“Sakaṁsakaṁdiṭṭhiparibbasānā,
Viggayha nānā kusalā vadanti;
Yo evaṁ jānāti sa vedi dhammaṁ,
Idaṁ paṭikkosamakevalī so.
“Each |entrenched in their own views::settled in theories, stuck in opinions [diṭṭhiparibbasāna]|,
|arguing::contending, quarreling [viggayha]|, the skilled make diverse assertions:
‘One who knows this has understood the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|,
|refusing to accept::rejecting [paṭikkosanta]| this, one is |imperfect::not an adept, not consummate [akevalī]|.’
Evampi viggayha vivādayanti,
Bālo paro akkusaloti cāhu;
Sacco nu vādo katamo imesaṁ,
Sabbeva hīme kusalāvadānā”.
Like this, they argue and contend,
and say: ‘The other is a fool, unskilled;’
But which among them speaks the truth?
for all alike claim to be skilled.”
“Parassa ce dhammamanānujānaṁ,
Bālomako hoti nihīnapañño;
Sabbeva bālā sunihīnapaññā,
Sabbevime diṭṭhiparibbasānā.
“If one who does not approve another’s doctrine,
is said to be a |worthless fool::useless idiot; lit. low fool [bālomaka]|, |deficient in wisdom::of inferior wisdom [nihīnapañña]|;
Then surely all are fools, utterly deficient in wisdom,
for all are entrenched in their own views.
Sandiṭṭhiyā ceva na vīvadātā,
Saṁsuddhapaññā kusalā mutīmā;
Na tesaṁ koci parihīnapañño,
Diṭṭhī hi tesampi tathā samattā.
But if by their own |view::belief, an opinion, a concept, a theory [diṭṭhi]|, they are purified,
with perfected understanding, skill, and intelligence;
Then there is none among them lacking in wisdom,
for their views are similarly reached.
Na vāhametaṁ tathiyanti brūmi,
Yamāhu bālā mithu aññamaññaṁ;
Sakaṁ sakaṁ diṭṭhimakaṁsu saccaṁ,
Tasmā hi bāloti paraṁ dahanti”.
I do not say, ‘This is true,’
as the fools mutually say to each other;
They all take their own view as |true::accurate, correct [sacca]|,
therefore they regard the other a fool.”
“Yamāhu saccaṁ tathiyanti eke,
Tamāhu aññe tucchaṁ musāti;
Evampi vigayha vivādayanti,
Kasmā na ekaṁ samaṇā vadanti”.
“What some proclaim as true, calling it genuine,
others declare it to be empty and false;
So they dive into arguments and disputes—
why is that ascetics do not all speak one truth?”
“Ekañhi saccaṁ na dutīyamatthi,
Yasmiṁ pajā no vivade pajānaṁ;
Nānā te saccāni sayaṁ thunanti,
Tasmā na ekaṁ samaṇā vadanti”.
“Truth, indeed, is one—there is no second,
which, if understood, would end disputes among beings;
Yet they each |proclaim::praise [thunāti]| their own diverse ‘truths,’
that is why ascetics do not all speak as one.”
“Kasmā nu saccāni vadanti nānā,
Pavādiyāse kusalāvadānā;
Saccāni sutāni bahūni nānā,
Udāhu te takkamanussaranti”.
“Why then do they proclaim many different ‘truths,’
those experts who assert themselves as wise?
Are there indeed many diverse truths that have been heard,
or is it that they simply follow after |speculation::conjecture, logic, reasoning [takka]|?”
“Na heva saccāni bahūni nānā,
Aññatra saññāya niccāni loke;
Takkañca diṭṭhīsu pakappayitvā,
Saccaṁ musāti dvayadhammamāhu.
“Truths surely are not many and diverse,
except by [mistakenly] perceiving |permanence::ever lastingness, immutability, stability [nicca]| in the world;
Relying on speculation, they |theorize::construct, formulate [kappayati]| their views,
and thus declare a duality of ‘truth’ and ‘falsehood.’
Diṭṭhe sute sīlavate mute vā,
Ete ca nissāya vimānadassī;
Vinicchaye ṭhatvā pahassamāno,
Bālo paro akkusaloti cāha.
By seen, heard, |sensed::smelled, tasted, felt, or thought [muta]|, or by |ethics and observances::precepts and practices, rites and rituals [sīlavata]|—
dependent on these, they perceive |disrespect::contempt, disdain [vimāna]|;
Taking a stand upon judgment, |being thrilled::being pleased with oneself, being elated [pahassamāna]|,
they declare: ‘The other is a fool, unskilled.’
Yeneva bāloti paraṁ dahāti,
Tenātumānaṁ kusaloti cāha;
Sayamattanā so kusalāvadāno,
Aññaṁ vimāneti tadeva pāva.
They regard another as a fool on the same grounds,
by which they proclaim themselves as skilled;
Claiming to be an expert by their own authority,
they disparage another while conveying the same thing.
Atisāradiṭṭhiyā so samatto,
Mānena matto paripuṇṇamānī;
Sayameva sāmaṁ manasābhisitto,
Diṭṭhī hi sā tassa tathā samattā.
Caught up in an extreme view,
intoxicated by |conceit::self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification and fuels rebirth [māna]|, imagining oneself as perfected;
One |mentally anoints oneself::self-crowns themselves in thought [manasābhisitta]|,
for that view of theirs is adopted in such a manner.
Parassa ce hi vacasā nihīno,
Tumo sahā hoti nihīnapañño;
Atha ce sayaṁ vedagū hoti dhīro,
Na koci bālo samaṇesu atthi.
If one is deficient because of another’s word,
then that other is similarly deficient in wisdom;
If by one’s own authority, one can be declared |steadfast::firm, stable, wise [dhīra]|, |with perfect knowledge::who has complete understanding [vedagū]|,
then no one would be a fool among ascetics.
Aññaṁ ito yābhivadanti dhammaṁ,
Aparaddhā suddhimakevalī te;
Evampi titthyā puthuso vadanti,
Sandiṭṭhirāgena hi tebhirattā.
‘Those who assert a teaching different from this,
have failed to reach purity, and are |incomplete::imperfect, not an adept [akevalī]|’—
Thus the sectarians speak in diverse ways,
for they are |infatuated with::enamoured with [abhiratta]| passion for their own views.
Idheva suddhiṁ iti vādayanti,
Nāññesu dhammesu visuddhimāhu;
Evampi titthyā puthuso niviṭṭhā,
Sakāyane tattha daḷhaṁ vadānā.
‘Here alone is purity,’ so they claim,
they say there is no purification in other teachings;
Thus the sectarians, diversely entrenched,
stand firm in asserting their own path.
Sakāyane vāpi daḷhaṁ vadāno,
Kamettha bāloti paraṁ daheyya;
Sayaṁva so medhagamāvaheyya,
Paraṁ vadaṁ bālamasuddhidhammaṁ.
Asserting firmly in one’s own way,
whom here could they call a fool?
It is they themselves who would stir up dispute,
by calling another a fool of impure character.
Vinicchaye ṭhatvā sayaṁ pamāya,
Uddhaṁsa lokasmiṁ vivādameti;
Hitvāna sabbāni vinicchayāni,
Na medhagaṁ kubbati jantu loke”ti.
Based on a judgment, taking themselves as the |measure::appraiser, evaluator [pamāya]|,
they enter upon further disputes in the world;
Having abandoned all judgments,
a person does not stir disputes in the world.”