snp.5.19 Suttanipata

“I will recite the Way to the Beyond,” said venerable Piṅgiya,
“as he saw it, so he explained: unstained, with great intelligence,
the one free from sense desire, the unentangled one, the Strong One, why should he speak falsely?

“Of the one who gave up stain and delusion, who gave up conceit and malevolence,
come now, I will proclaim this lyric which is endowed with beauty:

“The Buddha, the darkness-dispeller, the All-Seeing Visionary,
who has gone to the end of the world, transcended all of existence
given up all suffering, the one pollutant-free,
whose very name is truth—O brahmin, you are worshipped by me.

“Just as a bird who has given up a barren woodland,
might live in a forest which has much fruit,
so too I have given up those of little wisdom,
like a swan who has arrived at the great sea.

“Those who explained things to me in the past, before Gotama’s teaching,
saying ‘it was so, and so it will be’, all that was just hearsay,
all that just increased my thoughts.

“Alone sits the Darkness-Dispeller, the Bright One, the Light-Maker,
Gotama of Great Knowledge, Gotama of Great Intelligence.

“He who taught the Teaching to me, which is visible, not subject to time,
the end of craving, beyond calamity, for which there is nowhere a likeness.”

Bāvari: “Then why do you dwell apart from him, even for a second, Piṅgiya,
from Gotama of Great Knowledge, Gotama of Great Intelligence,

“He who taught the Teaching to you, which is visible, not subject to time,
the end of craving, beyond calamity, for which there is nowhere a likeness?”

“I would not dwell apart from him even for a second, brahmin,
from Gotama of Great Knowledge, Gotama of Great Intelligence,

“He who taught the Teaching to me, which is visible, not subject to time,
the end of craving, beyond calamity, for which there is nowhere a likeness.

“I see him in my mind as though with the eye,
as I dwell heedful night and day, brahmin.
“Revering him I make the night pass by,
for that reason I think there is no real dwelling apart.

“My confidence, happiness, mind, and mindfulness,
do not depart from Gotama’s teaching.
Whatever direction the One of Great Wisdom goes to
it is that very place that I am inclined.

“I am old, without strength and feeble,
because of that my body does not go there,
but by an effort of thought I always go,
for my mind, Brahmin, is joined to him.

“Lying down in a quagmire I was trembling,
I drifted from island to island,
then I saw the Sambuddha, the flood-crosser, the one pollutant-free.”

The Buddha said: “Just as Vakkali released his confidence—
and Bhadrāvudha, and Āḷavi-Gotama—
just like that you must release your confidence,
and you will go, Piṅgiya, beyond the realm of Death.”

“I am more and more sure about this, having heard the sage’s word,
the cover-remover, the Sambuddha, who is unhindered, assured in speech,

“Who knows the great gods, who has understood everything far and near,
the Teacher who makes an end to questions in those who have doubts, and make them known.

The Indestructible, the Unagitated, for which there is nowhere a likeness,
Surely I will go there, about this I have no doubt,
thus bear me in mind as one whose heart is intent on Nibbāna.”

The Discourse on Piṅgiya, the Sixteenth

The Way to the Beyond is Finished

Piṅgiya
“Going to the Further Shore”, I’ll chant—
As He had Seen so did He teach,
that pure One of wisdom profound,
rid of desire and (interior) jungle—
falsehood—for what reason would he speak?

Now therefore I shall eulogize
those words profoundly beautiful,
of One who has renounced the stains
of delusion, pride, hypocrisy.

All-seer, Awake, Dispeller of dark,
beyond all being gone, gone to world’s end,
with no inflows left, let go of all dukkha-causes,
that one is “brahmin” rightly named: him do I serve.

As bird that leaves behind a copse,
might then in fruit-filled forest live,
so have I left those of wisdom lean,
as swan to a great lake arrived.

Those who explained to me before,
I heard the Buddha’s utterance,
said “thus it was”, “thus will be”—
all that was only oral lore,
all that promoted more disputes.

Dispeller of darkness, seated alone,
the well-born, him the maker of Light,
Gotama, him profoundly wise,
Gotama, greatly intelligent—

the Dharma to me he pointed out,
which can be seen right here and now,
by time, not limited at all,
craving’s exhaustion, troubles’ end,
with which naught can compare.

Brahmin
How can you live apart from him,
Even for a minute, Piṅgiya?
Gotama of such profound wisdom,
Gotama of such profound sagacity.

Who pointed out the Dhamma to you,
Apparent in this very life,
The ending of craving, free of distress,
With which naught can compare.

Piṅgiya
I never live apart from him,
Even for a minute, brahmin
Gotama of such profound wisdom,
Gotama of such profound sagacity.

Who pointed out the Dhamma to me,
Apparent in this very life,
The ending of craving, free of distress,
With which naught can compare.

I see him with my mind’s eye, brahmin,
Being heedful night and day;
I spend the night revering him,
So I think I am never apart from him.

The mind of faith and rapture, mindfulness,
from Gotama’s teachings never does depart,
for in whoever way the Deeply-Wise One goes,
to that very direction do I bow down.

I am old, my strength is gone,
So my body cannot carry me there.
But my thoughts always travel there,
For my mind, brahmin, is devoted to him.

Floundering in the mud, I lay,
Swimming from island to island,
Then I saw the Awakened Buddha,
Crossed over the flood, free of inflows.

Buddha
Just as Vakkali was sure in faith,
Bhadrāvudha, and Āḷavigotama, too,
In the same way, you too should be sure of your faith,
And, Piṅgiya, you will go to the far shore of death.

Piṅgiya
Thus my inspiration grows even more,
Hearing the voice of the Sage;
The Buddha, who drew back the veil of the world,
Without heartlessness, of inspired speech,

Knows what is beyond the gods,
Knows all, both high and low,
The Teacher who puts and end to questions
Of those who declare their doubts.

The immovable, unshakeable,
That to which there is no compare:
For sure, I will go there,
I have no doubt of that.
You may remember me
As one who’s mind is made up.