Tripiṭaka 7. Mahāvagga
7. The Great Chapter
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“Pubbe me, bhikkhave, sambodhā anabhisambuddhassa bodhisattasseva sato etadahosi:
“Mendicants, before my awakening—when I was still unawakened but intent on awakening—I thought:
‘kicchā vatāyaṁ loko āpanno jāyati ca jīyati ca mīyati ca cavati ca upapajjati ca.
‘Alas, this world has fallen into trouble. It’s born, grows old, dies, passes away, and is reborn,
Atha ca panimassa dukkhassa nissaraṇaṁ nappajānāti jarāmaraṇassa.
yet it doesn’t understand how to escape from this suffering, from old age and death.
Kudāssu nāma imassa dukkhassa nissaraṇaṁ paññāyissati jarāmaraṇassā’ti?
Oh, when will an escape be found from this suffering, from old age and death?’
‘kimhi nu kho sati jarāmaraṇaṁ hoti, kiṁpaccayā jarāmaraṇan’ti?
‘When what exists is there old age and death? What is a requirement for old age and death?’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo:
Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom:
‘jātiyā kho sati jarāmaraṇaṁ hoti, jātipaccayā jarāmaraṇan’ti.
‘When rebirth exists there’s old age and death. Rebirth is a requirement for old age and death.’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo:
Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom:
‘viññāṇe kho sati nāmarūpaṁ hoti, viññāṇapaccayā nāmarūpan’ti.
‘When consciousness exists there are name and form. Consciousness is a requirement for name and form.’
‘kimhi nu kho sati viññāṇaṁ hoti, kiṁpaccayā viññāṇan’ti?
‘When what exists is there consciousness? What is a requirement for consciousness?’
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo:
Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom:
‘nāmarūpe kho sati viññāṇaṁ hoti, nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇan’ti.
‘When name and form exist there’s consciousness. Name and form are requirements for consciousness.’
paccudāvattati kho idaṁ viññāṇaṁ nāmarūpamhā na paraṁ gacchati.
This consciousness turns back from name and form, and doesn’t go beyond that.
Ettāvatā jāyetha vā jīyetha vā mīyetha vā cavetha vā upapajjetha vā, yadidaṁ nāmarūpapaccayā viññāṇaṁ;
This is the extent to which one may be reborn, grow old, die, pass away, or reappear. That is: name and form are requirements for consciousness.
evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa samudayo hoti.
That is how this entire mass of suffering originates.
‘Samudayo, samudayo’ti kho me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.
‘Origination, origination.’ Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another.
‘kimhi nu kho asati, jarāmaraṇaṁ na hoti;
‘When what doesn’t exist is there no old age and death?
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo:
Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom:
‘jātiyā kho asati, jarāmaraṇaṁ na hoti;
‘When rebirth doesn’t exist there is no old age and death.
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo:
Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom:
‘viññāṇe kho asati, nāmarūpaṁ na hoti;
‘When consciousness doesn’t exist there is no name and form.
Tassa mayhaṁ, bhikkhave, yoniso manasikārā ahu paññāya abhisamayo:
Then, through rational application of mind, I penetrated with wisdom:
‘nāmarūpe kho asati, viññāṇaṁ na hoti;
‘When name and form don’t exist, there is no consciousness.
evametassa kevalassa dukkhakkhandhassa nirodho hoti.
That is how this entire mass of suffering ceases.
‘Nirodho, nirodho’ti kho me, bhikkhave, pubbe ananussutesu dhammesu cakkhuṁ udapādi ñāṇaṁ udapādi paññā udapādi vijjā udapādi āloko udapādi.
‘Cessation, cessation.’ Such was the vision, knowledge, wisdom, realization, and light that arose in me regarding teachings not learned before from another.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, puriso araññe pavane caramāno passeyya purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇañjasaṁ pubbakehi manussehi anuyātaṁ.
Suppose a person was walking through a forest. They’d see an ancient path, an ancient route traveled by humans in the past.
Tamanugacchanto passeyya purāṇaṁ nagaraṁ purāṇaṁ rājadhāniṁ pubbakehi manussehi ajjhāvuṭṭhaṁ ārāmasampannaṁ vanasampannaṁ pokkharaṇīsampannaṁ uddhāpavantaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ.
they’d see an ancient city, an ancient capital, inhabited by humans in the past. It was lovely, complete with parks, groves, lotus ponds, and embankments.
Atha kho so, bhikkhave, puriso rañño vā rājamahāmattassa vā āroceyya:
Then that person would inform a king or their chief minister:
‘yagghe, bhante, jāneyyāsi—ahaṁ addasaṁ araññe pavane caramāno purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇañjasaṁ pubbakehi manussehi anuyātaṁ tamanugacchiṁ.
‘Please sir, you should know this. While walking through a forest I saw an ancient path, an ancient route traveled by humans in the past.
Tamanugacchanto addasaṁ purāṇaṁ nagaraṁ purāṇaṁ rājadhāniṁ pubbakehi manussehi ajjhāvuṭṭhaṁ ārāmasampannaṁ vanasampannaṁ pokkharaṇīsampannaṁ uddhāpavantaṁ ramaṇīyaṁ.
Following it along I saw an ancient city, an ancient capital, inhabited by humans in the past. It was lovely, complete with parks, groves, lotus ponds, and embankments.
Atha kho so, bhikkhave, rājā vā rājamahāmatto vā taṁ nagaraṁ māpeyya.
Then that king or their chief minister would have that city rebuilt.
Tadassa nagaraṁ aparena samayena iddhañceva phītañca bāhujaññaṁ ākiṇṇamanussaṁ vuddhivepullappattaṁ.
And after some time that city was successful and prosperous, populous, full of people, attained to growth and expansion.
Evameva khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, addasaṁ purāṇaṁ maggaṁ purāṇañjasaṁ pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyātaṁ.
In the same way, I saw an ancient path, an ancient route traveled by fully awakened Buddhas in the past.
Katamo ca so, bhikkhave, purāṇamaggo purāṇañjaso pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyāto?
And what is that ancient path, the ancient route traveled by fully awakened Buddhas in the past?
sammādiṭṭhi …pe… sammāsamādhi.
right view, right purpose, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right immersion.
Ayaṁ kho so, bhikkhave, purāṇamaggo purāṇañjaso pubbakehi sammāsambuddhehi anuyāto, tamanugacchiṁ;
This is that ancient path, the ancient route traveled by fully awakened Buddhas in the past.
Tamanugacchiṁ;
Tamanugacchiṁ;
Tadabhiññāya ācikkhiṁ bhikkhūnaṁ bhikkhunīnaṁ upāsakānaṁ upāsikānaṁ.
Having directly known this, I told the monks, nuns, laymen, and laywomen.
Tayidaṁ, bhikkhave, brahmacariyaṁ iddhañceva phītañca vitthārikaṁ bāhujaññaṁ puthubhūtaṁ yāva devamanussehi suppakāsitan”ti.
And that’s how this spiritual life has become successful and prosperous, extensive, popular, widespread, and well proclaimed wherever there are gods and humans.”
Pañcamaṁ.