1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.1.3Tena kho pana samayena bhagavā attano aneke pāpake akusale dhamme pahīne paccavekkhamāno nisinno hoti, aneke ca kusale dhamme bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gate.Now at that time the Buddha was sitting reviewing his own giving up of many bad, unskillful qualities, and the many skillful qualities he had fully developed.

2.1Atha kho bhagavā attano aneke pāpake akusale dhamme pahīne viditvā aneke ca kusale dhamme bhāvanāpāripūriṁ gate tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:Then, knowing the many bad, unskillful qualities that he had given up and the many skillful qualities he had fully developed, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

3.1“Ahu pubbe tadā nāhu,∥“What was before then was not;3.2nāhu pubbe tadā ahu;what before was not then was.3.3Na cāhu na ca bhavissati,It never was, nor will it be,3.4na cetarahi vijjatī”ti.nor is it found today.”

3.5Tatiyaṁ.