4:5 The Octad on the Supreme

796Settling [on his own] as supreme among views,
whatever a person esteems as best in the world,
[in comparison] he says all others are “inferior”:
therefore he has not transcended disputes. (1)

797Whatever benefit one sees for oneself
in the seen, the heard, the sensed,
or in good behavior and observances,
having grasped hold of that alone,
one regards all else as inferior. (2)

798The skilled speak of that as a knot
when one is attached and regards others as inferior.
Therefore a bhikkhu should not be attached to the seen,
to the heard or sensed, or to good behavior and observances. (3) [157]

799Nor should one construct any view in the world
by means of knowledge or good behavior and observances.
One should not take oneself as “equal”
or think of oneself as “inferior” or “superior.” (4)

800Having abandoned what is taken up, not clinging,
one does not create a dependency even on knowledge.
Not taking sides among those who are divided,
one does not fall back on any view at all. (5)

801For one who has no wish here for either end,
for various states of existence here or beyond,
there are no places of residence at all
grasped after deciding among teachings. (6)

802Not even a subtle notion is formulated by him
about what is seen, heard, or sensed here.
How could anyone here in the world categorize him,
that brahmin who does not cling to any view? (7)

803They do not construct, they have no preferences;
even the teachings are not embraced by them. [158]
A brahmin cannot be led by good behavior and observances;
the impartial one, gone beyond, does not fall back. (8)

Paramaṭṭhakasutta

796Paramanti diṭṭhīsu paribbasāno,
Yaduttari kurute jantu loke;
Hīnāti aññe tato sabbamāha,
Tasmā vivādāni avītivatto.

797 Yadattanī passati ānisaṁsaṁ,
Diṭṭhe sute sīlavate mute vā;
Tadeva so tattha samuggahāya,
Nihīnato passati sabbamaññaṁ.

798 Taṁ vāpi ganthaṁ kusalā vadanti,
Yaṁ nissito passati hīnamaññaṁ;
Tasmā hi diṭṭhaṁ va sutaṁ mutaṁ vā,
Sīlabbataṁ bhikkhu na nissayeyya.

799 Diṭṭhimpi lokasmiṁ na kappayeyya,
Ñāṇena vā sīlavatena vāpi;
Samoti attānamanūpaneyya,
Hīno na maññetha visesi vāpi.

800 Attaṁ pahāya anupādiyāno,
Ñāṇepi so nissayaṁ no karoti;
Sa ve viyattesu na vaggasārī,
Diṭṭhimpi so na pacceti kiñci.

801 Yassūbhayante paṇidhīdha natthi,
Bhavābhavāya idha vā huraṁ vā;
Nivesanā tassa na santi keci,
Dhammesu niccheyya samuggahītaṁ.

802 Tassīdha diṭṭhe va sute mute vā,
Pakappitā natthi aṇūpi saññā;
Taṁ brāhmaṇaṁ diṭṭhimanādiyānaṁ,
Kenīdha lokasmiṁ vikappayeyya.

803 Na kappayanti na purekkharonti,
Dhammāpi tesaṁ na paṭicchitāse;
Na brāhmaṇo sīlavatena neyyo,
Pāraṅgato na pacceti tādīti.

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Paramaṭṭhakasuttaṁ pañcamaṁ.