5.4. Puṇṇaka’s Questions (SNP5.4)

Puṇṇaka
I have come with a question for you,
The immovable, seer of the root;
Subject to what do the sages, people,
Nobles, and brahmins offer many kinds of sacrifices
To gods here in the world?
Lord Buddha, please tell me this.

Buddha
Whatever sages, people,
Nobles, and brahmins offer many kinds of sacrifices
To gods here in the world,
Do so wishing to be reborn, Puṇṇaka;
Subject to old age they offer their sacrfices.

Puṇṇaka
Whatever sages, people,
Nobles, and brahmins offer many kinds of sacrifices
To gods here in the world,
Did they, diligently following the way of sacrifice,
Cross over birth and old age, sir?
Lord Buddha, please tell me this.

Buddha
Hoping, praying, longing, and sacrificing,
Longing for sensual pleasures
That are dependent on getting things;
I declare that they, devoted to sacrifice
And besotted by rebirth,
Did not cross over birth and old age.

Puṇṇaka
If, sir, those devoted to sacrifice
Did not thereby cross over birth and old age,
Then who in the world of gods and men
Has crossed over birth and old age?
Lord Buddha, please tell me this.

Puṇṇaka
Having scrutinized the world near and far,
One who has no disturbances at all in the world,
Peaceful, clear, without affliction or desire,
Such a one has crossed over
Birth and old age, I declare.

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.