“Today is the fifteenth day sabbath,” “Ajja pannaraso uposatho, said Sātāgira, the native spirit of mount Sātā, (iti sātāgiro yakkho) “a holy night is at hand. Dibbā ratti upaṭṭhitā; Come now, let us see Gotama, Anomanāmaṁ satthāraṁ, the Teacher of peerless name.” Handa passāma gotamaṁ”.

“Isn’t his mind well-disposed,” “Kacci mano supaṇihito, said Hemavata, the native spirit of the Himalayas, (iti hemavato yakkho) “impartial toward all creatures? Sabbabhūtesu tādino; And aren’t his thoughts under control Kacci iṭṭhe aniṭṭhe ca, when it comes to likes and dislikes?” Saṅkappassa vasīkatā”.

“His mind is well-disposed,” “Mano cassa supaṇihito, said Sātāgira, (iti sātāgiro yakkho) “impartial towards all creatures. Sabbabhūtesu tādino; His thoughts are under control Atho iṭṭhe aniṭṭhe ca, when it comes to his likes and dislikes.” Saṅkappassa vasīkatā”.

“Doesn’t he not steal?” “Kacci adinnaṁ nādiyati, said Hemavata, (iti hemavato yakkho) “And doesn’t he harm not a creature? Kacci pāṇesu saññato; Isn’t he far from negligence? Kacci ārā pamādamhā, And doesn’t he not neglect absorption?” Kacci jhānaṁ na riñcati”.

“He does not take what is not given,” “Na so adinnaṁ ādiyati, said Sātāgira, (iti sātāgiro yakkho) “and he harms not a creature. Atho pāṇesu saññato; He is far from negligence—Atho ārā pamādamhā, the Buddha does not neglect absorption.” Buddho jhānaṁ na riñcati”.

“Doesn’t he avoid lying?” “Kacci musā na bhaṇati, said Hemavata, (iti hemavato yakkho) “And doesn’t he not speak sharply? Kacci na khīṇabyappatho; Doesn’t he avoid backbiting, Kacci vebhūtiyaṁ nāha, as well as speaking nonsense?” Kacci samphaṁ na bhāsati”.

“He does not lie,” “Musā ca so na bhaṇati, said Sātāgira, (iti sātāgiro yakkho) “nor does he speak sharply. Atho na khīṇabyappatho; He avoids backbiting, Atho vebhūtiyaṁ nāha, and thoughtfully speaks wise counsel.” Mantā atthañca bhāsati”.

“Doesn’t he find sensual pleasures unattractive?” “Kacci na rajjati kāmesu, said Hemavata, (iti hemavato yakkho) “And isn’t his mind unclouded? Kacci cittaṁ anāvilaṁ; Hasn’t he escaped delusion? Kacci mohaṁ atikkanto, Does his eye see clearly in all things?” Kacci dhammesu cakkhumā”.

“He does not find sensual pleasures attractive,” “Na so rajjati kāmesu, said Sātāgira, (iti sātāgiro yakkho) “and his mind is unclouded. Atho cittaṁ anāvilaṁ; He has escaped all delusion—Sabbamohaṁ atikkanto, the Buddha, whose eye sees clearly in all things.” Buddho dhammesu cakkhumā”.

“Isn’t he accomplished in knowledge?” “Kacci vijjāya sampanno, said Hemavata, (iti hemavato yakkho) “And doesn’t he live a pure life? Kacci saṁsuddhacāraṇo; Aren’t his defilements all ended? Kaccissa āsavā khīṇā, Doesn’t he have no future lives?” Kacci natthi punabbhavo”.

“He is accomplished in knowledge,” “Vijjāya ceva sampanno, said Sātāgira, (iti sātāgiro yakkho) “and he does live a pure life. Atho saṁsuddhacāraṇo; His defilements are all ended, Sabbassa āsavā khīṇā, there’ll be no more future lives for him.” Natthi tassa punabbhavo”.

“Accomplished is the sage’s mind “Sampannaṁ munino cittaṁ, in action and in speech, Kammunā byappathena ca; and he’s accomplished in knowledge and conduct Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ, as per the teaching you praise.” Dhammato naṁ pasaṁsati”.

“Accomplished is the sage’s mind “Sampannaṁ munino cittaṁ, in action and in speech, Kammunā byappathena ca; and he’s accomplished in knowledge and conduct Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ, as per the teaching you rejoice in. Dhammato anumodasi.

Accomplished is the sage’s mind Sampannaṁ munino cittaṁ, in action and in speech, Kammunā byappathena ca; and he’s accomplished in knowledge and conduct: Vijjācaraṇasampannaṁ, come now, let us see Gotama.” Handa passāma gotamaṁ”.

“The hero so lean, with antelope calves, “Eṇijaṅghaṁ kisaṁ vīraṁ, not greedy, eating little, Appāhāraṁ alolupaṁ; the sage meditating alone in the forest, Muniṁ vanasmiṁ jhāyantaṁ, come now, let us see Gotama. Ehi passāma gotamaṁ.

A giant, wandering alone like a lion, Sīhaṁvekacaraṁ nāgaṁ, unconcerned for sensual pleasures, Kāmesu anapekkhinaṁ; let’s approach him and ask about Upasaṅkamma pucchāma, release from the snare of death.” Maccupāsappamocanaṁ.

“The communicator, the instructor, Akkhātāraṁ pavattāraṁ, who has gone beyond all things, Sabbadhammāna pāraguṁ; Awakened, beyond enmity and fear, Buddhaṁ verabhayātītaṁ, let us ask Gotama.” Mayaṁ pucchāma gotamaṁ”.

“What has the world arisen in?” “Kismiṁ loko samuppanno, said Hemavata, (iti hemavato yakkho) “What does it get close to? Kismiṁ kubbati santhavaṁ; By grasping what Kissa loko upādāya, is the world troubled in what?” Kismiṁ loko vihaññati”.

“The world’s arisen in six,” “Chasu loko samuppanno, said the Buddha to Hemavata. (hemavatāti bhagavā) “It gets close to six. Chasu kubbati santhavaṁ; Derived from the six, Channameva upādāya, the world’s troubled in six.” Chasu loko vihaññati”.

“What is that grasping “Katamaṁ taṁ upādānaṁ, by which the world is troubled? Yattha loko vihaññati; Tell us the exit when asked: Niyyānaṁ pucchito brūhi, how is one released from all suffering?” Kathaṁ dukkhā pamuccati”.

“The world has five kinds of sensual stimulation, “Pañca kāmaguṇā loke, and the mind is said to be the sixth. Manochaṭṭhā paveditā; When you’ve discarded desire for these, Ettha chandaṁ virājetvā, you’re released from all suffering. Evaṁ dukkhā pamuccati.

This is the exit from the world, Etaṁ lokassa niyyānaṁ, explained in accord with the truth. Akkhātaṁ vo yathātathaṁ; The way I’ve explained it is how Etaṁ vo ahamakkhāmi, you’re released from all suffering.” Evaṁ dukkhā pamuccati”.

“Who here crosses the flood, “Ko sūdha tarati oghaṁ, Who crosses the deluge? Kodha tarati aṇṇavaṁ; Who, not standing and unsupported, Appatiṭṭhe anālambe, does not sink in the deep?” Ko gambhīre na sīdati”.

“Someone who is always endowed with ethics, “Sabbadā sīlasampanno, wise and serene, Paññavā susamāhito; inwardly reflective, mindful, Ajjhattacintī satimā, crosses the flood so hard to cross. Oghaṁ tarati duttaraṁ.

Someone who desists from sensual perception, Virato kāmasaññāya, who has escaped all fetters, Sabbasaṁyojanātigo; and has ended relish for rebirth, Nandībhavaparikkhīṇo, does not sink in the deep.” So gambhīre na sīdati”.

“Behold him of wisdom deep
who sees the subtle meaning,
“Gambhīrapaññaṁ nipuṇatthadassiṁ, who has nothing, unattached to sensual life, Akiñcanaṁ kāmabhave asattaṁ; everywhere free, Taṁ passatha sabbadhi vippamuttaṁ, the great seer treading the holy road. Dibbe pathe kamamānaṁ mahesiṁ.

Behold him of peerless name
who sees the subtle meaning,
Anomanāmaṁ nipuṇatthadassiṁ, giver of wisdom,
unattached to the realm of sensuality:
Paññādadaṁ kāmālaye asattaṁ; the all-knower, so very intelligent, Taṁ passatha sabbaviduṁ sumedhaṁ, the great seer treading the noble road. Ariye pathe kamamānaṁ mahesiṁ.

It was a fine sight for us today, Sudiṭṭhaṁ vata no ajja, a good dawn, a good rising, Suppabhātaṁ suhuṭṭhitaṁ; to see the Awakened One, Yaṁ addasāma sambuddhaṁ, the undefiled one who has crossed the flood. Oghatiṇṇamanāsavaṁ.

These thousand native spirits Ime dasasatā yakkhā, powerful and glorious, Iddhimanto yasassino; all go to you for refuge, Sabbe taṁ saraṇaṁ yanti, you are our supreme Teacher. Tvaṁ no satthā anuttaro.

We shall journey Te mayaṁ vicarissāma, village to village, peak to peak, Gāmā gāmaṁ nagā nagaṁ; paying homage to the Buddha, Namassamānā sambuddhaṁ, and the clear rightness of the teaching!” Dhammassa ca sudhammatan”ti.