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- Sutta Nipata V.4
- Mettagu-manava-puccha
- Mettagu's Questions
- Translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland
- For free distribution only,
by arrangement with the Buddhist Publication Society
- From The Discourse Collection: Selected Texts from the Sutta Nipata (WH 82),
translated by John D. Ireland (Kandy: Buddhist Publication Society, 1983).
The Venerable Mettagu: "I ask the Lord this question, may he tell me the
answer to it. I know him to be a master of knowledge and a perfected being. From whence
have arisen these many sufferings evident in the world?"
The Lord: "You have asked me the source of suffering. Mettagu, I will tell
it to you as it has been discerned by me. These many sufferings evident in the world have
arisen from worldly attachments. Whoever ignorantly creates an attachment, that stupid
person comes upon suffering again and again. Therefore a man of understanding should not
create attachment, seeing it is the source of suffering."
Mettagu: "What I did ask you have explained, now I ask another question.
Come tell me this: how do the wise cross the flood, birth and old age, sorrow and grief?
Explain it thoroughly to me, O sage, for this Dhamma has been understood[1] by you."
The Lord: "I will set forth the Dhamma, Mettagu, a teaching to be directly
perceived,[2] not something based on hearsay, by experiencing
which and living mindfully one may pass beyond the entanglements of the world."
Mettagu: "I rejoice in the thought of that highest Dhamma, great sage, by
experiencing which and living mindfully one may pass beyond the entanglements of the
world."
The Lord: "Whatever you clearly comprehend, Mettagu, above, below, across
and in between, get rid of delight in it. Rid yourself of habitual attitudes[3] and (life affirming) consciousness.[4] Do not
continue in existence. Living thus, mindful and vigilant, a bhikkhu who has forsaken
selfish attachments may, by understanding, abandon suffering, birth and old age, sorrow
and grief, even here in this life."
Mettagu: "I rejoice in the words of the great sage. Well explained, O
Gotama, is the state of non-attachment.[5] The Lord has surely
abandoned suffering as this Dhamma has been realized by him. They will certainly abandon
suffering who are constantly admonished by you, O Sage. Having understood, I venerate it,
Noble One. May the Lord constantly admonish me also."
The Lord: "Whom you know as a true brahmana, a master of knowledge, owning
nothing, not attached to sensual (-realm) existence, he has certainly crossed this flood.
Having crossed beyond he is untainted and freed from doubt. One who has discarded this
clinging (leading) to renewal of existence is a man who has realized the highest
knowledge. Free from craving, undistressed, desireless, he has crossed beyond birth and
old age, I say."
-- vv. 1049-1060
Notes
1. The Pali word "vidito" also means, found out,
discovered. [Go back]
2. Ditthe dhamme: to be seen for oneself in this life or here
and now. It is an expression used of Nibbana. [Go back]
3. Or, "fixed views." [Go back]
4. Or, "kamma-producing consciousness." [Go
back]
5. I.e., Nibbana. [Go back]