(Handa mayaṃ dhammacakkappavattana-sutta-pāṭhaṃ bhaṇāmase)
Dve me bhikkhave antā
Bhikkhus, there are these two extremes
Pabbajitena na sevitabbā
That should not be pursued by one who has gone forth:
Yo cāyaṃ kāmesu kāma-sukh’allikānuyogo
That is, whatever is tied up to sense pleasures, within the realm of sensuality,
Hīno
Which is low,
Gammo
Common,
Pothujjaniko
The way of the common folks,
Anariyo
Not the way of the Noble Ones
Anattha-sañhito
And pointless;
Yo cāyaṃ atta-kilamathānuyogo
Then there is whatever is tied up with self-deprivation,
Dukkho
Which is painful,
Anariyo
Not the way of the Noble Ones
Anattha-sañhito
And pointless.
Ete te bhikkhave ubho ante anupagamma majjhimā paṭipadā
Bhikkhus, without going to either of these extremes,
Tathāgatena abhisambuddhā
The Tathāgata has ultimately awakened to a middle way of practice,
Cakkhu-karaṇī
Giving rise to vision,
Ñāṇa-karaṇī
Making for insight,
Upasamāya
Leading to calm,
Abhiññāya
To heightened knowing,
Sambodhāya
Awakening,
Nibbānāya saṃvattati
And to Nibbāna.
Katamā ca sā bhikkhave majjhimā paṭipadā
And what, bhikkhus, is that middle way of practice?
Ayam-eva ariyo aṭṭhaṅgiko maggo
It is this Noble Eightfold Path,
Seyyathīdaṃ
Which is as follows:
Sammā-diṭṭhi
Right View,
Sammā-saṅkappo
Right Intention,
Sammā-vācā
Right Speech,
Sammā-kammanto
Right Action,
Sammā-ājīvo
Right Livelihood,
Sammā-vāyāmo
Right Effort,
Sammā-sati
Right Mindfulness,
Sammā-samādhi
Right Concentration.
Ayaṃ kho sā bhikkhave majjhimā paṭipadā
This, bhikkhus, is the middle way of practice
Tathāgatena abhisambuddhā
That the Tathāgata has ultimately awakened to,
Cakkhu-karaṇī
Giving rise to vision,
Ñāṇa-karaṇī
Making for insight,
Upasamāya
Leading to calm,
Abhiññāya
To heightened knowing,
Sambodhāya
Awakening,
Nibbānāya saṃvattati
And to Nibbāna.
Idaṃ kho pana bhikkhave dukkhaṃ ariya-saccaṃ
This bhikkhus is the Noble Truth of dukkha:
Jātipi dukkhā
Birth is dukkha,
Jarāpi dukkhā
Ageing is dukkha
Maraṇampi dukkhaṃ
And death is dukkha;
Soka-parideva-dukkha-domanass’upāyāsāpi dukkhā
Sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair are dukkha,
Appiyehi sampayogo dukkho
Association with the disliked is dukkha,
Piyehi vippayogo dukkho
Separation from the liked is dukkha,
Yampicchaṃ na labhati tampi dukkhaṃ
Not attaining one’s wishes is dukkha;
Saṅkhittena pañcupādānakkhandhā dukkhā
In brief, the fve focuses of identity are dukkha.
Idaṃ kho pana bhikkhave dukkha-samudayo ariya-saccaṃ
This bhikkhus is the Noble Truth of the cause of dukkha:
Yā’yaṃ taṇhā
It is this craving
Ponobbhavikā
Which leads to rebirth,
Nandi-rāga-sahagatā
Accompanied by delight and lust,
Tatra-tatrābhinandinī
Delighting now here, now there,
Seyyathīdaṃ
Namely:
Kāma-taṇhā
Craving for sensuality,
Bhava-taṇhā
Craving to become,
Vibhava-taṇhā
Craving not to become.
Idaṃ kho pana bhikkhave dukkha-nirodho ariya-saccaṃ
This bhikkhus is the Noble Truth of the cessation of dukkha:
Yo tassā yeva taṇhāya asesa-virāga-nirodho
It is the remainderless fading away and cessation of that very craving,
Cāgo
Its relinquishment,
Paṭinissaggo
Letting go,
Mutti
Release,
Anālayo
Without any attachment.
Idaṃ kho pana bhikkhave dukkha-nirodha-gāminī paṭipadā ariya-saccaṃ
This bhikkhus is the Noble Truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of dukkha:
Ayam-eva ariyo aṭṭh’aṅgiko maggo
It is just this Noble Eightfold Path,
Seyyathīdaṃ
Which is as follows:
Sammā-diṭṭhi
Right View,
Sammā-saṅkappo
Right Intention,
Sammā-vācā
Right Speech,
Sammā-kammanto
Right Action,
Sammā-ājīvo
Right Livelihood,
Sammā-vāyāmo
Right Effort,
Sammā-sati
Right Mindfulness,
Sammā-samādhi
Right Concentration.
Idaṃ dukkhaṃ ariya-saccan’ti me bhikkhave Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu Cakkhuṃ udapādi Ñāṇaṃ udapādi Paññā udapādi Vijjā udapādi Āloko udapādi
Bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard-of before, Vision arose, Insight arose, Discernment arose, Knowledge arose, Light arose: This is the Noble Truth of dukkha;
Taṃ kho pan’idaṃ dukkhaṃ ariya-saccaṃ pariññeyyan’ti
Now this Noble Truth of dukkha should be completely understood;
Taṃ kho pan’idaṃ dukkhaṃ ariya-saccaṃ pariññātan’ti
Now this Noble Truth of dukkha has been completely understood.
Idaṃ dukkha-samudayo ariya-saccan’ti me bhikkhave Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu Cakkhuṃ udapādi Ñāṇaṃ udapādi Paññā udapādi Vijjā udapādi Āloko udapādi
Bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard-of before, Vision arose, Insight arose, Discernment arose, Knowledge arose, Light arose: This is the Noble Truth of the cause of dukkha.
Taṃ kho pan’idaṃ dukkha-samudayo ariya-saccaṃ pahātabban’ti
Now this cause of dukkha should be abandoned;
Taṃ kho pan’idaṃ dukkha-samudayo ariya-saccaṃ pahīnan’ti
Now this cause of dukkha has been abandoned.
Idaṃ dukkha-nirodho ariya-saccan’ti me bhikkhave Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu Cakkhuṃ udapādi Ñāṇaṃ udapādi Paññā udapādi Vijjā udapādi Āloko udapādi
Bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard-of before, Vision arose, Insight arose, Discernment arose, Knowledge arose, Light arose: This is the Noble Truth of the cessation of dukkha;
Taṃ kho pan’idaṃ dukkha-nirodho ariya-saccaṃ sacchikātabban’ti
Now the cessation of dukkha should be experienced directly;
Taṃ kho pan’idaṃ dukkha-nirodho ariya-saccaṃ sacchikatan’ti
Now the cessation of dukkha has been experienced directly.
Idaṃ dukkha-nirodha-gāminī paṭipadā ariya-saccan’ti me bhikkhave Pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu Cakkhuṃ udapādi Ñāṇaṃ udapādi Paññā udapādi Vijjā udapādi Āloko udapādi
Bhikkhus, in regard to things unheard-of before, Vision arose, Insight arose, Discernment arose, Knowledge arose, Light arose: This is the Noble Truth of the way of practice leading to the cessation of dukkha;
Taṃ kho pan’idaṃ dukkha-nirodha-gāminī paṭipadā ariya-saccaṃ bhāvetabban’ti
Now this way of practice leading to the cessation of dukkha should be developed;
Taṃ kho pan’idaṃ dukkha-nirodha-gāminī paṭipadā ariya-saccaṃ bhāvitan’ti
Now this way of practice leading to the cessation of dukkha has been developed.
Yāva kīvañca me bhikkhave imesu catūsu ariya-saccesu Evan-ti-parivaṭṭaṃ dvādas’ākāraṃ yathā-bhūtaṃ ñāṇa-dassanaṃ na suvisuddhaṃ ahosi
As long, bhikkhus, as my knowledge and understanding, As it actually is, Of these Four Noble Truths, With their three phases and twelve aspects, Was not entirely pure,
N’eva tāv’āhaṃ bhikkhave sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake Sassamaṇa-brāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadeva-manussāya Anuttaraṃ sammā-sambodhiṃ abhisambuddho paccaññāsiṃ
Did I not claim, bhikkhus, In this world of devas, Māra and Brahmā, Amongst mankind with its priests and renunciants, Kings and commoners, An ultimate awakening To unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.
Yato ca kho me bhikkhave imesu catūsu ariya-saccesu Evan-ti-parivaṭṭaṃ dvādas’ākāraṃ yathā-bhūtaṃ ñāṇa-dassanaṃ suvisuddhaṃ ahosi
But when, bhikkhus, my knowledge and understanding As it actually is, Of these Four Noble Truths, With their three phases and twelve aspects, Was indeed entirely pure,
Ath’āhaṃ bhikkhave sadevake loke samārake sabrahmake Sassamaṇa-brāhmaṇiyā pajāya sadeva-manussāya Anuttaraṃ sammā-sambodhiṃ abhisambuddho paccaññāsiṃ
Then indeed did I claim, bhikkhus, In this world of devas, Māra and Brahmā, Amongst mankind with its priests and renunciants, Kings and commoners, An ultimate awakening To unsurpassed, perfect enlightenment.
Ñāṇañca pana me dassanaṃ udapādi
Now knowledge and understanding arose in me:
Akuppā me vimutti
My release is unshakeable,
Ayam-antimā jāti
This is my last birth,
Natthi dāni punabbhavo’ti
There won’t be any further becoming.