5.13. Bhadrāvudha’s Question (SNP5.13)

Bhadra
With home let go, craving cut and undisturbed,
delight let go, crossed the flood and free,
time let go and truly wise—I beg of you—
various people here from provinces assembled;

O Hero, they’re longing for your words,
do well declare these to them now,
for certainly this Dharma has been Known by you,
then having heard the Nāga they’ll depart from here.

Buddha
Beyond all acquisitive craving you should train,
above, below, across and in between,
whatever is grasped at in the world,
with that does Māra that person pursue.

Knowing this, therefore the mindful bhikkhu
in all worlds grasps not anything,
understanding well those acquisitive beings,
those people adhering to the realm of death.

Translated by Laurence Khantipalo Mills.

This translation was edited by Bhikkhu Sujato as part of the full translation of the Sutta Nipāta with commentary prepared from a draft handwritten and typed manuscript of Laurence Khantipalo Mills in 2015. The project was managed by Laurence’s students Michael Wells and Gary Dellora, and initial digitizing of the text was by Sean Read. Full text is available at https://suttacentral.net/downloads

In addition to the suttas noted, Bhikkhu Sujato also translated verses 46, 78, 232, 465, 500, 589–597, 865, 885–890, 894–5, 897–901, 902–916, and 919–921.

This text is released dedicated to the Public Domain by way of Creative Commons Zero. No rights reserved.