Eight on the Pure

“I see someone pure, perfectly healthy;*The sight of saint or holy person was believed to grant blessings (see AN 6.30, MN 81:6.5, Snp 2.4:10.2, SN 46.3:1.1, DN 14:2.14.1). As Bodhi remarks, aroga (“healthy”) refers to the “self”, which is frequently described as the subtle body that survives death (DN 1:2.38.3: rūpī attā hoti arogo). Here, however, what is “seen” is the soul as a physical body manifesting purity and wellness, as in the case of Māgaṇḍiya (MN 75:19.15).it is vision that grants a person purity.”Recalling this notion of the ultimate,*Here as in Snp 4.3, ñāṇa is used in the sense of “notion”. Bodhi, Norman, and Ñāṇadīpa all follow Niddesa in taking abhijāna in its usual sense of “understanding, direct knowing”. But here the secondary sense of “recall” fits better. Someone thinking about their vision of a holy man believes that there must be an observer of such purity, i.e. a self.they believe in the notion <j>that there is one who observes purity.*Pacceti is a standard verb for someone who “believes” in a religious rite or idea.

Passāmi suddhaṁ paramaṁ arogaṁ, Diṭṭhena saṁsuddhi narassa hoti; Evābhijānaṁ paramanti ñatvā, *Evābhijānaṁ → etābhijānaṁ (bj, pts-vp-pli1)Suddhānupassīti pacceti ñāṇaṁ.

“I see someone pure, perfectly healthy;*The sight of saint or holy person was believed to grant blessings (see AN 6.30, MN 81:6.5, Snp 2.4:10.2, SN 46.3:1.1, DN 14:2.14.1). As Bodhi remarks, aroga (“healthy”) refers to the “self”, which is frequently described as the subtle body that survives death (DN 1:2.38.3: rūpī attā hoti arogo). Here, however, what is “seen” is the soul as a physical body manifesting purity and wellness, as in the case of Māgaṇḍiya (MN 75:19.15).Passāmi suddhaṁ paramaṁ arogaṁ, it is vision that grants a person purity.”Diṭṭhena saṁsuddhi narassa hoti; Recalling this notion of the ultimate,*Here as in Snp 4.3, ñāṇa is used in the sense of “notion”. Bodhi, Norman, and Ñāṇadīpa all follow Niddesa in taking abhijāna in its usual sense of “understanding, direct knowing”. But here the secondary sense of “recall” fits better. Someone thinking about their vision of a holy man believes that there must be an observer of such purity, i.e. a self.Evābhijānaṁ paramanti ñatvā, *Evābhijānaṁ → etābhijānaṁ (bj, pts-vp-pli1)they believe in the notion <j>that there is one who observes purity.*Pacceti is a standard verb for someone who “believes” in a religious rite or idea.Suddhānupassīti pacceti ñāṇaṁ.

If a person were granted purity through what is seen,or if by a notion they could give up suffering,then one with attachments is purified by another:their view betrays them as one who asserts thus.

Diṭṭhena ce suddhi narassa hoti, Ñāṇena vā so pajahāti dukkhaṁ; Aññena so sujjhati sopadhīko, Diṭṭhī hi naṁ pāva tathā vadānaṁ.

If a person were granted purity through what is seen,Diṭṭhena ce suddhi narassa hoti, or if by a notion they could give up suffering,Ñāṇena vā so pajahāti dukkhaṁ; then one with attachments is purified by another:Aññena so sujjhati sopadhīko, their view betrays them as one who asserts thus.Diṭṭhī hi naṁ pāva tathā vadānaṁ.

The brahmin speaks not of purity from anotherin terms of what has been seen, heard, or thought; <j>or by precepts or vows.They are unsullied in the midst of good and evil,letting go what was picked up, <j>without creating anything new here.

Na brāhmaṇo aññato suddhimāha, Diṭṭhe sute sīlavate mute vā; Puññe ca pāpe ca anūpalitto, Attañjaho nayidha pakubbamāno.

The brahmin speaks not of purity from anotherNa brāhmaṇo aññato suddhimāha, in terms of what has been seen, heard, or thought; <j>or by precepts or vows.Diṭṭhe sute sīlavate mute vā; They are unsullied in the midst of good and evil,Puññe ca pāpe ca anūpalitto, letting go what was picked up, <j>without creating anything new here.Attañjaho nayidha pakubbamāno.

Having let go the last they lay hold of the next;following impulse, they don’t pass the chain.They grab on and let loose like a monkeygrabbing and releasing a branch.*The monkey grabs the branches, not the trunk, as a metaphor for missing the essence. And to drive home the pun, religious orders are called “branches”.

Purimaṁ pahāya aparaṁ sitāse, Ejānugā te na taranti saṅgaṁ; Te uggahāyanti nirassajanti, Kapīva sākhaṁ pamuñcaṁ gahāyaṁ. *pamuñcaṁ gahāyaṁ → pamukhaṁ gahāya (bj, sya-all); pamuñcaṁ gahāya (pts-vp-pli1); pamuñca gahāya (mr)

Having let go the last they lay hold of the next;Purimaṁ pahāya aparaṁ sitāse, following impulse, they don’t pass the chain.Ejānugā te na taranti saṅgaṁ; They grab on and let loose like a monkeyTe uggahāyanti nirassajanti, grabbing and releasing a branch.*The monkey grabs the branches, not the trunk, as a metaphor for missing the essence. And to drive home the pun, religious orders are called “branches”.Kapīva sākhaṁ pamuñcaṁ gahāyaṁ. *pamuñcaṁ gahāyaṁ → pamukhaṁ gahāya (bj, sya-all); pamuñcaṁ gahāya (pts-vp-pli1); pamuñca gahāya (mr)

Having undertaken their own vows, a personagevisits various teachers, <j>being attached to perception.*See uccāvacaṁ vā pana dassanāya gacchati at AN 6.30:2.2. In the current poem, it refers to someone who visits a variety of teachers or sects, as per Niddesa.One who knows, having comprehended the truth <j>through the knowledges,*Here the plural vedehi stands for the tevijjā.does not visit various teachers, being of vast wisdom.

Sayaṁ samādāya vatāni jantu, Uccāvacaṁ gacchati saññasatto; Vidvā ca vedehi samecca dhammaṁ, Na uccāvacaṁ gacchati bhūripañño.

Having undertaken their own vows, a personageSayaṁ samādāya vatāni jantu, visits various teachers, <j>being attached to perception.*See uccāvacaṁ vā pana dassanāya gacchati at AN 6.30:2.2. In the current poem, it refers to someone who visits a variety of teachers or sects, as per Niddesa.Uccāvacaṁ gacchati saññasatto; One who knows, having comprehended the truth <j>through the knowledges,*Here the plural vedehi stands for the tevijjā.Vidvā ca vedehi samecca dhammaṁ, does not visit various teachers, being of vast wisdom.Na uccāvacaṁ gacchati bhūripañño.

They are remote from all thingsseen, heard, or thought.Seeing them living openly,how could anyone in this world judge them?

Sa sabbadhammesu visenibhūto, Yaṁ kiñci diṭṭhaṁ va sutaṁ mutaṁ vā; Tameva dassiṁ vivaṭaṁ carantaṁ, Kenīdha lokasmi vikappayeyya.

They are remote from all thingsSa sabbadhammesu visenibhūto, seen, heard, or thought.Yaṁ kiñci diṭṭhaṁ va sutaṁ mutaṁ vā; Seeing them living openly,Tameva dassiṁ vivaṭaṁ carantaṁ, how could anyone in this world judge them?Kenīdha lokasmi vikappayeyya.

They don’t make things up or promote them,or speak of the uttermost purity.After untying the tight knot of graspingthey long for nothing in the world.

Na kappayanti na purekkharonti, Accantasuddhīti na te vadanti; Ādānaganthaṁ gathitaṁ visajja, Āsaṁ na kubbanti kuhiñci loke.

They don’t make things up or promote them,Na kappayanti na purekkharonti, or speak of the uttermost purity.Accantasuddhīti na te vadanti; After untying the tight knot of graspingĀdānaganthaṁ gathitaṁ visajja, they long for nothing in the world.Āsaṁ na kubbanti kuhiñci loke.

The brahmin has stepped over the perimeter;knowing and seeing, they adopt nothing.*Note that samuggahīta is used here in the same sense as Snp 4.3:6.2 or Snp 2.12:11.1, i.e. the “adoption” of a theory or view.Neither in love with passion <j>nor besotted by dispassion,there is nothing here they adopt as the ultimate.

Sīmātigo brāhmaṇo tassa natthi, Ñatvā va disvā va samuggahītaṁ; *Ñatvā va disvā va → ñatvā ca disvā ca (si, mr)Na rāgarāgī na virāgaratto, Tassīdha natthi paramuggahītanti.

The brahmin has stepped over the perimeter;Sīmātigo brāhmaṇo tassa natthi, knowing and seeing, they adopt nothing.*Note that samuggahīta is used here in the same sense as Snp 4.3:6.2 or Snp 2.12:11.1, i.e. the “adoption” of a theory or view.Ñatvā va disvā va samuggahītaṁ; *Ñatvā va disvā va → ñatvā ca disvā ca (si, mr)Neither in love with passion <j>nor besotted by dispassion,Na rāgarāgī na virāgaratto, there is nothing here they adopt as the ultimate.Tassīdha natthi paramuggahītanti.