The Venerable Mettagu: "I ask the Lord
this question, may he tell me the answer to it. I know him to be a
master of knowledge and a perfected being. From whence have arisen these
many sufferings evident in the world?"
The Lord: "You have asked me the source
of suffering. Mettagu, I will tell it to you as it has been discerned by
me. These many sufferings evident in the world have arisen from worldly
attachments. Whoever ignorantly creates an attachment, that stupid
person comes upon suffering again and again. Therefore a man of
understanding should not create attachment, seeing it is the source of
suffering."
Mettagu: "What I did ask you have
explained, now I ask another question. Come tell me this: how do the
wise cross the flood, birth and old age, sorrow and grief? Explain it
thoroughly to me, O sage, for this Dhamma has been understood[1]
by you."
The Lord: "I will set forth the Dhamma,
Mettagu, a teaching to be directly perceived,[2]
not something based on hearsay, by experiencing which and living
mindfully one may pass beyond the entanglements of the world."
Mettagu: "I rejoice in the thought of
that highest Dhamma, great sage, by experiencing which and living
mindfully one may pass beyond the entanglements of the world."
The Lord: "Whatever you clearly
comprehend, Mettagu, above, below, across and in between, get rid of
delight in it. Rid yourself of habitual attitudes[3]
and (life affirming) consciousness.[4] Do not
continue in existence. Living thus, mindful and vigilant, a bhikkhu who
has forsaken selfish attachments may, by understanding, abandon
suffering, birth and old age, sorrow and grief, even here in this
life."
Mettagu: "I rejoice in the words of the
great sage. Well explained, O Gotama, is the state of non-attachment.[5]
The Lord has surely abandoned suffering as this Dhamma has been realized
by him. They will certainly abandon suffering who are constantly
admonished by you, O Sage. Having understood, I venerate it, Noble One.
May the Lord constantly admonish me also."
The Lord: "Whom you know as a true
brahmana, a master of knowledge, owning nothing, not attached to sensual
(-realm) existence, he has certainly crossed this flood. Having crossed
beyond he is untainted and freed from doubt. One who has discarded this
clinging (leading) to renewal of existence is a man who has realized the
highest knowledge. Free from craving, undistressed, desireless, he has
crossed beyond birth and old age, I say."
-- vv. 1049-1060
Notes
1. The Pali word
"vidito" also means, found out, discovered.
[Go back]
2. Ditthe dhamme: to be seen
for oneself in this life or here and now. It is an expression used of
Nibbana.
[Go back]
3. Or, "fixed
views."
[Go back]
4. Or, "kamma-producing
consciousness."
[Go back]
5. I.e., Nibbana.
[Go back]
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Contents
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| Ch II |Ch
III | Ch IV|
ChV
