1.1“Ye kecime diṭṭhiparibbasānā,“Regarding those who maintain their own view,1.2Idameva saccanti vivādayanti;disputing that, ‘This is the only truth’:1.3Sabbeva te nindamanvānayanti,are all of them subject only to criticism,1.4Atho pasaṁsampi labhanti tattha”.or do some also win praise for that?”

2.1“Appañhi etaṁ na alaṁ samāya,“That is a small thing, insufficient for peace,2.2Duve vivādassa phalāni brūmi;these two fruits of dispute, I say.2.3Etampi disvā na vivādayetha,Seeing this, one ought not dispute,2.4Khemābhipassaṁ avivādabhūmiṁ”.looking for sanctuary in the land of no dispute.¹

3.1“Yā kācimā sammutiyo puthujjā,One who knows does not get involved3.2Sabbāva etā na upeti vidvā;with any of the many different conventions.3.3Anūpayo so upayaṁ kimeyya,Why would the uninvolved get involved,3.4Diṭṭhe sute khantimakubbamāno”.since they do not believe <j>based on the seen or the heard?

4.1“Sīluttamā saññamenāhu suddhiṁ,Those for whom ethics are the highest speak of purity through self-control;4.2Vataṁ samādāya upaṭṭhitāse;having undertaken a vow, they stick to it:4.3Idheva sikkhema athassa suddhiṁ,‘Let us train right here, then we will be pure.’4.4Bhavūpanītā kusalāvadānā.Professing to be experts, they are led on to future lives.

5.1Sace cuto sīlavatato hoti,If they fall away from their precepts and vows,5.2Pavedhatī kamma virādhayitvā;they tremble, having failed in their task.5.3Pajappatī patthayatī ca suddhiṁ,They pray and long for purity,5.4Satthāva hīno pavasaṁ gharamhā.like one who has lost their caravan <j>while journeying far from home.

6.1Sīlabbataṁ vāpi pahāya sabbaṁ,But having given up all precepts and vows,6.2Kammañca sāvajjanavajjametaṁ;and these deeds blameworthy or blameless;6.3Suddhiṁ asuddhinti apatthayāno,not longing for ‘purity’ or ‘impurity’,6.4Virato care santimanuggahāya.live detached, fostering peace.²

7.1Tamūpanissāya jigucchitaṁ vā,Relying on mortification in disgust of sin,³7.2Atha vāpi diṭṭhaṁ va sutaṁ mutaṁ vā;or else on what is seen, heard, or thought,7.3Uddhaṁsarā suddhimanutthunanti,they moan that purification <j>comes through heading upstream,⁴7.4Avītataṇhāse bhavābhavesu.not rid of craving for life after life.

8.1Patthayamānassa hi jappitāni,For one who longs there are muttered prayers,8.2Pavedhitaṁ vāpi pakappitesu;and trembling too over ideas they have formed.8.3Cutūpapāto idha yassa natthi,But one here for whom there is no passing away <j>or reappearing:8.4Sa kena vedheyya kuhiṁ va jappe”.why would they tremble? For what would they pray?”

9.1“Yamāhu dhammaṁ paramanti eke,“The very same teaching that some say is ‘ultimate’,9.2Tameva hīnanti panāhu aññe;others say is inferior.9.3Sacco nu vādo katamo imesaṁ,Which of these statements is true,9.4Sabbeva hīme kusalāvadānā”.for all of them profess to be experts?”

10.1“Sakañhi dhammaṁ paripuṇṇamāhu,“They say their own teaching is perfect,10.2Aññassa dhammaṁ pana hīnamāhu;while the teaching of others is inferior.10.3Evampi viggayha vivādayanti,So arguing, they dispute,10.4Sakaṁ sakaṁ sammutimāhu saccaṁ.each saying their own conventions are the truth.

11.1Parassa ce vambhayitena hīno,If someone else’s disparagement makes you inferior,11.2Na koci dhammesu visesi assa;no one in any teaching would be distinguished.11.3Puthū hi aññassa vadanti dhammaṁ,For each of them says the other’s teaching is lacking,11.4Nihīnato samhi daḷhaṁ vadānā.while forcefully advocating their own.

12.1Saddhammapūjāpi nesaṁ tatheva,But if they honor their own teachings⁵12.2Yathā pasaṁsanti sakāyanāni;just as they praise their own journeys,12.3Sabbeva vādā tathiyā bhaveyyuṁ,then all doctrines would be equally valid,12.4Suddhī hi nesaṁ paccattameva.and purity would be specific to them.⁶

13.1Na brāhmaṇassa paraneyyamatthi,After judging among the teachings, <j>a brahmin has adopted nothing13.2Dhammesu niccheyya samuggahītaṁ;that requires interpretation by another.13.3Tasmā vivādāni upātivatto,That’s why they’ve gotten over disputes,13.4Na hi seṭṭhato passati dhammamaññaṁ.for they see no other doctrine as best.

14.1Jānāmi passāmi tatheva etaṁ,Saying, ‘I know, I see, that’s how it is’,⁷14.2Diṭṭhiyā eke paccenti suddhiṁ;some believe that purity stems from view.14.3Addakkhi ce kiñhi tumassa tena,But if they’ve really seen, <j>what use is that view to them?14.4Atisitvā aññena vadanti suddhiṁ.Overlooking what matters, <j>they say purity comes from another.⁸

15.1Passaṁ naro dakkhati nāmarūpaṁ,When a person sees, they see name and form,15.2Disvāna vā ñassati tānimeva;and having seen, they will know just these things.15.3Kāmaṁ bahuṁ passatu appakaṁ vā,Gladly let them see much or little,15.4Na hi tena suddhiṁ kusalā vadanti.for those who are skilled say this is no way to purity.

16.1Nivissavādī na hi subbināyo,It’s not easy to educate someone who is dogmatic,16.2Pakappitaṁ diṭṭhi purakkharāno;promoting a view they have formulated.16.3Yaṁ nissito tattha subhaṁ vadāno,Speaking of the beauty <j>in that on which they depend,⁹16.4Suddhiṁ vado tattha tathaddasā so.they talk of purity in accord with what they saw there.

17.1Na brāhmaṇo kappamupeti saṅkhā,The brahmin does not get involved <j>with formulating and calculating;17.2Na diṭṭhisārī napi ñāṇabandhu;they’re not followers of views, <j>nor kinsmen of notions.¹⁰17.3Ñatvā ca so sammutiyo puthujjā,Having understood the many different conventions,17.4Upekkhatī uggahaṇanti maññe.they look on when others grasp.

18.1Vissajja ganthāni munīdha loke,Having untied the knots here in the world,18.2Vivādajātesu na vaggasārī;the sage takes no side among disputes.18.3Santo asantesu upekkhako so,Peaceful among the peaceless, equanimous,18.4Anuggaho uggahaṇanti maññe.they don’t grasp when others grasp.

19.1Pubbāsave hitvā nave akubbaṁ,Having given up former defilements <j>and not making new ones,19.2Na chandagū nopi nivissavādī;not swayed by preference, <j>nor a proponent of dogma,¹¹19.3Sa vippamutto diṭṭhigatehi dhīro,that attentive one is released from views,19.4Na lippati loke anattagarahī.not clinging to the world, <j>nor reproaching themselves.

20.1Sa sabbadhammesu visenibhūto,They are remote from all things20.2Yaṁ kiñci diṭṭhaṁ va sutaṁ mutaṁ vā;seen, heard, or thought.20.3Sa pannabhāro muni vippamutto,With burden put down, the sage is released:20.4Na kappiyo nūparato na patthiyo”ti.not formulating, not abstaining, not longing.”

20.5Mahābyūhasuttaṁ terasamaṁ.