SNP 5.16  Piṅgiyamāṇavapucchā - Piṅgiya’s Questions

“Jiṇṇohamasmi abalo vītavaṇṇo,
(iccāyasmā piṅgiyo)
Nettā na suddhā savanaṁ na phāsu;
Māhaṁ nassaṁ momuho antarāva,
Ācikkha dhammaṁ yamahaṁ vijaññaṁ;
Jātijarāya idha vippahānaṁ”.

“I am old, weak, my color gone,”
(said the venerable Piṅgiya),
“my eyesight is not clear, my hearing is faint;
Do not let me perish confused along the way,
declare the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]| which I may comprehend;
The abandoning here of birth and old age.”

“Disvāna rūpesu vihaññamāne,
(piṅgiyāti bhagavā)
Ruppanti rūpesu janā pamattā;
Tasmā tuvaṁ piṅgiya appamatto,
Jahassu rūpaṁ apunabbhavāya”.

“Having seen those being upset by forms,
(Piṅgiya,” said the Blessed One),
“people who are |negligent::inattentive, careless, intoxicated [pamatta]|, afflicted by forms;
Therefore, Piṅgiya, being |diligent::doing one’s work or duty well, with alertness, carefulness and care [appamatta]|,
abandon |form::materiality, material existence, experience of the material world, i.e. encompassing both one’s body and external objects, whether near or far, gross or subtle, deficient or refined; first of the five aggregates [rūpa]| for an end to renewed existence.”

“Disā catasso vidisā catasso,
Uddhaṁ adho dasa disā imāyo;
Na tuyhaṁ adiṭṭhaṁ asutaṁ amutaṁ,
Atho aviññātaṁ kiñcanamatthi loke;
Ācikkha dhammaṁ yamahaṁ vijaññaṁ,
Jātijarāya idha vippahānaṁ”.

“Four cardinal, four intermediate quarters,
above and below, these ten directions;
There is nothing that you have not seen, heard, and |sensed::smelled, tasted, felt, or thought [muta]|,
and nothing in the world uncognized by you;
Declare the Dhamma which I may comprehend,
the abandoning here of birth and old age.”

“Taṇhādhipanne manuje pekkhamāno,
(piṅgiyāti bhagavā)
Santāpajāte jarasā parete;
Tasmā tuvaṁ piṅgiya appamatto,
Jahassu taṇhaṁ apunabbhavāyā”ti.

“Seeing humans, slaves to craving,
(Piṅgiya,” said the Blessed One),
“|tormented::agonized [santāpajāta]|, overcome by old age;
Therefore, Piṅgiya, being diligent,
abandon |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]| for an end to renewed existence.”