snp.4.10 Suttanipata

“Before Breaking-up”: a Muni’s Qualities

Question
Please Gotama, do you speak to me
upon the person perfected:
how’s their insight and their conduct
so that they can be called “Peaceful One”?

Buddha
One who is craving-free
before the body’s breaking-up,
not dependent on the past
in the present is prepared,
(and in future) has nought preferred,

gone anger and gone fear as well,
gone boasting, gone remorse,
wise-speaker with no arrogance,
a Sage restrained in speech,

no hopes for what’s to come,
no mourning for the past,
not led astray by views,
the singled seer “mid senses” touch

one not concealing, not deceitful,
not hankering and neither mean,
not stuck-up, nor contemptuous,
and not to slander given,

to pleasures not addicted
and not to pride inclined,
gentle, ready witted, not
credulous and not attached,

training not in hope of gain,
nor disturbed by getting none,
by cravings unobstructed,
hankering not for tastes,

ever mindful and equanimous,
so, who as “equal” thinks not of themselves,
nor as better nor as worse,
has no of inflation any sense.

And for whom there’s no “dependence”,
not dependent, Dharma having known,
for such exists no craving for
existence, non-existence.

That one I call the Peaceful,
who no sensual pleasures seeks;
who therefore has no ties,
crossed entanglement.

He does not bring up any sons,
and has no fields or lands;
for him there is nothing at all
that is taken up or put down

on account of which, the people
with monks and Brahmins might accuse.
That one is undisturbed,
and by such words unmoved,

gone greediness and never mean,
not speaking of themselves as “high”
not “equal”, nor “inferior”
so the unfittable does not fit,

for whom is nothing owned in the world
and having nothing does not grieve,
who ’mong Dharmas ventures not
is truly called a Peaceful One!

- Translator: Laurence Khantipalo Mills

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Before the Breakup

or given to slander.
Not swept up in pleasures,
or given to arrogance,
“Seeing how, behaving how,
is one said to be at peace?
When asked, Gotama, please tell me
about the ultimate person.”
“Rid of craving before the breakup,”
said the Buddha,
“not dependent on the past,
unfathomable in the middle,
they are not governed by anything.
Unangry, unafraid,
not boastful or regretful,
thoughtful in counsel, and stable—
truly that sage is controlled in speech.
Rid of attachment to the future,
they don’t grieve for the past.
A seer of seclusion in the midst of contacts
is not led astray among views.
Withdrawn, free of deceit,
they’re not envious or stingy,
nor rude or disgusting,
they’re gentle and articulate,
neither hungering nor growing dispassionate.
They don’t train out of desire for profit,
nor get annoyed at lack of profit.
Not hostile due to craving,
nor greedy for flavors,
they are equanimous, ever mindful.
They never conceive themselves in the world
as equal, special, or less than;
for them there is no pride.
They have no dependencies,
understanding the teaching, they are independent.
No craving is found in them
to continue existence or to end it.
I declare them to be at peace,
unconcerned for sensual pleasures.
No ties are found in them,
they have crossed over clinging.
They have no sons or cattle,
nor possess fields or lands.
No picking up or putting down
is to be found in them.
That by which one might describe
an ordinary person or ascetics and brahmins
has no importance to them,
which is why they’re unaffected by words.
Freed of greed, not stingy,
a sage doesn’t speak of themselves as being
among superiors, inferiors, or equals.
One not prone to creation does not return to creation.
They who have nothing in the world of their own
do not grieve for that which is not,
or drift among the teachings;
that’s who is said to be at peace.”