1.1“Taṁ maṁ padhānapahitattaṁ,“During my time of resolute striving1.2nadiṁ nerañjaraṁ pati;back on the bank of the Nerañjara River,1.3Viparakkamma jhāyantaṁ,I was meditating very hard1.4yogakkhemassa pattiyā.for the sake of sanctuary from the yoke.

2.1Namucī karuṇaṁ vācaṁ,Namucī approached,2.2bhāsamāno upāgami;speaking words of kindness:2.3‘Kiso tvamasi dubbaṇṇo,‘You’re thin, discolored,2.4santike maraṇaṁ tava.on the verge of death.

3.1Sahassabhāgo maraṇassa,Death has a thousand parts of you,¹3.2ekaṁso tava jīvitaṁ;one fraction is left to life.3.3Jīva bho jīvitaṁ seyyo,Live, worthy sir! Life is better!3.4jīvaṁ puññāni kāhasi.Living, you can make merits.

4.1Carato ca te brahmacariyaṁ,While leading the spiritual life4.2Aggihuttañca jūhato;and serving the sacred flame,4.3Pahūtaṁ cīyate puññaṁ,you can pile up abundant merit—4.4Kiṁ padhānena kāhasi.so what will striving do for you?

5.1Duggo maggo padhānāya,Hard to walk is the path of striving,5.2dukkaro durabhisambhavo’”;hard to do, a hard challenge to win.’”5.3Imā gāthā bhaṇaṁ māro,These are the verses Māra spoke5.4aṭṭhā buddhassa santike.as he stood beside the Buddha.

6.1Taṁ tathāvādinaṁ māraṁ,When Māra had spoken in this way,6.2bhagavā etadabravi;the Buddha said this:6.3“Pamattabandhu pāpima,“O Wicked One, kinsman of the negligent,6.4yenatthena idhāgato.you’re here for your own purpose.

7.1Aṇumattopi puññena,I have no need for7.2Attho mayhaṁ na vijjati;the slightest bit of merit.7.3Yesañca attho puññena,Those with need for merit7.4Te māro vattumarahati.are fit for Māra to address.

8.1Atthi saddhā tathā viriyaṁ,I have faith and energy too,8.2paññā ca mama vijjati;and wisdom is found in me.8.3Evaṁ maṁ pahitattampi,When I am so resolute,8.4kiṁ jīvamanupucchasi.why do you beg me to live?

9.1Nadīnamapi sotāni,The rivers and streams9.2ayaṁ vāto visosaye;might be dried by the wind,9.3Kiñca me pahitattassa,so why, when I am resolute,9.4lohitaṁ nupasussaye.should it not dry up my blood?

10.1Lohite sussamānamhi,And while the blood is drying up,10.2Pittaṁ semhañca sussati;the bile and phlegm dry too.10.3Maṁsesu khīyamānesu,And as my muscles waste away,10.4Bhiyyo cittaṁ pasīdati;my mind grows more serene.10.5Bhiyyo sati ca paññā ca,And all the stronger grow mindfulness10.6Samādhi mama tiṭṭhati.and wisdom and immersion.

11.1Tassa mevaṁ viharato,As I meditate like this,11.2Pattassuttamavedanaṁ;having attained the supreme feeling,²11.3Kāmesu nāpekkhate cittaṁ,my mind has no interest in sensual pleasures:11.4Passa sattassa suddhataṁ.behold a being’s purity!

12.1Kāmā te paṭhamā senā,Sensual pleasures are your first army,12.2Dutiyā arati vuccati;the second is called discontent,12.3Tatiyā khuppipāsā te,hunger and thirst are the third,12.4Catutthī taṇhā pavuccati.and the fourth is said to be craving.

13.1Pañcamaṁ thinamiddhaṁ te,Your fifth is dullness and drowsiness,13.2Chaṭṭhā bhīrū pavuccati;the sixth is said to be cowardice,13.3Sattamī vicikicchā te,your seventh is doubt,13.4Makkho thambho te aṭṭhamo.contempt and obstinacy are your eighth.

14.1Lābho siloko sakkāro,Profit, praise, and honor,14.2Micchāladdho ca yo yaso;and misbegotten fame;14.3Yo cattānaṁ samukkaṁse,the extolling of oneself14.4Pare ca avajānati.while scorning others.

15.1Esā namuci te senā,This is your army, Namucī,15.2Kaṇhassābhippahārinī;the strike force of the Dark One.15.3Na naṁ asūro jināti,Only a hero can defeat it,15.4Jetvā ca labhate sukhaṁ.but in victory there lies bliss.

16.1Esa muñjaṁ parihare,Let me gird myself—³16.2Dhiratthu mama jīvitaṁ;curse my life!16.3Saṅgāme me mataṁ seyyo,I’d rather die in battle16.4Yañce jīve parājito.than live on in defeat.

17.1Pagāḷhettha na dissanti,Here some ascetics and brahmins17.2Eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā;are swallowed up, not to be seen again.17.3Tañca maggaṁ na jānanti,And they do not know the path17.4Yena gacchanti subbatā.traveled by those true to their vows.

18.1Samantā dhajiniṁ disvā,Seeing Māra ready with his legions,18.2Yuttaṁ māraṁ savāhanaṁ;surrounded by his bannered forces,18.3Yuddhāya paccuggacchāmi,I shall meet them in battle—18.4Mā maṁ ṭhānā acāvayi.they’ll never make me retreat!

19.1Yaṁ te taṁ nappasahati,That army of yours has never been beaten19.2Senaṁ loko sadevako;by the world with all its gods.19.3Taṁ te paññāya bhecchāmi,Yet I shall smash it with wisdom,19.4Āmaṁ pattaṁva asmanā.like an unfired pot with a stone.⁴

20.1Vasīkaritvā saṅkappaṁ,Having brought my thoughts under control,20.2Satiñca sūpatiṭṭhitaṁ;and established mindfulness well,20.3Raṭṭhā raṭṭhaṁ vicarissaṁ,I shall wander from nation to nation,20.4Sāvake vinayaṁ puthū.guiding many disciples.

21.1Te appamattā pahitattā,Diligent and resolute,21.2Mama sāsanakārakā;following my instructions,21.3Akāmassa te gamissanti,they will proceed despite your will,21.4Yattha gantvā na socare”.to where there is no sorrow.”

22.1“Satta vassāni bhagavantaṁ,“For seven years I followed22.2Anubandhiṁ padāpadaṁ;step by step behind the Blessed One.22.3Otāraṁ nādhigacchissaṁ,I found no vulnerability22.4Sambuddhassa satīmato.in the mindful Awakened One.

23.1Medavaṇṇaṁva pāsāṇaṁ,A crow once circled a stone23.2Vāyaso anupariyagā;that looked like a lump of fat.23.3Apettha muduṁ vindema,‘Perhaps I’ll find something tender,’ it thought,23.4Api assādanā siyā.‘perhaps there’s something tasty.’

24.1Aladdhā tattha assādaṁ,But finding nothing tasty,24.2Vāyasetto apakkami;the crow left that place.24.3Kākova selamāsajja,Like the crow that pecked the stone,24.4Nibbijjāpema gotamaṁ”.I leave Gotama disappointed.”

25.1Tassa sokaparetassa,So stricken with sorrow25.2Vīṇā kacchā abhassatha;that his harp dropped from his armpit,25.3Tato so dummano yakkho,that spirit, downcast,25.4Tatthevantaradhāyathāti.vanished right there.

25.5Padhānasuttaṁ dutiyaṁ.