Text and Translations Home Page
Mahàmaïgalasuttaü
The Discourse on the Great Blessings (An Analysis)
(PDF)
Edited & Translated by ânandajoti Bhikkhu
(prose introduction)
Evaü me sutaü:
Thus I have heard:
Evam thus
me by me
sutaü heard
ekaü samayaü Bhagavà Sàvatthiyaü viharati
at one time the Gracious One was dwelling near Sàvatthi
ekaü one
samayaü time
Bhagavà the Gracious One
Sàvatthiyaü near Sàvatthi
viharati was dwelling (lit: lives)
Jetavane Anàthapiõóikassa àràme.
at Anàthapiõóika's grounds in Jeta's Wood.
Jetavane in Jeta's Wood
Anàthapiõóikassa Anàthapiõóika's
àràme at grounds (later meaning monastery)
Atha kho aÿÿatarà devatà abhikkantàya rattiyà,
Then a certain god, towards the end of the night,
Atha kho then
aÿÿatarà certain
devatà god
abhikkantàya towards the end
rattiyà of the night
abhikkantavaõõà kevalakappaü Jetavanaü obhàsetvà,
having lit up the whole of Jeta's Wood with his surpassing beauty,
abhikkanta- surpassing
-vaõõà beauty
kevala- whole
kappaü whole
Jetavanaü Jeta's Wood
obhàsetvà having lit up
yena Bhagavà tenupasaïkami,
approached the Gracious One,
Bhagavà the Gracious One
yena ... tenupasaïkami approached
upasaïkamitvà Bhagavantaü abhivàdetvà, ekam-antaü aññhàsi.
and after approaching and worshipping the Gracious One, he stood on one side.
upasaïkamitvà after approaching
abhivàdetvà worshipping
Bhagavantaü the Gracious One
ekam- one
antaü side
aññhàsi he stood
Ekam-antaü ñhità kho sà devatà Bhagavantaü gàthàya ajjhabhàsi:
While standing on one side that god addressed the Gracious One with a verse:
Ekam- one
antaü side
ñhità standing
kho (emphatic particle)
sà that
devatà god
Bhagavantaü the Gracious One
gàthàya with a verse
ajjhabhàsi addressed
(verses)
(Verse 1: Spoken by one of the Gods)
ßBahå devà manussà ca ~ maïgalàni acintayuü
ßMany are the gods and the men ~ who have thought about the blessings
Bahå many
devà gods
manussà men
ca and
maïgalàni blessings
acintayuü have thought
(Verse 2-12: Spoken by the Buddha in Reply)
àkaïkhamànà sotthànaü: ~ bråhi maïgalam-uttamaü.û [1]
hoping for safety: ~ now please say what is the supreme.û
àkaïkhamànà hoping
sotthànaü for safety
bråhi please say
maïgalam- blessing
uttamaü supreme
ßAsevanà ca bàlànaü, ~ paõóitànaÿ-ca sevanà,
ßNot associating with fools, ~ but associating with the wise,
Asevanà not associating
ca (connective particle)
bàlànaü with fools
paõóitànaÿ with the wise
ca but
sevanà associating
påjà ca påjanãyànaü: ~ etaü maïgalam-uttamaü. [2]
honouring those worthy of honour: ~ this is the supreme blessing.
påjà honouring
ca (connective particle)
påjanãyànaü worthy of honour (the honourable)
etaü this
maïgalam blessing
uttamaü supreme
Pañiråpadesavàso ca, ~ pubbe ca katapuÿÿatà,
Living in a suitable place, ~ formerly having done good deeds,
pañiråpa- suitable
desa place (lit: district)
vàso living
ca (and)
pubbe formerly
ca (and)
kata- having done
puÿÿatà good deeds
attasammàpaõidhi ca: ~ etaü maïgalam-uttamaü. [3]
having the right aspiration for oneself: ~ this is the supreme blessing.
atta- oneself
sammà- right
paõidhi aspiration
ca (and)
etaü this
maïgalam blessing
uttamaü supreme
Bàhusaccaÿ-ca sippaÿ-ca, ~ vinayo ca susikkhito,
Having great learning and craft, ~ being disciplined and well trained,
Bàhu- great
saccaÿ- learning
ca and
sippaÿ- craft
ca and
vinayo being disciplined
ca and
su- well
sikkhito trained
subhàsità ca yà vàcà: ~ etaü maïgalam-uttamaü. [4]
and whatever words are well spoken: ~ this is the supreme blessing.
su- well
bhàsità well spoken
ca and
yà whatever
vàcà words
etaü this
maïgalam blessing
uttamaü supreme
Màtàpitu-upaññhànaü, ~ puttadàrassa saïgaho,
Attending on one's mother and father, ~ looking after one's wife and children,
Màtà- mother
pitu father
upaññhànaü attending on
putta- children
dàrassa wife
saïgaho looking after
anàkulà ca kammantà: ~ etaü maïgalam-uttamaü. [5]
having work that is not agitating: ~ this is the supreme blessing.
anàkulà (= an+àkulà) not agitating
ca (and)
kammantà work
etaü this
maïgalam blessing
uttamaü supreme
Dànaÿ-ca Dhammacariyà ca, ~ ÿàtakànaÿ-ca saïgaho,
Giving, and living by the Dhamma, ~ and looking after one's relatives,
dànaÿ- giving
ca and
Dhamma- Dhamma
cariyà living by
ca and
ÿàtakànaÿ- relatives
ca and
saïgaho looking after
anavajjàni kammàni: ~ etaü maïgalam-uttamaü. [6]
(performing) actions that are blameless: ~ this is the supreme blessing.
anavajjàni (= an+a+vajjàni) blameless
kammàni actions
etaü this
maïgalam blessing
uttamaü supreme
ârati virati pàpà, ~ majjapànà ca saÿÿamo,
Abstaining, refraining, from bad deeds, ~ restraint from intoxicating drink,
àrati abstaining
virati refraining
pàpà from bad deeds
majja- intoxicating
pànà from drink
ca (and)
saÿÿamo restraint
appamàdo ca dhammesu: ~ etaü maïgalam-uttamaü. [7]
being heedful regarding (all) things: ~ this is the supreme blessing.
appamàdo being heedful
ca (and)
dhammesu regarding things
etaü this
maïgalam blessing
uttamaü supreme
Gàravo ca nivàto ca, ~ santuññhã ca kataÿÿutà,
Having respect and being humble, ~ being satisfied and grateful,
gàravo having respect
ca and
nivàto being humble
ca and
santuññhã being satisfied
ca and
kataÿÿutà grateful
kàlena Dhammasavaõaü: ~ etaü maïgalam-uttamaü. [8]
listening to the Dhamma at the right time: ~ this is the supreme blessing.
kàlena at the right time
Dhamma- the Dhamma
savaõaü listening
etaü this
maïgalam blessing
uttamaü supreme
Khantã ca sovacassatà, ~ samaõànaÿ-ca dassanaü,
Being patient and easily spoken to, ~ seeing ascetics,
Khantã being patient
ca and
so- easily
vacassatà spoken to
samaõànaÿ- ascetics
ca (and)
dassanaü seeing
kàlena Dhammasàkacchà: ~ etaü maïgalam-uttamaü. [9]
discussing the Dhamma at the right time: ~ this is the supreme blessing.
kàlena at the right time
Dhamma- the Dhamma
sàkacchà discussing
etaü this
maïgalam blessing
uttamaü supreme
Tapo ca brahmacariyaÿ-ca, ~ ariyasaccànadassanaü,
Austerity, living spiritually, ~ insight into the noble truths,
Tapo austerity
ca (and)
brahma- spiritually
cariyaÿ- living
ca (and)
ariya- noble
saccàna- truths
dassanaü insight
Nibbànasacchikiriyà ca: ~ etaü maïgalam-uttamaü. [10]
the experience of Nibbàna: ~ this is the supreme blessing.
Nibbàna- Nibbàna
sacchikiriyà experience
ca (and)
etaü this
maïgalam blessing
uttamaü supreme
Phuññhassa lokadhammehi, ~ cittaü yassa na kampati,
He whose mind does not waver, when it is touched by worldly things,
Phuññhassa touched
loka- worldly
dhammehi by things
cittaü mind
yassa he whose
na not
kampati waver
asokaü virajaü khemaü: ~ etaü maïgalam-uttamaü. [11]
being griefless, dustless, and secure: ~ this is the supreme blessing.
asokaü being griefless
virajaü dustless
khemaü secure
etaü this
maïgalam blessing
uttamaü supreme
Etàdisàni katvàna, ~ sabbattha-m-aparàjità,
Having done as here directed, ~ being undefeated everywhere,
Età- here
disàni directed
katvàna having done
sabbattha everywhere
m (euphonic particle)
aparàjità (= a+paràjità) undefeated
sabbattha sotthiü gacchanti: ~ taü tesaü maïgalam-uttamanû-ti. [12]
they go everywhere in safety: ~ for them this is the supreme blessing.û
sabbattha everywhere
sotthiü safety
gacchanti they go
taü for them
tesaü this
maïgalam blessing
uttaman- supreme
ti (quotation marker)