“Taṁ maṁ padhānapahitattaṁ,
nadiṁ nerañjaraṁ pati;
Viparakkamma jhāyantaṁ,
yogakkhemassa pattiyā.
“When, resolutely set upon |striving::making effort, exerting [padhāna]|,
I went to the |Nerañjarā::a river in ancient India, now identified with the modern Phalgu River or its tributary the Niranjana River, lit. the river with pure, clean water [nerañjarā]| river;
As I was meditating with intense exertion,
for |the attainment of::reaching [patti]| security from bondage—
Namucī karuṇaṁ vācaṁ,
bhāsamāno upāgami;
‘Kiso tvamasi dubbaṇṇo,
santike maraṇaṁ tava.
|Namucī::name of Māra, lit. does not free [namucī]| approached me,
speaking words of sympathy:
‘You are thin, discolored,
you’re on the verge of death.
Sahassabhāgo maraṇassa,
ekaṁso tava jīvitaṁ;
Jīva bho jīvitaṁ seyyo,
jīvaṁ puññāni kāhasi.
A thousand parts belong to death,
one fraction of your life remains;
Live, sir, life is better,
while living, make merits!
Carato ca te brahmacariyaṁ,
Aggihuttañca jūhato;
Pahūtaṁ cīyate puññaṁ,
Kiṁ padhānena kāhasi.
While you’re living the |spiritual life::a life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures [brahmacariya]|,
and performing fire sacrifice;
abundant merit is accumulated.
What will you gain through striving?
Duggo maggo padhānāya,
dukkaro durabhisambhavo’”;
Imā gāthā bhaṇaṁ māro,
aṭṭhā buddhassa santike.
Hard to tread is the path of striving,
hard to practice, and even harder to fulfill.’”
Speaking these verses, Māra stood,
in the presence of the Buddha.
Taṁ tathāvādinaṁ māraṁ,
bhagavā etadabravi;
“Pamattabandhu pāpima,
yenatthena idhāgato.
When Māra had spoken in such a way,
the Blessed One said this to him:
“Kinsman of the |negligent::inattentive, careless, intoxicated [pamatta]|, |Evil One::profoundly immoral and wicked, having evil quality, epithet of Māra [pāpimant]|,
you have come here with a purpose.
Aṇumattopi puññena,
Attho mayhaṁ na vijjati;
Yesañca attho puññena,
Te māro vattumarahati.
I do not see a need,
even for the slightest merit.
It is fitting for Māra to speak,
to those who have need of merits.
Atthi saddhā tathā viriyaṁ,
paññā ca mama vijjati;
Evaṁ maṁ pahitattampi,
kiṁ jīvamanupucchasi.
I have |faith::confidence, conviction, trust [saddha]|, and I have |energy::willpower, determination [vīriya]|,
and |wisdom::distinctive knowledge, discernment [paññā]| too is present in me;
When I am so resolute,
why do you ask me to [cling to] life?
Nadīnamapi sotāni,
ayaṁ vāto visosaye;
Kiñca me pahitattassa,
lohitaṁ nupasussaye.
This wind could |parch::dry up, evaporate [visosayati]|,
even the rivers’ |currents::streams [sotā]|;
So why, when I am so resolute,
should it not dry up my blood?
Lohite sussamānamhi,
Pittaṁ semhañca sussati;
Maṁsesu khīyamānesu,
Bhiyyo cittaṁ pasīdati;
Bhiyyo sati ca paññā ca,
Samādhi mama tiṭṭhati.
When the blood is drying up,
bile and phlegm also wither away;
Even as the flesh decays,
the mind becomes ever more |serene::bright, clear [pasīdati]|;
With growing |mindfulness::recollection of the body, feelings, mind, and mental qualities, observing them clearly with sustained attention, free from craving and distress [sati]| and wisdom,
my |collectedness::stability of mind, stillness of mind, mental composure [samādhi]| persists.
Tassa mevaṁ viharato,
Pattassuttamavedanaṁ;
Kāmesu nāpekkhate cittaṁ,
Passa sattassa suddhataṁ.
While I am dwelling in such a way,
having reached the ultimate experience;
The mind no longer yearns for sensual pleasures,
behold the purity of this being!
Kāmā te paṭhamā senā,
Dutiyā arati vuccati;
Tatiyā khuppipāsā te,
Catutthī taṇhā pavuccati.
Sensual pleasures are your first army,
the second is called |dissatisfaction::dislike, discontent, aversion, boredom [arati]|;
Hunger and thirst are the third,
fourth is called |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇhā]|.
Pañcamaṁ thinamiddhaṁ te,
Chaṭṭhā bhīrū pavuccati;
Sattamī vicikicchā te,
Makkho thambho te aṭṭhamo.
Fifth is |dullness and drowsiness::lack of mental clarity or alertness, mental sluggishness, lethargy, sleepiness lit. stiffness (of mind/body due to tiredness) [thinamiddha]|,
sixth is |terror::fear’s approach [bhīru]|;
The seventh is |doubt::uncertainty, indecisiveness [vicikicchā]|,
|contempt::ungratefulness, depreciation, denigration, disrespect, belittlement, disparagement [makkha]| and |stubbornness::bullheadedness, inflexibility [thambha]| are the eighth.
Lābho siloko sakkāro,
Micchāladdho ca yo yaso;
Yo cattānaṁ samukkaṁse,
Pare ca avajānati.
|Acquisitions::gain, money, profit, possessions [lābha]|, praise, and respect,
and improperly gained |fame::glory, prestige [yasa]| [forms the ninth];
[the tenth is when] one |extols::glorifies [samukkaṃsati]| oneself,
and |looks down on::is condescending to, despises [avajānati]| others.
Esā namuci te senā,
Kaṇhassābhippahārinī;
Na naṁ asūro jināti,
Jetvā ca labhate sukhaṁ.
This is your army, Namucī,
[the squadron] deployed by the Dark One;
A coward does not conquer it,
but having conquered it, one obtains |ease::contentment, happiness, pleasant abiding [sukha]|.
Esa muñjaṁ parihare,
Dhiratthu mama jīvitaṁ;
Saṅgāme me mataṁ seyyo,
Yañce jīve parājito.
I wear |Muñja grass::a tough Asiatic grass used for thatching roofs, ropes and making baskets; (comm) mental firmness and courage [muñja]|,
wretched would life be to me!
It is better that I die in battle,
than live on defeated.
Pagāḷhettha na dissanti,
Eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā;
Tañca maggaṁ na jānanti,
Yena gacchanti subbatā.
Some so-called ascetics and brahmins,
are not seen here living with restraint;
They do not know the path by which,
|those of good conduct::virtuous persons [subbatā]| travel.
Samantā dhajiniṁ disvā,
Yuttaṁ māraṁ savāhanaṁ;
Yuddhāya paccuggacchāmi,
Mā maṁ ṭhānā acāvayi.
Having seen the bannered army all around,
and Māra, with his mount, fully arrayed;
I go forth to meet him in battle,
let me not be moved from my ground.
Yaṁ te taṁ nappasahati,
Senaṁ loko sadevako;
Taṁ te paññāya bhecchāmi,
Āmaṁ pattaṁva asmanā.
Even the world with all its gods,
cannot conquer that army of yours;
But I shall cut through it with wisdom,
like an |unfired::raw, (comm) clay [āma]| pot [is split] with a rock.
Vasīkaritvā saṅkappaṁ,
Satiñca sūpatiṭṭhitaṁ;
Raṭṭhā raṭṭhaṁ vicarissaṁ,
Sāvake vinayaṁ puthū.
Having mastered my intention,
and with mindfulness well established;
I shall wander from country to country,
guiding many disciples.
Te appamattā pahitattā,
Mama sāsanakārakā;
Akāmassa te gamissanti,
Yattha gantvā na socare”.
They—|diligent::doing one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamatta]| and resolute,
faithfully carrying out my teaching—
shall go |without desire::without need [akāma]|,
to the state where there is no sorrow.”
“Satta vassāni bhagavantaṁ,
Anubandhiṁ padāpadaṁ;
Otāraṁ nādhigacchissaṁ,
Sambuddhassa satīmato.
“For seven years I followed the Blessed One,
[trailing him] step by step;
Yet I found no opening,
in the perfectly Awakened, Mindful One.
Medavaṇṇaṁva pāsāṇaṁ,
Vāyaso anupariyagā;
Apettha muduṁ vindema,
Api assādanā siyā.
A crow circled around,
a stone that had the color of fat;
[thinking] ‘perhaps we will find something tender here,
perhaps there may be something tasty.’
Aladdhā tattha assādaṁ,
Vāyasetto apakkami;
Kākova selamāsajja,
Nibbijjāpema gotamaṁ”.
But finding nothing tasty there,
the crow flew off from that place;
Like the crow attacking the stone,
we depart disheartened from Gotama.”
Tassa sokaparetassa,
Vīṇā kacchā abhassatha;
Tato so dummano yakkho,
Tatthevantaradhāyathāti.
So much was he |afflicted with sorrow::overcome with sadness, overwhelmed with grief [sokapareta]|,
that his |lute::Indian lute [vīṇā]| fell from his armpit;
Thereupon that saddened spirit,
disappeared right on the spot.