5:4 The Questions of Mettagū

(Said the Venerable Mettagū)

1049“I ask you a question, Blessed One, please tell me this.
I consider you a Veda-master, one inwardly developed.
From where have these sufferings arisen
in their many forms in the world?” (1) [202]

(“Mettagū,” said the Blessed One)

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1050“You have asked me about the origin of suffering,
As one who understands, I will tell you this.
Sufferings in their many forms in the world
originate based on acquisition.The last two pādas of this stanza, together with the next, constitute verse 728, a six-pāda stanza. (2)

1051“The ignorant dullard who creates acquisition
encounters suffering again and again.
Therefore, understanding,Be has pajānaṃ as against Ce and Ee hi jānaṃ. Niddesa has pajānaṃ, which is supported by the synonyms that follow. In verse 728 both Ce and Ee have pajānaṃ. one should not create acquisition,
contemplating it as the genesis and origin of suffering.” (3)

1052“You have told us what we asked.
Let me ask you another — please speak on this.
How do the wise cross over the flood,
over birth and old age, sorrow and lamenting?
Explain this to me clearly, muni,
for this Dhamma has been understood by you.” (4)

(“Mettagū,” said the Blessed One)

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1053“I will proclaim this Dhamma to you,
seen in this very life, no matter of hearsay,
having understood which, living mindfully,
one can cross over attachment to the world.” (5)

1054“And I delight, great rishi,
in that supreme Dhamma,
having understood which, living mindfully,
one can cross over attachment to the world.” (6)

(“Mettagū,” said the Blessed One)

1055“Whatever you comprehend,
above, below, and across in the middle, [203]
having dispelled delight and attachment to these,
consciousness would not persist in existence. (7)

1056“A bhikkhu so dwelling, mindful, heedful,
having given up taking things as ‘mine,’
right here such a wise one might abandon suffering:
birth and old age, sorrow and lamenting.” (8)

1057“I delight in this word of the great rishi;
well procaimed, Gotama, is the state without acquisitions.
Certainly the Blessed One has abandoned suffering,
for this Dhamma has been understood by you. (9)

1058“Surely they too can abandon suffering
whom you, muni, would constantly exhort.
Therefore, having met you, O nāga, I pay homage:
perhaps the Blessed One would constantly exhort me.” (10)

1059“Whatever brahmin you may know to be a Veda-master,
owning nothing, unattached to sensual pleasures and existence,
he has certainly crossed this flood,
and crossed to the beyond, he is unbarren, rid of doubt. (11)

1060“And the wise man here, the Veda-master,
having loosened this tie to various states of existence, [204]
rid of craving, untroubled, wishless,
has crossed over birth and old age, I say.” (12)

Mettagūmāṇavapucchā

(iccāyasmā mettagū):

1049"Pucchāmi taṁ bhagavā brūhi me taṁ,
Maññāmi taṁ vedaguṁ bhāvitattaṁ;
Kuto nu dukkhā samudāgatā ime,
Ye keci lokasmimanekarūpā".

(mettagūti bhagavā):

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1050 "Dukkhassa ve maṁ pabhavaṁ apucchasi,
Taṁ te pavakkhāmi yathā pajānaṁ;
Upadhinidānā pabhavanti dukkhā,
Ye keci lokasmimanekarūpā.

1051 Yo ve avidvā upadhiṁ karoti,
Punappunaṁ dukkhamupeti mando;
Tasmā pajānaṁ upadhiṁ na kayirā,
Dukkhassa jātippabhavānupassī".

1052 "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".

(mettagūti bhagavā):

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1053 "Kittayissāmi te dhammaṁ,
Diṭṭhe dhamme anītihaṁ;
Yaṁ viditvā sato caraṁ,
Tare loke visattikaṁ".

1054 "Tañcāhaṁ abhinandāmi,
mahesi dhammamuttamaṁ;
Yaṁ viditvā sato caraṁ,
tare loke visattikaṁ".

(mettagūti bhagavā):

1055 "Yaṁ kiñci sampajānāsi,
Uddhaṁ adho tiriyañcāpi majjhe;
Etesu nandiñca nivesanañca,
Panujja viññāṇaṁ bhave na tiṭṭhe.

1056 Evaṁvihārī sato appamatto,
Bhikkhu caraṁ hitvā mamāyitāni;
Jātiṁ jaraṁ sokapariddavañca,
Idheva vidvā pajaheyya dukkhaṁ".

1057 "Etābhinandāmi vaco mahesino,
Sukittitaṁ gotamanūpadhīkaṁ;
Addhā hi bhagavā pahāsi dukkhaṁ,
Tathā hi te vidito esa dhammo.

1058 Te cāpi nūnappajaheyyu dukkhaṁ,
Ye tvaṁ muni aṭṭhitaṁ ovadeyya;
Taṁ taṁ namassāmi samecca nāga,
Appeva maṁ bhagavā aṭṭhitaṁ ovadeyya".

1059 "Yaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ vedagumābhijaññā,
Akiñcanaṁ kāmabhave asattaṁ;
Addhā hi so oghamimaṁ atāri,
Tiṇṇo ca pāraṁ akhilo akaṅkho.

1060 Vidvā ca yo vedagū naro idha,
Bhavābhave saṅgamimaṁ visajja;
So vītataṇho anīgho nirāso,
Atāri so jātijaranti brūmī"ti.

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Mettagūmāṇavapucchā catutthī.