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(Pàràyanatthutigàthà)
(Verses in Praise of the Way to the Beyond)

Idam-avoca Bhagavà Magadhesu viharanto Pàsàõake cetiye.
This was said by the Auspicious One while living among the Magadhans at the Pàsàõaka shrine.

Paricàrikasoëasànaü bràhmaõànaü ajjhiññho,
The sixteen attendent brahmins requested,

puññho puññho pa¤haü byàkàsi.
asked, and asked, and he answered the questions.

Ekamekassa ce pi pa¤hassa attham-a¤¤àya,
If, knowing the meaning of each question,

Dhammam-a¤¤àya, Dhammànudhammaü pañipajjeyya,
knowing the Dhamma, he would practice in conformity with the Dhamma,

gaccheyy' eva jaràmaraõassa pàraü.
he would surely go beyond old age and death.

Pàraü gamanãyà ime Dhammà ti,
It is said these teachings go to the beyond,

tasmà imassa Dhammapariyàyassa
therefore this presentation of the Dhamma

Pàràyanan-t' eva adhivacanaü.
is indeed called The Way to the Beyond.

     Ajito TissaMetteyyo, Þ Puõõako atha Mettagå,
Ajita, Tissa Metteyya, Puõõaka, also Mettagå,

     Dhotako Upasãvo ca, Þ Nando ca atha Hemako,
Dhotaka, and Upasãva, Nanda, and also Hemaka,

     Todeyya-Kappà dubhayo, Þ Jatukaõõã ca paõóito,
the two: Todeyya, and Kappa, and Jatukaõõã, the one who is wise,

     Bhadràvudho Udayo ca, Þ Posàlo càpi bràhmaõo,
Bhadràvudha, and Udaya, also the brahmin Posàla,

     Mogharàjà ca medhàvã, Þ Pingiyo ca mahà isi.
Mogharàja, the intelligent one, and the great seer Pingiya.

     Ete Buddhaü upàgacchuü, Þ sampannacaraõaü isiü,
These went to the Buddha, to the seer with perfect conduct,

     pucchantà nipuõe pa¤he, Þ Buddhaseññhaü upàgamuü.
asking subtle questions, they went to the Buddha who is best.

     Tesaü Buddho byàkàsi Þ pa¤he puññho yathàtathaü,
The Buddha answered as it truly is the questions that they asked,

     pa¤hànaü veyyàkaraõena Þ tosesi bràhmaõe muni.
and by answering the questions the sage satisfied those brahmins.

     Te tosità Cakkhumatà, Þ Buddhen' àdiccabandhunà,
They, being satisfied by the Visionary, the Buddha, the kinsman of the sun,

     brahmacariyam-acariüsu Þ varapa¤¤assa santike.
lived the spiritual life under the one-with-excellent-wisdom.

     Ekamekassa pa¤hassa Þ yathà Buddhena desitaü,
The Buddha taught like this (in response) to the questions one by one,

     tathà yo pañipajjeyya Þ gacche pàraü apàrato.
he who practices like this can go from here to the beyond.

     Apàrà pàraü gaccheyya Þ bhàvento maggam-uttamaü.
From here to the beyond he can go by developing the supreme path.

     Maggo so pàraü gamanàya, Þ tasmà Pàràyanaü iti.
This is the path for going to the beyond, therefore it is called The Way to the Beyond.

 
(Pàràyanànugãtigàthà)
(Verses on the Recital of the Way to the Beyond)

     ßPàràyanaü anugàyissaü, icc-àyasmà Pingiyo,
ßI will recite the Way to the Beyond, said venerable Pingiya,

     yathà addakkhi tathà akkhàsi: Þ vimalo bhårimedhaso,
as he saw it, so he explained: unstained, with great intelligence,

     nikkàmo nibbano nàgo, Þ kissa hetu musà bhaõe?
the one free from sense desire, the unentangled one, the nàga, why should he speak falsely?

     Pahãnamalamohassa, Þ mànamakkhappahàyino,
Of the one who gave up stain and delusion, who gave up conceit and malevolence,

     handàhaü kittayissàmi Þ giraü vaõõ?pasaühitaü:
come now, I will proclaim this lyric which is endowed with beauty:

               Tamonudo Buddho SamantaCakkhu,
          The Buddha, the darkness-dispeller, the All-Seeing Visionary,

               lokantagå sabbabhavàtivatto,
          who has gone to the end of the world, transcended all of existence

               anàsavo sabbadukkhappahãno,
          given up all suffering, the one pollutant-free,

               saccavhayo brahme upàsito me.
          whose very name is truth - O brahmin, (you are) worshipped by me.

               Dijo yathà kubbanakaü pahàya,
          Just as a bird who has given up a barren woodland,

               bahupphalaü kànanam-àvaseyya,
          might live in a forest which has much fruit,

               evaü p' ahaü appadasse pahàya,
          so too I have given up those of little wisdom,

               mahodadhiü haüsa-r-iv' ajjhapattaü.
          like a swan who has arrived at the great sea.

     Ye me pubbe viyàkaüsu, Þ huraü Gotamasàsanà,
Those who explained (things) to me in the past, before Gotama's teaching,

     `iccàsi iti bhavissati', Þ sabbaü taü itihãtihaü,
saying `it was so, and so it will be', all that was just hearsay,

     sabbaü taü takkavaóóhanaü.
all that just increased my thoughts.

     Eko tamanud' àsãno, Þ jutimà so pabhankaro,
Alone sits the darkness-dispeller, the bright one, the light-maker,

     Gotamo bhåripa¤¤àõo, Þ Gotamo bhårimedhaso.
Gotama of great knowledge, Gotama of great intelligence.

     Yo me Dhammam-adesesi, Þ sandiññhikam-akàlikaü,
He who taught the Dhamma to me, which is visible, not subject to time,

     taõhakkhayam-anãtikaü, Þ yassa n' atthi upamà kvaci.û
the end of craving, beyond calamity, for which there is nowhere a likeness.û

     ßKin-nu tamhà vippavasasi Þ muhuttam-api Pingiya,
ßThen why do you dwell apart from him, even for a second, Pingiya,

     Gotamà bhåripa¤¤àõà, Þ Gotamà bhårimedhasà,
from Gotama of great knowledge, Gotama of great intelligence,

     yo te Dhammam-adesesi, Þ sandiññhikam-akàlikaü,
he who taught the Dhamma to you, which is visible, not subject to time,

     taõhakkhayam-anãtikaü, Þ yassa n' atthi upamà kvaci?û
the end of craving, beyond calamity, for which there is nowhere a likeness?û

     ßNàhaü tamhà vippavasàmi Þ muhuttam-api bràhmaõa,
ßI would not dwell apart from him even for a second, brahmin,

     Gotamà bhåripa¤¤àõà, Þ Gotamà bhårimedhasà,
from Gotama of great knowledge, Gotama of great intelligence,

     yo me Dhammam-adesesi, Þ sandiññhikam-akàlikaü,
he who taught the Dhamma to me, which is visible, not subject to time,

     taõhakkhayam-anãtikaü, Þ yassa n' atthi upamà kvaci.
the end of craving, beyond calamity, for which there is nowhere a likeness.

               Passàmi naü manasà cakkhunà va,
          I see him in my mind as though with the eye,

               rattindivaü bràhmaõa appamatto.
          (as I dwell) heedful night and day, brahmin.

               Namassamàno vivasemi rattiü,
          revering him I make the night pass by,

               ten' eva ma¤¤àmi avippavàsaü.
          for that reason I think there is no (real) dwelling apart.

               Saddhà ca pãti ca mano satã ca
          My confidence, happiness, mind, and mindfulness,

               nàpenti me Gotamasàsanamhà,
          do not depart from Gotama's teaching,

               yaü yaü disaü vajati bhåripa¤¤o
          whatever direction the one of great wisdom goes to

               sa tena ten' eva nato 'ham-asmi.
          it is that very place that I am bent on.

               Jiõõassa me dubbalathàmakassa,
          I am old, without strength and feeble,

               ten' eva kàyo na paleti tattha,
          because of that my body does not go there,

               sankappayattàya vajàmi niccaü,
          but by an effort of thought I always go,

               mano hi me bràhmaõa tena yutto.
          for my mind, Brahmin, is joined to him.

               Panke sayàno pariphandamàno,
          Lying down in a quagmire I was trembling,

                                        dãpà dãpaü upallaviü,
                                   I drifted from island to island,

     ath' addasàsiü Sambuddhaü, Þ oghatiõõam-anàsavaü.û
then I saw the Sambuddha, the flood-crosser, the one pollutant-free.û

               ßYathà ahå Vakkali muttasaddho -
          ßJust as Vakkali released his confidence -

               Bhadràvudho âëavigotamo ca -
          and Bhadràvudha, and âëavi-gotama -

               evam-eva tvam-pi pamu¤cassu saddhaü,
          just like that you must release your confidence,

               gamissasi tvaü Pingiya Maccudheyyassa pàraü.û
          and you will go, Pingiya, beyond the realm of Death.û

     ßEsa bhiyyo pasãdàmi, Þ sutvàna munino vaco,
ßI am more and more sure about this, having heard the sage's word,

     vivaññacchaddo Sambuddho, Þ akhilo pañibhànavà,
the cover-remover, the Sambuddha, who is unhindered, assured in speech,

     adhideve abhi¤¤àya, Þ sabbaü vedi paroparaü,
who knows the great gods, who has understood everything far and near,

     pa¤hàn' antakaro Satthà Þ kankhãnaü pañijànataü.
the Teacher who makes an end to questions in those who have doubts, and make them known.

     Asaühãraü asaükuppaü, Þ yassa n' atthi upamà kvaci,
The indestructible, the unagitated, for which there is nowhere a likeness,

               Addhà gamissàmi na m' ettha kankhà,
          Surely I will go there, about this I have no doubt,

               evaü maü dhàrehi adhimuttacittanû-ti.
          thus bear me in mind as one whose heart is intent (on nibbàna).û

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