4:8 Pasūra

824“‘Here alone is purity,’ they declare;
they say there is no purification in other teachings.
Declaring whatever they depend on to be excellent,
many are entrenched in separate truths. (1)

825“Desiring debate, having plunged into the assembly,
in pairs they accuse one another of being a fool.
Those of different convictions assert their argument,
desiring praise, claiming to be skilled. (2)

826“Keen on speaking in the midst of the assembly,
wishing for praise, he becomes anxious.
If his assertion is rejected, he feels humiliated.
Upset by blame, he seeks a flaw [in his opponent]. (3) [162]

827“If they say his assertion is defective,
and the judges consider it rejected,
the loser laments and sorrows,
he moans: ‘He surpassed me.’ (4)

828“These disputes have arisen among ascetics;
in relation to them, one becomes elated and dejected.
Having seen this, too, one should desist from arguments,
for there is no other benefit than praise and gain. (5)

829“If, however, he is praised there,
having declared his doctrine in the midst of the assembly,
he is thrilled by this and swells with pride,
having obtained the benefit that accords with his wish. (6)

830“Though his pride is the ground of distress,
he yet speaks from conceit and arrogance.
Having seen this, too, one should not dispute;
for the skilled say this does not bring purity. (7)

831“Just as a hero, nourished on the king’s food,
comes thundering, desiring an opponent,
rush off in his direction, Sūra;I take sūra here, which means “hero,” to be a short form of the adversary’s name, Pasūra.
already in the past, there was no scope for a fight. (8)

832“When they grasp a view and argue,
and assert, ‘This alone is true,’ [163]
tell them: ‘When a debate has arisen
there is no opponent for you here.’ (9)

833“But among those who live remote,
who do not oppose a view with other views,
what will you obtain, Pasūra, from those
who grasp nothing here as supreme? (10)

834“But now you have come brooding,
devising speculative views in your mind.
You have confronted one who is cleansed:
indeed, you won’t be able to succeed.” (11)

Pasūrasutta

824Idheva suddhī iti vādayanti,
Nāññesu dhammesu visuddhimāhu;
Yaṁ nissitā tattha subhaṁ vadānā,
Paccekasaccesu puthū niviṭṭhā.

825 Te vādakāmā parisaṁ vigayha,
Bālaṁ dahantī mithu aññamaññaṁ;
Vadanti te aññasitā kathojjaṁ,
Pasaṁsakāmā kusalā vadānā.

826 Yutto kathāyaṁ parisāya majjhe,
Pasaṁsamicchaṁ vinighāti hoti;
Apāhatasmiṁ pana maṅku hoti,
Nindāya so kuppati randhamesī.

827 Yamassa vādaṁ parihīnamāhu,
Apāhataṁ pañhavimaṁsakāse;
Paridevati socati hīnavādo,
Upaccagā manti anutthunāti.

828 Ete vivādā samaṇesu jātā,
Etesu ugghātinighāti hoti;
Etampi disvā virame kathojjaṁ,
Na haññadatthatthi pasaṁsalābhā.

829 Pasaṁsito vā pana tattha hoti,
Akkhāya vādaṁ parisāya majjhe;
So hassatī unnamatī ca tena,
Pappuyya tamatthaṁ yathā mano ahu.

830 Yā unnatī sāssa vighātabhūmi,
Mānātimānaṁ vadate paneso;
Etampi disvā na vivādayetha,
Na hi tena suddhiṁ kusalā vadanti.

831 Sūro yathā rājakhādāya puṭṭho,
Abhigajjameti paṭisūramicchaṁ;
Yeneva so tena palehi sūra,
Pubbeva natthi yadidaṁ yudhāya.

832 Ye diṭṭhimuggayha vivādayanti,
Idameva saccanti ca vādayanti;
Te tvaṁ vadassū na hi tedha atthi,
Vādamhi jāte paṭisenikattā.

833 Visenikatvā pana ye caranti,
Diṭṭhīhi diṭṭhiṁ avirujjhamānā;
Tesu tvaṁ kiṁ labhetho pasūra,
Yesīdha natthī paramuggahītaṁ.

834 Atha tvaṁ pavitakkamāgamā,
Manasā diṭṭhigatāni cintayanto;
Dhonena yugaṁ samāgamā,
Na hi tvaṁ sakkhasi sampayātaveti.

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Pasūrasuttaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.