1 This thought came to the ascetic, the monk Pārāsariya, as he was seated alone meditating in seclusion:
1 “Samaṇassa ahu cintā, pārāpariyassa bhikkhuno; Ekakassa nisinnassa, pavivittassa jhāyino.
2 “Following what procedure, what observance, what conduct, may a person do what they need for themselves, without harming anyone else?
2 Kimānupubbaṁ puriso, kiṁ vataṁ kiṁ samācāraṁ; Attano kiccakārīssa, na ca kañci viheṭhaye.
3 The faculties of human beings can lead to both welfare and harm. Unguarded they lead to harm; guarded they lead to welfare.
3 Indriyāni manussānaṁ, hitāya ahitāya ca; Arakkhitāni ahitāya, rakkhitāni hitāya ca.
4 By protecting the faculties, taking care of the faculties, I can do what I need for myself without harming anyone else.
4 Indriyāneva sārakkhaṁ, indriyāni ca gopayaṁ; Attano kiccakārīssa, na ca kañci viheṭhaye.
5 If your eye wanders among sights without check, not seeing the danger, you’re not freed from suffering.
5 Cakkhundriyañce rūpesu, gacchantaṁ anivārayaṁ; Anādīnavadassāvī, so dukkhā na hi muccati.
6 If your ear wanders among sounds without check, not seeing the danger, you’re not freed from suffering.
6 Sotindriyañce saddesu, gacchantaṁ anivārayaṁ; Anādīnavadassāvī, so dukkhā na hi muccati.
7 If, not seeing the escape, you indulge in a smell, you’re not freed from suffering, being besotted by smells.
7 Anissaraṇadassāvī, gandhe ce paṭisevati; Na so muccati dukkhamhā, gandhesu adhimucchito.
8 Recollecting the sour, the superbly sweet and the bitter, captivated by craving for taste, you don’t understand the heart.
8 Ambilaṁ madhuraggañca, tittakaggamanussaraṁ; Rasataṇhāya gadhito, hadayaṁ nāvabujjhati.
9 Recollecting lovely and pleasurable touches, full of desire, you experience many kinds of suffering because of lust.
9 Subhānyappaṭikūlāni, phoṭṭhabbāni anussaraṁ; Ratto rāgādhikaraṇaṁ, vividhaṁ vindate dukhaṁ.
10 Unable to protect the mind from such thoughts, suffering follows them because of all five.
10 Manaṁ cetehi dhammehi, yo na sakkoti rakkhituṁ; Tato naṁ dukkhamanveti, sabbehetehi pañcahi.
11 This body is full of pus and blood, it’s home to many carcasses; but cunning people decorate it like a lovely painted casket.
11 Pubbalohitasampuṇṇaṁ, bahussa kuṇapassa ca; Naravīrakataṁ vagguṁ, samuggamiva cittitaṁ.
12 You don’t understand that the sweetness of honey turns bitter, and the bonds to those we love cause pain, like a razor’s edge smeared with honey.
12 Kaṭukaṁ madhurassādaṁ, piyanibandhanaṁ dukhaṁ; Khuraṁva madhunā littaṁ, ullihaṁ nāvabujjhati.
13 Full of lust for the sight of a woman, for the voice and the smells of a woman, for a woman’s touch, you experience many kinds of suffering.
13 Itthirūpe itthisare, phoṭṭhabbepi ca itthiyā; Itthigandhesu sāratto, vividhaṁ vindate dukhaṁ.
14 All of a woman’s streams flow from five to five. Whoever, being energetic, is able to curb these,
14 Itthisotāni sabbāni, sandanti pañca pañcasu; Tesamāvaraṇaṁ kātuṁ, yo sakkoti vīriyavā.
15 purposeful and firm in principle, is clever and clear-seeing. Though he might enjoy himself, his duty is connected with the teaching and its goal.
15 So atthavā so dhammaṭṭho, so dakkho so vicakkhaṇo; Kareyya ramamānopi, kiccaṁ dhammatthasaṁhitaṁ.
16 One who’s diligent and discerning, thinking, ‘This ought not be done’, would avoid a useless task that’s doomed to failure.
16 Atho sīdati saññuttaṁ, vajje kiccaṁ niratthakaṁ; ‘Na taṁ kiccan’ti maññitvā, appamatto vicakkhaṇo.
17 Whatever is meaningful, and whatever happiness is principled, let one proceed having undertaken that: this is the best happiness.
17 Yañca atthena saññuttaṁ, yā ca dhammagatā rati; Taṁ samādāya vattetha, sā hi ve uttamā rati.
18 They want to get hold of what belongs to others by any means, fair or foul. They kill, injure, and torment, violently plundering what belongs to others.
18 Uccāvacehupāyehi, Paresamabhijigīsati; Hantvā vadhitvā atha socayitvā, Ālopati sāhasā yo paresaṁ.
19 Just as a strong person when building knocks out a peg with a peg, so the skillful person knocks out the faculties with the faculties.
19 Tacchanto āṇiyā āṇiṁ, nihanti balavā yathā; Indriyānindriyeheva, nihanti kusalo tathā.
20 Developing faith, energy, immersion, mindfulness, and wisdom; destroying the five with the five, the brahmin walks on untroubled.
20 Saddhaṁ vīriyaṁ samādhiñca, satipaññañca bhāvayaṁ; Pañca pañcahi hantvāna, anīgho yāti brāhmaṇo.
21 Purposeful and firm in principle, having fulfilled in every respect the instructions spoken by the Buddha, that person prospers in happiness.”
21 So atthavā so dhammaṭṭho, katvā vākyānusāsaniṁ; Sabbena sabbaṁ buddhassa, so naro sukhamedhatī”ti. … Pārāpariyo thero ….
