SNP 5.11  Jatukaṇṇimāṇavapucchā - Questions of Jatukaṇṇi

“Sutvānahaṁ vīramakāmakāmiṁ,
(iccāyasmā jatukaṇṇi)
Oghātigaṁ puṭṭhumakāmamāgamaṁ;
Santipadaṁ brūhi sahajanetta,
Yathātacchaṁ bhagavā brūhi metaṁ.

“Having heard of the hero free from desire for sensual pleasures,”
(said the venerable Jatukaṇṇi),
“I have come to ask the one |without desire::without need [akāma]| who has gone beyond the flood;
Speak about the |state of peace::tranquility, epithet of Nibbāna [santipada]|, you of innate vision,
Tell me about it, Blessed One, as it actually is.

Bhagavā hi kāme abhibhuyya iriyati,
Ādiccova pathaviṁ tejī tejasā;
Parittapaññassa me bhūripañña,
Ācikkha dhammaṁ yamahaṁ vijaññaṁ;
Jātijarāya idha vippahānaṁ”.

For the Blessed One has overcome sensual desires,
like the sun overcomes the earth with its |radiance::glory, splendor [tejas]|;
O one |of vast wisdom::of extensive distinctive knowledge, discernment [bhūripañña]|, to me whose wisdom is but small,
explain the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|, so that I might understand;
The abandoning, right here, of birth and old age.”

“Kāmesu vinaya gedhaṁ,
(jatukaṇṇīti bhagavā)
Nekkhammaṁ daṭṭhu khemato;
Uggahītaṁ nirattaṁ vā,
Mā te vijjittha kiñcanaṁ.

“Remove |yearning::desire, greed [gedha]| for sensual pleasures,
(Jatukaṇṇi,” said the Blessed One)
“Having seen |renunciation::going out state, rejection of sensual pleasure [nekkhamma]| |as safety::as security, as peace, as rest [khemato]|;
Do not |grasp::raise up, hold onto [uggahīta]| nor |cast aside::reject, throw away [niratta]| anything,
let neither of these be found within you.

Yaṁ pubbe taṁ visosehi,
pacchā te māhu kiñcanaṁ;
Majjhe ce no gahessasi,
upasanto carissasi.

Dry up what pertains to the past,
do not take up anything to come later;
If you will not grasp in the |present::middle [majjha]|,
you will wander |in peace::calmed, composed, cooled [upasanta]|.

Sabbaso nāmarūpasmiṁ,
Vītagedhassa brāhmaṇa;
Āsavāssa na vijjanti,
Yehi maccuvasaṁ vaje”ti.

For a brahmin entirely |devoid of greed::free from craving [vītagedha]|,
for |name and form::mentality and materiality—the integrated structure of mental capacities (intention, attention, contact, feeling, perception) and physical form that together constitute and sustain an individual being [nāmarūpa]| in every way;
There are no |mental defilements::mental outflows, discharges, taints [āsava]| found in him,
by which he might fall under the control of death.”