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Hemakamāṇavapucchā

The Questions of Hemaka

“Ye me pubbe viyākaṁsu,
“Those who have previously answered me,”

(iccāyasmā hemako)
said Venerable Hemaka,

Huraṁ gotamasāsanā;
“before I encountered Gotama’s teaching,

Iccāsi iti bhavissati,
said ‘thus it was’ or ‘so it shall be’.

Sabbaṁ taṁ itihītihaṁ;
All that was just the testament of hearsay;

Sabbaṁ taṁ takkavaḍḍhanaṁ,
all that just fostered speculation:

Nāhaṁ tattha abhiramiṁ.
I found no delight in that.

Tvañca me dhammamakkhāhi,
But you, sage, explain to me

taṇhānigghātanaṁ muni;
the teaching that destroys craving.

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

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

“Idha diṭṭhasutamutaviññātesu,
“The removal of desire and lust, Hemaka,

Piyarūpesu hemaka;
for what is seen, heard, thought, or cognized here;

Chandarāgavinodanaṁ,
for anything liked or disliked,

Nibbānapadamaccutaṁ.
is extinguishment, the state that does not pass.

Etadaññāya ye satā,
Those who have fully understood this, mindful,

Diṭṭhadhammābhinibbutā;
are quenched in this very life.

Upasantā ca te sadā,
Always at peace,

Tiṇṇā loke visattikan”ti.
they’ve crossed over clinging to the world.”

Hemakamāṇavapucchā aṭṭhamā.