5.3. Tissamettaya’s Questions

“Kodha santusito loke,

(iccāyasmā tissametteyyo)

Kassa no santi iñjitā;

Ko ubhantamabhiññāya,

Majjhe mantā na lippati;

Kaṁ brūsi mahāpurisoti,

Ko idha sibbinimaccagā”.

“Kāmesu brahmacariyavā,

(metteyyāti bhagavā)

Vītataṇho sadā sato;

Saṅkhāya nibbuto bhikkhu,

Tassa no santi iñjitā.

So ubhantamabhiññāya,

Majjhe mantā na lippati;

Taṁ brūmi mahāpurisoti,

So idha sibbinimaccagā”ti.

Tissametteyyamāṇavapucchā dutiyā.

SC 1SC Verse 1047Tissa
Who has contentment in the world?
Who is not agitated?
Who has experienced both extremes,
but wise, in the middle does not stick?
Who do you say’s a person great?
Who, seamstress-craving’s gone beyond?

SC 2SC Verse 1048Buddha
A pure life leading ’mid pleasures of sense,
ever mindful and craving-free,
a bhikkhu cool, after reflection deep,
agitation’s none in such a one.

SC 3SC Verse 1049Who has experienced both extremes,
who wise, in the middle does not stick,
he, I say, is a person great,
who the seamstress-craving’s gone beyond.