Soṇapaṇḍitacariya

Cariyāpiṭaka

The Conduct Leading to Buddhahood

Yudhañjayavagga

The Chapter With Yudhañjaya

Nekkhammapāramī 5

The Perfection of Renunciation (5th)

Soṇapaṇḍitacariya

Soṇa the Astute’s Conduct

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi,

“Then again when I was

nagare brahmavaḍḍhane;

in the city of Brahmavaḍḍhana,

Tattha kulavare seṭṭhe,

I was reborn there

mahāsāle ajāyahaṁ.

in a fine, wealthy, and eminent family.

Tadāpi lokaṁ disvāna,

Even so, I saw that the world

Andhībhūtaṁ tamotthaṭaṁ;

had become blind, smothered in darkness.

Cittaṁ bhavato patikuṭati,

My mind recoiled from rebirth,

Tuttavegahataṁ viya.

as if harshly pricked by a goad.

Disvāna vividhaṁ pāpaṁ,

Seeing the many forms of wickedness,

evaṁ cintesahaṁ tadā;

I thought to myself:

‘Kadāhaṁ gehā nikkhamma,

‘When shall I leave the house

pavisissāmi kānanaṁ’.

and enter the forest?’

Tadāpi maṁ nimantesuṁ,

Then too my relatives invited me

kāmabhogehi ñātayo;

to enjoy the pleasures of the senses.

Tesampi chandamācikkhiṁ,

I told them of my desire, saying,

‘mā nimantetha tehi maṁ’.

‘Do not invite me to such things!’

Yo me kaniṭṭhako bhātā,

My younger brother,

nando nāmāsi paṇḍito;

who was named Nanda the astute,

Sopi maṁ anusikkhanto,

followed my ethical practices,

pabbajjaṁ samarocayi.

and chose to go forth.

Ahaṁ soṇo ca nando ca,

I, Soṇa, and Nanda,

ubho mātāpitā mama;

and both my mother and father,

Tadāpi bhoge chaḍḍetvā,

then discarded our riches

pāvisimhā mahāvanan”ti.

and entered the great forest.”

Soṇapaṇḍitacariyaṁ pañcamaṁ.