6. Nīvaraṇavagga
6. Hindrances
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Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā vesāliyaṁ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṁ.
At one time the Buddha was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.
Atha kho bhagavā pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya vesāliṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi.
Then the Buddha robed up in the morning and, taking his bowl and robe, entered Vesālī for alms.
Vesāliyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto mahāvanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle divāvihāraṁ nisīdi.
Then after the meal, on his return from almsround, he plunged deep into the Great Wood and sat at the root of a tree for the day’s meditation.
Tena kho pana samayena sambahulā licchavikumārakā sajjāni dhanūni ādāya kukkurasaṅghaparivutā mahāvane anucaṅkamamānā anuvicaramānā addasu bhagavantaṁ aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle nisinnaṁ;
Now at that time several Licchavi youths took strung bows and, escorted by a pack of hounds, were going for a walk in the Great Wood when they saw the Buddha seated at the root of a tree.
disvāna sajjāni dhanūni nikkhipitvā kukkurasaṅghaṁ ekamantaṁ uyyojetvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā tuṇhībhūtā tuṇhībhūtā pañjalikā bhagavantaṁ payirupāsanti.
When they saw him, they put down their strung bows, dispatched their hounds to one side, and went up to him. They bowed and silently paid homage to the Buddha with cupped palms.
Tena kho pana samayena mahānāmo licchavi mahāvane jaṅghāvihāraṁ anucaṅkamamāno addasa te licchavikumārake tuṇhībhūte tuṇhībhūte pañjalike bhagavantaṁ payirupāsante;
Now at that time Mahānāma the Licchavi was going for a walk in the Great Wood when he saw those Licchavi youths silently paying homage to the Buddha with cupped palms.
disvā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
Seeing this, he went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side,
“Ime, bhante, licchavikumārakā caṇḍā pharusā apānubhā.
“Sir, these Licchavi youths are violent, harsh, and brash.
Yānipi tāni kulesu paheṇakāni pahīyanti, ucchūti vā badarāti vā pūvāti vā modakāti vā saṅkulikāti vā, tāni vilumpitvā vilumpitvā khādanti;
Whenever sweets are left out for families—sugar-cane, jujube fruits, pancakes, pies, or fritters—they filch them and eat them up.
kulitthīnampi kulakumārīnampi pacchāliyaṁ khipanti.
And they hit women and girls of good families on their backs.
Te dānime tuṇhībhūtā tuṇhībhūtā pañjalikā bhagavantaṁ payirupāsantī”ti.
But now they’re silently paying homage to the Buddha with cupped palms.”
“Yassa kassaci, mahānāma, kulaputtassa pañca dhammā saṁvijjanti—
yadi vā rañño khattiyassa muddhāvasittassa, yadi vā raṭṭhikassa pettanikassa, yadi vā senāya senāpatikassa, yadi vā gāmagāmaṇikassa, yadi vā pūgagāmaṇikassa, ye vā pana kulesu paccekādhipaccaṁ kārenti, vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
“Mahānāma, you can expect only growth, not decline, when you find five qualities in any gentleman—whether he’s an anointed aristocratic king, an appointed or hereditary official, an army general, a village chief, a guild chief, or a ruler of his own clan.
Idha, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi mātāpitaro sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.
Firstly, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth—earned by his efforts and initiative, built up with his own hands, gathered by the sweat of the brow—to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate his mother and father.
Tamenaṁ mātāpitaro sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:
Honored in this way, his mother and father love him with a good heart, wishing:
Mātāpitānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
When a gentleman is loved by his mother and father, you can expect only growth, not decline.
Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi puttadāradāsakammakaraporise sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.
Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate his wives and children, bondservants, workers, and staff.
Tamenaṁ puttadāradāsakammakaraporisā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:
Honored in this way, his wives and children, bondservants, workers, and staff love him with a good heart, wishing:
Puttadāradāsakammakaraporisānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
When a gentleman is loved by his wives and children, bondservants, workers, and staff, you can expect only growth, not decline.
Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi khettakammantasāmantasabyohāre sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.
Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate those who work the neighboring fields, and those he does business with.
Tamenaṁ khettakammantasāmantasabyohārā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:
Honored in this way, those who work the neighboring fields, and those he does business with love him with a good heart, wishing:
Khettakammantasāmantasabyohārānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
When a gentleman is loved by those who work the neighboring fields, and those he does business with, you can expect only growth, not decline.
Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi yāvatā balipaṭiggāhikā devatā sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.
Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate the deities who receive spirit-offerings.
Tamenaṁ balipaṭiggāhikā devatā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:
Honored in this way, the deities who receive spirit-offerings love him with a good heart, wishing:
devatānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
When a gentleman is loved by the deities, you can expect only growth, not decline.
Puna caparaṁ, mahānāma, kulaputto uṭṭhānavīriyādhigatehi bhogehi bāhābalaparicitehi sedāvakkhittehi dhammikehi dhammaladdhehi samaṇabrāhmaṇe sakkaroti garuṁ karoti māneti pūjeti.
Furthermore, a gentleman uses his legitimate wealth to honor, respect, esteem, and venerate ascetics and brahmins.
Tamenaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇā sakkatā garukatā mānitā pūjitā kalyāṇena manasā anukampanti:
Honored in this way, ascetics and brahmins love him with a good heart, wishing:
Samaṇabrāhmaṇānukampitassa, mahānāma, kulaputtassa vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihāni.
When a gentleman is loved by ascetics and brahmins, you can expect only growth, not decline.
Yassa kassaci, mahānāma, kulaputtassa ime pañca dhammā saṁvijjanti—
You can expect only growth, not decline, when you find these five qualities in any gentleman—
yadi vā rañño khattiyassa muddhābhisittassa, yadi vā raṭṭhikassa pettanikassa, yadi vā senāya senāpatikassa, yadi vā gāmagāmaṇikassa, yadi vā pūgagāmaṇikassa, ye vā pana kulesu paccekādhipaccaṁ kārenti, vuddhiyeva pāṭikaṅkhā, no parihānīti.
whether he’s an anointed aristocratic king, an appointed or hereditary official, an army general, a village chief, a guild chief, or a ruler of his own clan.
Aṭṭhamaṁ.