Cp 17

Mātaṅgacariya

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, jaṭilo uggatāpano; Mātaṅgo nāma nāmena, sīlavā susamāhito.

Mātaṅga’s Conduct

“Then again when I was a matted-hair ascetic of severe penance, Mātaṅga was my name, I was virtuous and serene.

Ahañca brāhmaṇo eko, gaṅgākūle vasāmubho; Ahaṁ vasāmi upari, heṭṭhā vasati brāhmaṇo.

A brahmin and I both lived on a bank of the Ganges. I stayed upstream, the brahmin downstream.

Vicaranto anukūlamhi, uddhaṁ me assamaddasa; Tattha maṁ paribhāsetvā, abhisapi muddhaphālanaṁ.

Wandering along the riverbank, he saw my hermitage upstream. Then he abused and cursed me, that my head would split in seven.

Yadihaṁ tassa pakuppeyyaṁ, yadi sīlaṁ na gopaye; Oloketvānahaṁ tassa, kareyyaṁ chārikaṁ viya.

If I were upset with him and if I were not taking care of my ethics, then just with a glance I could have reduced him to ashes.

Yaṁ so tadā maṁ abhisapi, kupito duṭṭhamānaso; Tasseva matthake nipati, yogena taṁ pamocayiṁ.

But when he cursed me then, so angry and bitter-hearted, it fell right back on his own head: I freed him from that yoke.

Anurakkhiṁ mama sīlaṁ, nārakkhiṁ mama jīvitaṁ; Sīlavā hi tadā āsiṁ, bodhiyāyeva kāraṇā”ti.

I guarded my ethics, not my life. For then I was ethical, because it was solely for awakening.”