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Mettagūmāṇavapucchā

The Questions of Mettagū

“Pucchāmi taṁ bhagavā brūhi me taṁ,
“I ask you, Blessed One; please tell me this,”

(iccāyasmā mettagū)
said Venerable Mettagū,

Maññāmi taṁ vedaguṁ bhāvitattaṁ;
“for I think you are a knowledge master, evolved.

Kuto nu dukkhā samudāgatā ime,
Where do all these sufferings come from,

Ye keci lokasmimanekarūpā”.
in all their countless forms in the world?”

“Dukkhassa ve maṁ pabhavaṁ apucchasi,
“You have rightly asked me of the origin of suffering,”

(mettagūti bhagavā)
replied the Buddha,

Taṁ te pavakkhāmi yathā pajānaṁ;
“I shall tell you as I understand it.

Upadhinidānā pabhavanti dukkhā,
Attachment is the source of suffering

Ye keci lokasmimanekarūpā.
in all its countless forms in the world.

Yo ve avidvā upadhiṁ karoti,
When an ignorant person builds up attachments,

Punappunaṁ dukkhamupeti mando;
that dullard returns to suffering again and again.

Tasmā pajānaṁ upadhiṁ na kayirā,
So let one who understands <j>not build up attachments,

Dukkhassa jātippabhavānupassī”.
contemplating the origin of suffering and rebirth.”

“Yaṁ taṁ apucchimha akittayī no,
“Whatever I asked you have explained to me.

Aññaṁ taṁ pucchāma tadiṅgha brūhi;
I ask you once more, please tell me this:

Kathaṁ nu dhīrā vitaranti oghaṁ,
How do the attentive cross the flood

Jātiṁ jaraṁ sokapariddavañca;
of rebirth, old age, sorrow, and lamenting?

Taṁ me muni sādhu viyākarohi,
Please, sage, answer me clearly,

Tathā hi te vidito esa dhammo”.
for truly you understand this matter.”

“Kittayissāmi te dhammaṁ,
“I shall extol a teaching to you,”

(mettagūti bhagavā)
replied the Buddha,

Diṭṭhe dhamme anītihaṁ;
“that is apparent in the present, <j>not relying on tradition.

Yaṁ viditvā sato caraṁ,
Having understood it, one who lives mindfully

Tare loke visattikaṁ”.
may cross over clinging in the world.”

“Tañcāhaṁ abhinandāmi,
“And I rejoice, great seer,

mahesi dhammamuttamaṁ;
in that supreme teaching,

Yaṁ viditvā sato caraṁ,
having understood which, one who lives mindfully

tare loke visattikaṁ”.
may cross over clinging in the world.”

“Yaṁ kiñci sampajānāsi,
“Once you’ve expelled relishing and dogmatism,”

(mettagūti bhagavā)
replied the Buddha,

Uddhaṁ adho tiriyañcāpi majjhe;
“regarding everything you are aware of—

Etesu nandiñca nivesanañca,
above, below, all round, between—

Panujja viññāṇaṁ bhave na tiṭṭhe.
having uprooted consciousness, <j>don’t continue in existence.

Evaṁvihārī sato appamatto,
A mendicant who wanders meditating like this,

Bhikkhu caraṁ hitvā mamāyitāni;
diligent and mindful, calling nothing their own,

Jātiṁ jaraṁ sokapariddavañca,
would, being wise, give up the suffering

Idheva vidvā pajaheyya dukkhaṁ”.
of rebirth, old age, sorrow and lamenting right here.”

“Etābhinandāmi vaco mahesino,
“I rejoice in the words of the great seer!

Sukittitaṁ gotamanūpadhīkaṁ;
You have expounded non-attachment well, Gotama.

Addhā hi bhagavā pahāsi dukkhaṁ,
Clearly the Buddha has given up suffering,

Tathā hi te vidito esa dhammo.
for truly you understand this matter.

Te cāpi nūnappajaheyyu dukkhaṁ,
Surely those you’d regularly instruct

Ye tvaṁ muni aṭṭhitaṁ ovadeyya;
would also give up suffering.

Taṁ taṁ namassāmi samecca nāga,
Therefore, having met, I bow to you, <j>O spiritual giant;

Appeva maṁ bhagavā aṭṭhitaṁ ovadeyya”.
hopefully the Buddha may regularly instruct me.”

“Yaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ vedagumābhijaññā,
“Any brahmin recognized as a knowledge master,

Akiñcanaṁ kāmabhave asattaṁ;
who has nothing, unattached to sensual life,

Addhā hi so oghamimaṁ atāri,
clearly has crossed this flood,

Tiṇṇo ca pāraṁ akhilo akaṅkho.
crossed to the far shore, kind, wishless.

Vidvā ca yo vedagū naro idha,
And a wise person here, a knowledge master,

Bhavābhave saṅgamimaṁ visajja;
having untied the bond to life after life,

So vītataṇho anīgho nirāso,
free of craving, untroubled, with no need for hope,

Atāri so jātijaranti brūmī”ti.
has crossed over rebirth and old age, I declare.”

Mettagūmāṇavapucchā catutthī.