Some speak with wicked intent,
while others are convinced their words are due,
but whatever talk there is the sage enters no debate,
therefore nowhere barren is the silent sage.But a person led by his own desires,
and then continuing accordingly finds it hard,
to let them go, accepting his own thoughts as true,
becomes one who speaks as a believer.So if a person without being asked,
having practiced and praised virtues,
even those of himself, invented by himself,
the good say this is an ignoble act indeed.But that bhikkhu who’s serene at heart
and praises neither his own practices or virtue,
not labelling himself “I” in “this”, the good praise him:
“No arrogance has he for anything in the world”.Who’s thoughts, imagined and put together, then prefer
even though their source is not purified,
seeing advantage for himself, he relies upon this,
depending on what is imagined,
constructed and conventional.When one has grasped
from among many Dharma-doctrines,
after due considerations one clings to a View,
or condemns those of others,
hence it’s not easy to transcend those Dharmas.There is not in the world such a purified person
who continues in these views about existential states,
for this person of purity, let go of illusion and conceit,
how can he be in any way reckoned?Who is attached still enters into doctrinal debates,
but one unattached, how could he take sides?
For him nothing is taken up or put down,
With all views shaken off, relying on none.
snp.4.3 Suttanipata
The Eight on the Corruptions of the Mind
- Translator: Laurence Khantipalo Mills
Eight on Malice
Some speak with malicious intent,while others speak set on truth.
When disputes come up a sage does not get involved,
which is why they’ve no barrenness at all.
How can you transcend your own view
when you’re led by preference, dogmatic in belief?
Inventing your own undertakings,
you’d speak according to your notion.
Some, unasked, tell others
of their own precepts and vows.
They have an ignoble nature, say the experts,
since they speak about themselves of their own accord.
A mendicant, peaceful, quenched,
never boasts “thus am I” of their precepts.
They have a noble nature, say the experts,
not proud of anything in the world.
For one who formulates and creates teachings,
and promotes them despite their defects,
if they see an advantage for themselves,
they become dependent on that, relying on unstable peace.
It’s not easy to get over dogmatic views
adopted after judging among the teachings.
That’s why, among all these dogmas, a person
rejects one teaching and takes up another.
The cleansed one has no formulated view
at all in the world about the different realms.
Having given up illusion and conceit,
by what path would they go? They are not involved.
For one who is involved gets embroiled in disputes about teachings—
but how to dispute with the uninvolved? About what?
For picking up and putting down is not what they do;
they have shaken off all views in this very life.