Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(257):Parapariya
Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids.
Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'.
Chapter XVI.
Twenty Verses[]
257. Pārāpariya[]
His story has been recorded above[1] Now those verses he spoke in the Lord(Buddha)'s lifetime, himself not yet arahant(enlightened), touching the governance of the six powers (five senses and mind). But these verses he uttered after the Lord(Buddha) had passed away, and when his own passing away was at hand. And in them he declared the future of bhikkhus(monks) under a perverted Path.
(Now the first stanza was placed by the Compilers.)
[920] Samaṇassa ahu cintā pupphitamhi mahāvane,||
Ekaggassa nisinnassa pavivattassa jhāyino.|| ||
[921] Aññathā lokanāthamhi tiṭṭhante purisuttame,||
Iriyaɱ āsi bhakkhūnaɱ aññathā dāni dissati.|| ||
[922] Sīthavātaparittānaɱ hirikopīnachādanaɱ,||
Mattatthiyaɱ abhaañjiɱsu santuṭṭhā itarītare.|| ||
[923] Paṇītaɱ yadi vā lūkhaɱ appaɱ vā yadi vā bahuɱ,||
Yāpanatthaɱ abhuñjiɱsu agiddhā nādhimucchitā.|| ||
[924] Jīvitānaɱ parikkhāre bhesajje atha paccaye,||
Na bāḷhaɱ ussukā āsuɱ yathā te āsavakkhaye.|| ||
[925] Araññe rukkhamūlesu kandarāsu guhāsu ca,||
Vivekamanubrūhentā vihaɱsu tapparāyanā.|| ||
[926] Nīcā niviṭṭhā subharā mudū atthaddhamānasā,||
Abyāsekā amukharā atthacintāvasānugā.|| ||
[927] Tato pāsādikaɱ āsi gataɱ bhuttaɱ nisevitaɱ,||
Siniddhā teladhārā'va ahosi iriyāpatho.|| ||
[928] Sabbāsavaparikkhīṇā mahājhāyī mahāhitā,||
Nibbutā dāni te therā parittā dāni tādisā.|| ||
[929] Kusalānaɱ ca dhammānaɱ paññāya ca parikkhayā,||
Sabbākāravarūpetaɱ lujjate jinasāsanaɱ.|| ||
[930] Pāpakānaɱ ca dhammānaɱ kilesānaɱ ca yo utu,||
Upaṭṭhitā vivekāya ye ca saddhammasesakā.|| ||
[931] Te kilesā pavaḍḍhantā āvisanti bahuɱ janaɱ,||
Kīḷanti maññe bālehi ummattehi va rakkhasā.|| ||
[932] Kilesehābhibhūtā te tena tena vidhāvitā,||
Narā kilesavatthūsu sasaŋgāmeva ghosite.|| ||
[933] Pariccajitvā saddhammaɱ aññamaññehi bhaṇḍare,||
Diṭṭhigatāni anventā idaɱ seyyoti raññare.|| ||
[934] Dhanaɱ ca puttaɱ bhariyaɱ ca chaḍḍayitvāna niggatā,||
Kaṭacchubhikkhāhetū akiccāni nisevare.|| ||
[935] Udarāvadehakaɱ bhutvā sayantuttānaseyyakā,||
Kathā vaḍḍhenti paṭibuddhā yā kathā satthugarahitā.|| ||
[936] Sabbakārukasippāni cittīkatvāna sikkhare,||
Avūpasantā ajjhattaɱ sāmaññattho' ti acchati.|| ||
[937] Mattikaɱ telaɱ cuṇṇaɱ ca udakāsanabhojanaɱ,||
Gihīnaɱ upanāmenti ākaŋkhantā bahuttaraɱ.|| ||
[938] Dantaponaɱ kapitthaɱ ca pupphaɱ khādaniyāni ca,||
Piṇḍapāte ca sampanne ambe āmalakāni ca.|| ||
[939] Bhesajjesu yathā vejjā kiccākicce yathā gihī,||
Gaṇikā'va vibhūsāyaɱ issare khattiyā yathā.|| ||
[940] Nekatikā mañcanikā kūṭasakkhi apāṭukā,||
Bahūhi parikappehi āmisaɱ paribhuñjare.|| ||
[941] Lesakappe pariyāye parikappenudhavitā,||
Jīvikatthā upāyena saŋkaḍḍhanti bahuɱ dhanaɱ.|| ||
[942] Upaṭṭhāpenti parisaɱ kammato no ca dhammato,||
Dhammaɱ paresaɱ desenti lābhato no ca atthato.|| ||
[943] Saŋghalābhassa bhaṇḍanti saŋghato paribāhirā,||
Paralābhūpajīvantā ahirīkā na lajjare.|| ||
[944] Nānuyuttā tathā eke muṇḍā saŋghāṭipārutā,||
Sambhāvanaɱ yevicchanti lābhasakkāramucchitā.|| ||
[945] Evaɱ nānappayātamhi na dāni sukaraɱ tathā,||
Aphusitaɱ vā phunituɱ phunasitaɱ nānurakkhituɱ.|| ||
[946] Yathā kaṇaṭakaṭṭhānamhi careyya anupāhano,||
Satiɱ upaṭṭhapetvāna evaɱ gāme munī care.|| ||
[947] Saritvā pubbake yogī tesaɱ vattamanussaraɱ,||
Kakiñcā'pi pacchimo kālo phuseyya amataɱ padaɱ.|| ||
[948] Idaɱ vatvā sālavane samaṇo bhāvitindriyo,||
Brāhmaṇo parinibbāyī isi khīṇapunabbhavo' ti.|| ||
[920] These be the thoughts that came to a Monk,
Seated beneath the great forest's[2] fair flowers,
Lone and aloof, in deep meditation: -
[921] How is the conduct of the Monks changed
Since when the Sovereign of the world(Buddha), the Man
Supreme, was yet staying on the earth!
[922] Clothing to shield from chilly winds, to hide
What should be hid, enough, no more, they sought,
Enjoyed contentedly whatever came.
[923] Whether the food was excellent or poor,
Whether it was much or little, they partook
To keep life going, free from greedy whims.
[924] The requisites for men as living things,
And medicine too as means to live: - for these
Not fervently they cared, as care they did
How to destroy the poisons of the mind.
[925] In the deep forests under the shade of trees,
In caverns, in the bosom of the rocks,
Detachment studying and developing: -
So lived they making that their instant quest.
[926] Of lowly, humble being and frugal ways,
Gentle of heart, pliant and apt in mind,
Of gracious manner, speech not offensive,
Intent on good [for others and for self].[3]
[927] Pleasant and lovely therefore in their lives: -
Their goings, their enjoyments, their pursuits, -
Like the smooth line of a stream of oil.
[928] For them every intoxicant(defilement/desire) was dead,
Mighty in Jhāna they, mighty for good:
Now are those Elders wholly passed away.
Few now-a-days there be like unto them.
[929] From dearth of good conditions and insight,
The Conqueror's Rule, compact of all that's best
In plan and mode, crumbles and wears away.
[930] Bad the conditions and corrupt the age,
In which even they, who for the life detached
Had made good start, and to the higher things
That yet remain [might follow on], - even they
[931] From the swift growth of all that did corrupt,
Do influence for evil many folk.
I think they juggle with [the consciences
Of] fools as devils sport with the insane.
[932] By the corruptions overcome, such men, -
Pursuing here and there what did corrupt,
As one who calls loud what he has got, -[4]
[933] They quarrel amongst themselves, forsaking quite
the blessed Path(Dhamma), and, after errors gone,
Do think: - Lo! this is better, this is best.
[934] They who have turned their back on wealth and wife
And child, and left their home, if they but get
Spoon-alms, will do things that are inappropriate.
[935] They eat until they are full, then down
They lie on bed, and when awakened, discourse
Concerning matters which the Lord(Buddha) blamed.[5]
[936] All arts and handicrafts they highly rate
And practise: - such are bhikkhus(monks)' duties deemed,
The while from inner conquest they abstain.
[937] And clay and oil and powder for the bath,
Water and food and lodging they present
To laymen, in the hope of richer alms;
[938] Yes, toothsticks also and kapiṭṭha fruit,[6]
Petals of flowers to chew, and curries of choice,
Mangoes[7] and coconut, myrobalan(amla).
[939] In drug-purveying they as doctors be,[8]
In business matters like the lay people,
Like courtezans do they parade their gear,
And play the lord like any noble squire.
[940] [334] Adulterators they, tricksters and cheats,
Unscrupulous, by many schemings,
In things of this world freely they indulge,
[941] Pursuing ways and methods fit for fraud,
Seeking a livelihood[9] by cunning craft,
They draw together plentiful store of wealth.
[942] To settle business is the Chapter called,
Not in the interests of the holy Path(Dhamma).
And when they preach to others, it is but gain
That is their motive not the good of men.
[943] Many there be without the Monk’s order's fold
Who brawl and quarrel over the Monk’s order's gains:
impolite spirits they, all unashamed
To live on offerings to others given.
[944] Some too there are who lacking piety,
Though with head shaved, and with the yellow robe,
Yearn all the while to be revered,
And crave after favours, treats, and gifts.
[945] Thus when so much as now is fallen away,
No easy thing it is, as it was then,
Either to touch and win the unattained,
Or to hold fast what has been touched and won.
[946] As one who shoeless walks in thorny bush,
Remaining in maditative attentiveness at every step,
So should the sage in township make his tour.
[947] Remembering the saints of other days,
And recollecting how it was they lived,
Even though to-day be but the after-time,
He may yet win the Ambrosial Way of Peace.
[948] Thus in the sal-wood spoke the good hermit,
Well-trained and practised as to his faculties.
Then to the Saint came the Peace of the Passing-
Came to the Seer for whom icas no rebirth.
[1] CCXLIX.
[2] In the great wood of sāl trees (Commentary, 948). There was a 'Mahavana' at Kapilavatthu, at Vesālī, and on the Nerañjara in Magadha. Pārāpariya was a Sāvatthī Thera; hence one cannot identify the wood.
[3] So the Commentary. Ver. 926-8 show the Ariyavaɱsapaṭipadā.
[4] The three foregoing gāthās are full of difficulties, which, for me, are not always made intelligible by the Commentary, üpaṭṭhita-vivekīya is suvisuddhasīlacārā pi samānā. Sesadhammakā is, lit. 'remainder-of-Norm-ish.' 'Consciences' is interpolated. For sayaɱgahe, etc., sasangāme is suggested, as the battle-cry of Māra(deathlord/devil), commander of the kilesas(Sorrows). These, standing for evil or sin in general are greed, hate, dullness, conceit, error, perplexity, sloth, distraction, impudence, imprudence. Dr. Neumann cites only the first, oyer-simplifying the evil conditions.
[5] Abstemiousness, lying on the side only, and avoidance of certain topics belonged to a bhikkhu's duties. Cf. Bud. Psy., p. 858; Dialogues, i. 245 (for 'herooe,' understand 'champions, athletes'); Ang. Nik., i. 114; Bud. Suttas, 227.
[6] Apparently a kind of apple. Cf. Milinda, i. 202. Identified in Childers's Dictionary as Feronia elephantum.
[7] Mangoes, the Commentary says, typify many fruits, such as citrons, coconuts, etc.
[8] The practice of medicine and surgery for gain is disallowed for bhikkhus(monks) (Dialogues, i. 25/.).
[9] Jīvikattha (where Dr. Neumann's rendering is ingenious, if strained) is paraphrased by jīvikappayojanā; ājīvahetukā.