5.12. Jatukaṇṇi’s Questions

“Sutvānahaṁ vīramakāmakāmiṁ,

(iccāyasmā jatukaṇṇi)

Oghātigaṁ puṭṭhumakāmamāgamaṁ;

Santipadaṁ brūhi sahajanetta,

Yathātacchaṁ bhagavā brūhi metaṁ.

Bhagavā hi kāme abhibhuyya iriyati,

Ādiccova pathaviṁ tejī tejasā;

Parittapaññassa me bhūripañña,

Ācikkha dhammaṁ yamahaṁ vijaññaṁ;

Jātijarāya idha vippahānaṁ”.

“Kāmesu vinaya gedhaṁ,

(jatukaṇṇīti bhagavā)

Nekkhammaṁ daṭṭhu khemato;

Uggahītaṁ nirattaṁ vā,

Mā te vijjittha kiñcanaṁ.

Yaṁ pubbe taṁ visosehi,

pacchā te māhu kiñcanaṁ;

Majjhe ce no gahessasi,

upasanto carissasi.

Sabbaso nāmarūpasmiṁ,

Vītagedhassa brāhmaṇa;

Āsavāssa na vijjanti,

Yehi maccuvasaṁ vaje”ti.

Jatukaṇṇimāṇavapucchā ekādasamā.

SC 1SC Verse 1103Jatukaṇṇi
I’ve heard of the heroic one
from desires free for pleasures sensuous,
with Question I come for the flood-crosser,
from desire free
O Lord with Eye innate, tell me the Peaceful State—
how truly it is, tell me of this.

SC 2SC Verse 1104The Lord comports himself as the senses’ conqueror
as the hot sun the earth by its heat,
of small wit am I, Thou of wisdom great,
explain to me Dharma that I may understand.

SC 3SC Verse 1105Buddha
The abandonment here of birth and old age,
greed for sensual pleasures curb,
and safety see in letting-go,
let there not be found in you
grasping or rejection.

SC 4SC Verse 1106Dry up whatever’s gone “before”,
while “after” have no thing at all;
if in the “middle” you don’t grasp,
you’ll fare in Perfect Peace.

SC 5SC Verse 1107O brahmin, from greediness free
for every sort of name-and-form,
the inflows are not found by which
one’d go beneath death’s sway.