snp.4.4 Suttanipata

The Eight on Purity

“A pure one I see”, free completely from disease,
so by “seeing” such (it is said) one attains to purity.
Convinced about this and holding it highest
that one relies on this knowledge
while contemplating purity.

But if a person by seeings’ purified
or if through such knowledge could leave dukkha aside
then one with assets still by another could be purified:
this view betrays one who speaks in this way.

The Brahmin says not that “by another, one is purified”—
not by sights or by sounds, rites and vows and what’s sensed.
Such person’s not stuck upon merit or evil,
with selfishness renounced, constructing nothing here.

Former (things) let go, then to other (things) attached,
following craving, their bondage, they do not overcross,
so they (continue) with grasping and discarding,
as monkey letting go a branch to seize upon another.

A person undertaking (holy) vows goes high and low—
they waver, fettered by conditional perceptions.
But one who has learnt well and the Dharma penetrated
goes not up and down—
that one of wisdom profound.

Within all the dharmas whether seen or they’re heard,
or otherwise sensed, this one fights not at all,
that one who sees them nakedly while faring to the end,
by whom in the world could he be described?

They neither form views, show nothing’s preferred,
nor do they claim a purity supreme,
having loosened craving’s knot with which they were bound,
no longer they have longing for what’s in the world.

Having Known, having Seen, there’s nothing to be grasped
by a Brahmin gone beyond all limitations,
neither lustful with lusts nor to lustlessness attached—
in this there is nothing that’s grasped as the highest.

- Translator: Laurence Khantipalo Mills

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Eight on the Pure

“I see a pure being of ultimate wellness;
it is vision that grants a person purity.”
Recalling this notion of the ultimate,
they believe in the notion that there is one who observes purity.
If a person were granted purity through vision,
or if by a notion they could give up suffering,
then one with attachments is purified by another:
their view betrays them as one who asserts thus.
The brahmin speaks not of purity from another
in terms of what is seen, heard, or thought; or by precepts or vows.
They are unsullied in the midst of good and evil,
letting go what was picked up, without creating anything new here.
Having let go the last they lay hold of the next;
following impulse, they don’t get past the snare.
They grab on and let go like a monkey
grabbing and releasing a branch.
Having undertaken their own vows, a person
visits various teachers, being attached to perception.
One who knows, having comprehended the truth through the knowledges,
does not visit various teachers, being of vast wisdom.
They are remote from all things
seen, heard, or thought.
Seeing them living openly,
how could anyone in this world judge them?
They don’t make things up or promote them,
or speak of the uttermost purity.
After untying the tight knot of grasping
they long for nothing in the world.
The brahmin has stepped over the boundary;
knowing and seeing, they adopt nothing.
Neither in love with passion nor besotted by dispassion,
there is nothing here they adopt as the ultimate.