Introductory VersesVatthugāthā

From the fair city of the KosalansKosalānaṁ purā rammā, to the southern regionagamā dakkhiṇāpathaṁ; came a brahmin expert in hymns,Ākiñcaññaṁ patthayāno, aspiring to nothingness.brāhmaṇo mantapāragū.

He settled in a region under the shared dominionSo assakassa visaye, of Assaka and Muḷaka,aḷakassa samāsane; where he lived on the bank of the Godāvarī River,Vasi godhāvarīkūle, getting by on gleanings and fruit.uñchena ca phalena ca.

He was supportedTasseva upanissāya, by a prosperous village nearby.gāmo ca vipulo ahu; With the revenue earned from thereTato jātena āyena, he performed a great sacrifice.mahāyaññamakappayi.

When he had completed the great sacrifice,Mahāyaññaṁ yajitvāna, he returned to his hermitage once more.puna pāvisi assamaṁ; Upon his return,Tasmiṁ paṭipaviṭṭhamhi, another brahmin arrived.añño āgañchi brāhmaṇo.

Foot-sore and thirsty,Ugghaṭṭapādo tasito, with grotty teeth and dusty head,paṅkadanto rajassiro; he approached the otherSo ca naṁ upasaṅkamma, and asked for five hundred coins.satāni pañca yācati.

When Bāvari saw him,Tamenaṁ bāvarī disvā, he invited him to sit down,āsanena nimantayi; asked of his happiness and well-being,Sukhañca kusalaṁ pucchi, and said the following.idaṁ vacanamabravi.

“Whatever I had available to give,“Yaṁ kho mama deyyadhammaṁ, I have already distributed.Sabbaṁ visajjitaṁ mayā; Believe me, brahmin,Anujānāhi me brahme, I don’t have five hundred coins.”Natthi pañcasatāni me”.

“If, good fellow, you do not“Sace me yācamānassa, give me what I ask,bhavaṁ nānupadassati; then on the seventh day,Sattame divase tuyhaṁ, let your head explode in seven!”muddhā phalatu sattadhā”.

After performing a ritual,Abhisaṅkharitvā kuhako, that charlatan uttered his dreadful curse.bheravaṁ so akittayi; When he heard these words,Tassa taṁ vacanaṁ sutvā, Bāvari became distressed.bāvarī dukkhito ahu.

Not eating, he grew emaciated,Ussussati anāhāro, stricken by the dart of sorrow.Sokasallasamappito; And in such a state of mind,Athopi evaṁ cittassa, he could not enjoy absorption.Jhāne na ramatī mano.

Seeing him anxious and distraught,Utrastaṁ dukkhitaṁ disvā, a goddess wishing to help,Devatā atthakāminī; approached BāvariBāvariṁ upasaṅkamma, and said the following.Idaṁ vacanamabravi.

“That charlatan understands nothing“Na so muddhaṁ pajānāti, about the head, he only wants money.Kuhako so dhanatthiko; When it comes to heads or head-splitting,Muddhani muddhapāte vā, he has no knowledge at all.”Ñāṇaṁ tassa na vijjati”.

“Then you, Madam, must know—“Bhotī carahi jānāsi, please answer my question.Taṁ me akkhāhi pucchitā; Let me hear what you sayMuddhaṁ muddhādhipātañca, about heads and head-splitting.”Taṁ suṇoma vaco tava”.

“I too do not know that,“Ahampetaṁ na jānāmi, I have no knowledge in that matter.Ñāṇamettha na vijjati; When it comes to heads or head-splitting,Muddhani muddhādhipāte ca, it is the Victors who have vision.”Jinānaṁ hettha dassanaṁ”.

“So who then,“Atha ko carahi jānāti, in all this vast territory,Asmiṁ pathavimaṇḍale; does know about heads and head-splitting?Muddhaṁ muddhādhipātañca, Please tell me, goddess.”Taṁ me akkhāhi devate”.

“From the city of Kapilavatthu“Purā kapilavatthumhā, the World Leader has gone forth.Nikkhanto lokanāyako; He is a scion of King Okkāka,Apacco okkākarājassa, a Sakyan, and a beacon.Sakyaputto pabhaṅkaro.

For he, brahmin, is the Awakened One!So hi brāhmaṇa sambuddho, He has gone beyond all things;Sabbadhammāna pāragū; he has attained to all knowledge and power;Sabbābhiññābalappatto, his eye sees clearly in all things,Sabbadhammesu cakkhumā; he has attained the end of all deeds;Sabbakammakkhayaṁ patto, he is freed with the ending of attachments.Vimutto upadhikkhaye.

That Buddha, the Blessed One in the world,Buddho so bhagavā loke, the Clear-eyed One, teaches Dhamma.Dhammaṁ deseti cakkhumā; Go to him and ask—Taṁ tvaṁ gantvāna pucchassu, he will answer you.”So te taṁ byākarissati”.

When he heard the word “Buddha”,Sambuddhoti vaco sutvā, Bāvari was elated.Udaggo bāvarī ahu; His sorrow faded,Sokassa tanuko āsi, and he was filled to brimming with joy.Pītiñca vipulaṁ labhi.

Uplifted, elated, and inspired,So bāvarī attamano udaggo, Bāvari questioned that goddess:Taṁ devataṁ pucchati vedajāto; “But in what village or town,“Katamamhi gāme nigamamhi vā pana, or in what land is the protector of the world,Katamamhi vā janapade lokanātho; where we may go and pay respectsYattha gantvāna passemu, to the Awakened One, best of men?”Sambuddhaṁ dvipaduttamaṁ”.

“Near Sāvatthī, home of the Kosalans, <j>is the Victor“Sāvatthiyaṁ kosalamandire jino, abounding in wisdom, vast in intelligence.Pahūtapañño varabhūrimedhaso; That Sakyan is indefatigable, free of defilements,So sakyaputto vidhuro anāsavo, that captain of men understands head-splitting.”Muddhādhipātassa vidū narāsabho”.

Therefore he addressed his acolytes,Tato āmantayī sisse, brahmins who had mastered the hymns:Brāhmaṇe mantapārage; “Come, students, I shall speak.“Etha māṇavā akkhissaṁ, Listen to what I say.Suṇātha vacanaṁ mama.

Today has arisen in the worldYasseso dullabho loke, one whose appearance in the worldPātubhāvo abhiṇhaso; is hard to find again—Svājja lokamhi uppanno, he is renowned as the Awakened One.Sambuddho iti vissuto; Quickly go to SāvatthīKhippaṁ gantvāna sāvatthiṁ, and see the best of men.”Passavho dvipaduttamaṁ”.

“Brahmin, how then are we to know“Kathaṁ carahi jānemu, the Buddha when we see him?Disvā buddhoti brāhmaṇa; We don’t know, please tell us,Ajānataṁ no pabrūhi, so we can recognize him.”Yathā jānemu taṁ mayaṁ”.

“The marks of a great man“Āgatāni hi mantesu, have been handed down in our hymns.Mahāpurisalakkhaṇā; Thirty-two have been described,Dvattiṁsāni ca byākkhātā, complete and in order.Samattā anupubbaso.

One upon whose body is foundYassete honti gattesu, these marks of a great manMahāpurisalakkhaṇā; has two possible destinies,Dveyeva tassa gatiyo, there is no third.Tatiyā hi na vijjati.

If he stays at home,Sace agāraṁ āvasati, having conquered this landVijeyya pathaviṁ imaṁ; without rod or sword,Adaṇḍena asatthena, he shall govern by principle.Dhammena manusāsati.

But if he goes forthSace ca so pabbajati, from the lay life to homelessness,Agārā anagāriyaṁ; he becomes an Awakened One, a perfected one,Vivaṭṭacchado sambuddho, with veil cast off, supreme.Arahā bhavati anuttaro.

Ask him about my birth, clan, and marks,Jātiṁ gottañca lakkhaṇaṁ, my hymns and acolytes; and further,Mante sisse punāpare; about heads and head-splitting—Muddhaṁ muddhādhipātañca, but do so only in your mind!Manasāyeva pucchatha.

If he is the BuddhaAnāvaraṇadassāvī, of unhindered vision,Yadi buddho bhavissati; he will answer with his voiceManasā pucchite pañhe, the questions in your mind.”Vācāya vissajessati”.

Sixteen brahmin acolytesBāvarissa vaco sutvā, heard what Bāvari said:Sissā soḷasa brāhmaṇā; Ajita, Tissametteyya,Ajito tissametteyyo, Puṇṇaka and Mettagū,Puṇṇako atha mettagū.

Dhotaka and Upasīva,Dhotako upasīvo ca, Nanda and then Hemaka,Nando ca atha hemako; both Todeyya and Kappa,Todeyya-kappā dubhayo, and Jatukaṇṇī the astute,Jatukaṇṇī ca paṇḍito.

Bhadrāvudha and Udaya,Bhadrāvudho udayo ca, and the brahmin Posāla,Posālo cāpi brāhmaṇo; Mogharāja the intelligent,Mogharājā ca medhāvī, and Piṅgiya the great seer.Piṅgiyo ca mahāisi.

Each of them had their own following,Paccekagaṇino sabbe, they were renowned the whole world over.Sabbalokassa vissutā; Those attentive ones, <j>meditators who love absorption,Jhāyī jhānaratā dhīrā, were redolent with the potential <j>of their past deeds.Pubbavāsanavāsitā.

Having bowed to Bāvari,Bāvariṁ abhivādetvā, and circled him to his right,Katvā ca naṁ padakkhiṇaṁ; they set out for the north,Jaṭājinadharā sabbe, with their dreadlocks and hides.Pakkāmuṁ uttarāmukhā.

First to Patiṭṭhāna of Muḷaka,Aḷakassa patiṭṭhānaṁ, then on to the citadel of Māhissatī;Purimāhissatiṁ tadā; to Ujjenī and Gonaddhā,Ujjeniñcāpi gonaddhaṁ, and Vedisa, and Vanasa.Vedisaṁ vanasavhayaṁ.

Then to Kosambī and Sāketa,Kosambiñcāpi sāketaṁ, and the capital city of Sāvatthī;Sāvatthiñca puruttamaṁ; on they went to Setavyā and Kapilavatthu,Setabyaṁ kapilavatthuṁ, and the homestead at Kusinārā.Kusinārañca mandiraṁ.

To Pāvā they went, and Bhoga City,Pāvañca bhoganagaraṁ, and on to Vesālī and the Magadhan city.Vesāliṁ māgadhaṁ puraṁ; Finally they reached the Pāsāṇaka Shrine,Pāsāṇakaṁ cetiyañca, fair and delightful.Ramaṇīyaṁ manoramaṁ.

Like a thirsty person to cool water,Tasitovudakaṁ sītaṁ, like a merchant to great profit,Mahālābhaṁva vāṇijo; like a heat-struck person to shade,Chāyaṁ ghammābhitattova, they quickly climbed the mountain.Turitā pabbatamāruhuṁ.

At that time the Buddha,Bhagavā tamhi samaye, at the fore of the mendicant Saṅgha,Bhikkhusaṅghapurakkhato; was teaching the mendicants the Dhamma,Bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti, like a lion roaring in the jungle.Sīhova nadatī vane.

Ajita saw the Buddha,Ajito addasa buddhaṁ, like the sun shining with a hundred rays,Sataraṁsiṁva bhāṇumaṁ; like the moon on the fifteenth dayCandaṁ yathā pannarase, when it has come into its fullness.Pāripūriṁ upāgataṁ.

Then he saw his body,Athassa gatte disvāna, complete in all features.Paripūrañca byañjanaṁ; Thrilled, he stood to one sideEkamantaṁ ṭhito haṭṭho, and asked this question in his mind.Manopañhe apucchatha.

“Speak about the brahmin’s birth;“Ādissa jammanaṁ brūhi, of his clan; and his own marks;Gottaṁ brūhi salakkhaṇaṁ; what hymns is he proficient in;Mantesu pāramiṁ brūhi, and how many he teaches.”Kati vāceti brāhmaṇo”.

“His age is a hundred and twenty.“Vīsaṁ vassasataṁ āyu, By clan he is a Bāvari.So ca gottena bāvarī; There are three marks on his body.Tīṇissa lakkhaṇā gatte, He is a master of the three Vedas,Tiṇṇaṁ vedāna pāragū.

the teachings on the marks, the testaments,Lakkhaṇe itihāse ca, the vocabularies, and the rituals.Sanighaṇḍusakeṭubhe; He teaches recitation to five hundred,Pañcasatāni vāceti, and has reached proficiency in his own teaching.”Sadhamme pāramiṁ gato”.

“O supreme man, cutter of craving,“Lakkhaṇānaṁ pavicayaṁ, please reveal in detailBāvarissa naruttama; Bāvari’s marks—Kaṅkhacchida pakāsehi, let us doubt no longer!”Mā no kaṅkhāyitaṁ ahu”.

“He can cover his face with his tongue;“Mukhaṁ jivhāya chādeti, there is a tuft of hair between his eyebrows;Uṇṇassa bhamukantare; his private parts are sheathed in a foreskin:Kosohitaṁ vatthaguyhaṁ, know them as this, student.”Evaṁ jānāhi māṇava”.

Hearing the answersPucchañhi kiñci asuṇanto, without having heard any questions,Sutvā pañhe viyākate; all the people, inspired,Vicinteti jano sabbo, with cupped palms, wondered:Vedajāto katañjalī.

“Who is it that asked a question with their mind?“Ko nu devo vā brahmā vā, Was it a god or divinity?Indo vāpi sujampati; Or Indra, Sujā’s husband?Manasā pucchite pañhe, To whom does the Buddha reply?”Kametaṁ paṭibhāsati”.

“Bāvari asks“Muddhaṁ muddhādhipātañca, about heads and head-splitting.Bāvarī paripucchati; May the Buddha please answer,Taṁ byākarohi bhagavā, and so, O seer, dispel our doubt.”Kaṅkhaṁ vinaya no ise”.

“Know ignorance as the head,“Avijjā muddhāti jānāhi, and knowledge as the head-splitter,Vijjā muddhādhipātinī; when joined with faith, mindfulness, and immersion,Saddhāsatisamādhīhi, and enthusiasm and energy.”Chandaviriyena saṁyutā”.

At that, the student,Tato vedena mahatā, full of inspiration,Santhambhitvāna māṇavo; arranged his antelope-skin cloak over one shoulder,Ekaṁsaṁ ajinaṁ katvā, and fell with his head to the Buddha’s feet.Pādesu sirasā pati.

“Good fellow, the brahmin Bāvari“Bāvarī brāhmaṇo bhoto, together with his acolytes,Saha sissehi mārisa; elated and happy,Udaggacitto sumano, bows to your feet, O Clear-eyed One!”Pāde vandati cakkhuma”.

“May the brahmin Bāvari be happy,“Sukhito bāvarī hotu, together with his acolytes.Saha sissehi brāhmaṇo; And may you, too, be happy!Tvañcāpi sukhito hohi, May you live long, student.Ciraṁ jīvāhi māṇava.

To Bāvari and you allBāvarissa ca tuyhaṁ vā, I grant the opportunity to clear up all doubt.Sabbesaṁ sabbasaṁsayaṁ; Please askKatāvakāsā pucchavho, whatever you want.”Yaṁ kiñci manasicchatha”.

Granted the opportunity by the Buddha,Sambuddhena katokāso, they sat down with cupped palms.Nisīditvāna pañjalī; Ajita asked the Realized OneAjito paṭhamaṁ pañhaṁ, the first question right there.Tattha pucchi tathāgataṁ.

The introductory verses are finished.Vatthugāthā niṭṭhitā.