5:7 The Questions of Nanda

(Said the Venerable Nanda)

1077“There are munis in the world,
so people say, but how is this so?
Do they declare one who has knowledge a muni
or one following a particular way of life?” (1)

1078“Not by view, nor by learning, nor by knowledge,
Nanda, do the skilled here speak of a muni. [208]
They are munis, I say, who live remote,
untroubled, without wishes.” (2)

(Said the Venerable Nanda)

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1079“Those ascetics and brahmins,
who say that purity [is gained] through the seen and heard,
that purity [is gained], too, by good behavior and observances,
who say purity [is gained] through numerous methods —

living restrainedEe yathā here and just below in the reply should be corrected to yatā, as in Be and Ce. there, Blessed One, have they
crossed over birth and old age, dear sir?
I ask you, Blessed One. Please answer me.” (3)

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(“Nanda,” said the Blessed One)

1080“Those ascetics and brahmins,
who say that purity [is gained] through the seen and heard,
that purity [is gained], too, by good behavior and observances,
who say purity [is gained] through numerous methods —
though they live restrained there, I say
they have not crossed over birth and old age.” (4)

(Said the Venerable Nanda)

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1081“Those ascetics and brahmins,
who say that purity [is gained] through the seen and heard,
that purity [is gained], too, by good behavior and observances,
who say purity [is gained] through numerous methods —

if, O muni, you say they have not crossed the flood,In Ce this line begins a new verse, while in Be and Ee this line and those that follow are included in the same verse as the preceding lines. [209]
then who in the world of devas and humans
has crossed over birth and old age, dear sir?
I ask you, Blessed One. Please answer me.” (5)

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(“Nanda,” said the Blessed One)

1082“I do not say of all ascetics and brahmins,
that they are shrouded by birth and old age.
Those here who have abandoned the seen, the heard and sensed,
and all good behavior and observances,

who have abandoned, too, everything of numerous kinds,
who, having fully understood craving, are without influxes:
those, I say, are ‘persons who have crossed the flood.’ ” (6)

1083“I delight in this word of the great rishi.
Well procaimed, O Gotama, is the state without acquisitions.
Those here who have abandoned the seen, heard, and sensed,
as well as all good behavior and observances,

who have abandoned, too, everything of numerous kinds,
who, having fully understood craving, are without influxes:
I too say: ‘They have crossed the flood.’ ” (7)

Nandamāṇavapucchā

(iccāyasmā nando):

1077"Santi loke munayo,
Janā vadanti tayidaṁ kathaṁsu;
Ñāṇūpapannaṁ no muniṁ vadanti,
Udāhu ve jīvitenūpapannaṁ".

1078 "Na diṭṭhiyā na sutiyā na ñāṇena,
Munīdha nanda kusalā vadanti;
Visenikatvā anīghā nirāsā,
Caranti ye te munayoti brūmi".

(iccāyasmā nando):

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1079"Ye kecime samaṇabrāhmaṇāse,
Diṭṭhassutenāpi vadanti suddhiṁ;
Sīlabbatenāpi vadanti suddhiṁ,
Anekarūpena vadanti suddhiṁ.

Kaccissu te bhagavā tattha yatā carantā,
Atāru jātiñca jarañca mārisa;
Pucchāmi taṁ bhagavā brūhi me taṁ".

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(nandāti bhagavā):

1080 "Ye kecime samaṇabrāhmaṇāse,
Diṭṭhassutenāpi vadanti suddhiṁ;
Sīlabbatenāpi vadanti suddhiṁ,
Anekarūpena vadanti suddhiṁ;
Kiñcāpi te tattha yatā caranti,
Nātariṁsu jātijaranti brūmi".

(iccāyasmā nando):

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1081"Ye kecime samaṇabrāhmaṇāse,
Diṭṭhassutenāpi vadanti suddhiṁ;
Sīlabbatenāpi vadanti suddhiṁ,
Anekarūpena vadanti suddhiṁ.

Te ce muni brūsi anoghatiṇṇe,
Atha ko carahi devamanussaloke;
Atāri jātiñca jarañca mārisa,
Pucchāmi taṁ bhagavā brūhi metaṁ".

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(nandāti bhagavā):

1082"Nāhaṁ sabbe samaṇabrāhmaṇāse,
Jātijarāya nivutāti brūmi;
Ye sīdha diṭṭhaṁ va sutaṁ mutaṁ vā,
Sīlabbataṁ vāpi pahāya sabbaṁ.

Anekarūpampi pahāya sabbaṁ,
Taṇhaṁ pariññāya anāsavāse;
Te ve narā oghatiṇṇāti brūmi".

1083"Etābhinandāmi vaco mahesino,
Sukittitaṁ gotamanūpadhīkaṁ;
Ye sīdha diṭṭhaṁ va sutaṁ mutaṁ vā,
Sīlabbataṁ vāpi pahāya sabbaṁ.

Anekarūpampi pahāya sabbaṁ,
Taṇhaṁ pariññāya anāsavāse;
Ahampi te oghatiṇṇāti brūmī"ti.

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Nandamāṇavapucchā sattamā.