Mahābyūhasutta

Sutta Nipāta 4.13

Anthology of Discourses 4.13

Mahābyūhasutta

The Longer Discourse on Arrayed for Battle

“Ye kecime diṭṭhiparibbasānā,

“Regarding those who maintain their own view,

Idameva saccanti vivādayanti;

disputing that, ‘This is the only truth’:

Sabbeva te nindamanvānayanti,

are all of them subject only to criticism,

Atho pasaṁsampi labhanti tattha”.

or do some also win praise for that?”

“Appañhi etaṁ na alaṁ samāya,

“That is a small thing, insufficient for peace,

Duve vivādassa phalāni brūmi;

these two fruits of dispute, I say.

Etampi disvā na vivādayetha,

Seeing this, one ought not dispute,

Khemābhipassaṁ avivādabhūmiṁ”.

looking for sanctuary in the land of no dispute.

“Yā kācimā sammutiyo puthujjā,

One who knows does not get involved

Sabbāva etā na upeti vidvā;

with any of the many different conventions.

Anūpayo so upayaṁ kimeyya,

Why would the uninvolved get involved,

Diṭṭhe sute khantimakubbamāno”.

since they do not believe
based on the seen or the heard?

“Sīluttamā saññamenāhu suddhiṁ,

Those for whom ethics are the highest speak of purity through self-control;

Vataṁ samādāya upaṭṭhitāse;

having undertaken a vow, they stick to it:

Idheva sikkhema athassa suddhiṁ,

‘Let us train right here, then we will be pure.’

Bhavūpanītā kusalāvadānā.

Professing to be experts, they are led on to future lives.

Sace cuto sīlavatato hoti,

If they fall away from their precepts and vows,

Pavedhatī kamma virādhayitvā;

they tremble, having failed in their task.

Pajappatī patthayatī ca suddhiṁ,

They pray and long for purity,

Satthāva hīno pavasaṁ gharamhā.

like one who has lost their caravan
while journeying far from home.

Sīlabbataṁ vāpi pahāya sabbaṁ,

But having given up all precepts and vows,

Kammañca sāvajjanavajjametaṁ;

and these deeds blameworthy or blameless;

Suddhiṁ asuddhinti apatthayāno,

not longing for ‘purity’ or ‘impurity’,

Virato care santimanuggahāya.

live detached, fostering peace.

Tamūpanissāya jigucchitaṁ vā,

Relying on mortification in disgust of sin,

Atha vāpi diṭṭhaṁ va sutaṁ mutaṁ vā;

or else on what is seen, heard, or thought,

Uddhaṁsarā suddhimanutthunanti,

they moan that purification
comes through heading upstream,

Avītataṇhāse bhavābhavesu.

not rid of craving for life after life.

Patthayamānassa hi jappitāni,

For one who longs there are muttered prayers,

Pavedhitaṁ vāpi pakappitesu;

and trembling too over ideas they have formed.

Cutūpapāto idha yassa natthi,

But one here for whom there is no passing away
or reappearing:

Sa kena vedheyya kuhiṁ va jappe”.

why would they tremble? For what would they pray?”

“Yamāhu dhammaṁ paramanti eke,

“The very same teaching that some say is ‘ultimate’,

Tameva hīnanti panāhu aññe;

others say is inferior.

Sacco nu vādo katamo imesaṁ,

Which of these statements is true,

Sabbeva hīme kusalāvadānā”.

for all of them profess to be experts?”

“Sakañhi dhammaṁ paripuṇṇamāhu,

“They say their own teaching is perfect,

Aññassa dhammaṁ pana hīnamāhu;

while the teaching of others is inferior.

Evampi viggayha vivādayanti,

So arguing, they dispute,

Sakaṁ sakaṁ sammutimāhu saccaṁ.

each saying their own conventions are the truth.

Parassa ce vambhayitena hīno,

If someone else’s disparagement makes you inferior,

Na koci dhammesu visesi assa;

no one in any teaching would be distinguished.

Puthū hi aññassa vadanti dhammaṁ,

For each of them says the other’s teaching is lacking,

Nihīnato samhi daḷhaṁ vadānā.

while forcefully advocating their own.

Saddhammapūjāpi nesaṁ tatheva,

But if they honor their own teachings

Yathā pasaṁsanti sakāyanāni;

just as they praise their own journeys,

Sabbeva vādā tathiyā bhaveyyuṁ,

then all doctrines would be equally valid,

Suddhī hi nesaṁ paccattameva.

and purity would be specific to them.

Na brāhmaṇassa paraneyyamatthi,

After judging among the teachings,
a brahmin has adopted nothing

Dhammesu niccheyya samuggahītaṁ;

that requires interpretation by another.

Tasmā vivādāni upātivatto,

That’s why they’ve gotten over disputes,

Na hi seṭṭhato passati dhammamaññaṁ.

for they see no other doctrine as best.

Jānāmi passāmi tatheva etaṁ,

Saying, ‘I know, I see, that’s how it is’,

Diṭṭhiyā eke paccenti suddhiṁ;

some believe that purity stems from view.

Addakkhi ce kiñhi tumassa tena,

But if they’ve really seen,
what use is that view to them?

Atisitvā aññena vadanti suddhiṁ.

Overlooking what matters,
they say purity comes from another.

Passaṁ naro dakkhati nāmarūpaṁ,

When a person sees, they see name and form,

Disvāna vā ñassati tānimeva;

and having seen, they will know just these things.

Kāmaṁ bahuṁ passatu appakaṁ vā,

Gladly let them see much or little,

Na hi tena suddhiṁ kusalā vadanti.

for those who are skilled say this is no way to purity.

Nivissavādī na hi subbināyo,

It’s not easy to educate someone who is dogmatic,

Pakappitaṁ diṭṭhi purakkharāno;

promoting a view they have formulated.

Yaṁ nissito tattha subhaṁ vadāno,

Speaking of the beauty
in that on which they depend,

Suddhiṁ vado tattha tathaddasā so.

they talk of purity in accord with what they saw there.

Na brāhmaṇo kappamupeti saṅkhā,

The brahmin does not get involved
with formulating and calculating;

Na diṭṭhisārī napi ñāṇabandhu;

they’re not followers of views,
nor kinsmen of notions.

Ñatvā ca so sammutiyo puthujjā,

Having understood the many different conventions,

Upekkhatī uggahaṇanti maññe.

they look on when others grasp.

Vissajja ganthāni munīdha loke,

Having untied the knots here in the world,

Vivādajātesu na vaggasārī;

the sage takes no side among disputes.

Santo asantesu upekkhako so,

Peaceful among the peaceless, equanimous,

Anuggaho uggahaṇanti maññe.

they don’t grasp when others grasp.

Pubbāsave hitvā nave akubbaṁ,

Having given up former defilements
and not making new ones,

Na chandagū nopi nivissavādī;

not swayed by preference,
nor a proponent of dogma,

Sa vippamutto diṭṭhigatehi dhīro,

that attentive one is released from views,

Na lippati loke anattagarahī.

not clinging to the world,
nor reproaching themselves.

Sa sabbadhammesu visenibhūto,

They are remote from all things

Yaṁ kiñci diṭṭhaṁ va sutaṁ mutaṁ vā;

seen, heard, or thought.

Sa pannabhāro muni vippamutto,

With burden put down, the sage is released:

Na kappiyo nūparato na patthiyo”ti.

not formulating, not abstaining, not longing.”

Mahābyūhasuttaṁ terasamaṁ.