Evaṁ me sutaṁ—I have heard ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Forest, the Squirrels’ Sanctuary.

Tena kho pana samayena aciravato samaṇuddeso araññakuṭikāyaṁ viharati.And on that occasion the novice Aciravata was living in the wilderness in a hut. Atha kho jayaseno rājakumāro jaṅghāvihāraṁ anucaṅkamamāno anuvicaramāno yena aciravato samaṇuddeso tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā aciravatena samaṇuddesena saddhiṁ sammodi.Then Prince Jayasena—walking back & forth & around to exercise his legs—went to the novice Aciravata and exchanged courteous greetings with him.

Sammodanīyaṁ kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ vītisāretvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho jayaseno rājakumāro aciravataṁ samaṇuddesaṁ etadavoca:After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to him, “Sutaṁ metaṁ, bho aggivessana:“I have heard, Master Aggivessana [Aciravata’s clan name], that ‘idha bhikkhu appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto phuseyya cittassa ekaggatan’”ti.a monk who remains heedful, ardent, & resolute can touch singleness of mind.”

“Evametaṁ, rājakumāra, evametaṁ, rājakumāra.“So it is, prince. So it is. Idha bhikkhu appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto phuseyya cittassa ekaggatan”ti.A monk who remains heedful, ardent, & resolute can touch singleness of mind.”

“Sādhu me bhavaṁ aggivessano yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ desetū”ti.“It would be good if Master Aggivessana would teach me the Dhamma as he has heard & memorized it.”

“Na kho te ahaṁ, rājakumāra, sakkomi yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ desetuṁ.“Prince, I can’t teach you the Dhamma as I have heard & memorized it. Ahañca hi te, rājakumāra, yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ deseyyaṁ, tvañca me bhāsitassa atthaṁ na ājāneyyāsi; so mamassa kilamatho, sā mamassa vihesā”ti.If I were to teach you the Dhamma as I have heard & memorized it, you wouldn’t understand the meaning of my words. That would be wearisome & aggravating for me.”

“Desetu me bhavaṁ aggivessano yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ.“May Master Aggivessana teach me the Dhamma as he has heard & memorized it. Appevanāmāhaṁ bhoto aggivessanassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājāneyyan”ti.Perhaps I might understand the meaning of his words.”

“Deseyyaṁ kho te ahaṁ, rājakumāra, yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ.“If I were to teach you the Dhamma as I have heard & memorized it, then if you understand the meaning of my words, well & good. Sace me tvaṁ bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājāneyyāsi, iccetaṁ kusalaṁ;If you don’t understand the meaning of my words, leave it to each his own. no ce me tvaṁ bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājāneyyāsi, yathāsake tiṭṭheyyāsi, na maṁ tattha uttariṁ paṭipuccheyyāsī”ti.Don’t question me any further about it.”

“Desetu me bhavaṁ aggivessano yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ.“May Master Aggivessana teach me the Dhamma as he has heard & memorized it. Sace ahaṁ bhoto aggivessanassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmi, iccetaṁ kusalaṁ;
ājānissāmi → ājāneyyāmi (sya-all, mr)If I understand the meaning of his words, well & good. no ce ahaṁ bhoto aggivessanassa bhāsitassa atthaṁ ājānissāmi, yathāsake tiṭṭhissāmi, nāhaṁ tattha bhavantaṁ aggivessanaṁ uttariṁ paṭipucchissāmī”ti.
tiṭṭhissāmi → tiṭṭheyyāmi (mr)If I don’t understand the meaning of his words, I’ll leave it to each his own. I won’t question Master Aggivessana any further about it.”

Atha kho aciravato samaṇuddeso jayasenassa rājakumārassa yathāsutaṁ yathāpariyattaṁ dhammaṁ desesi.Then the novice Aciravata taught Prince Jayasena the Dhamma as he had heard & memorized it. Evaṁ vutte, jayaseno rājakumāro aciravataṁ samaṇuddesaṁ etadavoca:When this was said, Prince Jayasena said to him, “aṭṭhānametaṁ, bho aggivessana, anavakāso yaṁ bhikkhu appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto phuseyya cittassa ekaggatan”ti.“It’s impossible, it’s unfeasible, that a monk who remains heedful, ardent, & resolute could touch singleness of mind.” Atha kho jayaseno rājakumāro aciravatassa samaṇuddesassa aṭṭhānatañca anavakāsatañca pavedetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkāmi.Then, having declared the impossibility and unfeasibility (of that attainment) to the novice Aciravata, Prince Jayasena got up from his seat and left.

Atha kho aciravato samaṇuddeso acirapakkante jayasene rājakumāre yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.Then the novice Aciravata, not long after Prince Jayasena’s departure, went to the Blessed One. On arrival, having bowed down to the Blessed One, he sat to one side. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho aciravato samaṇuddeso yāvatako ahosi jayasenena rājakumārena saddhiṁ kathāsallāpo taṁ sabbaṁ bhagavato ārocesi.As he was sitting there, he told the Blessed One the entirety of his conversation with Prince Jayasena.

Evaṁ vutte, bhagavā aciravataṁ samaṇuddesaṁ etadavoca:When this was said, the Blessed One said to the novice Aciravata:

“‘taṁ kutettha, aggivessana, labbhā.“What did you expect, Aggivessana? Yaṁ taṁ nekkhammena ñātabbaṁ nekkhammena daṭṭhabbaṁ nekkhammena pattabbaṁ nekkhammena sacchikātabbaṁ taṁ vata jayaseno rājakumāro kāmamajjhe vasanto kāme paribhuñjanto kāmavitakkehi khajjamāno kāmapariḷāhena pariḍayhamāno kāmapariyesanāya ussuko ñassati vā dakkhati vā sacchi vā karissatī’ti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.
ussuko → ussukko (sabbattha)For Prince Jayasena—living in the midst of sensuality, consuming sensuality, chewed on by thoughts of sensuality, burning with the fever of sensuality, intent on the search for sensuality—to know or see or realize that which is to be known through renunciation, seen through renunciation, attained through renunciation, realized through renunciation: That’s impossible.

Seyyathāpissu, aggivessana, dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā sudantā suvinītā, dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā adantā avinītā.“Aggivessana, it’s as if there were two tamable elephants, tamable horses, or tamable oxen that were well-tamed & well-trained; and two tamable elephants, tamable horses, or tamable oxen that were untamed & untrained. Taṁ kiṁ maññasi, aggivessana,What do you think? ye te dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā sudantā suvinītā, api nu te dantāva dantakāraṇaṁ gaccheyyuṁ, dantāva dantabhūmiṁ sampāpuṇeyyun”ti?Would the two tamable elephants, tamable horses, or tamable oxen that were well-tamed & well-trained, being tamed, acquire the behavior of the tamed and arrive at the level of the tamed?”

“Evaṁ, bhante”.“Yes, lord.”

“Ye pana te dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā adantā avinītā, api nu te adantāva dantakāraṇaṁ gaccheyyuṁ, adantāva dantabhūmiṁ sampāpuṇeyyuṁ, seyyathāpi te dve hatthidammā vā assadammā vā godammā vā sudantā suvinītā”ti?“And would the two tamable elephants, tamable horses, or tamable oxen that were untamed & untrained, being untamed, acquire the behavior of the tamed and arrive at the level of the tamed like the two tamable elephants, tamable horses, or tamable oxen that were well-tamed & well-trained?”

“No hetaṁ, bhante”.“No, lord.”

“Evameva kho, aggivessana, ‘yaṁ taṁ nekkhammena ñātabbaṁ nekkhammena daṭṭhabbaṁ nekkhammena pattabbaṁ nekkhammena sacchikātabbaṁ taṁ vata jayaseno rājakumāro kāmamajjhe vasanto kāme paribhuñjanto kāmavitakkehi khajjamāno kāmapariḷāhena pariḍayhamāno kāmapariyesanāya ussuko ñassati vā dakkhati vā sacchi vā karissatī’ti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.“In the same way, for Prince Jayasena—living in the midst of sensuality, consuming sensuality, chewed on by thoughts of sensuality, burning with the fever of sensuality, intent on the search for sensuality—to know or see or realize that which is to be known through renunciation, seen through renunciation, attained through renunciation, realized through renunciation: That’s impossible.

Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, gāmassa vā nigamassa vā avidūre mahāpabbato.“Aggivessana, it’s as if there were a great mountain not far from a village or town, and two companions, leaving the village or town, were to go hand in hand to the mountain. Tamenaṁ dve sahāyakā tamhā gāmā vā nigamā vā nikkhamitvā hatthavilaṅghakena yena so pabbato tenupasaṅkameyyuṁ; upasaṅkamitvā eko sahāyako heṭṭhā pabbatapāde tiṭṭheyya, eko sahāyako uparipabbataṁ āroheyya.On arrival, one of the companions would stay at the foot of the mountain, and one would climb to the top of the mountain. Tamenaṁ heṭṭhā pabbatapāde ṭhito sahāyako uparipabbate ṭhitaṁ sahāyakaṁ evaṁ vadeyya:The companion staying at the foot of the mountain would ask the companion standing on top of the mountain, ‘yaṁ, samma, kiṁ tvaṁ passasi uparipabbate ṭhito’ti?‘What do you see, my friend, standing on top of the mountain?’ So evaṁ vadeyya:He would say, ‘passāmi kho ahaṁ, samma, uparipabbate ṭhito ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti.‘I see delightful parks, delightful forests, delightful stretches of land, & delightful lakes.’

So evaṁ vadeyya:The other would say, ‘aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ, samma, anavakāso yaṁ tvaṁ uparipabbate ṭhito passeyyāsi ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti.‘It’s impossible, my friend. It’s unfeasible, that standing on top of the mountain you would see delightful parks, delightful forests, delightful stretches of land, & delightful lakes.’ Tamenaṁ uparipabbate ṭhito sahāyako heṭṭhimapabbatapādaṁ orohitvā taṁ sahāyakaṁ bāhāyaṁ gahetvā uparipabbataṁ āropetvā muhuttaṁ assāsetvā evaṁ vadeyya:Then the companion standing on top of the mountain, descending to the foot of the mountain and grabbing his companion by the arm, would make him climb to the top of the mountain. After letting him catch his breath for a moment, he would ask him, ‘yaṁ, samma, kiṁ tvaṁ passasi uparipabbate ṭhito’ti?‘What do you see, my friend, standing on top of the mountain?’ So evaṁ vadeyya:He would say, ‘passāmi kho ahaṁ, samma, uparipabbate ṭhito ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti.‘I see delightful parks, delightful forests, delightful stretches of land, & delightful lakes.’

So evaṁ vadeyya:The other would say, ‘idāneva kho te, samma, bhāsitaṁ—mayaṁ evaṁ ājānāma—‘But just now didn’t I understand you to say, aṭṭhānaṁ kho etaṁ samma, anavakāso yaṁ tvaṁ uparipabbate ṭhito passeyyāsi ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti.“It’s impossible, my friend. It’s unfeasible, that standing on top of the mountain you would see delightful parks, delightful forests, delightful stretches of land, & delightful lakes”? Idāneva ca pana te bhāsitaṁ mayaṁ evaṁ ājānāma:Yet now I understand you to say, ‘passāmi kho ahaṁ, samma, uparipabbate ṭhito ārāmarāmaṇeyyakaṁ vanarāmaṇeyyakaṁ bhūmirāmaṇeyyakaṁ pokkharaṇīrāmaṇeyyakan’ti.“I see delightful parks, delightful forests, delightful stretches of land, & delightful lakes.”’ So evaṁ vadeyya:The other would say, ‘tathā hi panāhaṁ, samma, iminā mahatā pabbatena āvuto daṭṭheyyaṁ nāddasan’ti.
āvuto → āvaṭo (bj-a, pts1ed); āvuṭo (sya-all, km, mr)‘But that’s because I was standing blocked by this great mountain and didn’t see.’

Ato mahantatarena, aggivessana, ‘avijjākhandhena jayaseno rājakumāro āvuto nivuto ophuṭo pariyonaddho.
nivuto → nivuṭo (sya-all, km, pts1ed, mr) | ophuṭo → ovuto (bj); ovuṭo (sya-all, km, pts1ed)“In the same way, Aggivessana, Prince Jayasena is blocked, obstructed, impeded, and enveloped by the even greater mass of ignorance. So vata yaṁ taṁ nekkhammena ñātabbaṁ nekkhammena daṭṭhabbaṁ nekkhammena pattabbaṁ nekkhammena sacchikātabbaṁ taṁ vata jayaseno rājakumāro kāmamajjhe vasanto kāme paribhuñjanto kāmavitakkehi khajjamāno kāmapariḷāhena pariḍayhamāno kāmapariyesanāya ussuko ñassati vā dakkhati vā sacchi vā karissatī’ti—netaṁ ṭhānaṁ vijjati.For him—living in the midst of sensuality, consuming sensuality, chewed on by thoughts of sensuality, burning with the fever of sensuality, intent on the search for sensuality—to know or see or realize that which is to be known through renunciation, seen through renunciation, attained through renunciation, realized through renunciation: That’s impossible. Sace kho taṁ, aggivessana, jayasenassa rājakumārassa imā dve upamā paṭibhāyeyyuṁ, anacchariyaṁ te jayaseno rājakumāro pasīdeyya, pasanno ca te pasannākāraṁ kareyyā”ti.
paṭibhāyeyyuṁ → paṭibhāseyyuṁ (bj, sya-all, km, pts1ed)“Aggivessana, if these two similes had occurred to you in the presence of Prince Jayasena, he would have naturally felt confidence in you and—feeling confidence—would have shown his confidence in you.”

“Kuto pana maṁ, bhante, jayasenassa rājakumārassa imā dve upamā paṭibhāyissanti anacchariyā pubbe assutapubbā, seyyathāpi bhagavantan”ti?“But, lord, how could these two similes have occurred to me in the presence of Prince Jayasena, as they are natural to the Blessed One and have never before been heard from him?”

“Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto nāgavanikaṁ āmanteti:“Suppose, Aggivessana, that a head-anointed noble warrior king addresses his elephant woodsman, ‘ehi tvaṁ, samma nāgavanika, rañño nāgaṁ abhiruhitvā nāgavanaṁ pavisitvā āraññakaṁ nāgaṁ atipassitvā rañño nāgassa gīvāyaṁ upanibandhāhī’ti.‘Come, my good elephant woodsman. Mount a royal elephant, enter the elephant wood, and when you spy a wilderness elephant, bind it by the neck to the royal elephant.’ ‘Evaṁ, devā’ti kho, aggivessana, nāgavaniko rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa paṭissutvā rañño nāgaṁ abhiruhitvā nāgavanaṁ pavisitvā āraññakaṁ nāgaṁ atipassitvā rañño nāgassa gīvāyaṁ upanibandhati.
kho → kho te (sya-all, km, mr)“Responding, ‘Yes, your majesty,’ to the head-anointed noble warrior king, the elephant woodsman mounts a royal elephant, enters the elephant wood and, spying a wilderness elephant, binds it by the neck to the royal elephant. Tamenaṁ rañño nāgo abbhokāsaṁ nīharati.Then the royal elephant leads it out into the open air. Ettāvatā kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo abbhokāsaṁ gato hoti.It’s to this extent that the wilderness elephant has come into the open air, Etthagedhā hi, aggivessana, āraññakā nāgā yadidaṁ—nāgavanaṁ.for wilderness elephants long for the elephant wood. Tamenaṁ nāgavaniko rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa ārocesi:Then the elephant woodsman informs the head-anointed noble warrior king, ‘abbhokāsagato kho, deva, āraññako nāgo’ti.‘Your majesty, the wilderness elephant has come into the open air.’ Atha kho aggivessana, tamenaṁ rājā khattiyo muddhāvasitto hatthidamakaṁ āmantesi:The head-anointed noble warrior king then addresses his elephant tamer, ‘ehi tvaṁ, samma hatthidamaka, āraññakaṁ nāgaṁ damayāhi āraññakānañceva sīlānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gāmante abhiramāpanāya manussakantesu sīlesu samādapanāyā’ti.
samādapanāyā’ti → samādāpanāyāti (?)‘Come, my good elephant tamer. Tame the wilderness elephant. Break it of its wilderness habits, its wilderness memories & resolves, its distraction, fatigue, & fever over leaving the wilderness. Make it delight in the town and inculcate in it habits congenial to human beings.’

‘Evaṁ, devā’ti kho, aggivessana, hatthidamako rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa paṭissutvā mahantaṁ thambhaṁ pathaviyaṁ nikhaṇitvā āraññakassa nāgassa gīvāyaṁ upanibandhati āraññakānañceva sīlānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gāmante abhiramāpanāya manussakantesu sīlesu samādapanāya.“Responding, ‘Yes, your majesty,’ to the head-anointed noble warrior king, the elephant tamer plants a large post in the ground and binds the wilderness elephant to it by the neck in order to break it of its wilderness habits, its wilderness memories & resolves, its distraction, fatigue, & fever over leaving the wilderness, to make it delight in the town and to inculcate in it habits congenial to human beings. Tamenaṁ hatthidamako yā sā vācā nelā kaṇṇasukhā pemanīyā hadayaṅgamā porī bahujanakantā bahujanamanāpā tathārūpāhi vācāhi samudācarati.The elephant tamer then speaks to the wilderness elephant words that are soothing, pleasing to the ear, affectionate, that go to the heart, that are polite, appealing & pleasing to people at large. Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa yā sā vācā nelā kaṇṇasukhā pemanīyā hadayaṅgamā porī bahujanakantā bahujanamanāpā tathārūpāhi vācāhi samudācariyamāno sussūsati, sotaṁ odahati, aññā cittaṁ upaṭṭhāpeti;When the wilderness elephant is spoken to with words that are soothing, pleasing to the ear, affectionate, that go to the heart, that are polite, appealing & pleasing to people at large, it listens, lends ear, and exerts its mind to understand. tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari tiṇaghāsodakaṁ anuppavecchati.The elephant tamer then further rewards it with grass, fodder, & water.

Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa tiṇaghāsodakaṁ paṭiggaṇhāti, tatra hatthidamakassa evaṁ hoti:
kho → nu kho (si, mr)When the wilderness elephant accepts the elephant tamer’s grass, fodder, & water, that’s when the elephant tamer knows, ‘jīvissati kho dāni āraññako nāgo’ti.‘Now the wilderness elephant will live!’ Tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari kāraṇaṁ kāreti:Then the elephant tamer makes the wilderness elephant perform further tasks: ‘ādiya, bho, nikkhipa, bho’ti.‘Pick this up, sir. Put this down, sir.’ Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa ādānanikkhepe vacanakaro hoti ovādappaṭikaro, tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari kāraṇaṁ kāreti:When the wilderness elephant obeys the elephant tamer’s instructions to pick up & put down as it is told, the elephant tamer makes it perform further tasks: ‘abhikkama, bho, paṭikkama, bho’ti.‘Go forward, sir. Go back, sir.’ Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa abhikkamapaṭikkamavacanakaro hoti ovādappaṭikaro, tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari kāraṇaṁ kāreti:When the wilderness elephant obeys the elephant tamer’s instructions to go forward & go back as it is told, the elephant tamer makes it perform further tasks: ‘uṭṭhaha, bho, nisīda, bho’ti.‘Get up, sir. Lie down, sir.’

Yato kho, aggivessana, āraññako nāgo hatthidamakassa uṭṭhānanisajjāya vacanakaro hoti ovādappaṭikaro, tamenaṁ hatthidamako uttari āneñjaṁ nāma kāraṇaṁ kāreti, mahantassa phalakaṁ soṇḍāya upanibandhati, tomarahattho ca puriso uparigīvāya nisinno hoti, samantato ca tomarahatthā purisā parivāretvā ṭhitā honti, hatthidamako ca dīghatomarayaṭṭhiṁ gahetvā purato ṭhito hoti.When the wilderness elephant obeys the elephant tamer’s instructions to get up & lie down as it is told, the elephant tamer makes it perform further the task called imperturbability. The elephant tamer ties a giant shield to its trunk. A man with a lance in his hand sits on its neck. Men with lances in their hands stand surrounding it on all sides, while the elephant tamer, with a long lance pole in his hand, stands in front of it. So āneñjaṁ kāraṇaṁ kāriyamāno neva purime pāde copeti na pacchime pāde copeti, na purimakāyaṁ copeti na pacchimakāyaṁ copeti, na sīsaṁ copeti, na kaṇṇe copeti, na dante copeti, na naṅguṭṭhaṁ copeti, na soṇḍaṁ copeti.As it is made to perform the task of imperturbability, it doesn’t move its forefeet or its hindfeet, it doesn’t move its forequarters or its hindquarters, it doesn’t move its head, it doesn’t move its ears, it doesn’t move its tusks, it doesn’t move its tail, it doesn’t move its trunk. So hoti āraññako nāgo khamo sattippahārānaṁ asippahārānaṁ usuppahārānaṁ sarapattappahārānaṁ bheripaṇavavaṁsasaṅkhaḍiṇḍimaninnādasaddānaṁ sabbavaṅkadosanihitaninnītakasāvo rājāraho rājabhoggo rañño aṅganteva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.It is a royal elephant that endures blows from spears, swords, arrows, & axes; the resounding din of drums, cymbals, conchs, & tom-toms. Rid of all faults & defects, purged of flaws, it is worthy of the king, an asset to the king, and counts as a very limb of the king.

Evameva kho, aggivessana, idha tathāgato loke uppajjati arahaṁ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṁ buddho bhagavā.In the same way, Aggivessana, there is the case where a Tathāgata appears in the world, worthy & rightly self-awakened, accomplished in knowledge & conduct, well-gone, an expert with regard to the cosmos, unexcelled trainer of people fit to be tamed, teacher of devas & human beings, awakened, blessed. So imaṁ lokaṁ sadevakaṁ samārakaṁ sabrahmakaṁ sassamaṇabrāhmaṇiṁ pajaṁ sadevamanussaṁ sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā pavedeti.He makes known—having realized it through direct knowledge—this world with its devas, Māras, & Brahmās, this generation with its contemplatives & brahmans, its royalty & commonfolk. So dhammaṁ deseti ādikalyāṇaṁ majjhekalyāṇaṁ pariyosānakalyāṇaṁ sātthaṁ sabyañjanaṁ, kevalaparipuṇṇaṁ parisuddhaṁ brahmacariyaṁ pakāseti.He teaches the Dhamma admirable in its beginning, admirable in its middle, admirable in its end. He proclaims the holy life both in its particulars and in its essence, entirely perfect, surpassingly pure.

Taṁ dhammaṁ suṇāti gahapati vā gahapatiputto vā aññatarasmiṁ vā kule paccājāto.A householder or householder’s son or one born in one clan or another hears that Dhamma. So taṁ dhammaṁ sutvā tathāgate saddhaṁ paṭilabhati.Having heard the Dhamma, he gains conviction in the Tathāgata. So tena saddhāpaṭilābhena samannāgato iti paṭisañcikkhati:Being endowed with a gain in conviction, he reflects: ‘sambādho gharāvāso rajāpatho, abbhokāso pabbajjā.‘Household life is confining, a dusty path. Life gone forth is the open air. Nayidaṁ sukaraṁ agāraṁ ajjhāvasatā ekantaparipuṇṇaṁ ekantaparisuddhaṁ saṅkhalikhitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ carituṁ.It isn’t easy, living at home, to practice the holy life totally perfect, totally pure, a polished shell. Yannūnāhaṁ kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajeyyan’ti.What if I, having shaved off my hair & beard and putting on the ochre robe, were to go forth from the household life into homelessness?’

So aparena samayena appaṁ vā bhogakkhandhaṁ pahāya mahantaṁ vā bhogakkhandhaṁ pahāya appaṁ vā ñātiparivaṭṭaṁ pahāya mahantaṁ vā ñātiparivaṭṭaṁ pahāya kesamassuṁ ohāretvā kāsāyāni vatthāni acchādetvā agārasmā anagāriyaṁ pabbajati.So after some time he abandons his mass of wealth, large or small; leaves his circle of relatives, large or small; shaves off his hair & beard, puts on the ochre robes, and goes forth from the household life into homelessness. Ettāvatā kho, aggivessana, ariyasāvako abbhokāsagato hoti.It’s to this extent, Aggivessana, that the disciple of the noble ones has come into the open air, Etthagedhā hi, aggivessana, devamanussā yadidaṁ—pañca kāmaguṇā.for devas & human beings long for the five strings of sensuality.

Tamenaṁ tathāgato uttariṁ vineti:The Tathāgata then trains him further: ‘ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, sīlavā hohi, pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharāhi ācāragocarasampanno, aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī, samādāya sikkhassu sikkhāpadesū’ti.‘Come, monk. Be virtuous. Dwell restrained in accordance with the Pāṭimokkha, consummate in your behavior & sphere of activity. Train yourself, having undertaken the training rules, seeing danger in the slightest faults.’

Yato kho, aggivessana, ariyasāvako sīlavā hoti, pātimokkhasaṁvarasaṁvuto viharati ācāragocarasampanno aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī, samādāya sikkhati sikkhāpadesu, tamenaṁ tathāgato uttariṁ vineti:When the disciple of the nobles ones is virtuous… seeing danger in the slightest faults, the Tathāgata then trains him further: ‘ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, indriyesu guttadvāro hohi, cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā mā nimittaggāhī …pe…‘Come, monk. Be one who is guarded in the doors of your sense faculties. On seeing a form with the eye, don’t grasp at any theme or details by which—if you were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the eye—evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail you. Practice for its restraint. Protect the faculty of the eye. Attain restraint with regard to the faculty of the eye. On hearing a sound with the ear.… On smelling an aroma with the nose.… On tasting a flavor with the tongue.… On touching a tactile sensation with the body.… On cognizing an idea with the intellect, don’t grasp at any theme or details by which—if you were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the intellect—evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail you. Practice for its restraint. Protect the faculty of the intellect. Attain restraint with regard to the faculty of the intellect.’

(yathā gaṇakamoggallānasuttante, evaṁ vitthāretabbāni.)

So ime pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇeHaving abandoned these five hindrances—imperfections of awareness that weaken discernment— kāye kāyānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.he remains focused on the body in & of itself—ardent, alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the world.

Vedanāsu …pe…He remains focused on feelings… citte …mind… dhammesu dhammānupassī viharati ātāpī sampajāno satimā vineyya loke abhijjhādomanassaṁ.mental qualities in & of themselves—ardent, alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. Seyyathāpi, aggivessana, hatthidamako mahantaṁ thambhaṁ pathaviyaṁ nikhaṇitvā āraññakassa nāgassa gīvāyaṁ upanibandhati āraññakānañceva sīlānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṁ abhinimmadanāya āraññakānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gāmante abhiramāpanāya manussakantesu sīlesu samādapanāya;Just as when the elephant tamer plants a large post in the ground and binds the wilderness elephant to it by the neck in order to break it of its wilderness habits, its wilderness memories & resolves, its distraction, fatigue, & fever over leaving the wilderness, to make it delight in the town and to inculcate in it habits congenial to human beings; evameva kho, aggivessana, ariyasāvakassa ime cattāro satipaṭṭhānā cetaso upanibandhanā honti gehasitānañceva sīlānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gehasitānañceva sarasaṅkappānaṁ abhinimmadanāya gehasitānañceva darathakilamathapariḷāhānaṁ abhinimmadanāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya.in the same way, these four establishings of mindfulness are bindings for the awareness of the disciple of the noble ones, to break him of his household habits, his household memories & resolves, his distraction, fatigue, & fever over leaving the household life, for the attainment of the right method and the realization of unbinding.

Tamenaṁ tathāgato uttariṁ vineti:Then the Tathāgata trains him further: ‘ehi tvaṁ, bhikkhu, kāye kāyānupassī viharāhi, mā ca kāmūpasaṁhitaṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkesi.‘Come, monk, remain focused on the body in & of itself, but do not think any thoughts connected with the body. Vedanāsu …Remain focused on feelings in & of themselves, but do not think any thoughts connected with feelings. citte …Remain focused on the mind in & of itself, but do not think any thoughts connected with mind. dhammesu dhammānupassī viharāhi, mā ca kāmūpasaṁhitaṁ vitakkaṁ vitakkesī’ti.Remain focused on mental qualities in & of themselves, but do not think any thoughts connected with mental qualities.’

So vitakkavicārānaṁ vūpasamā ajjhattaṁ sampasādanaṁ cetaso ekodibhāvaṁ avitakkaṁ avicāraṁ samādhijaṁ pītisukhaṁ dutiyaṁ jhānaṁ …With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhāna: rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation—internal assurance. tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ …With the fading of rapture he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhāna, of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.’ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.With the abandoning of pleasure & pain—as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress—he enters & remains in the fourth jhāna: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain.

So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti.With his mind thus concentrated, purified, & bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, he directs and inclines it to knowledge of the recollection of past lives [lit: previous homes]. So anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati, seyyathidaṁ—ekampi jātiṁ dvepi jātiyo …pe… iti sākāraṁ sauddesaṁ anekavihitaṁ pubbenivāsaṁ anussarati.He recollects his manifold past lives, i.e., one birth, two births, three births, four, five, ten, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand, one hundred thousand, many eons of cosmic contraction, many eons of cosmic expansion, many eons of cosmic contraction & expansion, (recollecting,) ‘There I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose there. There too I had such a name, belonged to such a clan, had such an appearance. Such was my food, such my experience of pleasure & pain, such the end of my life. Passing away from that state, I re-arose here.’ Thus he recollects his manifold past lives in their modes & details.

So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte sattānaṁ cutūpapātañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti.With his mind thus concentrated, purified, & bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, he directs & inclines it to knowledge of the passing away and re-appearance of beings. So dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena satte passati cavamāne upapajjamāne hīne paṇīte suvaṇṇe dubbaṇṇe, sugate duggate …pe… yathākammūpage satte pajānāti.He sees—by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human—beings passing away & re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma: ‘These beings—who were endowed with bad conduct of body, speech, and mind, who reviled the noble ones, held wrong views and undertook actions under the influence of wrong views—with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in a plane of deprivation, a bad destination, a lower realm, hell. But these beings—who were endowed with good conduct of body, speech, and mind, who did not revile the noble ones, who held right views and undertook actions under the influence of right views—with the break-up of the body, after death, have re-appeared in a good destination, a heavenly world.’ Thus—by means of the divine eye, purified and surpassing the human—he sees beings passing away & re-appearing, and he discerns how they are inferior & superior, beautiful & ugly, fortunate & unfortunate in accordance with their kamma.

So evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite āneñjappatte āsavānaṁ khayañāṇāya cittaṁ abhininnāmeti.With his mind thus concentrated, purified, & bright, unblemished, free from defects, pliant, malleable, steady, & attained to imperturbability, he directs & inclines it to the knowledge of the ending of effluents. So ‘idaṁ dukkhan’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ dukkhanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti;He discerns, as it has come to be, that ‘This is stress… This is the origination of stress… This is the cessation of stress… This is the way leading to the cessation of stress… ‘ime āsavā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ āsavasamudayo’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ āsavanirodho’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti, ‘ayaṁ āsavanirodhagāminī paṭipadā’ti yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti.These are effluents… This is the origination of effluents… This is the cessation of effluents… This is the way leading to the cessation of effluents.’ Tassa evaṁ jānato evaṁ passato kāmāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, bhavāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati, avijjāsavāpi cittaṁ vimuccati.His heart, thus knowing, thus seeing, is released from the effluent of sensuality, released from the effluent of becoming, released from the effluent of ignorance. Vimuttasmiṁ vimuttamiti ñāṇaṁ hoti.With release, there is the knowledge, ‘Released.’

‘Khīṇā jāti, vusitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ, kataṁ karaṇīyaṁ, nāparaṁ itthattāyā’ti pajānāti.He discerns that ‘Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.’

So hoti bhikkhu khamo sītassa uṇhassa jighacchāya pipāsāya ḍaṁsamakasavātātapasarīsapasamphassānaṁ duruttānaṁ durāgatānaṁ vacanapathānaṁ, uppannānaṁ sārīrikānaṁ vedanānaṁ dukkhānaṁ tibbānaṁ kharānaṁ kaṭukānaṁ asātānaṁ amanāpānaṁ pāṇaharānaṁ adhivāsakajātiko hotiThis monk tolerates cold, heat, hunger, & thirst; the touch of flies, mosquitoes, wind, sun, & reptiles; ill-spoken, unwelcome words & bodily feelings that, when they arise, are painful, racking, sharp, piercing, disagreeable, displeasing, & menacing to life. sabbarāgadosamohanihitaninnītakasāvo āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṁ puññakkhettaṁ lokassa.Rid of all passion, aversion, & delusion, purged of flaws, he is deserving of gifts, deserving of hospitality, deserving of offerings, deserving of respect, an incomparable field of merit for the world.

Mahallako cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo adanto avinīto kālaṁ karoti, ‘adantamaraṇaṁ mahallako rañño nāgo kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati;
adantamaraṇaṁ → adantaṁ maraṇaṁ (mr)If, Aggivessana, an old royal elephant dies untamed & untrained, it is reckoned as an old royal elephant that has died an untamed death. majjhimo cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo.If a middle-aged royal elephant dies untamed & untrained, it is reckoned as a middle-aged royal elephant that has died an untamed death. Daharo cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo adanto avinīto kālaṁ karoti, ‘adantamaraṇaṁ daharo rañño nāgo kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati;If a young royal elephant dies untamed & untrained, it is reckoned as a young royal elephant that has died an untamed death. evameva kho, aggivessana, thero cepi bhikkhu akhīṇāsavo kālaṁ karoti, ‘adantamaraṇaṁ thero bhikkhu kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati;In the same way, if an elder monk dies with his effluents unended, he is reckoned as an elder monk who has died an untamed death. majjhimo cepi, aggivessana, bhikkhu.If a monk of middle standing dies with his effluents unended, he is reckoned as a monk of middle standing who has died an untamed death. Navo cepi, aggivessana, bhikkhu akhīṇāsavo kālaṁ karoti, ‘adantamaraṇaṁ navo bhikkhu kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati.If a newly-ordained monk dies with his effluents unended, he is reckoned as a newly-ordained monk who has died an untamed death.

Mahallako cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo sudanto suvinīto kālaṁ karoti, ‘dantamaraṇaṁ mahallako rañño nāgo kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati;But if, Aggivessana, an old royal elephant dies tamed & trained, it is reckoned as an old royal elephant that has died a tamed death. majjhimo cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo …If a middle-aged royal elephant dies tamed & trained, it is reckoned as a middle-aged royal elephant that has died a tamed death. daharo cepi, aggivessana, rañño nāgo sudanto suvinīto kālaṁ karoti, ‘dantamaraṇaṁ daharo rañño nāgo kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati;If a young royal elephant dies tamed & trained, it is reckoned as a young royal elephant that has died a tamed death. evameva kho, aggivessana, thero cepi bhikkhu khīṇāsavo kālaṁ karoti, ‘dantamaraṇaṁ thero bhikkhu kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchati;In the same way, if an elder monk dies with his effluents ended, he is reckoned as an elder monk who has died a tamed death. majjhimo cepi, aggivessana, bhikkhu.If a monk of middle standing dies with his effluents ended, he is reckoned as a monk of middle standing who has died a tamed death. Navo cepi, aggivessana, bhikkhu khīṇāsavo kālaṁ karoti, ‘dantamaraṇaṁ navo bhikkhu kālaṅkato’tveva saṅkhaṁ gacchatī”ti.If a newly-ordained monk dies with his effluents ended, he is reckoned as a newly-ordained monk who has died a tamed death.”

Idamavoca bhagavā.That is what the Blessed One said. Attamano aciravato samaṇuddeso bhagavato bhāsitaṁ abhinandīti.Gratified, the novice Aciravata delighted in the Blessed One’s words.

Dantabhūmisuttaṁ niṭṭhitaṁ pañcamaṁ.