Thag 18.1

Mahākassapattheragāthā

“Na gaṇena purakkhato care, Vimano hoti samādhi dullabho; Nānājanasaṅgaho dukho, Iti disvāna gaṇaṁ na rocaye.

Mahākassapa

“You shouldn’t live for the adulation of a following; it turns your mind, making it hard to get immersion. Seeing that popularity is suffering, you shouldn’t consent to a following.

Na kulāni upabbaje muni, Vimano hoti samādhi dullabho; So ussukko rasānugiddho, Atthaṁ riñcati yo sukhāvaho.

A sage should not visit respectable families; it turns your mind, making it hard to get immersion. If you’re eager and greedy for flavors, you’ll miss the goal that brings such happiness.

Paṅkoti hi naṁ avedayuṁ, Yāyaṁ vandanapūjanā kulesu; Sukhumaṁ sallaṁ durubbahaṁ, Sakkāro kāpurisena dujjaho.

They know it really is a bog, this homage and veneration in respectable families. Honor is a subtle dart, hard to extract, and hard for a reprobate to give up.”

Senāsanamhā oruyha, nagaraṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁ; Bhuñjantaṁ purisaṁ kuṭṭhiṁ, sakkaccaṁ taṁ upaṭṭhahiṁ.

“I came down from my lodging and entered the city for alms. I courteously stood by while a leper ate.

So me pakkena hatthena, ālopaṁ upanāmayi; Ālopaṁ pakkhipantassa, aṅguli cettha chijjatha.

With his putrid hand he offered me a morsel. Putting the morsel in my bowl, his finger dropped off right there.

Kuṭṭamūlañca nissāya, ālopaṁ taṁ abhuñjisaṁ; Bhuñjamāne vā bhutte vā, jegucchaṁ me na vijjati.

Sitting by a wall, I ate that lump of rice. I did not feel any disgust while eating or afterwards.

Uttiṭṭhapiṇḍo āhāro, pūtimuttañca osadhaṁ; Senāsanaṁ rukkhamūlaṁ, paṁsukūlañca cīvaraṁ; Yassete abhisambhutvā, sa ve cātuddiso naro.

Anyone who makes use of leftovers for food, rancid urine as medicine, the root of a tree as lodging, and cast-off rags as robes, is at ease in any quarter.”

Yattha eke vihaññanti, āruhantā siluccayaṁ; Tassa buddhassa dāyādo, sampajāno patissato; Iddhibalenupatthaddho, kassapo abhirūhati.

“Where some have fallen to ruin while climbing the mountain, there Kassapa ascends; an heir of the Buddha, aware and mindful, owing to his psychic powers.

Piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto, selamāruyha kassapo; Jhāyati anupādāno, pahīnabhayabheravo.

Returning from almsround, Kassapa ascends the mountain, and practices absorption without grasping, with fear and dread given up.

Piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto, selamāruyha kassapo; Jhāyati anupādāno, ḍayhamānesu nibbuto.

Returning from almsround, Kassapa ascends the mountain, and practices absorption without grasping, quenched amongst those who burn.

Piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto, selamāruyha kassapo; Jhāyati anupādāno, katakicco anāsavo.

Returning from almsround, Kassapa ascends the mountain, and practices absorption without grasping, his task completed, free of defilements.”

Karerimālāvitatā, bhūmibhāgā manoramā; Kuñjarābhirudā rammā, te selā ramayanti maṁ.

“Strewn with garlands of the musk-rose tree, these regions are so delightful, so lovely, echoing with the trumpeting of elephants: these rocky crags delight me!

Nīlabbhavaṇṇā rucirā, vārisītā sucindharā; Indagopakasañchannā, te selā ramayanti maṁ.

Glistening, they look like blue stormclouds, with waters cool and streams so clear, and covered all in ladybugs: these rocky crags delight me!

Nīlabbhakūṭasadisā, kūṭāgāravarūpamā; Vāraṇābhirudā rammā, te selā ramayanti maṁ.

Like the peak of a blue stormcloud, or like a fine bungalow, lovely, echoing with the trumpeting of elephants: these rocky crags delight me!

Abhivuṭṭhā rammatalā, nagā isibhi sevitā; Abbhunnaditā sikhīhi, te selā ramayanti maṁ.

The rain comes down on the lovely flats, in the mountains frequented by seers. Echoing with the cries of peacocks, these rocky crags delight me!

Alaṁ jhāyitukāmassa, pahitattassa me sato; Alaṁ me atthakāmassa, pahitattassa bhikkhuno.

It’s enough for me, who loves absorption, to remain resolute. It’s enough for me, a resolute monk who wants what’s best.

Alaṁ me phāsukāmassa, pahitattassa bhikkhuno; Alaṁ me yogakāmassa, pahitattassa tādino.

It’s enough for me, a resolute monk who loves comfort. It’s enough for me, resolute and unaffected, loving meditation.

Umāpupphena samānā, gaganāvabbhachāditā; Nānādijagaṇākiṇṇā, te selā ramayanti maṁ.

Covered with flowers of flax, like the welkin covered with stormclouds, full of flocks of many different birds, these rocky crags delight me!

Anākiṇṇā gahaṭṭhehi, migasaṅghanisevitā; Nānādijagaṇākiṇṇā, te selā ramayanti maṁ.

Empty of householders, frequented by herds of deer, full of flocks of many different birds, these rocky crags delight me!

Acchodikā puthusilā, gonaṅgulamigāyutā; Ambusevālasañchannā, te selā ramayanti maṁ.

The water’s clear and the rocks are broad, monkeys and deer are all around; festooned with dewy moss, these rocky crags delight me!”

Na pañcaṅgikena turiyena, Rati me hoti tādisī; Yathā ekaggacittassa, Sammā dhammaṁ vipassato.

“Even the music of a five-piece band can never give such pleasure as when, with unified mind, you rightly discern the Dhamma.”

Kammaṁ bahukaṁ na kāraye, Parivajjeyya janaṁ na uyyame; Ussukko so rasānugiddho, Atthaṁ riñcati yo sukhāvaho.

“Don’t get involved in lots of work, avoid people, and don’t try to acquire things. If you’re eager and greedy for flavors, you’ll miss the goal that brings such happiness.

Kammaṁ bahukaṁ na kāraye, Parivajjeyya anattaneyyametaṁ; Kicchati kāyo kilamati, Dukkhito so samathaṁ na vindati.

Don’t get involved in lots of work, avoid what doesn’t lead to the goal. The body gets worn out and fatigued, and when you ache, you won’t find serenity.”

Oṭṭhappahatamattena, attānampi na passati; Patthaddhagīvo carati, ahaṁ seyyoti maññati.

“You won’t see yourself by merely reciting words, wandering stiff-necked and thinking, ‘I’m better than them.’

Aseyyo seyyasamānaṁ, bālo maññati attānaṁ; Na taṁ viññū pasaṁsanti, patthaddhamānasaṁ naraṁ.

The fool is no better, but they think they are. The wise don’t praise pompous people.

Yo ca seyyohamasmīti, nāhaṁ seyyoti vā pana; Hīno taṁsadiso vāti, vidhāsu na vikampati.

Whoever does not waver due to the discriminations— ‘I am better’, ‘I’m not better’, ‘I am worse’, or ‘I am the same’—

Paññavantaṁ tathā tādiṁ, sīlesu susamāhitaṁ; Cetosamathamanuttaṁ, tañce viññū pasaṁsare.

with such understanding, unaffected, steady in ethics, and devoted to serenity of mind: that is who the wise praise.”

Yassa sabrahmacārīsu, gāravo nūpalabbhati; Ārakā hoti saddhammā, nabhato puthavī yathā.

“Whoever has no respect for their spiritual companions is as far from the true teaching as the earth is from the sky.

Yesañca hiriottappaṁ, sadā sammā upaṭṭhitaṁ; Virūḷhabrahmacariyā te, tesaṁ khīṇā punabbhavā.

Those whose conscience and prudence are always rightly established, thrive in the spiritual life; for them, there are no future lives.

Uddhato capalo bhikkhu, paṁsukūlena pāruto; Kapīva sīhacammena, na so tenupasobhati.

When a mendicant who is haughty and fickle wears rags from the rubbish-heap, that doesn’t make them shine: they’re like a monkey in a lion skin.

Anuddhato acapalo, nipako saṁvutindriyo; Sobhati paṁsukūlena, sīhova girigabbhare.

But if they not restless or fickle, alert, with senses restrained, then, wearing rags from the rubbish-heap, they shine like a lion in a mountain cave.”

Ete sambahulā devā, iddhimanto yasassino; Dasadevasahassāni, sabbe te brahmakāyikā.

“These many gods powerful and glorious, all 10,000 of them, belong to the host of the Divinity.

Dhammasenāpatiṁ vīraṁ, mahājhāyiṁ samāhitaṁ; Sāriputtaṁ namassantā, tiṭṭhanti pañjalīkatā.

They stand with cupped palms honoring Sāriputta, the General of the Dhamma, the hero, the serene great meditator:

‘Namo te purisājañña, namo te purisuttama; Yassa te nābhijānāma, yampi nissāya jhāyati.

‘Homage to you, O thoroughbred! Homage to you, supreme among men! We don’t understand the basis of your absorption.

Accheraṁ vata buddhānaṁ, gambhīro gocaro sako; Ye mayaṁ nābhijānāma, vālavedhisamāgatā’.

The profound domain of the Buddhas is truly amazing. We don’t understand, though we’ve gathered here to split hairs.’

Taṁ tathā devakāyehi, pūjitaṁ pūjanārahaṁ; Sāriputtaṁ tadā disvā, kappinassa sitaṁ ahu.

When he saw the host of gods paying homage to Sāriputta— who is truly worthy of homage— Kappina smiled.”

Yāvatā buddhakhettamhi, ṭhapayitvā mahāmuniṁ; Dhutaguṇe visiṭṭhohaṁ, sadiso me na vijjati.

“As far as the range of the Buddha extends, apart from the great sage himself, I am distinguished in austerities, no equal to me is found.

Pariciṇṇo mayā satthā, kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ; Ohito garuko bhāro, natthi dāni punabbhavo.

I’ve served the Teacher and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions. The heavy burden is laid down, now there’ll be no more future lives.”

Na cīvare na sayane, bhojane nupalimpati; Gotamo anappameyyo, muḷālapupphaṁ vimalaṁva; Ambunā nekkhammaninno, tibhavābhinissaṭo.

“Like a lotus flower to which water will not stick, Gotama the immeasurable is unstained by robes, lodgings, or food. He inclines to renunciation, and has escaped the three states of existence.

Satipaṭṭhānagīvo so, saddhāhattho mahāmuni; Paññāsīso mahāñāṇī, sadā carati nibbuto”ti.

The great sage’s neck is mindfulness meditation; faith is his hands, and wisdom his head. Having great knowledge, he always wanders, quenched.”