1.1Samaṇassa ahu cintā,This thought came to the ascetic1.2pupphitamhi mahāvane;in the forest full of flowers,1.3Ekaggassa nisinnassa,as he was seated alone1.4pavivittassa jhāyino.meditating in seclusion:

2.1“Aññathā lokanāthamhi,“The behavior of the mendicants2.2tiṭṭhante purisuttame;these days seems different2.3Iriyaṁ āsi bhikkhūnaṁ,from when the protector of the world,2.4aññathā dāni dissati.the best of men, was still here.

3.1Sītavātaparittāṇaṁ,Their robes were only for covering the private parts,3.2hirikopīnachādanaṁ;and protection from the cold and wind.3.3Mattaṭṭhiyaṁ abhuñjiṁsu,They ate in moderation,3.4santuṭṭhā itarītare.content with whatever they were offered.

4.1Paṇītaṁ yadi vā lūkhaṁ,Whether food was fine or coarse,4.2appaṁ vā yadi vā bahuṁ;a little or a lot,4.3Yāpanatthaṁ abhuñjiṁsu,they ate only for sustenance,4.4agiddhā nādhimucchitā.without greed or gluttony.

5.1Jīvitānaṁ parikkhāre,They weren’t so very eager5.2bhesajje atha paccaye;for the requisites of life,5.3Na bāḷhaṁ ussukā āsuṁ,such as tonics and other necessities,5.4yathā te āsavakkhaye.as they were for the ending of defilements.

6.1Araññe rukkhamūlesu,In the wilderness, at a tree’s root,6.2kandarāsu guhāsu ca;in caves and caverns,6.3Vivekamanubrūhantā,fostering seclusion,6.4vihaṁsu tapparāyaṇā.they lived with that as their final goal.

7.1Nīcā niviṭṭhā subharā,They were used to simple things, unburdensome,7.2mudū atthaddhamānasā;gentle, not pompous at heart,7.3Abyāsekā amukharā,unsullied, not scurrilous,7.4atthacintā vasānugā.their thoughts were intent on the goal.

8.1Tato pāsādikaṁ āsi,That’s why they inspired confidence,8.2gataṁ bhuttaṁ nisevitaṁ;in their movements, eating, and practice;8.3Siniddhā teladhārāva,their deportment was as smooth8.4ahosi iriyāpatho.as a stream of oil.

9.1Sabbāsavaparikkhīṇā,With the utter ending of all defilements,9.2mahājhāyī mahāhitā;those senior monks have now been quenched.9.3Nibbutā dāni te therā,They were great meditators and great benefactors—9.4parittā dāni tādisā.there are few like them today.

10.1Kusalānañca dhammānaṁ,With the ending10.2paññāya ca parikkhayā;of good principles and understanding,10.3Sabbākāravarūpetaṁ,the victor’s teaching,10.4lujjate jinasāsanaṁ.full of all excellent qualities, falls apart.

11.1Pāpakānañca dhammānaṁ,This is the season11.2kilesānañca yo utu;for bad principles and defilements.11.3Upaṭṭhitā vivekāya,Those who are ready for seclusion11.4ye ca saddhammasesakā.are all that’s left of the true Dhamma.

12.1Te kilesā pavaḍḍhantā,As they grow, the defilements12.2āvisanti bahuṁ janaṁ;possess most people;12.3Kīḷanti maññe bālehi,they play with fools, it seems to me,12.4ummattehiva rakkhasā.like monsters with the mad.

13.1Kilesehābhibhūtā te,Overcome by defilements,13.2tena tena vidhāvitā;they run here and there13.3Narā kilesavatthūsu,among the bases for defilement,13.4sasaṅgāmeva ghosite.as if they had declared war on themselves.

14.1Pariccajitvā saddhammaṁ,Having forsaken the true teaching,14.2aññamaññehi bhaṇḍare;they argue with each other.¹14.3Diṭṭhigatāni anventā,Following wrong views14.4idaṁ seyyoti maññare.they think, ‘This is better.’

15.1Dhanañca puttaṁ bhariyañca,They cut off their wealth,15.2chaḍḍayitvāna niggatā;children, and wife to go forth.15.3Kaṭacchubhikkhahetūpi,But then they do what they shouldn’t,15.4akicchāni nisevare.for the sake of a measly spoon of almsfood.

16.1Udarāvadehakaṁ bhutvā,They eat until their bellies are full,16.2sayantuttānaseyyakā;and then they lie to sleep on their backs.16.3Kathaṁ vattenti paṭibuddhā,When they wake up, they keep on chatting,16.4yā kathā satthugarahitā.the kind of talk the Teacher criticized.

17.1Sabbakārukasippāni,Valuing all the arts and crafts,17.2cittiṁ katvāna sikkhare;they train themselves in them.17.3Avūpasantā ajjhattaṁ,Not being settled internally, they think,17.4sāmaññatthotiacchati.‘This is the goal of the ascetic life.’

18.1Mattikaṁ telacuṇṇañca,They provide clay, oil, and talcum powder,18.2udakāsanabhojanaṁ;water, lodgings, and food18.3Gihīnaṁ upanāmenti,for householders,18.4ākaṅkhantā bahuttaraṁ.expecting more in return.

19.1Dantaponaṁ kapitthañca,And in addition, tooth-picks of white fig,²19.2pupphaṁ khādaniyāni ca;flowers, food to eat,19.3Piṇḍapāte ca sampanne,well-cooked almsfood,19.4ambe āmalakāni ca.mangoes and myrobalans.

20.1Bhesajjesu yathā vejjā,In medicine they are like doctors,20.2kiccākicce yathā gihī;in business like householders,20.3Gaṇikāva vibhūsāyaṁ,in makeup like prostitutes,20.4issare khattiyā yathā.in sovereignty like aristocrats.

21.1Nekatikā vañcanikā,Cheats, frauds,21.2kūṭasakkhī apāṭukā;false witnesses, sly:21.3Bahūhi parikappehi,using multiple plans,21.4āmisaṁ paribhuñjare.they enjoy things of the flesh.

22.1Lesakappe pariyāye,Pursuing shams, contrivances, and plans,22.2parikappenudhāvitā;by such means22.3Jīvikatthā upāyena,they accumulate a lot of wealth22.4saṅkaḍḍhanti bahuṁ dhanaṁ.for the sake of their own livelihood.

23.1Upaṭṭhāpenti parisaṁ,They assemble the community23.2kammato no ca dhammato;for business rather than Dhamma.23.3Dhammaṁ paresaṁ desenti,They teach the Dhamma to others23.4lābhato no ca atthato.for gain, not for the goal.

24.1Saṅghalābhassa bhaṇḍanti,Those barred from the Saṅgha24.2saṅghato paribāhirā;quarrel over the Saṅgha’s property.24.3Paralābhopajīvantā,Lacking conscience, they do not care24.4ahirīkā na lajjare.that they live on the earnings of others.

25.1Nānuyuttā tathā eke,Some with shaven head and robe25.2muṇḍā saṅghāṭipārutā;are not devoted to practice,25.3Sambhāvanaṁyevicchanti,but wish only to be honored,25.4lābhasakkāramucchitā.besotted with property and reverence.

26.1Evaṁ nānappayātamhi,When things have come to this,26.2na dāni sukaraṁ tathā;it’s not easy these days26.3Aphusitaṁ vā phusituṁ,to realize what has not yet been realized,26.4phusitaṁ vānurakkhituṁ.or to preserve what has been realized.

27.1Yathā kaṇṭakaṭṭhānamhi,When shoeless on a thorny path,27.2careyya anupāhano;one would walk27.3Satiṁ upaṭṭhapetvāna,very mindfully;27.4evaṁ gāme munī care.that’s how a sage should walk in the village.

28.1Saritvā pubbake yogī,Remembering the meditators of old,28.2tesaṁ vattamanussaraṁ;and recollecting their conduct,28.3Kiñcāpi pacchimo kālo,even in the latter days,28.4phuseyya amataṁ padaṁ.it’s still possible to realize freedom from death.”

29.1Idaṁ vatvā sālavane,That is what the ascetic, whose faculties29.2samaṇo bhāvitindriyo;were fully developed, said in the sāl tree grove.29.3Brāhmaṇo parinibbāyī,The brahmin, the seer, became fully extinguished,29.4isi khīṇapunabbhavo”ti.putting an end to all future lives.

29.5… Pārāpariyo thero …

29.6Vīsatinipāto niṭṭhito.

30.0Tatruddānaṁ

30.1Adhimutto pārāpariyo,30.2telakāni raṭṭhapālo;30.3Mālukyaselo bhaddiyo,30.4aṅguli dibbacakkhuko;30.5Pārāpariyo dasete,30.6vīsamhi parikittitā;30.7Gāthāyo dve satā honti,30.8pañcatālīsa uttarinti.