1 “During my time of resolute striving back on the bank of the Nerañjara River, I was meditating very hard for the sake of sanctuary from the yoke.
1 “Taṁ maṁ padhānapahitattaṁ, nadiṁ nerañjaraṁ pati; Viparakkamma jhāyantaṁ, yogakkhemassa pattiyā.
2 Namucī approached, speaking words of kindness: ‘You’re thin, discolored, on the verge of death.
2 Namucī karuṇaṁ vācaṁ, bhāsamāno upāgami; ‘Kiso tvamasi dubbaṇṇo, santike maraṇaṁ tava.
3 Death has a thousand parts of you, one fraction is left to life. Live, worthy sir! Life is better! Living, you can make merits.
3 Sahassabhāgo maraṇassa, ekaṁso tava jīvitaṁ; Jīva bho jīvitaṁ seyyo, jīvaṁ puññāni kāhasi.
4 While leading the spiritual life and serving the sacred flame, you can pile up abundant merit— so what will striving do for you?
4 Carato ca te brahmacariyaṁ, Aggihuttañca jūhato; Pahūtaṁ cīyate puññaṁ, Kiṁ padhānena kāhasi.
5 Hard to walk is the path of striving, hard to do, a hard challenge to win.’” These are the verses Māra spoke as he stood beside the Buddha.
5 Duggo maggo padhānāya, dukkaro durabhisambhavo’”; Imā gāthā bhaṇaṁ māro, aṭṭhā buddhassa santike.
6 When Māra had spoken in this way, the Buddha said this: “O Wicked One, kinsman of the negligent, you’re here for your own purpose.
6 Taṁ tathāvādinaṁ māraṁ, bhagavā etadabravi; “Pamattabandhu pāpima, yenatthena idhāgato.
7 I have no need for the slightest bit of merit. Those with need for merit are fit for Māra to address.
7 Aṇumattopi puññena, Attho mayhaṁ na vijjati; Yesañca attho puññena, Te māro vattumarahati.
8 I have faith and energy too, and wisdom is found in me. When I am so resolute, why do you beg me to live?
8 Atthi saddhā tathā viriyaṁ, paññā ca mama vijjati; Evaṁ maṁ pahitattampi, kiṁ jīvamanupucchasi.
9 The rivers and streams might be dried by the wind, so why, when I am resolute, should it not dry up my blood?
9 Nadīnamapi sotāni, ayaṁ vāto visosaye; Kiñca me pahitattassa, lohitaṁ nupasussaye.
10 And while the blood is drying up, the bile and phlegm dry too. And as my muscles waste away, my mind grows more serene. And all the stronger grow mindfulness and wisdom and immersion.
10 Lohite sussamānamhi, Pittaṁ semhañca sussati; Maṁsesu khīyamānesu, Bhiyyo cittaṁ pasīdati; Bhiyyo sati ca paññā ca, Samādhi mama tiṭṭhati.
11 As I meditate like this, having attained the supreme feeling, my mind has no interest in sensual pleasures: behold a being’s purity!
11 Tassa mevaṁ viharato, Pattassuttamavedanaṁ; Kāmesu nāpekkhate cittaṁ, Passa sattassa suddhataṁ.
12 Sensual pleasures are your first army, the second is called discontent, hunger and thirst are the third, and the fourth is said to be craving.
12 Kāmā te paṭhamā senā, Dutiyā arati vuccati; Tatiyā khuppipāsā te, Catutthī taṇhā pavuccati.
13 Your fifth is dullness and drowsiness, the sixth is said to be cowardice, your seventh is doubt, contempt and obstinacy are your eighth.
13 Pañcamaṁ thinamiddhaṁ te, Chaṭṭhā bhīrū pavuccati; Sattamī vicikicchā te, Makkho thambho te aṭṭhamo.
14 Profit, praise, and honor, and misbegotten fame; the extolling of oneself while scorning others.
14 Lābho siloko sakkāro, Micchāladdho ca yo yaso; Yo cattānaṁ samukkaṁse, Pare ca avajānati.
15 This is your army, Namucī, the strike force of the Dark One. Only a hero can defeat it, but in victory there lies bliss.
15 Esā namuci te senā, Kaṇhassābhippahārinī; Na naṁ asūro jināti, Jetvā ca labhate sukhaṁ.
16 Let me gird myself— curse my life! I’d rather die in battle than live on in defeat.
16 Esa muñjaṁ parihare, Dhiratthu mama jīvitaṁ; Saṅgāme me mataṁ seyyo, Yañce jīve parājito.
17 Here some ascetics and brahmins are swallowed up, not to be seen again. And they do not know the path traveled by those true to their vows.
17 Pagāḷhettha na dissanti, Eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā; Tañca maggaṁ na jānanti, Yena gacchanti subbatā.
18 Seeing Māra ready with his legions, surrounded by his bannered forces, I shall meet them in battle— they’ll never make me retreat!
18 Samantā dhajiniṁ disvā, Yuttaṁ māraṁ savāhanaṁ; Yuddhāya paccuggacchāmi, Mā maṁ ṭhānā acāvayi.
19 That army of yours has never been beaten by the world with all its gods. Yet I shall smash it with wisdom, like an unfired pot with a stone.
19 Yaṁ te taṁ nappasahati, Senaṁ loko sadevako; Taṁ te paññāya bhecchāmi, Āmaṁ pattaṁva asmanā.
20 Having brought my thoughts under control, and established mindfulness well, I shall wander from nation to nation, guiding many disciples.
20 Vasīkaritvā saṅkappaṁ, Satiñca sūpatiṭṭhitaṁ; Raṭṭhā raṭṭhaṁ vicarissaṁ, Sāvake vinayaṁ puthū.
21 Diligent and resolute, following my instructions, they will proceed despite your will, to where there is no sorrow.”
21 Te appamattā pahitattā, Mama sāsanakārakā; Akāmassa te gamissanti, Yattha gantvā na socare”.
22 “For seven years I followed step by step behind the Blessed One. I found no vulnerability in the mindful Awakened One.
22 “Satta vassāni bhagavantaṁ, Anubandhiṁ padāpadaṁ; Otāraṁ nādhigacchissaṁ, Sambuddhassa satīmato.
23 A crow once circled a stone that looked like a lump of fat. ‘Perhaps I’ll find something tender,’ it thought, ‘perhaps there’s something tasty.’
23 Medavaṇṇaṁva pāsāṇaṁ, Vāyaso anupariyagā; Apettha muduṁ vindema, Api assādanā siyā.
24 But finding nothing tasty, the crow left that place. Like the crow that pecked the stone, I leave Gotama disappointed.”
24 Aladdhā tattha assādaṁ, Vāyasetto apakkami; Kākova selamāsajja, Nibbijjāpema gotamaṁ”.
25 So stricken with sorrow that his harp dropped from his armpit, that spirit, downcast, vanished right there.
25 Tassa sokaparetassa, Vīṇā kacchā abhassatha; Tato so dummano yakkho, Tatthevantaradhāyathāti. Padhānasuttaṁ dutiyaṁ.
