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Pabbajjāsutta

Going Forth

“Pabbajjaṁ kittayissāmi,
“I shall extol going forth

yathā pabbaji cakkhumā;
with the example of the Clear-eyed One,

Yathā vīmaṁsamāno so,
the course of inquiry that led to

pabbajjaṁ samarocayi.
his choice to go forth.

Sambādhoyaṁ gharāvāso,
‘This life at home is cramped,

rajassāyatanaṁ iti;
a realm of dirt.’

Abbhokāsova pabbajjā,
‘The life of one gone forth is like an open space.’

iti disvāna pabbaji.
Seeing this, he went forth.

Pabbajitvāna kāyena,
Having gone forth, he shunned

pāpakammaṁ vivajjayi;
bad deeds of body.

Vacīduccaritaṁ hitvā,
And leaving verbal misconduct behind,

ājīvaṁ parisodhayi.
he purified his livelihood.

Agamā rājagahaṁ buddho,
The Buddha went to Rājagaha,

magadhānaṁ giribbajaṁ;
the Mountainfold of the Magadhans.

Piṇḍāya abhihāresi,
He betook himself for alms,

ākiṇṇavaralakkhaṇo”.
replete with excellent marks.

Tamaddasā bimbisāro,
Bimbisāra saw him

pāsādasmiṁ patiṭṭhito;
while standing atop his longhouse.

Disvā lakkhaṇasampannaṁ,
Noticing that he was endowed with marks,

imamatthaṁ abhāsatha.
he said the following:

“Imaṁ bhonto nisāmetha,
‘Pay heed, sirs, to this one,

abhirūpo brahā suci;
handsome, majestic, radiant;

Caraṇena ca sampanno,
accomplished in deportment,

yugamattañca pekkhati.
he looks just a plough’s length in front.

Okkhittacakkhu satimā,
Eyes downcast, mindful,

nāyaṁ nīcakulāmiva;
unlike one from a low family.

Rājadūtābhidhāvantu,
Let the king’s messengers run out,

kuhiṁ bhikkhu gamissati”.
and find where the mendicant will go.’

Te pesitā rājadūtā,
The messengers sent out

piṭṭhito anubandhisuṁ;
followed right behind, thinking

Kuhiṁ gamissati bhikkhu,
‘Where will the mendicant go?

kattha vāso bhavissati.
Where shall he find a place to stay?’

Sapadānaṁ caramāno,
Wandering indiscriminately for alms,

guttadvāro susaṁvuto;
sense doors guarded and well restrained,

Khippaṁ pattaṁ apūresi,
his bowl was quickly filled,

sampajāno paṭissato.
aware and mindful.

Piṇḍacāraṁ caritvāna,
Having wandered for alms,

Nikkhamma nagarā muni;
the sage left the city.

Paṇḍavaṁ abhihāresi,
He betook himself to Mount Paṇḍava,

Ettha vāso bhavissati.
thinking, ‘Here is the place I shall stay.’

Disvāna vāsūpagataṁ,
Seeing that he had arrived at a place to stay,

Tayo dūtā upāvisuṁ;
the messengers withdrew nearby,

Tesu ekova āgantvā,
but one of them returned

Rājino paṭivedayi.
to inform the king.

“Esa bhikkhu mahārāja,
‘Great king, the mendicant

Paṇḍavassa puratthato;
is on the east flank of Mount Paṇḍava.

Nisinno byagghusabhova,
There he sits, like a tiger or a bull,

Sīhova girigabbhare”.
like a lion in a mountain cave.’

Sutvāna dūtavacanaṁ,
Hearing the messenger’s report,

Bhaddayānena khattiyo;
the aristocrat set out

Taramānarūpo niyyāsi,
hurriedly in his fine chariot

Yena paṇḍavapabbato.
towards Mount Paṇḍava.

Sa yānabhūmiṁ yāyitvā,
He went as far as vehicles could go,

Yānā oruyha khattiyo;
then dismounted from his chariot,

Pattiko upasaṅkamma,
approached on foot,

Āsajja naṁ upāvisi.
and reaching him, drew near.

Nisajja rājā sammodi,
Seated, the king greeted him

Kathaṁ sāraṇīyaṁ tato;
and made polite conversation.

Kathaṁ so vītisāretvā,
When the courtesies were over,

Imamatthaṁ abhāsatha.
he said the following:

“Yuvā ca daharo cāsi,
‘You are young, just a youth,

Paṭhamuppattiko susu;
a lad in the prime of life.

Vaṇṇārohena sampanno,
You are endowed with beauty and stature,

Jātimā viya khattiyo.
like an aristocrat of good birth

Sobhayanto anīkaggaṁ,
in glory at the army’s head,

Nāgasaṅghapurakkhato;
surrounded by a troop of elephants.

Dadāmi bhoge bhuñjassu,
I offer you pleasures—enjoy them!

Jātiṁ akkhāhi pucchito”.
But please tell me of your birth.’

“Ujuṁ janapado rāja,
‘Up north, O King, on the slopes

Himavantassa passato;
of the Himalayas, lies the land

Dhanaviriyena sampanno,
of a native among the Kosalans,

Kosalesu niketino.
full of wealth and strength.

Ādiccā nāma gottena,
Their clan is named for the Sun,

Sākiyā nāma jātiyā;
they are Sakyans by birth.

Tamhā kulā pabbajitomhi,
I have gone forth from that family—

Na kāme abhipatthayaṁ.
I do not yearn for sensual pleasure.

Kāmesvādīnavaṁ disvā,
Seeing the danger in sensual pleasures,

Nekkhammaṁ daṭṭhu khemato;
seeing renunciation as sanctuary,

Padhānāya gamissāmi,
I shall go on to strive;

Ettha me rañjatī mano”ti.
that is where my mind delights.’”

Pabbajjāsuttaṁ paṭhamaṁ.