,
55Saṅgaṁ loke duraccayaṁ;
the chain in the world so hard to get past,
56Na so socati nājjheti,
grieves not, nor hopes;
57Chinnasoto abandhano.
they’ve cut the strings, they’re no longer bound.
58Yaṁ pubbe taṁ visosehi,
What came before, let wither away,
59Pacchā te māhu kiñcanaṁ;
and after, let there be nothing.
60Majjhe ce no gahessasi,
If you don’t grasp at the middle,
61Upasanto carissasi.
you will live at peace.
62Sabbaso nāmarūpasmiṁ,
One who has no sense of ownership
63Yassa natthi mamāyitaṁ;
in the whole realm of name and form,
64Asatā ca na socati,
does not grieve for that which is not,
65Sa ve loke na jīyati.
they suffer no loss in the world.
66Yassa natthi idaṁ meti,
If you don’t think of anything
67Paresaṁ vāpi kiñcanaṁ;
as belonging to yourself or others,
68Mamattaṁ so asaṁvindaṁ,
not finding anything to be ‘mine’,
69Natthi meti na socati.
you won’t grieve, thinking ‘I don’t have it’.
70Aniṭṭhurī ananugiddho,
Not bitter, not fawning,
71Anejo sabbadhī samo;
unstirred, everywhere even;
72Tamānisaṁsaṁ pabrūmi,
when asked about one who is unwavering,
73Pucchito avikampinaṁ.
I declare that that is the benefit.
74Anejassa vijānato,
For the unstirred who understand,
75Natthi kāci nisaṅkhati;
there’s no performance of deeds.
76Virato so viyārabbhā,
Desisting from instigation,
77Khemaṁ passati sabbadhi.
they see sanctuary everywhere.
78Na samesu na omesu,
A sage doesn’t speak of themselves as being
79Na ussesu vadate muni;
among superiors, inferiors, or equals.
80Santo so vītamaccharo,
Peaceful, rid of stinginess,
81Nādeti na nirassatī”ti.
they are neither ditching nor taking up.