5:8 Hemaka’s Question

In the past,

before hearing Gotama’s message,

when anyone explained ‘It is,’ ‘It will be,’

all that was hearsay,

quotation marks.

All that promoted conjecture

and gave me no pleasure.

Now, sage, teach me the Dhamma

demolishing craving,

knowing which, living mindfully,

one would cross over beyond

entanglement in the world.

The Buddha:

Here, Hemaka,

with regard to things dear

—seen, heard, sensed, & cognized—

there is:

the dispelling of passion & desire,

the unfallen, undying1 state of unbinding.

Those knowing this, mindful,

fully unbound

in the here-&-now,

are always2 calmed,

have crossed over beyond

entanglement in the world.

vv. 1084–1087

Notes

1. “Unfallen, undying”: two meanings of the word, accuta.

2. Reading sadā with the Burmese, Sri Lankan, and PTS editions. The Thai edition read satā, mindful, but this is a repetition of satā in the previous line, something that Pali poetry tends to avoid except for purposes of emphasis.