Introductory Verses · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral
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⚠ Glossing did not finish. The original text is shown below.
Aḷakassa patiṭṭhānaṁ, Purimāhissatiṁ tadā; Ujjeniñcāpi gonaddhaṁ, Vedisaṁ vanasavhayaṁ.
First to Patiṭṭhāna of Muḷaka, then on to the citadel of Māhissatī; to Ujjenī and Gonaddhā, and Vedisa, and Vanasa.
Kosambiñcāpi sāketaṁ, Sāvatthiñca puruttamaṁ; Setabyaṁ kapilavatthuṁ, Kusinārañca mandiraṁ.
Then to Kosambī and Sāketa, and the capital city of Sāvatthī; on they went to Setavyā and Kapilavatthu, and the homestead at Kusinārā.
Pāvañca bhoganagaraṁ, Vesāliṁ māgadhaṁ puraṁ; Pāsāṇakaṁ cetiyañca, Ramaṇīyaṁ manoramaṁ.
To Pāvā they went, and Bhoga City, and on to Vesālī and the Magadhan city. Finally they reached the Pāsāṇaka Shrine, fair and delightful.
Tasitovudakaṁ sītaṁ, Mahālābhaṁva vāṇijo; Chāyaṁ ghammābhitattova, Turitā pabbatamāruhuṁ.
Like a thirsty person to cool water, like a merchant to great profit, like a heat-struck person to shade, they quickly climbed the mountain.
Bhagavā tamhi samaye, Bhikkhusaṅghapurakkhato; Bhikkhūnaṁ dhammaṁ deseti, Sīhova nadatī vane.
At that time the Buddha, at the fore of the mendicant Saṅgha, was teaching the mendicants the Dhamma, like a lion roaring in the jungle.
Ajito addasa buddhaṁ, Sataraṁsiṁva bhāṇumaṁ; Candaṁ yathā pannarase, Pāripūriṁ upāgataṁ.
Ajita saw the Buddha, like the sun shining with a hundred rays, like the moon on the fifteenth day when it has come into its fullness.
Athassa gatte disvāna, Paripūrañca byañjanaṁ; Ekamantaṁ ṭhito haṭṭho, Manopañhe apucchatha.
Then he saw his body, complete in all features. Thrilled, he stood to one side and asked this question in his mind.
“Ādissa jammanaṁ brūhi, Gottaṁ brūhi salakkhaṇaṁ; Mantesu pāramiṁ brūhi, Kati vāceti brāhmaṇo”.
“Speak about the brahmin’s birth; of his clan; and his own marks; what hymns is he proficient in; and how many he teaches.”
“Vīsaṁ vassasataṁ āyu, So ca gottena bāvarī; Tīṇissa lakkhaṇā gatte, Tiṇṇaṁ vedāna pāragū.
“His age is a hundred and twenty. By clan he is a Bāvari. There are three marks on his body. He is a master of the three Vedas,
Lakkhaṇe itihāse ca, Sanighaṇḍusakeṭubhe; Pañcasatāni vāceti, Sadhamme pāramiṁ gato”.
the teachings on the marks, the testaments, the vocabularies, and the rituals. He teaches recitation to five hundred, and has reached proficiency in his own teaching.”
“Lakkhaṇānaṁ pavicayaṁ, Bāvarissa naruttama; Kaṅkhacchida pakāsehi, Mā no kaṅkhāyitaṁ ahu”.
“O supreme man, cutter of craving, please reveal in detail Bāvari’s marks— let us doubt no longer!”
“Mukhaṁ jivhāya chādeti, Uṇṇassa bhamukantare; Kosohitaṁ vatthaguyhaṁ, Evaṁ jānāhi māṇava”.
“He can cover his face with his tongue; there is a tuft of hair between his eyebrows; his private parts are sheathed in a foreskin: know them as this, student.”
Pucchañhi kiñci asuṇanto, Sutvā pañhe viyākate; Vicinteti jano sabbo, Vedajāto katañjalī.
Hearing the answers without having heard any questions, all the people, inspired, with cupped palms, wondered:
“Ko nu devo vā brahmā vā, Indo vāpi sujampati; Manasā pucchite pañhe, Kametaṁ paṭibhāsati”.
“Who is it that asked a question with their mind? Was it a god or divinity? Or Indra, Sujā’s husband? To whom does the Buddha reply?”
“Muddhaṁ muddhādhipātañca, Bāvarī paripucchati; Taṁ byākarohi bhagavā, Kaṅkhaṁ vinaya no ise”.
“Bāvari asks about heads and head-splitting. May the Buddha please answer, and so, O seer, dispel our doubt.”
“Avijjā muddhāti jānāhi, Vijjā muddhādhipātinī; Saddhāsatisamādhīhi, Chandaviriyena saṁyutā”.
“Know ignorance as the head, and knowledge as the head-splitter, when joined with faith, mindfulness, and immersion, and enthusiasm and energy.”
Tato vedena mahatā, Santhambhitvāna māṇavo; Ekaṁsaṁ ajinaṁ katvā, Pādesu sirasā pati.
At that, the student, full of inspiration, arranged his antelope-skin cloak over one shoulder, and fell with his head to the Buddha’s feet.
“Bāvarī brāhmaṇo bhoto, Saha sissehi mārisa; Udaggacitto sumano, Pāde vandati cakkhuma”.
“Good fellow, the brahmin Bāvari together with his acolytes, elated and happy, bows to your feet, O Clear-eyed One!”
“Sukhito bāvarī hotu, Saha sissehi brāhmaṇo; Tvañcāpi sukhito hohi, Ciraṁ jīvāhi māṇava.
“May the brahmin Bāvari be happy, together with his acolytes. And may you, too, be happy! May you live long, student.
Bāvarissa ca tuyhaṁ vā, Sabbesaṁ sabbasaṁsayaṁ; Katāvakāsā pucchavho, Yaṁ kiñci manasicchatha”.
To Bāvari and you all I grant the opportunity to clear up all doubt. Please ask whatever you want.”
Sambuddhena katokāso, Nisīditvāna pañjalī; Ajito paṭhamaṁ pañhaṁ, Tattha pucchi tathāgataṁ. Vatthugāthā niṭṭhitā.
Granted the opportunity by the Buddha, they sat down with cupped palms. Ajita asked the Realized One the first question right there. The introductory verses are finished.
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