1.1“Ajja pannaraso uposatho,“Today is the fifteenth day sabbath,”1.2(iti sātāgiro yakkho)said Sātāgira, the native spirit of mount Sātā,1.3Dibbā ratti upaṭṭhitā;“a holy night is at hand.1.4Anomanāmaṁ satthāraṁ,Come now, let us see Gotama,1.5Handa passāma gotamaṁ”.the Teacher of peerless name.”

2.1“Kacci mano supaṇihito,“Isn’t his mind well-disposed,”2.2(iti hemavato yakkho)said Hemavata, the native spirit of the Himalayas,2.3Sabbabhūtesu tādino;“impartial toward all creatures?2.4Kacci iṭṭhe aniṭṭhe ca,And aren’t his thoughts under control2.5Saṅkappassa vasīkatā”.when it comes to likes and dislikes?”

3.1“Mano cassa supaṇihito,“His mind is well-disposed,”3.2(iti sātāgiro yakkho)said Sātāgira,3.3Sabbabhūtesu tādino;“impartial toward all creatures.3.4Atho iṭṭhe aniṭṭhe ca,His thoughts are under control3.5Saṅkappassa vasīkatā”.when it comes to his likes and dislikes.”

4.1“Kacci adinnaṁ nādiyati,“Doesn’t he not steal?”4.2(iti hemavato yakkho)said Hemavata,4.3Kacci pāṇesu saññato;“And doesn’t he harm not a creature?4.4Kacci ārā pamādamhā,Isn’t he far from negligence?4.5Kacci jhānaṁ na riñcati”.And doesn’t he not neglect absorption?”

5.1“Na so adinnaṁ ādiyati,“He does not take what is not given,”5.2(iti sātāgiro yakkho)said Sātāgira,5.3Atho pāṇesu saññato;“and he harms not a creature.5.4Atho ārā pamādamhā,He is far from negligence—5.5Buddho jhānaṁ na riñcati”.the Buddha does not neglect absorption.”

6.1“Kacci musā na bhaṇati,“Doesn’t he avoid lying?”6.2(iti hemavato yakkho)said Hemavata,6.3Kacci na khīṇabyappatho;“And doesn’t he not speak sharply?6.4Kacci vebhūtiyaṁ nāha,Doesn’t he avoid backbiting,¹6.5Kacci samphaṁ na bhāsati”.as well as speaking nonsense?”

7.1“Musā ca so na bhaṇati,“He does not lie,”7.2(iti sātāgiro yakkho)said Sātāgira,7.3Atho na khīṇabyappatho;“nor does he speak sharply.7.4Atho vebhūtiyaṁ nāha,He avoids backbiting,7.5Mantā atthañca bhāsati”.and thoughtfully speaks wise counsel.”²

8.1“Kacci na rajjati kāmesu,“Doesn’t he find sensual pleasures unattractive?”8.2(iti hemavato yakkho)said Hemavata,8.3Kacci cittaṁ anāvilaṁ;“And isn’t his mind unclouded?8.4Kacci mohaṁ atikkanto,Hasn’t he escaped delusion?8.5Kacci dhammesu cakkhumā”.Does his eye see clearly in all things?”

9.1“Na so rajjati kāmesu,“He does not find sensual pleasures attractive,”9.2(iti sātāgiro yakkho)said Sātāgira,9.3Atho cittaṁ anāvilaṁ;“and his mind is unclouded.9.4Sabbamohaṁ atikkanto,He has escaped all delusion—9.5Buddho dhammesu cakkhumā”.the Buddha, whose eye sees clearly in all things.”

10.1“Kacci vijjāya sampanno,“Isn’t he accomplished in knowledge?”10.2(iti hemavato yakkho)said Hemavata,10.3Kacci saṁsuddhacāraṇo;“And doesn’t he live a pure life?10.4Kaccissa āsavā khīṇā,Aren’t his defilements all ended?10.5Kacci natthi punabbhavo”.Doesn’t he have no future lives?”

11.1“Vijjāya ceva sampanno,“He is accomplished in knowledge,”11.2(iti sātāgiro yakkho)said Sātāgira,11.3Atho saṁsuddhacāraṇo;“and he does live a pure life.11.4Sabbassa āsavā khīṇā,His defilements are all ended,11.5Natthi tassa punabbhavo”.there’ll be no more future lives for him.”

12.1“Sampannaṁ munino cittaṁ,“Accomplished is the sage’s mind12.2Kammunā byappathena ca;in action and in speech,12.3Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ,and he’s accomplished in knowledge and conduct12.4Dhammato naṁ pasaṁsati”.as per the teaching you praise.”³

13.1“Sampannaṁ munino cittaṁ,“Accomplished is the sage’s mind13.2Kammunā byappathena ca;in action and in speech,13.3Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ,and he’s accomplished in knowledge and conduct13.4Dhammato anumodasi.as per the teaching you rejoice in.

14.1Sampannaṁ munino cittaṁ,Accomplished is the sage’s mind14.2Kammunā byappathena ca;in action and in speech,14.3Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ,and he’s accomplished in knowledge and conduct:14.4Handa passāma gotamaṁ”.come now, let us see Gotama.”

15.1“Eṇijaṅghaṁ kisaṁ vīraṁ,“The hero so lean, with antelope calves,15.2Appāhāraṁ alolupaṁ;not greedy, eating little,15.3Muniṁ vanasmiṁ jhāyantaṁ,the sage meditating alone in the forest,15.4Ehi passāma gotamaṁ.come now, let us see Gotama.

16.1Sīhaṁvekacaraṁ nāgaṁ,A giant, wandering alone like a lion,16.2Kāmesu anapekkhinaṁ;unconcerned for sensual pleasures,16.3Upasaṅkamma pucchāma,let’s approach him and ask about16.4Maccupāsappamocanaṁ.release from the snare of death.”

17.1Akkhātāraṁ pavattāraṁ,“The communicator, the instructor,17.2Sabbadhammāna pāraguṁ;who has gone beyond all things,17.3Buddhaṁ verabhayātītaṁ,Awakened, beyond enmities and fears,17.4Mayaṁ pucchāma gotamaṁ”.let us ask Gotama.”

18.1“Kismiṁ loko samuppanno,“What has the world arisen in?”18.2(iti hemavato yakkho)said Hemavata,18.3Kismiṁ kubbati santhavaṁ;“What does it get close to?18.4Kissa loko upādāya,By grasping what18.5Kismiṁ loko vihaññati”.is the world troubled in what?”

19.1“Chasu loko samuppanno,“The world’s arisen in six,”19.2(hemavatāti bhagavā)said the Buddha to Hemavata.19.3Chasu kubbati santhavaṁ;“It gets close to six.19.4Channameva upādāya,Derived from the six,19.5Chasu loko vihaññati”.the world’s troubled in six.”

20.1“Katamaṁ taṁ upādānaṁ,“What is that grasping20.2Yattha loko vihaññati;by which the world is troubled?20.3Niyyānaṁ pucchito brūhi,Tell us the exit when asked:20.4Kathaṁ dukkhā pamuccati”.how is one released from all suffering?”

21.1“Pañca kāmaguṇā loke,“The world has five kinds of sensual stimulation,21.2Manochaṭṭhā paveditā;and the mind is said to be the sixth.21.3Ettha chandaṁ virājetvā,When you’ve discarded desire for these,21.4Evaṁ dukkhā pamuccati.you’re released from all suffering.

22.1Etaṁ lokassa niyyānaṁ,This is the exit from the world,22.2Akkhātaṁ vo yathātathaṁ;explained in accord with the truth.22.3Etaṁ vo ahamakkhāmi,The way I’ve explained it is how22.4Evaṁ dukkhā pamuccati”.you’re released from all suffering.”

23.1“Ko sūdha tarati oghaṁ,“Who here crosses the flood,23.2Kodha tarati aṇṇavaṁ;Who crosses the deluge?23.3Appatiṭṭhe anālambe,Who, not standing and unsupported,23.4Ko gambhīre na sīdati”.does not sink in the deep?”

24.1“Sabbadā sīlasampanno,“Someone who is always endowed with ethics,24.2Paññavā susamāhito;wise and serene,24.3Ajjhattacintī satimā,inwardly reflective, mindful,24.4Oghaṁ tarati duttaraṁ.crosses the flood so hard to cross.

25.1Virato kāmasaññāya,Someone who desists from sensual perception,25.2Sabbasaṁyojanātigo;who has escaped all fetters,25.3Nandībhavaparikkhīṇo,and has ended relish for rebirth,25.4So gambhīre na sīdati”.does not sink in the deep.”

26.1“Gambhīrapaññaṁ nipuṇatthadassiṁ,“Behold him of wisdom deep <j>who sees the subtle meaning,26.2Akiñcanaṁ kāmabhave asattaṁ;who has nothing, unattached to sensual life,26.3Taṁ passatha sabbadhi vippamuttaṁ,everywhere free,26.4Dibbe pathe kamamānaṁ mahesiṁ.the great seer treading the holy road.

27.1Anomanāmaṁ nipuṇatthadassiṁ,Behold him of peerless name <j>who sees the subtle meaning,27.2Paññādadaṁ kāmālaye asattaṁ;giver of wisdom, <j>unattached to the realm of sensuality:27.3Taṁ passatha sabbaviduṁ sumedhaṁ,the all-knower, so very intelligent,27.4Ariye pathe kamamānaṁ mahesiṁ.the great seer treading the noble road.

28.1Sudiṭṭhaṁ vata no ajja,It was a fine sight for us today,28.2Suppabhātaṁ suhuṭṭhitaṁ;a good sunup, a good rising,28.3Yaṁ addasāma sambuddhaṁ,to see the Awakened One,28.4Oghatiṇṇamanāsavaṁ.the undefiled one who has crossed the flood.

29.1Ime dasasatā yakkhā,These thousand native spirits29.2Iddhimanto yasassino;powerful and glorious,29.3Sabbe taṁ saraṇaṁ yanti,all go to you for refuge,29.4Tvaṁ no satthā anuttaro.you are our supreme Teacher.

30.1Te mayaṁ vicarissāma,We shall journey30.2Gāmā gāmaṁ nagā nagaṁ;village to village, peak to peak,30.3Namassamānā sambuddhaṁ,paying homage to the Buddha,30.4Dhammassa ca sudhammatan”ti.and the clear rightness of the teaching!”

30.5Hemavatasuttaṁ navamaṁ.