Evening Chanting (English)
Teachings from the Discourse on Setting in Motion the Wheel of Dhamma
[ Ha꜓nda mayaṃ dhammacakkappavattana-su꜕tta-pāṭhaṃ bha꜕ṇāmase ]
Dve me bhi꜓kkha꜕ve antā
Bhikkhus, there are these tw꜕o ex꜕tremes
Pabbaji꜓tena na sevi꜓ta꜕bbā
That shou꜕ld no꜕t b꜕e pu꜕rsued by one who ha꜓s go꜕ne forth:
Yo cāyaṃ kāmesu꜕ kāma-su꜕kh’alli꜓kānu꜓yogo
That is, whatever is tied u꜕p t꜕o se꜕nse pl꜕easures, within the re꜕alm
o꜕f se꜕nsu꜕a꜕li꜕ty,
Hīno
Whi꜕ch i꜕s low,
Gammo
Co꜕mmon,
Pothujj꜓ani꜕ko
The way of the co꜕mmo꜕n folks,
Anar꜓iyo
Not the wa꜕y o꜕f th꜕e No꜓bl꜕e Ones
Anattha-sa꜓ñh꜕ito
And po꜕intless;
Yo cāyaṃ atta-kilama꜓thānu꜓yogo
Then there is whate꜕ve꜕r i꜕s t꜕ied up with se꜕lf-de꜕pr꜕iva꜕tion,
Dukkho
Which is pa꜕inful,
Anar꜓iyo
Not the wa꜕y o꜕f th꜕e No꜓bl꜕e Ones
A꜕nattha꜕-sa꜓ñh꜕ito
And po꜕intless.
Ete te bhi꜓kkha꜕ve ub꜕ho꜕ ante a꜕nupa꜕gamma majjhi꜓mā pa꜕ṭi꜕pa꜕dā tathā꜓ga꜕tena a꜕bhis꜓ambuddhā
Bhikkhus, without go꜕ing t꜕o e꜕ith꜕er o꜕f th꜕ese e꜕xtremes, the Tathā꜓ga꜕ta has u꜕lt꜕ima꜕tel꜕y a꜕wa꜕kened to a꜓ middle wa꜕y o꜕f pr꜕actice,
Cakkhu-ka꜕ra꜓ṇī
Givi꜓ng rise to v꜕ision,
Ñāṇa-ka꜕ra꜓ṇī
Ma꜕ki꜕ng fo꜕r i꜕nsight,
U꜕pasa꜕māya
Leadi꜓ng t꜕o calm,
A꜕bhiññāya
To he꜕ight꜕ened kn꜕owing,
Sa꜓mbodhāya
Awa꜕ke꜕ning,
Ni꜓bbānāya sa꜓ṃvat꜕tati
An꜕d t꜕o Nibbā꜕na.
Katamā ca sā bhi꜓kkh꜕ave majjhi꜕mā p꜕aṭ꜕ip꜕adā
And what, bhikkhus, i꜕s tha꜕t mi꜕ddl꜕e wa꜕y o꜕f pra꜕ctice?
Ayam-eva a꜕riyo aṭṭha꜓ṅgi꜕ko maggo
It is this No꜕bl꜕e Ei꜕ghtfo꜕ld Path,
Se꜓yyathī꜓daṃ
Which is as fo꜕llows:
Sa꜓mmā-diṭṭhi
Ri꜕ght View,
Sa꜓mmā-sa꜓ṅka꜕ppo
Right Inte꜕ntion,
Sa꜓mmā-vācā
Ri꜕ght Speech,
Sa꜓mmā-kammanto
Right A꜕ction,
Sa꜓mmā-ājīvo
Right Li꜓vel꜕ihood,
Sa꜓mmā-vā꜕yāmo
Right E꜕ffort,
Sa꜓mmā-sa꜕ti
Right Mi꜓ndfu꜕lness,
Sa꜓mmā-sa꜕mādhi
Ri꜕ght Co꜕nce꜕ntr꜕ation.
Ayaṃ kho sā bhi꜓kkh꜕ave majjh꜕imā p꜕aṭ꜕ip꜕adā tathā꜓ga꜕tena abhisa꜓mbuddhā
This, bhikkhus, is the mi꜕ddl꜕e wa꜕y o꜕f pr꜕actice that the Tathā꜓ga꜕ta has u꜕lti꜕ma꜕tel꜕y a꜕wa꜕ke꜕ned to,
Cakkhu-ka꜕ra꜓ṇī
Givi꜓ng rise to v꜕ision,
Ñāṇa-ka꜕ra꜓ṇī
Ma꜕ki꜕ng fo꜕r i꜕nsight,
U꜕pasa꜕māya
Leadi꜓ng t꜕o calm,
A꜕bhiññāya
To he꜕ight꜕ened kn꜕owing,
Sa꜓mbodhāya
Awa꜕ke꜕ning,
Ni꜓bbānāya sa꜓ṃvat꜕tati
An꜕d t꜕o Nibbā꜕na.
Idaṃ kho pana bhi꜓kkh꜕ave dukkhaṃ a꜕riya꜓-s꜕accaṃ
This bhikkhus is the No꜕ble꜕ Tr꜕uth o꜕f du꜕kkha:
Jātipi꜕ dukkhā
Birth is du꜕kkha,
Jarāpi꜕ dukkhā
Ageing is du꜕kkha
Maraṇampi꜕ dukkhaṃ
And death is du꜕kkha;
So꜓ka-pa꜕rideva-dukkha꜕-domanass’u꜕pāyāsā꜓pi꜕ dukkhā
So꜓rrow, lamenta꜕tion, pain, grief and de꜕spair are du꜕kkha,
Appiyehi꜕ sa꜓mpa꜕yogo dukkho
Association with the di꜕sliked is du꜕kkha,
Piyehi꜕ vi꜓ppa꜕yogo dukkho
Separa꜓tion from th꜕e liked is du꜕kkha,
Yampiccha꜓ṃ na꜕ labhati꜕ tampi꜕ dukkhaṃ
Not attaining one’s wi꜓shes is du꜕kkha;
Sa꜓ṅkhi꜕ttena pañcu꜕pādānakkha꜓ndhā dukkhā
In brief, th꜕e five focuses of iden꜓tity are du꜕kkha.
Idaṃ kho pa꜕na bhi꜓kkh꜕ave dukkha-sa꜕mu꜕dayo a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccaṃ
This bhikkhus is the No꜕bl꜕e Tr꜕uth o꜕f th꜕e cau꜕se o꜕f du꜕kkha:
Yā’yaṃ taṇhā
It is this cra꜕ving
Ponobbha꜓vi꜕kā
Which lea꜕ds t꜕o re꜕birth,
Nandi꜓-rāga-sa꜕ha꜕ga꜕tā
Accompanied by deli꜓ght a꜕nd lust,
Ta꜕tra-ta꜕trābhi꜓nandi꜕nī
Delighting now he꜕re, no꜕w there,
Se꜓yyathī꜓daṃ
Na꜕mely:
Kāma-taṇhā
Craving fo꜕r se꜕nsu꜕a꜕lity,
Bhava-taṇhā
Craving t꜓o be꜕come,
Vi꜓bhava-taṇhā
Craving no꜕t t꜕o be꜕come.
Idaṃ kho pa꜕na bhi꜓kkh꜕ave dukkha-nirodho a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccaṃ
This bhikkhus is the No꜕bl꜕e Tr꜕uth o꜕f th꜕e ce꜕ssa꜕ti꜕on o꜕f du꜕kkha:
Yo tassā yeva taṇhāya a꜕sesa-vi꜓rāga-nirodho
It is the remainderless fa꜕di꜕ng a꜕wa꜕y an꜕d ce꜕ssa꜕tion of th꜓at very cr꜕aving,
Cāgo
Its reli꜓nqu꜕ishment,
Pa꜕ṭini꜓ssa꜕ggo
Le꜕tti꜕ng go,
Mutti
Re꜕lease,
A꜕nāla꜓yo
Without a꜕ny꜕ a꜕tta꜕chment.
Idaṃ kho pa꜕na bhi꜓kkh꜕ave dukkha-nirodha꜕-gāmi꜓nī pa꜕ṭi꜕pa꜕dā a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccaṃ
This bhikkhus is the No꜕ble꜕ Tru꜕th o꜕f th꜕e wa꜕y o꜕f pra꜕ctice leading to the ce꜓ssation of du꜕kkha:
Ayam-eva a꜕riyo aṭṭh’a꜓ṅgi꜕ko maggo
It is just this No꜕ble꜕ E꜕ightfo꜕ld Path,
Se꜓yyathī꜓daṃ
Which is as fo꜕llows:
Sa꜓mmā-diṭṭhi
Ri꜕ght View,
Sa꜓mmā-sa꜓ṅka꜕ppo
Right Inte꜕ntion,
Sa꜓mmā-vācā
Ri꜕ght Speech,
Sa꜓mmā-kammanto
Right A꜕ction,
Sa꜓mmā-ājīvo
Right Li꜓vel꜕ihood,
Sa꜓mmā-vā꜕yāmo
Right E꜕ffort,
Sa꜓mmā-sa꜕ti
Right Mi꜓ndfu꜕lness,
Sa꜓mmā-sa꜕mādhi
Ri꜕ght Co꜕nce꜕ntr꜕ation.
Idaṃ dukkhaṃ a꜕riya-sa꜕ccan’t꜕i me bhi꜓kkh꜕ave
Pubbe a꜕nanussu꜕tesu꜕ dhammesu
Cakkhuṃ u꜕da꜓pādi
Ñāṇaṃ u꜕da꜓pādi
Paññā u꜕da꜓pādi
Vijjā u꜕da꜓pādi
Āloko u꜕da꜓pādi
Bhikkhus, in rega꜕rd t꜕o thi꜕ngs u꜕nhe꜕ard-o꜕f be꜕fore,
Visio꜓n a꜕rose,
I꜕ns꜕ight a꜕rose,
Disce꜕rnm꜕ent a꜕rose,
Knowle꜓dge a꜕rose,
L꜕ight a꜕rose:
This is the No꜕bl꜕e Tru꜕th o꜕f du꜕kkha;
Taṃ kho pa꜕n’idaṃ dukkhaṃ a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccaṃ pa꜕riññeyyan’ti
Now this No꜕ble꜕ Tr꜕uth o꜕f du꜕kkha should be completely u꜓nde꜕rstood;
Taṃ kho pa꜕n’idaṃ dukkhaṃ a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccaṃ pa꜕riññātan’ti
Now this No꜕ble꜕ Tr꜕uth o꜕f du꜕kkha has be꜕en co꜕mple꜕tel꜕y u꜕nde꜕rstood.
Idaṃ dukkha-sa꜕mu꜕dayo a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccan’t꜕i me bhi꜓kkh꜕ave
Pubbe a꜕nanussu꜕tesu꜕ dhammesu
Cakkhuṃ u꜕da꜓pādi
Ñāṇaṃ u꜕da꜓pādi
Paññā u꜕da꜓pādi
Vijjā u꜕da꜓pādi
Āloko u꜕da꜓pādi
Bhikkhus, in rega꜕rd t꜕o thi꜕ngs u꜕nhe꜕ard-o꜕f be꜕fore,
Visio꜓n a꜕rose,
I꜕ns꜕ight a꜕rose,
Disce꜕rnm꜕ent a꜕rose,
Knowle꜓dge a꜕rose,
L꜕ight a꜕rose:
This is the No꜕ble꜕ Tru꜕th o꜕f th꜕e ca꜕use o꜕f du꜕kkha.
Taṃ kho pa꜕n’idaṃ dukkha-sa꜕mu꜕dayo a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccaṃ pa꜕hāta꜕bban’ti
Now this ca꜕use o꜕f du꜕kkha sho꜕uld b꜕e a꜕ba꜕ndoned;
Taṃ kho pa꜕n’idaṃ dukkha-sa꜕mu꜕dayo a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccaṃ pa꜕hīnan’ti
Now this ca꜕use o꜕f du꜕kkha ha꜕s be꜕en a꜕ba꜕ndoned.
Idaṃ dukkha꜕-nirodho a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccan’t꜕i me bhi꜓kkh꜕ave
Pubbe a꜕nanussu꜕tesu꜕ dhammesu
Cakkhuṃ u꜕da꜓pādi
Ñāṇaṃ u꜕da꜓pādi
Paññā u꜕da꜓pādi
Vijjā u꜕da꜓pādi
Āloko u꜕da꜓pādi
Bhikkhus, in rega꜕rd t꜕o thi꜕ngs u꜕nhe꜕ard-o꜕f be꜕fore,
Visio꜓n a꜕rose,
I꜕ns꜕ight a꜕rose,
Disce꜕rnm꜕ent a꜕rose,
Knowle꜓dge a꜕rose,
L꜕ight a꜕rose:
This is the No꜕ble꜕ Tr꜕uth o꜕f th꜕e ce꜕ssa꜕ti꜕on o꜕f du꜕kkha;
Taṃ kho pa꜕n’idaṃ dukkha-nirodho a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccaṃ sacch꜕ikāta꜓bban’ti
Now the ce꜓ssation o꜕f du꜕kkha should be expe꜕rie꜕nced di꜕re꜕ctly;
Taṃ kho pa꜕n’idaṃ dukkha-nirodho a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccaṃ sacch꜕ika꜕tan’ti
Now the ce꜓ssation o꜕f du꜕kkha ha꜕s be꜕en e꜕xpe꜕rie꜕nced di꜕re꜕ctly.
Idaṃ dukkha꜕-nirodha꜕-gāmi꜓nī pa꜕ṭi꜕pa꜕dā a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccan’t꜕i me bhi꜓kkh꜕ave
Pubbe a꜕nanussu꜕tesu꜕ dhammesu
Cakkhuṃ u꜕da꜓pādi
Ñāṇaṃ u꜕da꜓pādi
Paññā u꜕da꜓pādi
Vijjā u꜕da꜓pādi
Āloko u꜕da꜓pādi
Bhikkhus, in rega꜕rd t꜕o thi꜕ngs u꜕nhe꜕ard-o꜕f be꜕fore,
Visio꜓n a꜕rose,
I꜕ns꜕ight a꜕rose,
Disce꜕rnm꜕ent a꜕rose,
Knowle꜓dge a꜕rose,
L꜕ight a꜕rose:
This is the No꜕ble꜕ Tru꜕th o꜕f th꜕e wa꜕y o꜕f pra꜕ctice
leading to the ce꜓ssation of du꜕kkha;
Taṃ kho pa꜕n’idaṃ dukkha-nirodha-gāmi꜓nī pa꜕ṭi꜕pa꜕dā a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccaṃ bhāvetabban’ti
Now this wa꜕y o꜕f pra꜕ctice leading to the ce꜓ssation of du꜕kkha
sho꜕uld be꜕ de꜕ve꜕loped;
Taṃ kho pa꜕n’idaṃ dukkha-nirodha-gāmi꜓nī pa꜕ṭi꜕pa꜕dā a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccaṃ bhāvi꜓tan’ti
Now this wa꜕y o꜕f pra꜕ctice leading to the ce꜓ssation of du꜕kkha
ha꜕s be꜕en de꜕ve꜕loped.
Yāva kī꜕vañca꜕ me bhi꜓kkh꜕ave i꜕mesu꜕ ca꜕tūsu a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccesu
Evan-t꜕i-pa꜕rivaṭṭaṃ dvādas’ā꜓kā꜓raṃ yathā꜓-bhūtaṃ ñāṇa-dassa꜕naṃ na su꜕vi꜓su꜕ddhaṃ a꜕hosi
As long, bhi꜕kkhus, as my knowledge and understa꜕nding,
As it ac꜕tua꜕lly꜕ is,
Of these Four No꜓bl꜕e Truths,
With their three pha꜕se꜕s an꜕d twe꜕lve a꜕spects,
Was no꜕t e꜕nt꜓irel꜕y pure,
N’eva tāv’āhaṃ bhi꜓kkh꜕ave sa꜕deva꜓ke loke sa꜕māra꜓ke sa꜕brahma꜓ke
Sassamaṇa-brāhmaṇiyā pa꜕jāya sa꜕deva-ma꜕nussā꜓ya
Anu꜓tta꜕raṃ sa꜓mmā-sa꜓mbodhiṃ a꜕bhisa꜓mbuddho pa꜕ccaññāsiṃ
Did I not cla꜕im, bhi꜕kkhus,
In this world of de꜕vas, Mā꜕ra꜕ an꜕d Br꜕ahmā,
Amongst ma꜕nkind with its priests and renu꜓nci꜕ants,
Kings and co꜓mmo꜕ners,
An u꜕lti꜕ma꜕te a꜕wa꜕ke꜕ning
To unsu꜓rpassed, pe꜕rfe꜕ct e꜕nli꜓ghte꜕nment.
Ya꜕to ca꜕ kho me bhi꜓kkh꜕ave i꜕mesu꜕ ca꜕tūsu a꜕riya꜓-sa꜕ccesu
Evan-t꜕i-pa꜕rivaṭṭaṃ dvādas’ā꜓kā꜓raṃ yathā꜓-bhūtaṃ ñāṇa-dassanaṃ su꜕vi꜓su꜕ddhaṃ ahosi
But when, bhi꜕kkhus, my knowledge and understa꜕nding
As it ac꜕tua꜕lly꜕ is,
Of these Four No꜓bl꜕e Truths,
With their three pha꜕se꜕s an꜕d twe꜕lve a꜕spects,
Was inde꜕ed e꜕nt꜓irel꜕y pure,
Ath’āhaṃ bhi꜓kkh꜕ave sa꜕deva꜓ke loke sa꜕mār꜓ake sa꜕brahma꜓ke
Sassamaṇa-brāhmaṇiyā pa꜕jāya sa꜕deva-ma꜕nussā꜓ya
Anu꜓tta꜕raṃ sa꜓mmā-sa꜓mbodhiṃ a꜕bhisa꜓mbuddho pa꜕cca꜕ññā꜕siṃ
Th꜕en i꜕ndeed did I cla꜕im, bhi꜕kkhus,
In this world of de꜕vas, Mā꜕ra꜕ an꜕d Br꜕ahmā,
Amongst ma꜕nkind with its priests and renu꜓nci꜕ants,
Kings and co꜓mmo꜕ners,
An u꜕lti꜕ma꜕te a꜕wa꜕ke꜕ning
To unsu꜓rpassed, pe꜕rfe꜕ct e꜕nli꜓ghte꜕nment.
Ñāṇañca pana me dass꜕anaṃ u꜕da꜓pādi
Now kno꜕wle꜕dge an꜕d u꜕nde꜕rst꜕anding aro꜕se i꜕n me:
A꜕kuppā me vi꜓mutti a꜕yam-ant꜕imā jāti natthi꜓ dāni pu꜕nabbh꜕avo’ti
My release i꜕s unsh꜓akeable,
This is my la꜕st birth,
There won’t be a꜕ny꜕ fu꜕rth꜕er be꜕co꜕ming.