5.5. Mettagū’s Questions

“Pucchāmi taṁ bhagavā brūhi me taṁ,

(iccāyasmā mettagū)

Maññāmi taṁ vedaguṁ bhāvitattaṁ;

Kuto nu dukkhā samudāgatā ime,

Ye keci lokasmimanekarūpā”.

“Dukkhassa ve maṁ pabhavaṁ apucchasi,

(mettagūti bhagavā)

Taṁ te pavakkhāmi yathā pajānaṁ;

Upadhinidānā pabhavanti dukkhā,

Ye keci lokasmimanekarūpā.

Yo ve avidvā upadhiṁ karoti,

Punappunaṁ dukkhamupeti mando;

Tasmā pajānaṁ upadhiṁ na kayirā,

Dukkhassa jātippabhavānupassī”.

“Yaṁ taṁ apucchimha akittayī no,

Aññaṁ taṁ pucchāma tadiṅgha brūhi;

Kathaṁ nu dhīrā vitaranti oghaṁ,

Jātiṁ jaraṁ sokapariddavañca;

Taṁ me muni sādhu viyākarohi,

Tathā hi te vidito esa dhammo”.

“Kittayissāmi te dhammaṁ,

(mettagūti bhagavā)

Diṭṭhe dhamme anītihaṁ;

Yaṁ viditvā sato caraṁ,

Tare loke visattikaṁ”.

“Tañcāhaṁ abhinandāmi,

mahesi dhammamuttamaṁ;

Yaṁ viditvā sato caraṁ,

tare loke visattikaṁ”.

“Yaṁ kiñci sampajānāsi,

(mettagūti bhagavā)

Uddhaṁ adho tiriyañcāpi majjhe;

Etesu nandiñca nivesanañca,

Panujja viññāṇaṁ bhave na tiṭṭhe.

Evaṁvihārī sato appamatto,

Bhikkhu caraṁ hitvā mamāyitāni;

Jātiṁ jaraṁ sokapariddavañca,

Idheva vidvā pajaheyya dukkhaṁ”.

“Etābhinandāmi vaco mahesino,

Sukittitaṁ gotamanūpadhīkaṁ;

Addhā hi bhagavā pahāsi dukkhaṁ,

Tathā hi te vidito esa dhammo.

Te cāpi nūnappajaheyyu dukkhaṁ,

Ye tvaṁ muni aṭṭhitaṁ ovadeyya;

Taṁ taṁ namassāmi samecca nāga,

Appeva maṁ bhagavā aṭṭhitaṁ ovadeyya”.

“Yaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ vedagumābhijaññā,

Akiñcanaṁ kāmabhave asattaṁ;

Addhā hi so oghamimaṁ atāri,

Tiṇṇo ca pāraṁ akhilo akaṅkho.

Vidvā ca yo vedagū naro idha,

Bhavābhave saṅgamimaṁ visajja;

So vītataṇho anīgho nirāso,

Atāri so jātijaranti brūmī”ti.

Mettagūmāṇavapucchā catutthī.

SC 1SC Verse 1056Mettagū
Reached Vedas’ end, I deem, developed yourself,
so I ask the Lord thus, please tell me of this:
how then have resulted these various dukkhas
of various forms found in the world?

SC 2SC Verse 1057Buddha
On dukkha’s arising you’ve asked me indeed,
so as I have Known, I impart it to you:
The diverse-formed dukkhas come to exist
from attachments to asset of whatever kind.

SC 3SC Verse 1058That ignorant one attached indeed to assets,
stupidly reaches to dukkha repeatedly,
therefore that one in seeing dukkha’s birth and arising,
such attached-to assets should not be created.

SC 4SC Verse 1059Mettagū
Whatever we asked, to us you explained,
another thing I ask, please speak upon that:
how do the wise ones cross over the flood
of birth and decay, lamentation and grief?
O Sage, do well declare this to me now,
for certainly this dharma has been known by you.

SC 5SC Verse 1060Buddha
This Dharma I’ll explain to you,
Seen-now and not traditional law,
knowing which the mindful fare,
and cross the world’s entanglements.

SC 6SC Verse 1061Mettagū
I am delighted, Seeker Great,
with this Dharma ultimate,
knowing which the mindful fare,
and cross the world’s entanglements.

SC 7SC Verse 1062Buddha
Whatever you cognize above,
below, across and in between,
consciously dispel delight in them,
and settling-down—in “being” you’ll not stand.

SC 8SC Verse 1063Mindfully who live like this, aware,
such bhikkhus, let go of “making-mine”
with birth and decay, lamenting and grief:
just here do the wise all dukkha let go.

SC 9SC Verse 1064Mettagū
With the Great Seeker’s speech I am overjoyed,
well explained, O Gotama, is “assets unattached”,
for surely the Lord all dukkha has let go,
for certainly this Dharma has been Known by you.

SC 10SC Verse 1065Those who the Sage always advises,
surely they’re able to let go of dukkha,
to the Nāga drawn near, to you I bow down;
maybe the Lord will advise me as well.

SC 11SC Verse 1066Buddha
Knowing well that brahmin true to Love’s end*Sujato: The term translated by lkm in this and the next verse as “love’s end” is vedagū. This is a Brahmanical term referring to one accomplished in the three Vedas, and interpreted by the Buddha as one perfected in liberating knowledge. Perhaps lkm renders veda as “love” rather than “knowledge” due to the speaker’s name, mettagū. In some cases veda and its derivates, such as vedanā, extend in meaning to “emotion”. reached,
having nought and unattached to sensual being,
for certain that one this flood has overcrossed,
crossed to the Far Shore, free of doubts and harshness.

SC 12SC Verse 1067This is one who Knows, reached Love’s end just here,
cut bondage to any being, either high or low,
free from craving and desire, free from distress,
I say such one’s crossed over birth and decay.