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Translators: sujato

The Conduct Leading to Buddhahood

Yudhañjayavagga
The Chapter With Yudhañjaya

Saccapāramī 6
The Perfection of Truth (6th)

Sutasomacariya

Sutasoma’s Conduct

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi,
“Then again when I was

sutasomo mahīpati;
Sutasoma, Lord of the Earth,

Gahito porisādena,
captured by a cannibal

brāhmaṇe saṅgaraṁ sariṁ.
I remembered my promise to a brahmin.

Khattiyānaṁ ekasataṁ,
A hundred aristocrat warriors

āvuṇitvā karattale;
he strung up by their hands .

Etesaṁ pamilāpetvā,
Having drained their blood,

yaññatthe upanayī mamaṁ.
he brought me for sacrifice.

Apucchi maṁ porisādo,
The cannibal asked me,

‘kiṁ tvaṁ icchasi nissajaṁ;
‘What do you wish for—release?

Yathāmati te kāhāmi,
I shall act as you think,

yadi me tvaṁ punehisi’.
so long as you will return.’

Tassa paṭissuṇitvāna,
I promised him that I

paṇhe āgamanaṁ mama;
would return at dawn.

Upagantvā puraṁ rammaṁ,
I went to the delightful city

rajjaṁ niyyādayiṁ tadā.
and then renounced kingship.

Anussaritvā sataṁ dhammaṁ,
Recollecting the true Dhamma,

pubbakaṁ jinasevitaṁ;
fostered by former Victors,

Brāhmaṇassa dhanaṁ datvā,
I gave my wealth to the brahmin,

porisādaṁ upāgamiṁ.
and returned to the cannibal.

Natthi me saṁsayo tattha,
I had no doubt

Ghātayissati vā na vā;
that he was going to kill me.

Saccavācānurakkhanto,
Protecting my truthful speech,

Jīvitaṁ cajitumupāgamiṁ;
I went to give up my life.

Saccena me samo natthi,
There is no-one to equal my truthfulness:

Esā me saccapāramī”ti.
this is my perfection of truth.”

Sutasomacariyaṁ dvādasamaṁ.