1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā ānando sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time Venerable Ānanda was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

1.2Atha kho āyasmā ānando pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi āyasmatā vaṅgīsena pacchāsamaṇena.Then Venerable Ānanda robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Sāvatthī for alms with Venerable Vaṅgīsa as his second monk.

1.3Tena kho pana samayena āyasmato vaṅgīsassa anabhirati uppannā hoti, rāgo cittaṁ anuddhaṁseti.And at that time Venerable Vaṅgīsa became dissatisfied, as lust infected his mind.1.4Atha kho āyasmā vaṅgīso āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ gāthāya ajjhabhāsi:Then he addressed Ānanda in verse:

2.1“Kāmarāgena ḍayhāmi,“I’ve got a burning desire for pleasure;2.2cittaṁ me pariḍayhati;My mind is on fire!2.3Sādhu nibbāpanaṁ brūhi,Please, out of compassion, Gotama,¹2.4anukampāya gotamā”ti.tell me how to quench the flames.”

3.1“Saññāya vipariyesā,“Your mind is on fire3.2cittaṁ te pariḍayhati;because of a perversion of perception.²3.3Nimittaṁ parivajjehi,Turn away from the feature of things3.4subhaṁ rāgūpasaṁhitaṁ.that’s attractive, provoking lust.

4.1Saṅkhāre parato passa,See all conditioned phenomena as alien,4.2dukkhato mā ca attato;as suffering and not-self.4.3Nibbāpehi mahārāgaṁ,Extinguish the great fire of lust,4.4mā ḍayhittho punappunaṁ.don’t burn up again and again.

5.1Asubhāya cittaṁ bhāvehi,With mind unified and serene,5.2ekaggaṁ susamāhitaṁ;meditate on the ugly aspects of the body.5.3Sati kāyagatā tyatthu,With mindfulness immersed in the body,5.4nibbidābahulo bhava.be full of disillusionment.

6.1Animittañca bhāvehi,Meditate on the signless,6.2mānānusayamujjaha;give up the underlying tendency to conceit;6.3Tato mānābhisamayā,and when you comprehend conceit,6.4upasanto carissasī”ti.you will live at peace.”