5.2. Ajita’s Questions

“Kenassu nivuto loko,

(iccāyasmā ajito)

Kenassu nappakāsati;

Kissābhilepanaṁ brūsi,

Kiṁsu tassa mahabbhayaṁ”.

“Avijjāya nivuto loko,

(ajitāti bhagavā)

Vevicchā pamādā nappakāsati;

Jappābhilepanaṁ brūmi,

Dukkhamassa mahabbhayaṁ”.

“Savanti sabbadhi sotā,

(iccāyasmā ajito)

Sotānaṁ kiṁ nivāraṇaṁ;

Sotānaṁ saṁvaraṁ brūhi,

Kena sotā pidhiyyare”.

“Yāni sotāni lokasmiṁ,

(ajitāti bhagavā)

Sati tesaṁ nivāraṇaṁ;

Sotānaṁ saṁvaraṁ brūmi,

Paññāyete pidhiyyare”.

“Paññā ceva sati yañca,

(iccāyasmā ajito)

Nāmarūpañca mārisa;

Etaṁ me puṭṭho pabrūhi,

Katthetaṁ uparujjhati”.

“Yametaṁ pañhaṁ apucchi,

ajita taṁ vadāmi te;

Yattha nāmañca rūpañca,

asesaṁ uparujjhati;

Viññāṇassa nirodhena,

etthetaṁ uparujjhati”.

“Ye ca saṅkhātadhammāse,

ye ca sekhā puthū idha;

Tesaṁ me nipako iriyaṁ,

puṭṭho pabrūhi mārisa”.

“Kāmesu nābhigijjheyya,

Manasānāvilo siyā;

Kusalo sabbadhammānaṁ,

Sato bhikkhu paribbaje”ti.

Ajitamāṇavapucchā paṭhamā.

SC 1SC Verse 1039Ajita
The world, by what it’s wrapped?
and why it shines not forth?
say too with what it’s smeared?
and what’s its greatest fear?

SC 2SC Verse 1040Buddha
The world is wrapped by Ignorance;
It shines not forth due to doubt and negligence;
Its smeared by longing,
And suffering is its greatest fear.

SC 3SC Verse 1041Ajita
The streams are flowing everywhere,
how can the streams be blocked,
say how the streams may be restrained?
by what the streams are dammed?

SC 4SC Verse 1042Buddha
Whatever streams are in the world,
they may be blocked by mindfulness—
that I say is streams’ restraint;
by wisdom they are dammed.

SC 5SC Verse 1043Ajita
So wisdom it is and mindfulness!
Now, sir, I ask you, tell me this:
the namer-mind, the bodily form—
where does it cease to be?

SC 6SC Verse 1044Buddha
That question asked by you
I tell about it now,
the namer-mind and bodily form
where they cease to be:
by cessation of the consciousness,
they wholly cease to be.

SC 7SC Verse 1045Ajita
Who have the Dharma measured up,
who train themselves, the multitude,
how, sir, do they behave themselves?
please answer what I speak.

SC 8SC Verse 1046Buddha
No greediness in pleasures of sense,
having a tranquil mind and clear,
skilled in all the Dharma’s ways—
that mindful bhikkhu who’s left home.