With Pasūra

“Here alone is purity,” they say,denying that there is purification in other teachings.Speaking of the beauty <j>in that which they depend on,*Norman has “good” for subha, Bodhi “excellent”, but the Niddesa shows that the sense is “illuminating, bringing wisdom”. The same phrase occurs at Snp 4.13:16.3. Perhaps these are ascetics who rely on the subhavimutti, the “beautiful release” (of jhānas). But compare the “ultimate splendor” (paramo vaṇṇo) propounded by the wanderer Sakuludāyī, which seems to have just an idea without any real basis (MN 79:9.3).each one is dogmatic about <j>their own idiosyncratic interpretation.*Here, as at Snp 4.12:15.3, puthu emphasizes how they all have their own distinct view.

Idheva suddhī iti vādayanti, *vādayanti → vādiyanti (bj, pts-vp-pli1); vādisanti (si)Nāññesu dhammesu visuddhimāhu; Yaṁ nissitā tattha subhaṁ vadānā, Paccekasaccesu puthū niviṭṭhā.

“Here alone is purity,” they say,Idheva suddhī iti vādayanti, *vādayanti → vādiyanti (bj, pts-vp-pli1); vādisanti (si)denying that there is purification in other teachings.Nāññesu dhammesu visuddhimāhu; Speaking of the beauty <j>in that which they depend on,*Norman has “good” for subha, Bodhi “excellent”, but the Niddesa shows that the sense is “illuminating, bringing wisdom”. The same phrase occurs at Snp 4.13:16.3. Perhaps these are ascetics who rely on the subhavimutti, the “beautiful release” (of jhānas). But compare the “ultimate splendor” (paramo vaṇṇo) propounded by the wanderer Sakuludāyī, which seems to have just an idea without any real basis (MN 79:9.3).Yaṁ nissitā tattha subhaṁ vadānā, each one is dogmatic about <j>their own idiosyncratic interpretation.*Here, as at Snp 4.12:15.3, puthu emphasizes how they all have their own distinct view.Paccekasaccesu puthū niviṭṭhā.

Desiring debate, they plunge into an assembly,where each takes the other as a fool.*Dahanti is to “regard” or “see”, per Niddesa and Commentary; Bodhi’s “accuse” seems hard to justify.Relying on others they state their contention,desiring praise while claiming to be skilled.

Te vādakāmā parisaṁ vigayha, Bālaṁ dahantī mithu aññamaññaṁ; Vadanti te aññasitā kathojjaṁ, Pasaṁsakāmā kusalā vadānā.

Desiring debate, they plunge into an assembly,Te vādakāmā parisaṁ vigayha, where each takes the other as a fool.*Dahanti is to “regard” or “see”, per Niddesa and Commentary; Bodhi’s “accuse” seems hard to justify.Bālaṁ dahantī mithu aññamaññaṁ; Relying on others they state their contention,Vadanti te aññasitā kathojjaṁ, desiring praise while claiming to be skilled.Pasaṁsakāmā kusalā vadānā.

Addicted to debating in the midst of the assembly,their need for praise makes them nervous.But when they’re repudiated they get embarrassed;upset at criticism, they find fault in others.

Yutto kathāyaṁ parisāya majjhe, Pasaṁsamicchaṁ vinighāti hoti; Apāhatasmiṁ pana maṅku hoti, Nindāya so kuppati randhamesī.

Addicted to debating in the midst of the assembly,Yutto kathāyaṁ parisāya majjhe, their need for praise makes them nervous.Pasaṁsamicchaṁ vinighāti hoti; But when they’re repudiated they get embarrassed;Apāhatasmiṁ pana maṅku hoti, upset at criticism, they find fault in others.Nindāya so kuppati randhamesī.

If their doctrine is said to be weak,and judges declare it repudiated,the loser weeps and wails,moaning, “They beat me.”

Yamassa vādaṁ parihīnamāhu, Apāhataṁ pañhavimaṁsakāse; Paridevati socati hīnavādo, Upaccagā manti anutthunāti.

If their doctrine is said to be weak,Yamassa vādaṁ parihīnamāhu, and judges declare it repudiated,Apāhataṁ pañhavimaṁsakāse; the loser weeps and wails,Paridevati socati hīnavādo, moaning, “They beat me.”Upaccagā manti anutthunāti.

When these disputes come up among ascetics,they get excited or dejected.Seeing this, refrain from contention,for the only purpose is praise and profit.

Ete vivādā samaṇesu jātā, Etesu ugghātinighāti hoti; Etampi disvā virame kathojjaṁ, Na haññadatthatthi pasaṁsalābhā.

When these disputes come up among ascetics,Ete vivādā samaṇesu jātā, they get excited or dejected.Etesu ugghātinighāti hoti; Seeing this, refrain from contention,Etampi disvā virame kathojjaṁ, for the only purpose is praise and profit.Na haññadatthatthi pasaṁsalābhā.

But if, having declared their doctrine,they are praised there in the midst of the assembly,they laugh and gloat because of it,having got what they wanted.

Pasaṁsito vā pana tattha hoti, Akkhāya vādaṁ parisāya majjhe; So hassatī unnamatī ca tena, *unnamatī ca → unnamaticca (bj); uṇṇamatic (pts-vp-pli1); uṇṇamatī (csp1ed, csp2ed)Pappuyya tamatthaṁ yathā mano ahu.

But if, having declared their doctrine,Pasaṁsito vā pana tattha hoti, they are praised there in the midst of the assembly,Akkhāya vādaṁ parisāya majjhe; they laugh and gloat because of it,So hassatī unnamatī ca tena, *unnamatī ca → unnamaticca (bj); uṇṇamatic (pts-vp-pli1); uṇṇamatī (csp1ed, csp2ed)having got what they wanted.Pappuyya tamatthaṁ yathā mano ahu.

Their pride is their downfall,yet they speak from conceit and arrogance.Seeing this, one ought not dispute,for those who are skilled say this is no way to purity.

Yā unnatī sāssa vighātabhūmi, *unnatī → uṇṇati (pts-vp-pli1); uṇṇatī (csp1ed, csp2ed)Mānātimānaṁ vadate paneso; Etampi disvā na vivādayetha, Na hi tena suddhiṁ kusalā vadanti.

Their pride is their downfall,Yā unnatī sāssa vighātabhūmi, *unnatī → uṇṇati (pts-vp-pli1); uṇṇatī (csp1ed, csp2ed)yet they speak from conceit and arrogance.Mānātimānaṁ vadate paneso; Seeing this, one ought not dispute,Etampi disvā na vivādayetha, for those who are skilled say this is no way to purity.Na hi tena suddhiṁ kusalā vadanti.

As a warrior, after feasting on royal food,*A similar idea is found at SN 56.40.goes roaring, looking for someone to fight—go off and find an opponent, Sūra,for here, as before, there is no-one to combat.

Sūro yathā rājakhādāya puṭṭho, Abhigajjameti paṭisūramicchaṁ; Yeneva so tena palehi sūra, Pubbeva natthi yadidaṁ yudhāya.

As a warrior, after feasting on royal food,*A similar idea is found at SN 56.40.Sūro yathā rājakhādāya puṭṭho, goes roaring, looking for someone to fight—Abhigajjameti paṭisūramicchaṁ; go off and find an opponent, Sūra,Yeneva so tena palehi sūra, for here, as before, there is no-one to combat.Pubbeva natthi yadidaṁ yudhāya.

When someone disputes about a view they’ve adopted,saying, “This is the only truth,”say to them, “Here you’ll have no adversarywhen a dispute has come up.”

Ye diṭṭhimuggayha vivādayanti, *vivādayanti → vivādiyanti (si, pts-vp-pli1)Idameva saccanti ca vādayanti; Te tvaṁ vadassū na hi tedha atthi, Vādamhi jāte paṭisenikattā.

When someone disputes about a view they’ve adopted,Ye diṭṭhimuggayha vivādayanti, *vivādayanti → vivādiyanti (si, pts-vp-pli1)saying, “This is the only truth,”Idameva saccanti ca vādayanti; say to them, “Here you’ll have no adversaryTe tvaṁ vadassū na hi tedha atthi, when a dispute has come up.”Vādamhi jāte paṭisenikattā.

There are those who live far from the crowd,not countering views with view.Who is there to argue with you, Pasūra,*The Sanskrit here has the name Sīhaśūra.among those who grasp nothing here as the highest?

Visenikatvā pana ye caranti, Diṭṭhīhi diṭṭhiṁ avirujjhamānā; Tesu tvaṁ kiṁ labhetho pasūra, Yesīdha natthī paramuggahītaṁ.

There are those who live far from the crowd,Visenikatvā pana ye caranti, not countering views with view.Diṭṭhīhi diṭṭhiṁ avirujjhamānā; Who is there to argue with you, Pasūra,*The Sanskrit here has the name Sīhaśūra.Tesu tvaṁ kiṁ labhetho pasūra, among those who grasp nothing here as the highest?Yesīdha natthī paramuggahītaṁ.

And so you come along speculating,thinking up theories in your mind.Now that you’ve challenged <j>someone who is cleansed,*Here, yuga is connected in the Niddesa with yugaggāha (“taking the reins”), which in turn is connected in Vb 17:75.2 with “causing disputes”. It seems to be an idiom for “issuing a challenge”.you’ll not be able to respond.*Sakkhasi is 2nd future, sampayātave is infinitive. Sampāyati is a fairly common word, “answer a question”, usually in a negative sense, to be “stumped” by a question. Oddly, most translators (Bodhi, Norman, Ñāṇadīpa, Ṭhānissaro) don’t catch this sense.

Atha tvaṁ pavitakkamāgamā, Manasā diṭṭhigatāni cintayanto; Dhonena yugaṁ samāgamā, Na hi tvaṁ sakkhasi sampayātaveti.

And so you come along speculating,Atha tvaṁ pavitakkamāgamā, thinking up theories in your mind.Manasā diṭṭhigatāni cintayanto; Now that you’ve challenged <j>someone who is cleansed,*Here, yuga is connected in the Niddesa with yugaggāha (“taking the reins”), which in turn is connected in Vb 17:75.2 with “causing disputes”. It seems to be an idiom for “issuing a challenge”.Dhonena yugaṁ samāgamā, you’ll not be able to respond.*Sakkhasi is 2nd future, sampayātave is infinitive. Sampāyati is a fairly common word, “answer a question”, usually in a negative sense, to be “stumped” by a question. Oddly, most translators (Bodhi, Norman, Ñāṇadīpa, Ṭhānissaro) don’t catch this sense.Na hi tvaṁ sakkhasi sampayātaveti.