Dark Light’s Conduct

“Then again when I wasthe seer Dark Light,*A “dark hermit” comparable to Asita Kaṇhasiri (or Kāladevala) of Snp 3.11, Asita Devala of MN 93, and Kaṇha of DN 3.for more than fifty yearsI lived dissatisfied.

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, kaṇhadīpāyano isi; Paropaññāsavassāni, anabhiratocariṁ ahaṁ.

“Then again when I was“Punāparaṁ yadā homi, the seer Dark Light,*A “dark hermit” comparable to Asita Kaṇhasiri (or Kāladevala) of Snp 3.11, Asita Devala of MN 93, and Kaṇha of DN 3.kaṇhadīpāyano isi; for more than fifty yearsParopaññāsavassāni, I lived dissatisfied.anabhiratocariṁ ahaṁ.

No-one knew of thisdissatisfaction of mine,for I mentioned it to no-one,it only went on in my mind.

Na koci etaṁ jānāti, Anabhiratimanaṁ mama; Ahañhi kassaci nācikkhiṁ, Arati me carati mānase.

No-one knew of thisNa koci etaṁ jānāti, dissatisfaction of mine,Anabhiratimanaṁ mama; for I mentioned it to no-one,Ahañhi kassaci nācikkhiṁ, it only went on in my mind.Arati me carati mānase.

Maṇḍabya, a spiritual companionand friend of mine was a great seer.Bound to a deed in a past life,he got impaled on a stake.

Sabrahmacārī maṇḍabyo, sahāyo me mahāisi; Pubbakammasamāyutto, sūlamāropanaṁ labhi.

Maṇḍabya, a spiritual companionSabrahmacārī maṇḍabyo, and friend of mine was a great seer.sahāyo me mahāisi; Bound to a deed in a past life,Pubbakammasamāyutto, he got impaled on a stake.sūlamāropanaṁ labhi.

I nursed himand brought him back to health.Asking leave, I returnedto my own hermitage.

Tamahaṁ upaṭṭhahitvāna, ārogyamanupāpayiṁ; Āpucchitvāna āgañchiṁ, yaṁ mayhaṁ sakamassamaṁ.

I nursed himTamahaṁ upaṭṭhahitvāna, and brought him back to health.ārogyamanupāpayiṁ; Asking leave, I returnedĀpucchitvāna āgañchiṁ, to my own hermitage.yaṁ mayhaṁ sakamassamaṁ.

A brahmin friend of mine,bringing wife and child,came to me, all three of them,as my guests.

Sahāyo brāhmaṇo mayhaṁ, bhariyaṁ ādāya puttakaṁ; Tayo janā samāgantvā, āgañchuṁ pāhunāgataṁ.

A brahmin friend of mine,Sahāyo brāhmaṇo mayhaṁ, bringing wife and child,bhariyaṁ ādāya puttakaṁ; came to me, all three of them,Tayo janā samāgantvā, as my guests.āgañchuṁ pāhunāgataṁ.

As I exchanged greetings with them,seated in my own hermitage,the boy threw a balland angered a viper.

Sammodamāno tehi saha, nisinno sakamassame; Dārako vaṭṭamanukkhipaṁ, āsīvisamakopayi.

As I exchanged greetings with them,Sammodamāno tehi saha, seated in my own hermitage,nisinno sakamassame; the boy threw a ballDārako vaṭṭamanukkhipaṁ, and angered a viper.āsīvisamakopayi.

Then the boy, looking which waythe ball had gone,touched the viper’s headwith his hand.

Tato so vaṭṭagataṁ maggaṁ, anvesanto kumārako; Āsīvisassa hatthena, uttamaṅgaṁ parāmasi.

Then the boy, looking which wayTato so vaṭṭagataṁ maggaṁ, the ball had gone,anvesanto kumārako; touched the viper’s headĀsīvisassa hatthena, with his hand.uttamaṅgaṁ parāmasi.

Angered at his touch,the snake, relying on its potent poison,completely enraged,bit the boy right away.

Tassa āmasane kuddho, sappo visabalassito; Kupito paramakopena, aḍaṁsi dārakaṁ khaṇe.

Angered at his touch,Tassa āmasane kuddho, the snake, relying on its potent poison,sappo visabalassito; completely enraged,Kupito paramakopena, bit the boy right away.aḍaṁsi dārakaṁ khaṇe.

When bitten by the viper,the boy fainted on the ground.It made me distraught,the pain became as if mine.

Sahadaṭṭho āsīvisena, *āsīvisena → ativisena (sya1ed, sya2ed, pts-vp-pli1, mr)dārako papati bhūmiyaṁ; *papati → patati (pts-vp-pli1, mr)Tenāhaṁ dukkhito āsiṁ, mama vāhasi taṁ dukkhaṁ.

When bitten by the viper,Sahadaṭṭho āsīvisena, *āsīvisena → ativisena (sya1ed, sya2ed, pts-vp-pli1, mr)the boy fainted on the ground.dārako papati bhūmiyaṁ; *papati → patati (pts-vp-pli1, mr)It made me distraught,Tenāhaṁ dukkhito āsiṁ, the pain became as if mine.mama vāhasi taṁ dukkhaṁ.

Comforting the parents,in their suffering and sorrow,I made the first act,the original, supreme declaration of truth:

Tyāhaṁ assāsayitvāna, dukkhite sokasallite; Paṭhamaṁ akāsiṁ kiriyaṁ, aggaṁ saccaṁ varuttamaṁ.

Comforting the parents,Tyāhaṁ assāsayitvāna, in their suffering and sorrow,dukkhite sokasallite; I made the first act,Paṭhamaṁ akāsiṁ kiriyaṁ, the original, supreme declaration of truth:aggaṁ saccaṁ varuttamaṁ.

‘For just seven days with a mind of faithI led the spiritual life seeking merit.My life since then,for fifty years or more,

‘Sattāhamevāhaṁ pasannacitto, Puññatthiko acariṁ brahmacariyaṁ; Athāparaṁ yaṁ caritaṁ mamedaṁ, Vassāni paññāsasamādhikāni.

‘For just seven days with a mind of faith‘Sattāhamevāhaṁ pasannacitto, I led the spiritual life seeking merit.Puññatthiko acariṁ brahmacariyaṁ; My life since then,Athāparaṁ yaṁ caritaṁ mamedaṁ, for fifty years or more,Vassāni paññāsasamādhikāni.

I have lived unwillingly.By this truth, may he be well!May the poison die! May Yaññadatta live!’

Akāmako vāhi ahaṁ carāmi, Etena saccena suvatthi hotu; Hataṁ visaṁ jīvatu yaññadatto’.

I have lived unwillingly.Akāmako vāhi ahaṁ carāmi, By this truth, may he be well!Etena saccena suvatthi hotu; May the poison die! May Yaññadatta live!’Hataṁ visaṁ jīvatu yaññadatto’.

As I declared this truth,the boy trembling with poison,awoke and got up,the brahmin youth was well.There is no-one to equal my truthfulness:this is my perfection of truth.”

Saha sacce kate mayhaṁ, visavegena vedhito; Abujjhitvāna vuṭṭhāsi, arogo cāsi māṇavo; Saccena me samo natthi, esā me saccapāramī”ti.

As I declared this truth,Saha sacce kate mayhaṁ, the boy trembling with poison,visavegena vedhito; awoke and got up,Abujjhitvāna vuṭṭhāsi, the brahmin youth was well.arogo cāsi māṇavo; There is no-one to equal my truthfulness:Saccena me samo natthi, this is my perfection of truth.”esā me saccapāramī”ti.