5:5 The Questions of Dhotaka

(Said the Venerable Dhotaka)

1061“I ask you, Blessed One, speak to me of this,
I long for your speech, great rishi:
having heard your utterance,
I shall train for my own nibbāna.” (1)

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(“Dhotaka,” said the Blessed One)

1062“In that case, apply ardor,
Be judicious and mindful right here.
Having heard the utterance from me,
you should train for your own nibbāna.” (2)

1063“I see in the world of devas and human beings,
a brahmin owning nothing, traveling about.
Hence I pay homage to you, O universal eye!
Free me, Sakya, from perplexity.” (3)

1064“I will not be able to free anyone in the world,I read with Be sahissāmi as against Ce and Ee gamissāmi. I read with Be here: nāhaṃ sahissāmī ti ahaṃ na sahissāmi na sakkhissāmi, na vāyamissāmī ti vuttaṃ hoti. Ce and Ee have nāhaṃ gamissāmī ti, ahaṃ na gamissāmi, na sikkhāmi [Ce: na sikkhissāmi]. Niddesa (Ee) has n’āhaṃ samīhāmi, but Be and Ce have nāhaṃ sahissāmi. Norman (GD 389) prefers sahissāmi.
Dhotaka, who is still afflicted by perplexity.
But understanding the supreme Dhamma,
you will thereby cross this flood.” (4)

1065“Taking compassion, instruct me, Brahmā,
in the state of seclusion that I can understand. [205]
Just as space is totally unobstructed,
right here I would live, peaceful and unattached.” (5)

(“Dhotaka,” said the Blessed One)

1066“I will describe that peace for you,
[seen] in this very life, no matter of hearsay,
having understood which, living mindfully,
one can cross over attachment to the world.” (6)

1067“And I delight, great rishi,
in that supreme peace,
having understood which, living mindfully,
one can cross over attachment to the world.” (7)

(“Dhotaka,” said the Blessed One)

1068“Whatever you comprehend
above, below, and across in the middle,
having understood this as ‘a tie’ in the world,
do not create craving for various states of existence.” (8)

Dhotakamāṇavapucchā

(iccāyasmā dhotako):

1061"Pucchāmi taṁ bhagavā brūhi metaṁ,
Vācābhikaṅkhāmi mahesi tuyhaṁ;
Tava sutvāna nigghosaṁ,
Sikkhe nibbānamattano".

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(dhotakāti bhagavā):

1062 "Tenahātappaṁ karohi,
Idheva nipako sato;
Ito sutvāna nigghosaṁ,
Sikkhe nibbānamattano".

1063 "Passāmahaṁ devamanussaloke,
Akiñcanaṁ brāhmaṇamiriyamānaṁ;
Taṁ taṁ namassāmi samantacakkhu,
Pamuñca maṁ sakka kathaṅkathāhi".

1064 "Nāhaṁ sahissāmi pamocanāya,
Kathaṅkathiṁ dhotaka kañci loke;
Dhammañca seṭṭhaṁ abhijānamāno,
Evaṁ tuvaṁ oghamimaṁ taresi".

1065 "Anusāsa brahme karuṇāyamāno,
Vivekadhammaṁ yamahaṁ vijaññaṁ;
Yathāhaṁ ākāsova abyāpajjamāno,
Idheva santo asito careyyaṁ".

(dhotakāti bhagavā):

1066 "Kittayissāmi te santiṁ,
Diṭṭhe dhamme anītihaṁ;
Yaṁ viditvā sato caraṁ,
Tare loke visattikaṁ".

1067 "Tañcāhaṁ abhinandāmi,
mahesi santimuttamaṁ;
Yaṁ viditvā sato caraṁ,
tare loke visattikaṁ".

(dhotakāti bhagavā):

1068 "Yaṁ kiñci sampajānāsi,
Uddhaṁ adho tiriyañcāpi majjhe;
Etaṁ viditvā saṅgoti loke,
Bhavābhavāya mākāsi taṇhan"ti.

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Dhotakamāṇavapucchā pañcamī.