Purābhedasutta

Sutta Nipāta 4.10

Anthology of Discourses 4.10

Purābhedasutta

Before the Breakup

“Kathaṁdassī kathaṁsīlo,

“Seeing how, behaving how,

upasantoti vuccati;

is one said to be at peace?

Taṁ me gotama pabrūhi,

When asked, Gotama, please tell me

pucchito uttamaṁ naraṁ”.

about the ultimate person.”

“Vītataṇho purā bhedā,

“Rid of craving before the breakup,”

(iti bhagavā)

said the Buddha,

Pubbamantamanissito;

“not dependent on the first beginning,

Vemajjhe nupasaṅkheyyo,

unfathomable in the middle,

Tassa natthi purakkhataṁ.

they are not governed by anything.

Akkodhano asantāsī,

Unangry, unafraid,

avikatthī akukkuco;

not boastful or regretful,

Mantabhāṇī anuddhato,

thoughtful in counsel, not restless—

sa ve vācāyato muni.

truly that sage is controlled in speech.

Nirāsatti anāgate,

Rid of attachment to the future,

atītaṁ nānusocati;

they don’t grieve for the past.

Vivekadassī phassesu,

A seer of seclusion in the midst of contacts

diṭṭhīsu ca na nīyati.

is not led astray among views.

Patilīno akuhako,

Withdrawn, free of deceit,

apihālu amaccharī;

they’re not envious or stingy,

Appagabbho ajeguccho,

nor rude or disgusting,

pesuṇeyye ca no yuto.

or given to slander.

Sātiyesu anassāvī,

Not swept up in pleasures,

atimāne ca no yuto;

or given to arrogance,

Saṇho ca paṭibhānavā,

they’re gentle and articulate,

na saddho na virajjati.

neither hungering nor growing dispassionate.

Lābhakamyā na sikkhati,

Not training for desire for profit,

alābhe ca na kuppati;

nor getting annoyed at lack of profit;

Aviruddho ca taṇhāya,

they are not hostile due to craving,

rasesu nānugijjhati.

for they are not greedy for flavors.

Upekkhako sadā sato,

Equanimous, ever mindful,

na loke maññate samaṁ;

they never conceive themselves in the world

Na visesī na nīceyyo,

as equal, special, or less than;

tassa no santi ussadā.

they have no pretensions.

Yassa nissayanā natthi,

They have no dependencies,

ñatvā dhammaṁ anissito;

understanding the teaching, they are independent.

Bhavāya vibhavāya vā,

No craving is found in them

taṇhā yassa na vijjati.

to continue existence or to end it.

Taṁ brūmi upasantoti,

I declare them to be at peace,

Kāmesu anapekkhinaṁ;

unconcerned for sensual pleasures.

Ganthā tassa na vijjanti,

No ties are found in them,

Atarī so visattikaṁ.

they have crossed over clinging.

Na tassa puttā pasavo,

They have no children or livestock,

Khettaṁ vatthuñca vijjati;

nor possess fields or lands.

Attā vāpi nirattā vā,

No picking up or putting down

Na tasmiṁ upalabbhati.

is found in them.

Yena naṁ vajjuṁ puthujjanā,

That by which one might describe

Atho samaṇabrāhmaṇā;

an ordinary person or ascetics and brahmins

Taṁ tassa apurakkhataṁ,

has no importance to them,

Tasmā vādesu nejati.

which is why they’re unperturbed by words.

Vītagedho amaccharī,

Freed of greed, not stingy,

Na ussesu vadate muni;

a sage doesn’t speak of themselves as being

Na samesu na omesu,

among superiors, inferiors, or equals.

Kappaṁ neti akappiyo.

One not prone to creation
does not return to creation.

Yassa loke sakaṁ natthi,

They who have nothing in the world of their own

Asatā ca na socati;

do not grieve for that which is not,

Dhammesu ca na gacchati,

or drift among the teachings;

Sa ve santoti vuccatī”ti.

that’s who is said to be at peace.”

Purābhedasuttaṁ dasamaṁ.