narrator A brahmin who’d mastered all mantras, Desiring the state of no-thingness, From Kosalans’ fair city he left then Towards the southern parts. By Godhāvarī river he sojourned In Assaka’s realm near Alaka’s border, Surviving on gleanings and fruit. Close by to him a village large, With revenue derived from there, Great the sacrifice he performed.
With ritual offerings made For the sacrifice, he returned To his hermitage again, And there another brahmin came. Footsore and thirsty, he, with teeth unclean, dust-covered head, then approached him begging for at least five hundred coins. Having seen him, Bāvarī invited him to take a seat and asked about his comfort, health— then to the stranger spoke these words:
bāvarī Whatever was given for me to give, All this I’ve given away, So brahmin please forgive me, I’ve not five hundred coins.
brahmin If your honour will not give To me who begs from him, Then let your head be split apart In seven days from now.
narrator Having done preparatory rites That charlatan a fearful curse pronounced, So that having heard his words “one-with-dukkha” did Bāvarī become. He took no food and withered up, afflicted with the dart of grief; and then with mind of such a kind, his heart enjoyed no jhāna. Seeing him suffering, terrified, a deva there who wished his good, on drawing near to Bāvarī, to him she spoke these words:
devī He doesn’t know about the head, that charlatan desiring wealth; of heads, and splitting heads apart, in him no knowing’s found.
bāvarī If my lady knows of this, when asked, please tell me too; let me hear your words on this, on heads and splitting heads apart.
devī I do not know about this thing, in me no knowing’s found, on heads and splitting heads apart but by Victors it has been Seen.
bāvarī Who, then knows about this thing? Who on this sphere of earth? On heads and splitting heads apart, O deva, tell me this.
devī From out of Kapilavatthu town came lately, Leader of the world, a Sakyan son bringing light, a scion of Okkāka king. He is indeed a Wakened One all dharmas gone across, all straightly-knowing’s power won, in all dharmas, Seer, to exhaustion of all dharmas won, freed by all assets’ wearing out— One Awakened, lord of the world, the Seer who teaches Dharma, go to him and then enquire— that matter he’ll explain.
narrator On hearing “Sambuddha”—that word, Bāvarī was overjoyed, and grief diminished too, while rapture then arose in him. Glad at heart, overjoyed, in awe, spoke Bāvarī to that devatā:
bāvarī In which village, in which town, in which state is the world’s lord found? Where should we go to honour him, the All-awakened, best of men?
devī In Kosala’s kingdom he dwells, the greatly wise truly of Knowledge profound, of Sakyas the scion, burdenless, from inflows free, the eminent among men knows splitting the head.
narrator Addressing then his brahmin pupils, those who had mastered the mantras:
bāvarī Come here, young brahmins, listen well for I shall speak to you. Whose rare appearance in the world is hard then to experience, has appeared for us today, acclaimed as All-awakened One, quickly now go to Sāvatthī, to see this Best of men.
pupils How, O brahmin, shall we know on seeing him that he’s Awake? Tell us, who are so ignorant, that him we’ll recognize?
bāvarī In mantra-hymns come down to us, the signs of Superman-- two and thirty there complete, in order are described. Upon whose body these appear— these signs of the Superman-- two possibilities are there for birth, a third bourn is not found:
So should he choose the household life, this world he’ll conquer weaponless, non-violently, without a sword, by Dharma rule it righteously. But if he go forth from home to the state of homelessness, he’ll be Awake, removed the veils, one of worth, the unexcelled. Question in your mind alone my birth, my caste, how I appear, my mantras, pupils and so on, with heads and splitting heads apart. If he’s indeed the One Awake, who, lacking obscurations, Sees; to Questions asked in mind alone, he will reply with words.
narrator The voice of Bāvarī they heard, those brahmin pupils—all sixteen: Ajita, Tissamettayya, Puṇṇaka, then there’s Mettagu, Dhotaka, Upasīva then Nanda, also Hemaka, Todeyya, Kappa—just those two, Jātukaṇṇa the learned one, Bhadrāvudha, Udaya and as well the brahmin Posala, Moghāraja the very wise and Piṅgiya the greatest sage—
All of them with their pupils’ groups in all the world they’re famed— e njoyers of jhāna, meditators Wise, patterned by past good karmas made. Having bowed down to Bāvarī and circumambulated him, then in deer-skins clad, with dreadlocks all, they headed for the north:
From Patiṭṭhāna in Aḷaka’s land, then to the city, Māhissati, from there to Ujjeni and Gonaddha, to Vedisa and to Vana town,
Next to Kosambi and Sāketa, and Sāvatthī of cities best on to Setavya, Kapilavatthu, Kusināra and surrounding lands, To Pāvā and to Bhoga town, to the Māgadhans’ city of Vesāli, to the rocky Pāsāṇaka Shrine— delightful, mind-delighting place.
As a person thirsty for water, or merchant for profit great, or a sunburnt person seeks for shade, so they hastily climbed the Rock. The Lord on that occasion was in honour seated with the bhikkhu-Saṅgha, teaching Dharma to all the monks, as lion roaring in the jungly woods.
Ajita saw then the Sambuddha as the sun’s brilliance devoid of rays, or as the moon completely full, arrived at its fifteenth day. Then standing to one side he saw the set of signs complete upon the Buddha’s body, so joyful, in his mind he asked:
ajita Speak now about my Master’s age, tell of his clan and body-marks, say how far he’s mastered the mantras and how many the brahmins he instructs.
buddha His age is a hundred and twenty years, by clan he is a Bāvarī, upon his body appear three signs, Three Vedas he has mastered all. In lore of signs and legends in tradition— in the glossaries and the ritual treatises — in his own Dharma to perfection he’s arrived, and five hundred students he instructs.
ajita O highest of men, with craving cut, describe in detail all the signs upon the body of Bāvarī, so there may be no doubt in us.
buddha Cover his face with his tongue he can, hair grows between his brows, ensheathed is the cloth-concealed: Know this, O brahmin youth.
narrator Now none there heard the questions asked, but all the answers heard; then the people, overjoyed, with lotussed hands they thought: What deva indeed, whether Brahma or Indra or Sujampati — these questions asked in mind, to whom are they addressed?
ajita Bāvarī has questioned you on heads and splitting heads apart. O Lord, do you explain this, dispel our doubt, O Sage.
buddha Know ignorance as “head”, gnosis as that which “splits the head”, with mindfulness, meditation, faith by determination, effort too.
narrator Then the young brahmin overawed, with great emotion overcome, (respectfully) with his deerskin (cloak) over one shoulder (placed), put his head at (the Buddha’s) feet.
ajita Sir, the brahmin Bāvarī, with all his pupils too, overjoyed, glad-minded, to the great Seer’s feet bowed down.
buddha May all be well with Bāvarī, with his brahmin pupils too, and you as well be happy, live long O brahmin youth!
Bāvarī, yourself as well and all the rest have many doubts, ask now whatever’s in your minds— you have the opportunity. So permitted by the All-awake, Ajita sat, and with lotussed hands, asked the initial question, addressed to the Tathāgata. (Snp 983–1038)
The Signs of a Superman: A commentary on verses 1007, 1024, and 1029
Before this strange subject is examined, its cultural background needs reflection. Brahmins of the Aryan peoples who settled at first in N.W. India had a great opinion of themselves. Though in times more ancient than that there had been women among them who were experts in rituals, knowing all the mantras, by the times of the Buddha all brahmin priests were men. As many of these priests after listening to the words of the Buddha became his disciples and many ordained as bhikkhus, they brought with them their underlying sense of male superiority. This has been transferred by them through chanting, to the Suttas.
Among these brahminical relics are the strange legends of the Superman which within the Buddhadharma apply to only perfectly Awakened Buddhas and Dharma-wheel turning emperors. Within Snp it is interesting to notice that the verses we are concerned with appear in connection with brahmins. We should also be aware that there are other Suttas, for instance MN 115 or AN 1.268–295, which raise the related subject of the Impossibles, that lay down the law that women cannot be either Supermen as a Buddha, or as Dharma-emperor, ruling the entire world. The reasons why this is said to be is not made very clear. The Dharma is said to be “just like this and not otherwise”.
The list of 32 signs upon the bodies of a Superman (mahā-purisalakkhaṇa) were, for those who knew how to read them, clear evidence of their spiritual attainment—a view in sharp contrast to the Buddha’s actual teachings. That they have survived for such a long time even into the present, is shown by newly-made images of the Buddha whose feet often have lotus-flowers upon their soles. The prime source of the list of the 32 is found in the Long Discourses (DN 30, Lakkhaṇa Sutta). This Sutta tries to explain in terms of cause (karma), effect (the physical “signs”) the various and sometimes curious marks of the Superman. The order of these signs in the following list differs from their explanation later in the Lakkhaṇa Sutta.There appears to be little reason in this so-called cause and effect.
Scholars have suggested that the Lakkhaṇa Sutta is a later production by bhikkhus after the passing of the Buddha. I have followed the translation of this list by Maurice Walshe in his Dīgha-nikāya, Thus Have I Heard, later re-issued as Long Discourses of the Buddha. My own explanations and exclamations follow in brackets. 1. He has feet with level tread. (This sounds like flat footedness.) 2. On the soles of his feet are wheels with the thousand spokes, complete with felloe and hub. (Seen on Buddha-images seated in Vajra-positions/full-lotus.) 3. He has projecting heels. (Occasional standing Buddha-images in Thailand have this.) 4. He has long fingers and toes. (Sometimes in Buddha-images this is taken to mean that fingers are of the same length, the same with toes.) 5. He has soft and tender hands and feet. (Thus making him of high caste.) 6. His hands and feet are netlike. (Reticulation of veins under the skin.) 7. He has high-raised ankles. (Short legs? Long feet?) 8. His legs are like an antelope’s. (Slender and well-shaped.) 9. Standing and without bending he can touch and rub his knees with either hand. (Results in ill-proportioned ape-like images.) 10. His male organs are enclosed in a sheath (The first of Bāvarī’s signs commented on below. Literally the Pāli says: “ensheathed is the cloth-concealed”—devoid of meaning unless one knows what this euphemism hides.) 11. His complexion is bright, the colour of gold. 12. His skin is delicate and so smooth that no dust can adhere to his body. 13. His body-hairs are separate, one to each pore. (Is this not usual for humans?) 14. His body-hairs grow upwards, each blue-black like collyrium. (Used as a cosmetic.) 15. His body is divinely straight. 16. He has the seven convex surfaces. 17. The front of his body is like a lion’s. 18. There is no hollow between his shoulder blades. 19. He is proportioned like a banyan tree. (The height of the body is the same as the span of his outstretched arms.) 20. His chest is evenly rounded. 21. He has a perfect sense of taste. (But how did others know this?)
22. He has jaws like a lion’s. (But such jaws are for piercing and tearing!) 23. He has 40 teeth. (But how could a normal human jaw accommodate them?) 24. His teeth are even. 25. There are no spaces between his teeth. 26. His canine teeth are very bright. 27. His tongue is very long. (The second of Bāvarī’s marks.) 28. He has a Brahma-like voice. (Like that of a kāravika-bird.) 29. His eyes are deep blue. 30. He has eyelashes like a cow’s. 31. The hair between his eyes is white and soft like cotton-down. (The third of Bāvarī’s marks.) 32. His head is like a royal turban. (That is, his head rises to a protuberance at the top of his head—see many Buddha-images.)
A superman with even a few of these marks would be freakish to our eyes, even if only a male child. When grown it would hardly impress by its strange appearance, even though this was supposed to signify superior spirituality. The meanings of some signs are obscure, though the Pāli Commentaries try to provide convincing explanations. An example of this, which is rather important, is No. 10: “ensheathed is the cloth-concealed.” Even when Pāli Dictionaries have been consulted and “cloth-concealed” is revealed as male genitalia, we are no further towards understanding what “ensheathed” refers to. Saddhātissa’s translation is rather coy with “the foreskin completely covers the phallus”.
But such a rationalist rendering fails to make clear what could be wonderful about this! As marks of a Superman, all of these thirty-two should be exceptional in some way, while to say that the male organ is sheathed by the foreskin is no more than indicating the ordinary man’s equipment. Presumably both penis and testes are meant to be covered by a flap of skin but then how could the former be used, even for urination? Do they have to be “ensheathed” because the supposed brahmin authors of this list were shy about making their meaning clearer? Or were the authors, Buddhist monks, similarly shy? The literal meaning sounds as though the Superman had some sort of sexual abnormality which could not be discussed, which is puzzling when we remember that prior to Buddhahood, he procreated a son, Rahula, apparently normally.
It could be that celibate monks who suffered conflicts between a code of rules (the Pāṭimokkha) and their own sexuality thought it best to mystify the Buddha’s body. But then, this effort to see as though through fog—“ensheathed is the cloth-concealed”—hardly agrees with the Buddha’s occasional revealing of his sexual organs to convince doubtful brahmins that he possessed all of the signs of a superman (see for example MN 91). Whichever way this is regarded it is an unsolvable problem. Bāvarī’s two other marks or signs present lesser problems. In the above translation of Snp 1029 the first line reads “Cover his face with his tongue he can,” certainly not an ordinary feat.
If an explanation is needed then it may be noticed that some practitioners of yoga as part of a practice for limiting the ordinary way of breathing restrain this by cutting the ligament under the tongue, a frenum, so that the tongue can be turned back into the throat. This would enable also the tongue to be extended further over the face. As for the second of these, “hair grows between his brows”, this seems to be a hairy male. Buddha-images are found with this mark between the eyebrows. This is certainly not as special as the other two signs. The list remains the only Sutta passage to give an all-round account of what the Buddha may have looked like, apart from occasional references, mostly in verse, to his handsome features. See for instance verses 554–557 in this book which also mention “the signs peculiar to the Superman”.
5.2 Ajita’s Questions Ajitamāṇavapucchā
ajita The world, by what it’s wrapped? and why it shines not forth? say too with what it’s smeared? and what’s its greatest fear?
buddha The world is wrapped by Ignorance; It shines not forth due to doubt and negligence; Its smeared by longing, And suffering is its greatest fear.
ajita The streams are flowing everywhere, how can the streams be blocked, say how the streams may be restrained? by what the streams are dammed?
buddha Whatever streams are in the world, they may be blocked by mindfulness — that I say is streams’ restraint; by wisdom they are dammed.
ajita So wisdom it is and mindfulness! Now, sir, I ask you, tell me this: the namer-mind, the bodily form— where does it cease to be?
buddha That question asked by you I tell about it now, the namer-mind and bodily form where they cease to be: by cessation of the consciousness, they wholly cease to be.
ajita Who have the Dharma measured up, who train themselves, the multitude, how, sir, do they behave themselves? please answer what I speak.
buddha No greediness in pleasures of sense, having a tranquil mind and clear, skilled in all the Dharma’s ways— that mindful bhikkhu who’s left home. ₁₀₄₆ (Snp 1039–1046)
tissa Who has contentment in the world? Who is not agitated? Who has experienced both extremes, but wise, in the middle does not stick? Who do you say’s a person great? Who, seamstress-craving’s gone beyond?
buddha A pure life leading ’mid pleasures of sense, ever mindful and craving-free, a bhikkhu cool, after reflection deep, agitation’s none in such a one. Who has experienced both extremes, who wise, in the middle does not stick, he, I say, is a person great, who the seamstress-craving’s gone beyond. ₁₀₄₉ (Snp 1047–1049)
5.4 Puṇṇaka’s Questions Puṇṇakamāṇavapucchā
puṇṇaka I have come with a question for you, The immovable, seer of the root; Subject to what do the sages, people, Nobles, and brahmins offer many kinds of sacrifices To gods here in the world? Lord Buddha, please tell me this.
buddha Whatever sages, people, Nobles, and brahmins offer many kinds of sacrifices To gods here in the world, Do so wishing to be reborn, Puṇṇaka; Subject to old age they offer their sacrfices.
puṇṇaka Whatever sages, people, Nobles, and brahmins offer many kinds of sacrifices To gods here in the world, Did they, diligently following the way of sacrifice, Cross over birth and old age, sir? Lord Buddha, please tell me this.
buddha Hoping, praying, longing, and sacrificing, Longing for sensual pleasures That are dependent on getting things; I declare that they, devoted to sacrifice And besotted by rebirth, Did not cross over birth and old age.
puṇṇaka If, sir, those devoted to sacrifice Did not thereby cross over birth and old age, Then who in the world of gods and men Has crossed over birth and old age? Lord Buddha, please tell me this.
puṇṇaka Having scrutinized the world near and far, One who has no disturbances at all in the world, Peaceful, clear, without affliction or desire, Such a one has crossed over Birth and old age, I declare. ₁₀₅₅ (Snp 1050–1055)
5.5 Mettagū’s Questions Mettagūmāṇavapucchā
mettagū Reached Vedas’ end, I deem, developed yourself, so I ask the Lord thus, please tell me of this: how then have resulted these various dukkhas of various forms found in the world?
buddha On dukkha’s arising you’ve asked me indeed, so as I have Known, I impart it to you: The diverse-formed dukkhas come to exist from attachments to asset of whatever kind. That ignorant one attached indeed to assets, stupidly reaches to dukkha repeatedly, therefore that one in seeing dukkha’s birth and arising, such attached-to assets should not be created.
mettagū Whatever we asked, to us you explained, another thing I ask, please speak upon that: how do the wise ones cross over the flood of birth and decay, lamentation and grief? O Sage, do well declare this to me now, for certainly this dharma has been known by you.
buddha This Dharma I’ll explain to you, Seen-now and not traditional law, knowing which the mindful fare, and cross the world’s entanglements. ₁₀₆₀ mettagū I am delighted, Seeker Great, with this Dharma ultimate, knowing which the mindful fare, and cross the world’s entanglements.
buddha Whatever you cognize above, below, across and in between, consciously dispel delight in them, and settling-down—in “being” you’ll not stand. Mindfully who live like this, aware, such bhikkhus, let go of “making-mine” with birth and decay, lamenting and grief: just here do the wise all dukkha let go.
mettagū With the Great Seeker’s speech I am overjoyed, well explained, O Gotama, is “assets unattached”, for surely the Lord all dukkha has let go, for certainly this Dharma has been Known by you. Those who the Sage always advises, surely they’re able to let go of dukkha, to the Nāga drawn near, to you I bow down; maybe the Lord will advise me as well.
buddha Knowing well that brahmin true to Love’s end¹ reached, having nought and unattached to sensual being, for certain that one this flood has overcrossed, crossed to the Far Shore, free of doubts and harshness. This is one who Knows, reached Love’s end just here, cut bondage to any being, either high or low, free from craving and desire, free from distress, I say such one’s crossed over birth and decay. (Snp 1056—1067)
5.6 Dhotaka’s Questions Dhotakamāṇavapucchā
dhotaka O Seeker Great, I long to hear your word, then having heard your speech, for Nirvāṇa train myself— I ask the Lord thus, please tell me of this.
buddha Ascetically exert yourself, just wise and mindful here, then having heard my words, for Nirvāṇa train yourself.
dhotaka In the world of devas and humanity I see the with-nothing brahmin who wanders about, to the All-seeing Seer, to you I bow down: free me, O Sakya, from consuming doubt.
buddha I am not able, O Dhotaka, to liberate you from consuming doubt of whatever kind in the world, but, having Known this Dharma best beyond this flood you go across.
dhotaka Teach me, O Brahma, out of your compassion, the State of Seclusion that I may know it well, so that I may live just like the sky, kind-minded, peaceful, also clinging-free.
buddha This Peace I shall explain to you, Seen-Now and not traditional lore, knowing which the mindful fare, and cross the world’s entanglements.
dhotaka I am delighted, Seeker Great with this Peace that’s ultimate, knowing which the mindful fare, and cross the world’s entanglements.
buddha Whatever you cognize above, below, across, and in between; Here having Known clinging just to this, form no craving for high or low. ₁₀₇₅ (Snp 1068–75)
5.7 Upasīva’s Questions Upasīvamāṇavapucchā
upasīva Alone, O Sakya, unsupported too, the mighty flood I do not dare to cross, All-seeing One, please tell me of the means using which I may overpass the flood.
buddha Mindfully do you no-thingness regard, rely on “there-is-not” to go across the flood, abandon conversation, let go of sense-desires, See craving’s exhaustion by night and by day.
upasīva That one who’s unattached to sense-desires, relying on no-thingness, left others aside, freed in the highest of consciousness’s freedom, will that one be established, or fall away from this?
buddha That one who’s unattached to sense-desires, relying on no-thingness, left others aside, freed in the highest of consciousness’s freedom, that one will be established, not fall away from this.
upasīva Should that one remain even for a heap of years, O all-Seeing One, but still not fall away? Would that one liberated cool-become just there, consciousness ceased in that very state?
buddha As flame blown out by force of wind has gone to its “goal”, cannot be described, likewise the Sage “in mind and body” freed: gone to the Goal and cannot be described.
upasīva Does one not exist who’s reached the Goal? Or does one dwell forever free? O Sage, do well declare this to me now, for certainly this dharma’s known by you.
buddha Of one who’s reached the Goal, no measure’s found, there is not that by which one could be named, when dharmas for that one are emptied out, emptied are the ways of telling too. ₁₀₈₃ (Snp 1076–1083)
5.8 Nanda’s Questions Nandamāṇavapucchā
nanda People say that in the world there are sages—how is this? Do they say “sage” for knowledge won, or for a certain way of life?
buddha The intelligent ones say not “a sage”, for view, tradition, knowledge won; those foeless, desireless and free from distress who so fare along are sages, I say.
nanda Some of these monks and brahmins they say that purity comes from the seen and the heard, from rites and from vows and from other things too, have they, O Lord, while practising thus crossed over birth and crossed decay, sir? I ask the Lord thus, please tell me of this.
buddha Some of these monks and brahmins they say that purity comes from the seen and the heard, from rites and from vows and from other things too and even though they have practised thus, I say they’ve not crossed over birth and decay.
nanda Some of these monks and brahmins they say that purity comes from the seen and the heard, from rites and from vows and from other things too, if you say, O Sage, they’ve not crossed the flood, who fares through the world of devas, mankind, crossed over birth and crossed decay, sir? I ask the Lord thus, please tell me of this.
buddha Of these monks and these brahmins I do not say that all are shrouded by birth and decay: those who’ve let go of the seen, heard, and known, of rites and of vows and others—all, completely craving Known and from the inflows free— those persons I say have crossed over the flood.
nanda By the Great Seeker’s words I’m truly delighted well-explained, O Gotama, is “to assets unattached”, those who’ve let go of the seen, heard and known, of rites and of vows and of other things —all, completely craving Known and from the inflows free— also I say they’ve crossed over the flood. (Snp 1084–1090)
5.9 Hemaka’s Questions Hemakamāṇavapucchā
hemaka Those elders outside Gotama’s teaching-path explained their doctrines in this way: “so it was and so will be”— all that was but traditional lore, all that increased uncertainty, And I took no delight in it. Please, O Sage, explain to me Dhamma destroying craving now, knowing which the mindful fare, and cross the world’s entanglements.
buddha Here among all those pleasing things— the seen and the heard, the sensed and thought-- whose wants removed and passion too— this the unchanging Nirvāṇa-state. With Final Knowledge those mindful ones, now-seen the Dharma, cool-become and ever they at peace remain, they’ve crossed the world’s entanglements. ₁₀₉₄ (Snp 1091–1094)
5.10 Todeyya’s Questions Todeyyamāṇavapucchā
todeyya In whom do sense-desires dwell not and craving can’t be found, crossed beyond consuming doubt— what’s freedom for this one?
buddha In whom do sense-desires dwell not and craving can’t be found, crossed beyond consuming doubt— than this, is freedom not apart.
todeyya No inclinations or with longings still? One with wisdom wanting, or with wisdom won? Explain to me please, O All-seeing Sakya, how I may well discern a sage.
buddha No inclinations at all and no longings left, not one with wisdom wanting but one with wisdom won know as a sage, Todeyya, one who nothing owns, one who is to sensual being unattached. ₁₀₉₈ (Snp 1095–1098)
5.11 Kappa’s Question Kappamāṇavapucchā
kappa In midstream standing there, in flood’s fearsome surge— oppressed by age and death, of the island tell me, sir, do tell me of this isle, where this will be no more.
buddha In midstream standing there, in flood’s fearsome surge oppressed by age and death, Kappa, of the island I shall tell. “Owning nothing and unattached” that’s the isle of no-beyond, Nirvāṇa do I call it death-decay destroyed. With Final Knowledge these mindful ones, Now-seen the Dharma, cool-become, they’re neither under Māra’s sway nor Māra’s followers. ₁₁₀₂ (Snp 1099–1102)
5.12 Jatukaṇṇi’s Questions Jatukaṇṇimāṇavapucchā
jatukaṇṇi I’ve heard of the heroic one from desires free for pleasures sensuous, with Question I come for the flood-crosser, from desire free O Lord with Eye innate, tell me the Peaceful State— how truly it is, tell me of this.
The Lord comports himself as the senses’ conqueror as the hot sun the earth by its heat, of small wit am I, Thou of wisdom great, explain to me Dharma that I may understand.
buddha The abandonment here of birth and old age, greed for sensual pleasures curb, and safety see in letting-go, let there not be found in you grasping or rejection. Dry up whatever’s gone “before”, while “after” have no thing at all; if in the “middle” you don’t grasp, you’ll fare in Perfect Peace. O brahmin, from greediness free for every sort of name-and-form, the inflows are not found by which one’d go beneath death’s sway. ₁₁₀₇ (Snp 1103–1107)
bhadra With home let go, craving cut and undisturbed, delight let go, crossed the flood and free, time let go and truly wise—I beg of you— various people here from provinces assembled; O Hero, they’re longing for your words, do well declare these to them now, for certainly this Dharma has been Known by you, then having heard the Nāga they’ll depart from here.
buddha Beyond all acquisitive craving you should train, above, below, across and in between, whatever is grasped at in the world, with that does Māra that person pursue. Knowing this, therefore the mindful bhikkhu in all worlds grasps not anything, understanding well those acquisitive beings, those people adhering to the realm of death. (Snp 1108–1111)
5.14 Udaya’s Questions Udayamāṇavapucchā
udaya To the contemplative seated free of dust, done what should be done, with inflows none, to the one beyond all dharmas gone, to him with a question have I come: Please say by shattering ignorance how Final Knowledge’s free.
buddha Let go desires for pleasures of sense, with all bad-mindedness as well, sloth dispel and check remorse, ₁₁₁₃ poised mindfulness completely pure, forerun by Dharma-distinguishing: I say by shattering ignorance, there’s Final Knowledge free.
udaya What’s the fetter of the world? and what the world’s wandering? By abandonment of what is it Nirvāṇa named?
buddha Enjoyment: the fetter of the world, while thinking, the world’s wandering, the letting-go of craving— it’s Nirvāṇa named.
udaya How is consciousness broken up in one who practises mindfully? To the Lord we come with this question, we wish to hear your words.
buddha Feeling both within, without— in that do not delight, thus consciousness is broken up in one who practises mindfully. (Snp 1112–1118)
5.15 Posāla’s Question Posālamāṇavapucchā
posāla To One illuming the past, the undisturbed who’s cut off doubt, Gone across the dharmas all, with this question have I come: In whom are no perceptions of form, abandoned it in bodies all, who sees within, without “there’s nought”, of such a one, what knowledge known how will such a one be led?
buddha The Tathāgata knows thoroughly all supports of consciousness: knows this one as stuck, that one freed, or bound for the beyond. Having known the existence of no-thingness together with its bond of indulgence, then investigating this and seeing that, just this is the knowledge of a brahmin perfected. ₁₁₂₂ (Snp 1119–1122)
5.16 Mogharāja’s Question Mogharājamāṇavapucchā
moghar. The Sakyan I’ve requested twice but the Seer has not replied; I have heard tell that questioned thrice, a Sage divine explains. I do not understand the view of the renowned Gotama upon this world, the other world, on Brahma’s realm, the deva’s world.
So to the One of vision supreme, with this query have I come: how should one regard the world that the Death-king sees one not?
buddha Be ever mindful, Mogharāja, and as empty, view the world, with view of self pulled up, and thus crossed over death— who sees the world like this the King of Death sees not. ₁₁₂₆ (Snp 1123–1126)
5.17 Piṅgiya’s Question Piṅgiyamāṇavapucchā
piṅgiya Aged am I, feeble and my beauty fled, my eyes no longer clear, my hearing weak, let me not die confused along the way, teach me the Dharma so that I shall know how to let go of birth and of decay.
buddha Having seen them smitten by (the sight of ) forms, by bodily forms those careless folk are beaten down, therefore, Piṅgiya, you should be aware: let go this bodily form so as not to be reborn.³
piṅgiya There’s nothing in the world: four directions chief, four intermediates, above, below, ten in all— unseen, unheard, not felt or known by you; teach to me Dharma so that when I’ve known it birth and ageing are both abandoned here. buddha Seeing humanity by cravings afflicted— burnt by being born, overcome by age, therefore, Piṅgiya, you should be aware: let go of craving so as not to be reborn. (Snp 1127–1130)
Notes on Verses 1039–1130 1039:
The world (citta) in first line. The world as exterior is more often loka in Pāli. But loka and citta are closely interrelated in Buddhist Suttas.
1043: Namer-mind: in Pāli this is nāma, that which gives names to things. These two words, from Pāli, and from English, are etymologically related. 1047: The Tissametteyya who asks this question is unlikely to be the one who is addressed in Snp 4.7. Line 3: Extremes (in views and practices) never approved by the Buddha. In Pāli anta (close to English “end”) is usually translated “extreme”. Line 5: A “great person” in the Buddhist sense, rather than the Hindu. Line 6: Sibbani—seamstress. The seamstress who sews together saṁsāra, the round of birth and death. 1053: Some brahmins made offerings to gods in order to procure the results of sense/sex enjoyment.
1069: Live a frugal life without indulgence or bodily self-torture— either extreme. 1068–75: The Buddhas does not teach Dhotaka what he asks, so there are two possibilities; The text is lost or corrupted, or, the Buddha taught with these few words, which were accompanied by a mind-transmission. 1077: Nothingness: the nature of all that can be conceived—no essence, and no views about permanence. 1081: “Mind and body” in Theravāda; translated as “body-group” by some authors. 1083: “Emptied” is better translation than “removed, destroyed or abolished” as used by Ven. Ñāṇamoli. 1084: Muni was used by all practitioners of Dharma, not only Buddha.
1085: “Fare” is the only English word meaning both journey/travel as well as practice Dharma which is regarded as a journey. The verb carati also has the two meanings of ordinary and spiritual journeys. 1086: The seen and the heard is placing reliance upon the ways that unimportant things are done (such as putting on robes) and not paying attention to really important matters (such as ageing and death). 1090: The last line of this verse: is this Nanda’s agreement with the Buddha or does this contain his conceit that he too has the same view? 1091: Teaching or path or generally meaning religion. It is hard to find an English word to fit all the meanings of sāsana. 1107: Name and form: nāma-rūpa. Nāma is mind generally, while rūpa is body.
1112: “seated free of dust” refers to mental-emotional dust. 1122: no-thingness: does not mean the arūpa (formless) attainment in meditation.⁴ “Brahmin” here in the Buddhist sense. 1123: Twice the Buddha did not reply to Mogharāja. But the third time this mind had settled down. Suñña means emptiness of persons, ego, selfhood, ownership etc. It does not mean “nothing”.
5.18 Epilogue: In Praise of the Way to the Beyond Pārāyanatthutigāthā
The Radiant One said this while he stayed among the Magadhese at the Pāsānika Shrine. There he was asked, then he questioned, the sixteen brahmin pupils, answering their questions. If one should understand the meaning of even one question, and then practise the Dharma according to the Dharma, then one would go to the farther shore beyond ageing and death. As this Dharma leads to the farther shore it is known as the Teaching leading to the Farther Shore (pārāyana).
narrator Ajita, Tissametteyya, Puṇṇaka, then there’s Mettagū, Dhotaka, Upasīva then Nanda also Hemaka, The pair Todeyya, Kappa, then Jātukaṇṇi the learned one, Bhadrāvudha, Udaya, and the brahmin who’s called Posāla, Mogharāja the very wise and Piṅgiya the seer so great--
All these approached the perfect Seer, the Buddha who practised perfectly, to question him on subtle points, to the Buddha-best they journeyed. Having been questioned the Buddha replied with Dharma according to how it really is. In answering their questions the Sage delighted those brahmins.
Being delighted by the Seer, The Buddha, Kinsman of the Sun, They lived the Holy Life in his presence, He of such magnificent wisdom. One who practices in accordance With each and every question As taught by the Buddha Goes from the near to the far shore.
One developing this unexcelled path would go from the near to the far shore; This path goes to the far shore, which is why It’s called the “Way to the Far Shore”.
5.19 Piṅgiya’s Song of the Way to the Beyond Pārāyanānugītigāthā
piṅgiya “Going to the Further Shore”, I’ll chant— As He had Seen so did He teach, that pure One of wisdom profound, rid of desire and (interior) jungle— falsehood—for what reason would he speak?
Now therefore I shall eulogize those words profoundly beautiful, of One who has renounced the stains of delusion, pride, hypocrisy.
All-seer, Awake, Dispeller of dark, beyond all being gone, gone to world’s end, with no inflows left, let go of all dukkha-causes, that one is “brahmin” rightly named: him do I serve.
As bird that leaves behind a copse, might then in fruit-filled forest live, so have I left those of wisdom lean, as swan to a great lake arrived.
Those who explained to me before, I heard the Buddha’s utterance, said “thus it was”, “thus will be” — all that was only oral lore, all that promoted more disputes.
Dispeller of darkness, seated alone, the well-born, him the maker of Light, Gotama, him profoundly wise, Gotama, greatly intelligent-- the Dharma to me he pointed out, which can be seen right here and now, by time, not limited at all, craving’s exhaustion, troubles’ end, with which naught can compare.
brahmin How can you live apart from him, Even for a minute, Piṅgiya? Gotama of such profound wisdom, Gotama of such profound sagacity. Who pointed out the Dhamma to you, Apparent in this very life, The ending of craving, free of distress, With which naught can compare.
piṅgiya I never live apart from him, Even for a minute, brahmin Gotama of such profound wisdom, Gotama of such profound sagacity. Who pointed out the Dhamma to me, Apparent in this very life, The ending of craving, free of distress, With which naught can compare.
I see him with my mind’s eye, brahmin, Being heedful night and day; I spend the night revering him, So I think I am never apart from him. The mind of faith and rapture, mindfulness, from Gotama’s teachings never does depart, for in whoever way the Deeply-Wise One goes, to that very direction do I bow down.
I am old, my strength is gone, So my body cannot carry me there. But my thoughts always travel there, For my mind, brahmin, is devoted to him. Floundering in the mud, I lay, Swimming from island to island, Then I saw the Awakened Buddha, Crossed over the flood, free of inflows.
buddha Just as Vakkali was sure in faith, Bhadrāvudha, and Āḷavigotama, too, In the same way, you too should be sure of your faith, And, Piṅgiya, you will go to the far shore of death.
piṅgiya Thus my inspiration grows even more, Hearing the voice of the Sage; The Buddha, who drew back the veil of the world, Without heartlessness, of inspired speech, Knows what is beyond the gods, Knows all, both high and low, The Teacher who puts and end to questions Of those who declare their doubts.
The immovable, unshakeable, That to which there is no compare: For sure, I will go there, I have no doubt of that. You may remember me As one who’s mind is made up.