Patna Dhammapada - 20: The Chapter about the Path

Māggānaṣṭaṅgiko śreṣṭho, saccānāṁ caturo padā,
The eightfold is the best of paths, four principles (the best) of truths,

virāgo śreṣṭho dhammāṇāṁ, dupadānāṁ ca Cakkhumā.
dispassion the best of states, the Visionary (the best) of men.

Maggānaṭṭhaṅgiko seṭṭho, saccānaṁ caturo padā,
The eightfold is the best of paths, four principles (the best) of truths,

virāgo seṭṭho dhammānaṁ, dipadānañ-ca Cakkhumā.
dispassion the best of states, the Visionary (the best) of men.

Ākkhāto vo mayā māggo, aññāye śallasaṁsano,
The path was declared by me, the removal of the dart by knowledge,

tubbhehi kiccam ātappaṁ akkhātāro Tathāgatā,
your duty is to have ardour declare the Realised Ones,

paṭipannā pramokkhanti jhāyino Mārabandhanā.
entering this path meditators will be released from the bonds of Māra.

Etaṁ hi tumhe paṭipannā dukkhassantaṁ karissatha,
Having entered upon this path you will make an end to suffering,

akkhāto ve mayā maggo, aññāya sallasanthanaṁ.
the path was declared by me, the removal of the dart by knowledge.

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Tumhehi kiccaṁ ātappaṁ akkhātāro Tathāgatā,
Your duty is to have ardour declare the Realised Ones,

paṭipannā pamokkhanti jhāyino Mārabandhanā.
entering this path meditators will be released from the bonds of Māra.

Eseva māggo nāstañño, daṁśanassa viśuddhiye,
This is the path, there is no other, for insight and for purity,

taṁ māggaṁ paṭipajjahvo, Mārassesā pramohanī,
you should enter upon this path, this is the confounding of Māra,

etāhi tubbhe paṭipannā dukkhassa antaṁ kariṣyatha.
having entered upon this path you will make an end to suffering.

Eso va maggo natthañño, dassanassa visuddhiyā,
This is the path, there is no other, for insight and for purity,

etaṁ hi tumhe paṭipajjatha, Mārassetaṁ pamohanaṁ.
you should enter upon this path, The meaning is the same, but the expression differs in this line. this is the confounding of Māra.

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Etaṁ hi tumhe paṭipannā dukkhassantaṁ karissatha,
Having entered upon this path you will make an end to suffering,

akkhāto ve mayā maggo, aññāya sallasanthanaṁ.
the path was declared by me, the removal of the dart by knowledge.

Vanaṁ chindatha mā rukkhe, vanāto jāyate bhayaṁ,
Cut down the forest (of defilements) not just the trees, from the forest arises a danger,

chettā vanañ-ca vanadhañ-ca, nibbanena gamiśśatha.
having cut down the forest and thicket, you will go further without forests.

Vanaṁ chindatha mā rukkhaṁ, vanato jāyatī bhayaṁ,
Cut down the forest (of defilements) not just a tree, from the forest arises a danger,

chetvā vanañ-ca vanathañ-ca, nibbanā hotha bhikkhavo.
having cut down the forest and thicket, you should be without forests, monastics.

Yāvatā vanadho na cchijjati
° For as long as an atom of desire

aṇumātto pi narassa ñātisu,
of a man for his kin is not cut down,

paṭibaddhamano hi tattha
the mind is in bondage there,

so vaccho cchīravako va mātari.
like a calf (in bondage) to mother’s milk.

Yāva hi vanatho na chijjati
° For as long as an atom of desire

aṇumatto pi narassa nārisu,
of a man for a woman is not cut down,

paṭibaddhamano va tāva so,
for just so long is the mind in bondage,

vaccho khīrapako va mātari.
like a calf (in bondage) to mother’s milk.

Ucchinna sineham āttano,
Cut off (any) affection for one’s self,

kumudaṁ śāradikaṁ va pāṇinā,
like an autumn lotus (plucked) with the hand,

śāntimāggam eva byūhaya
develop fully the path to peace and

Nibbāṇaṁ Sugatena deśitaṁ.
Nibbāna taught by the Happy One.

Ucchinda sineham-attano,
Cut off (any) affection for one’s self,

kumudaṁ sāradikaṁ va pāṇinā,
like an autumn lotus (plucked) with the hand,

santimaggam-eva brūhaya
develop fully the path to peace and

Nibbānaṁ Sugatena desitaṁ.
Nibbāna taught by the Happy One.

“Idaṁ vaśśā kariṣyāmi, idaṁ hemanna ghmasu”,
“Here I will make the rains retreat, here during winter and summer”,

iti bālo vicinteti, antarāyaṁ na bujjhati.
in just such a way a fool thinks, not understanding the danger.

“Idha vassaṁ vasissāmi, idha hemantagimhisu”,
“Here I will dwell during the rains, here during winter and summer”,

iti bālo vicinteti, antarāyaṁ na bujjhati.
in just such a way a fool thinks, not understanding the danger.

Taṁ puttapaśusammattaṁ vyāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ,
That person whose mind is attached and besotted by cattle and children,

suttaṁ ggrāmaṁ mahogho vā maccu-r-ādāya gacchati.
is snatched away by death just as a sleeping village (by) a great flood.

Taṁ puttapasusammattaṁ byāsattamanasaṁ naraṁ,
That person whose mind is attached and besotted by cattle and children,

suttaṁ gāmaṁ mahogho va maccu ādāya gacchati.
is snatched away by death just as a sleeping village (by) a great flood.

Na santi puttā ttāṇāya, na pitā no pi bhātaro,
Children are not a refuge, nor fathers, not even brothers,

Antakenādhibhūtassa nāsti ñātīsu ttāṇatā.
for one afflicted by the End-Maker there is no refuge in relatives.

Na santi puttā tāṇāya, na pitā na pi bandhavā,
Children are not a refuge, nor fathers, not even kin,

Antakenādhipannassa natthi ñātisu tāṇatā.
for one overcome by the End-Maker there is no refuge in relatives.

Krandatām eva ñātīnaṁ vilapatāṁ cevam ekato
Relatives cry and wail together in this way

janā antarahīyanti, asakāmā jahanti naṁ.
people (still) depart, against their desires they give him up.

Etaṁ vidiya medhāvī, praññavā vītamaccharī,
Understanding this the sage, wise, free of selfishness,

taṁ saggagamanaṁ māggaṁ niccam eva viśodhaye.
should constantly purify the path that is leading to heaven.

Etam-atthavasaṁ ñatvā, paṇḍito sīlasaṁvuto,
Understanding the truth of this, the wise one, endowed with virtue,

Nibbānagamanaṁ maggaṁ khippam-eva visodhaye.
should quickly purify the path that is leading to Nibbāna.

Tassā hi paṇḍito poṣo sampaśśaṁ attham āttano
Therefore a wise man looking for his own welfare

taṁ saggaganaṁ māggaṁ niccam eva viśodhaye.
should constantly purify the path that is leading to heaven.

Tasmā hi paṇḍito poso sampassaṁ attham attano
Therefore a wise man looking for his own welfare

yoniso vicine Dhammaṁ, evaṁ tattha visujjhati.
should wisely examine the Dhamma, like this he will be pruified there.

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Etam-atthavasaṁ ñatvā, paṇḍito sīlasaṁvuto,
Understanding the truth of this the wise one, endowed with virtue,

Nibbānagamanaṁ maggaṁ khippam-eva visodhaye.
should quickly purify the path that is leading to Nibbāna.

Śraddho śīlena sampanno, praññavā susamāhito,
Endowed with faith and virtue, wise, well-composed,

niccaṁ māggaṁ viśodheti, sacchayanaṁ sāmparāyikaṁ.
one constantly purifies the path, which brings safety in the next world.

Saddhā sīlena sampannā, vadaññū vītamaccharā,
Endowed with faith and virtue, bountiful and free of selfishness,

niccaṁ maggaṁ visodheti, sotthānaṁ samparāyikaṁ.
one constantly purifies the path, which brings safety in the next world.

Śraddho śīlena sampanno, praññavā susamāhito,
Endowed with faith and virtue, wise, composed,

ramate māggam āsevaṁ, ajjhattopasame rato.
delights in practising the path, delights in internal peace.

Śraddho śīlena sampanno, praññāvāgarato sadā,
Endowed with faith and virtue, always delighting in being wise,

saṁyojanam aṇutthūlaṁ daham aggī va gacchati,
one advances like burning fire against the fetter, small or large,

Saddhā sīlena sampannā, vadaññū vītamaccharā,
Endowed with faith and virtue, bountiful and free of selfishness,

niccaṁ maggaṁ visodheti, sotthānaṁ samparāyikaṁ.
one constantly purifies the path, which brings safety in the next world.

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Appamādarato bhikkhu, pamāde bhayadassivā,
A monastic delighting in heedfulness, seeing danger in heedlessness,

saṁyojanaṁ aṇuṁ-thūlaṁ ḍahaṁ aggīva gacchati.
one advances like burning fire against the fetter, small or large.

Aniccā sabbasaṅkhārā, yato praññāya paśśati,
All conditions are impermanent, when one sees this with wisdom,

atha nivvaṇḍate dukkhā – esa māggo viśuddhiye.
then one grows tired of suffering – this is the path to purity.

Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā ti, Word order is different in the Pāḷi, which is hypermetrical owing to the quotation marker. yadā paññāya passati,
All conditions are impermanent, when one sees this with wisdom,

atha nibbindatī dukkhe – esa maggo visuddhiyā.
then one grows tired of suffering – this is the path to purity.

Sabbadhammā anāttā ti, yato praññāya paśśati,
All components (of mind and body) are without self, when one sees this with wisdom,

atha nivvaṇḍate dukkhā – esa māggo viśuddhiye.
then one grows tired of suffering – this is the path to purity.

Sabbe dhammā anattā ti, yadā paññāya passati,
All components (of mind and body) are without self, when one sees this with wisdom,

atha nibbindatī dukkhe – esa maggo visuddhiyā.
then one grows tired of suffering – this is the path to purity.

Yogā hi bhūrī sambhavati, ayogā bhūrisaṅkhayo,
From effort originates wisdom, without effort wisdom is destroyed,

etaṁ jethāpathaṁ ñāttā bhavāya vibhavāya ca,
having understood these two paths of development and decline,

tathā śiccheya medhāvī yathā bhūrī pravaddhati.
the sage should train so that his wisdom increases.

Yogā ve jāyatī bhūri, ayogā bhūrisaṅkhayo,
From effort arises wisdom, without effort wisdom is destroyed,

etaṁ dvedhāpathaṁ ñatvā bhavāya vibhavāya ca,
having understood these two paths of development and decline,

tathattānaṁ niveseyya yathā bhūri pavaḍḍhati.
one should establish oneself so that one’s wisdom increases.