Question
I ask the Kinsman of the Sun, the great seeker,
About seclusion and the state of peace.
Seeing what is a bhikkhu quenched,
Not grasping at anything in the world?Buddha
One should completely extract
The root of proliferation and reckoning—
The notion, “I am the thinker”.
One should train to dispel whatever craving
There is inside, ever mindful.Whatever principle they have known for themselves,
Whether internally or externally,
They would not be stubborn about that,
For good people say that this is not quenching.You shouldn’t, on that account, think you are better,
Or worse, or even the same;
Though affected by many different things,
You should not keep thinking of yourself.Totally calm within himself,
A bhikkhu would not seek peace from another;
For one who is at peace with themselves,
There is nothing to hold on to, still less to put down.As in the middle of the ocean,
There are no waves, but all is still,
So they would be still, unmoving;
A bhikkhu is not haughty at all.Question
You have taught me, with your eyes open,
Seeing principles for yourself, dispelling dangers;
Venerable sir, tell me the practice,
The rules of conduct and also meditation.Buddha
Not letting their eyes wander,
Turning their ear from crass conversations,
Not greedy for flavors,
And not thinking of anything in the world as “mine”.When things afflict him,
A bhikkhu would not whinge at all;
He would neither long for rebirth,
Nor tremble at dangers.He would not store up goods that he gets,
Whether food and drink,
Other edibles or cloth,
And he would not be afraid of not getting anything.Practising jhāna, not footloose,
Not remorseful, nor negligent;
That bhikkhu would stay in quiet
Places for meditation and sleep.They would not sleep much,
But be ardent, developing wakefulness;
They would abandon laziness, deceit, jokes, games,
And sex, together with other frivolities.One of my followers would not cast spells,
Or interpret dreams,
Nor would they practice astrology,
Prognosticate animal sounds,
Practice fertility magic,
Or [earn money] as a healer.A bhikkhu would not be anxious when criticized,
Nor puffed up when praised;
But would get rid of greed together with
Stinginess, anger, and slander.They would not continue at a trade,
A bhikkhu would not incur blame at all;
They would not linger in a village,
Nor cajole people hoping to get stuff.A bhikkhu would not be boastful,
Nor speak with an ulterior motive;
He would not practice impudence,
Nor say things that were argumentative.He would not be carried away by lies,
Nor deliberately betray anyone;
Nor would he look down on anyone for their
Way of life, intelligence, virtue, or vows.Even if provoked by different sayings,
Of ascetics or of ordinary people,
He would not answer harshly,
For good people make no enemies.Fully understanding this principle,
An inquiring bhikkhu would always train mindfully;
Knowing quenching as peace,
He would not be negligent in Gotama’s teaching.He overcomes, he is not overcome,
Seeing the Dhamma with his own eyes, not by hearsay;
Therefore he would always respectfully train in accord,
Diligent in the teaching of the Buddha.
snp.4.14 Suttanipata
The Quick Way
- Translator: Laurence Khantipalo Mills
Speedy
“Great hermit, I ask you, the kinsman of the Sun,about seclusion and the state of peace.
How, having seen, is a mendicant quenched,
not grasping anything in this world?”
“They would cut off the idea, ‘I am the thinker,”
said the Buddha,
“which is the root of all concepts of identity due to proliferation.
Ever mindful, they would train to remove
any internal cravings.
Regardless of what things they know,
whether internal or external,
they wouldn’t be proud because of that,
for that is not extinguishment, say the good.
They wouldn’t let that make them conceited,
thinking themselves better or worse or alike.
When questioned in many ways,
they wouldn’t keep justifying themselves.
A mendicant would find peace inside themselves,
and not seek peace from another.
For one at peace inside themselves,
there’s no picking up, whence putting down?
Just as, in the mid-ocean deeps
no waves arise, it stays still;
so too one unstirred is still—
a mendicant would not swell with pride at all.”
“He whose eyes are open has explained
the truth he witnessed, where adversities are removed.
Please now speak of the practice, sir,
the monastic code and immersion in samādhi.”
“With eyes not wanton,
they’d turn their ears from village gossip.
They wouldn’t be greedy for flavors,
nor possessive about anything in the world.
Though struck by contacts,
a mendicant would not lament at all.
They wouldn’t pray for another life,
nor tremble in the face of dangers.
When they receive food and drink,
edibles and clothes,
they wouldn’t store them up,
nor worry about not getting them.
Meditative, not footloose,
they’d avoid remorse and not be negligent.
Then a mendicant would stay
in quiet places to sit and rest.
They wouldn’t take much sleep,
but, being keen, would apply themselves to wakefulness.
They’d give up sloth, illusion, mirth, and play,
and sex and ornamentation.
They wouldn’t cast Artharvaṇa spells, interpret dreams
or omens, or practice astrology.
My followers would not decipher animal cries, practice healing,
or treat an impacted fetus.
Not shaken by criticism,
a mendicant would not pride themselves when praised.
They’d reject greed and stinginess,
anger, and slander.
They’d not stand for buying and selling;
a mendicant would not speak ill at all.
They wouldn’t linger in the village,
nor cajole people from desire for profit.
A mendicant would be no boaster,
nor would they speak suggestively.
They wouldn’t train in impudence,
nor speak argumentatively.
They wouldn’t be led into lying,
nor be deliberately devious.
And they’d never look down on another
because of livelihood, wisdom, or precepts and vows.
Though provoked from hearing much talk
from ascetics saying all different things,
they wouldn’t react harshly,
for the virtuous do not retaliate.
Having understood this teaching,
inquiring, a mendicant would always train mindfully.
Knowing extinguishment as peace,
they’d not be negligent in Gotama’s bidding.
For he is the undefeated, the champion,
seer of the truth as witness, not by hearsay—
that’s why, being diligent, they would always train
respectfully in the Buddha’s teaching.”