Snp 5.16: Pingiya-manava-puccha

[mikenz66]

Snp 5.16 PTS: Sn 1120-1123
Pingiya-manava-puccha: Pingiya's Question
translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Alarmed by the deterioration of his aging body, Pingiya asks the Buddha how to conquer birth and decay.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Pingiya:]
I'm old & weak,
my complexion dull.
I've blurry eyes
and trouble hearing,
but may I not perish deluded, confused!
Teach me the Dhamma
so that I may know
the abandoning here
of birth & aging.

[The Buddha:]
Seeing people suffering
on account of their bodies
— heedless people are oppressed
on account of their bodies —
then heedful, Pingiya,
let go of the body
for the sake of no further becoming.

[Pingiya:]
In the four cardinal directions,
the four intermediate,
above & below
— the ten directions —
there is nothing in the world
unseen, unheard,
unsensed, uncognized by you.
Teach me the Dhamma
so that I may know
the abandoning here
of birth & aging.

[The Buddha:]
Seeing people,
victims of craving —
aflame, overwhelmed with aging —
then heedful, Pingiya,
let go of craving
for the sake of no further becoming.

[mikenz66]

Snp 5.16 PTS: Sn 1120-1123
Pingiya-manava-puccha: Pingiya's Question
translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .irel.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The Venerable Pingiya:

"I am old and feeble, the comeliness of youth has vanished. My sight is weak and I am hard of hearing. I do not wish to perish whilst still confused. Teach me the Dhamma by understanding which I may abandon birth and decay."[1]

The Lord:

"Seeing heedless people afflicted and suffering through their bodies, Pingiya, you should be heedful and renounce body so as to not come again to birth."

The Venerable Pingiya:

"In the ten directions — the four quarters, four between, and those above and below — there is nothing in the world not seen, heard, sensed or understood by you. Teach me the Dhamma by understanding which I may abandon birth and decay."

The Lord:

"Seeing men caught in craving, Pingiya, tormented and afflicted by old age, you should be heedful and renounce craving so as to not come again to birth."

Note

1. Jara: decay, decrepitude, old age.

[mikenz66]

Snp 5.16: Pingiya-manava-puccha
Anandajoti Bhikkhu

http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/T ... avaggo.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Listen at: http://www.archive.org/details/The-Way-to-the-Beyond" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


I am old, without strength, with poor complexion, said venerable Piïgiya,
my eyes are unclear, and hearing is difficult -
may I indeed not perish a fool mid-way! [1]
Explain the Teaching so that I may know
the complete giving up of birth and old age here.

Having seen (people) being struck down amid forms, Piïgiya, said the Gracious One,
(and that) heedless people are pained amid forms -
therefore you, Piïgiya, being heedful,
must give up form, and not come into existence again.

The four directions, the four intermediate directions, said venerable Piïgiya,
above and below: in these ten directions,
there is nothing for you that is unseen, unheard,
unsensed, or uncognized in the world!
Explain the Teaching so that I may know
the complete giving up of birth and old age here.

Seeing human beings, victims of craving, Piïgiya, said the Gracious One,
are tormented, and overcome by old age -
therefore you, Piïgiya, being heedful,
must give up craving and not come into existence again.

Note:

[1] The Commentary explains that Piïgiya was 120 years old. Mid-way refers to what is short of Arahatta.

[retrofuturist]

Greetings,

Having seen (people) being struck down amid forms, Piïgiya, said the Gracious One,
(and that) heedless people are pained amid forms -
therefore you, Piïgiya, being heedful,
must give up form, and not come into existence again.

Metta,
Retro.

[mikenz66]

Ahh, thanks Retro. Problem solved!

This is, in one sense, the last Sutta of the Sutta Nipata. However, there are introductory and closing verses, which may be read here: http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/T ... avaggo.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and listened to here: http://www.archive.org/details/The-Way-to-the-Beyond" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The introductory verses describe the journey that the Bhikkhus made to see the Buddha.

map.jpg (202.92 KiB) Viewed 3459 times

And there are some closing verses of praise.

As I understand it, scholarship indicates that the Questions in this Chapter are part of the early strata of Suttas, http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... vagga.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
whereas the introductory and closing verses came later. Certainly the answers to the Questions are very to the point, but it is interesting that the Buddist Dogma such as Anatta (mentioned in the previous Question), Noble truths (implied in this current Question by the talk of craving), mindfulness, and so on are not organised in to the categories that we are familiar with from other Suttas. This, along with the fact that these Suttas are referred to in other Nikayas (see link above and previous posts in this Forum), supports the claim that they are very early.


Mike

[mikenz66]

Today I listened to the whole of Anandajoti Bhikkhu's reading of the Snp at http://www.archive.org/details/The-Way-to-the-Beyond" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

After spending the past few months going through this chapter, examining the various translations, the Suttas from the SN and AN that refer to it, and commentary from Ven Nanananda and various other authors, it was a real pleasure to just listen to the whole thing. Which is, of course, the point of Suttas - hearing...


Mike

[mikenz66]

Pàràyanavaggo Niññhito
The Way to the Beyond is Finished

Mike