Pārāpariyattheragāthā

Theragāthā 16.2

Verses of the Senior Monks 16.2

Vīsatinipāta

The Book of the Twenties

Paṭhamavagga

Chapter One

Pārāpariyattheragāthā

Pārāsariya (2nd)

“Samaṇassa ahu cintā,

This thought came to the ascetic,

pārāpariyassa bhikkhuno;

the monk Pārāsariya,

Ekakassa nisinnassa,

as he was seated alone

pavivittassa jhāyino.

meditating in seclusion:

Kimānupubbaṁ puriso,

“Following what procedure,

kiṁ vataṁ kiṁ samācāraṁ;

what observance, what conduct,

Attano kiccakārīssa,

may a person do what they need for themselves,

na ca kañci viheṭhaye.

without harming anyone else?

Indriyāni manussānaṁ,

The faculties of human beings

hitāya ahitāya ca;

can lead to both welfare and harm.

Arakkhitāni ahitāya,

Unguarded they lead to harm;

rakkhitāni hitāya ca.

guarded they lead to welfare.

Indriyāneva sārakkhaṁ,

By protecting the faculties,

indriyāni ca gopayaṁ;

taking care of the faculties,

Attano kiccakārīssa,

I can do what I need for myself

na ca kañci viheṭhaye.

without harming anyone else.

Cakkhundriyañce rūpesu,

If your eye wanders

gacchantaṁ anivārayaṁ;

among sights without check,

Anādīnavadassāvī,

not seeing the danger,

so dukkhā na hi muccati.

you’re not freed from suffering.

Sotindriyañce saddesu,

If your ear wanders

gacchantaṁ anivārayaṁ;

among sounds without check,

Anādīnavadassāvī,

not seeing the danger,

so dukkhā na hi muccati.

you’re not freed from suffering.

Anissaraṇadassāvī,

If, not seeing the escape,

gandhe ce paṭisevati;

you indulge in a smell,

Na so muccati dukkhamhā,

you’re not freed from suffering,

gandhesu adhimucchito.

being besotted by smells.

Ambilaṁ madhuraggañca,

Recollecting the sour,

tittakaggamanussaraṁ;

the superbly sweet and the bitter,

Rasataṇhāya gadhito,

captivated by craving for taste,

hadayaṁ nāvabujjhati.

you don’t understand the heart.

Subhānyappaṭikūlāni,

Recollecting lovely

phoṭṭhabbāni anussaraṁ;

and pleasurable touches,

Ratto rāgādhikaraṇaṁ,

full of desire, you experience

vividhaṁ vindate dukhaṁ.

many kinds of suffering because of lust.

Manaṁ cetehi dhammehi,

Unable to protect

yo na sakkoti rakkhituṁ;

the mind from such thoughts,

Tato naṁ dukkhamanveti,

suffering follows them

sabbehetehi pañcahi.

because of all five.

Pubbalohitasampuṇṇaṁ,

This body is full of pus and blood,

bahussa kuṇapassa ca;

it’s home to many carcasses;

Naravīrakataṁ vagguṁ,

but cunning people decorate it

samuggamiva cittitaṁ.

like a lovely painted casket.

Kaṭukaṁ madhurassādaṁ,

You don’t understand that

piyanibandhanaṁ dukhaṁ;

the sweetness of honey turns bitter,

Khuraṁva madhunā littaṁ,

and the bonds to those we love cause pain,

ullihaṁ nāvabujjhati.

like a razor’s edge smeared with honey.

Itthirūpe itthisare,

Full of lust for the sight of a woman,

phoṭṭhabbepi ca itthiyā;

for the voice and the smells of a woman,

Itthigandhesu sāratto,

for a woman’s touch,

vividhaṁ vindate dukhaṁ.

you experience many kinds of suffering.

Itthisotāni sabbāni,

All of a woman’s streams

sandanti pañca pañcasu;

flow from five to five.

Tesamāvaraṇaṁ kātuṁ,

Whoever, being energetic,

yo sakkoti vīriyavā.

is able to curb these,

So atthavā so dhammaṭṭho,

purposeful and firm in principle,

so dakkho so vicakkhaṇo;

is clever and clear-seeing.

Kareyya ramamānopi,

Though he might enjoy himself,

kiccaṁ dhammatthasaṁhitaṁ.

his duty is connected with the teaching and its goal.

Atho sīdati saññuttaṁ,

One who’s diligent and discerning,

vajje kiccaṁ niratthakaṁ;

thinking, ‘This ought not be done’,

‘Na taṁ kiccan’ti maññitvā,

would avoid a useless task

appamatto vicakkhaṇo.

that’s doomed to failure.

Yañca atthena saññuttaṁ,

Whatever is meaningful,

yā ca dhammagatā rati;

and whatever happiness is principled,

Taṁ samādāya vattetha,

let one proceed having undertaken that:

sā hi ve uttamā rati.

this is the best happiness.

Uccāvacehupāyehi,

They want to get hold of what belongs to others

Paresamabhijigīsati;

by any means, fair or foul.

Hantvā vadhitvā atha socayitvā,

They kill, injure, and torment,

Ālopati sāhasā yo paresaṁ.

violently plundering what belongs to others.

Tacchanto āṇiyā āṇiṁ,

Just as a strong person when building

nihanti balavā yathā;

knocks out a peg with a peg,

Indriyānindriyeheva,

so the skillful person

nihanti kusalo tathā.

knocks out the faculties with the faculties.

Saddhaṁ vīriyaṁ samādhiñca,

Developing faith, energy, immersion,

satipaññañca bhāvayaṁ;

mindfulness, and wisdom;

Pañca pañcahi hantvāna,

destroying the five with the five,

anīgho yāti brāhmaṇo.

the brahmin walks on untroubled.

So atthavā so dhammaṭṭho,

Purposeful and firm in principle,

katvā vākyānusāsaniṁ;

having fulfilled in every respect

Sabbena sabbaṁ buddhassa,

the instructions spoken by the Buddha,

so naro sukhamedhatī”ti.

that person prospers in happiness.”

… Pārāpariyo thero ….