1.1Evaṁ me sutaṁ—So I have heard.1.2ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe.At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground.1.3Tena kho pana samayena rājagahe dve pūgā aññatarissā gaṇikāya sārattā honti paṭibaddhacittā;Now at that time two gangs were both hopelessly in love with a certain courtesan.1.4bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ pāṇīhipi upakkamanti, leḍḍūhipi upakkamanti, daṇḍehipi upakkamanti, satthehipi upakkamanti.Fighting, quarreling, and disputing, they attacked each other with fists, stones, rods, and swords,1.5Te tattha maraṇampi nigacchanti maraṇamattampi dukkhaṁ.resulting in death and deadly pain.

2.1Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁsu.Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Rājagaha for alms.2.2Rājagahe piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu.Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening.2.3Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

3.1“Idha, bhante, rājagahe dve pūgā aññatarissā gaṇikāya sārattā paṭibaddhacittā;3.2bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ pāṇīhipi upakkamanti, leḍḍūhipi upakkamanti, daṇḍehipi upakkamanti, satthehipi upakkamanti.3.3Te tattha maraṇampi nigacchanti maraṇamattampi dukkhan”ti.

4.1Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

5.1“Yañca pattaṁ yañca pattabbaṁ, ubhayametaṁ rajānukiṇṇaṁ, āturassānusikkhato.∥“What has been attained and what is to be attained are both strewn over with dust for that one training while still sick.5.2Ye ca sikkhāsārā sīlabbataṁ jīvitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ upaṭṭhānasārā, ayameko anto.Those for whom the training is the essence, or precepts and observances, chastity, and service as the essence: this is one extreme.5.3Ye ca evaṁvādino:Those who say,5.4‘natthi kāmesu doso’ti, ayaṁ dutiyo anto.‘There’s nothing wrong with sensual pleasures’: this is the second extreme.5.5Iccete ubho antā kaṭasivaḍḍhanā, kaṭasiyo diṭṭhiṁ vaḍḍhenti.Thus these two extremes swell the charnel grounds, while the charnel grounds swell wrong view.5.6Etete ubho ante anabhiññāya olīyanti eke, atidhāvanti eke.Not realizing these two extremes, some get stuck and some overreach.5.7Ye ca kho te abhiññāya tatra ca nāhesuṁ, tena ca nāmaññiṁsu, vaṭṭaṁ tesaṁ natthi paññāpanāyā”ti.For those who realize these things, who were not found there, who did not conceive by that, there is no cycle of rebirths to be found.”

5.8Aṭṭhamaṁ.