So I have heard. Evaṁ me sutaṁ—At one time the Buddha was staying near Rājagaha, in the Bamboo Grove, the squirrels’ feeding ground. ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati veḷuvane kalandakanivāpe. Now at that time two gangs were both hopelessly in love with a certain courtesan. Tena kho pana samayena rājagahe dve pūgā aññatarissā gaṇikāya sārattā honti paṭibaddhacittā; Fighting, quarreling, and disputing, they attacked each other with fists, stones, rods, and swords, bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ pāṇīhipi upakkamanti, leḍḍūhipi upakkamanti, daṇḍehipi upakkamanti, satthehipi upakkamanti. resulting in death and deadly pain. Te tattha maraṇampi nigacchanti maraṇamattampi dukkhaṁ.

Then several mendicants robed up in the morning and, taking their bowls and robes, entered Rājagaha for alms. Atha kho sambahulā bhikkhū pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya rājagahaṁ piṇḍāya pāvisiṁsu. Then, after the meal, when they returned from almsround, they went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and told him what was happening. Rājagahe piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkantā yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkamiṁsu; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdiṁsu. Ekamantaṁ nisinnā kho te bhikkhū bhagavantaṁ etadavocuṁ:

“Idha, bhante, rājagahe dve pūgā aññatarissā gaṇikāya sārattā paṭibaddhacittā; bhaṇḍanajātā kalahajātā vivādāpannā aññamaññaṁ pāṇīhipi upakkamanti, leḍḍūhipi upakkamanti, daṇḍehipi upakkamanti, satthehipi upakkamanti. Te tattha maraṇampi nigacchanti maraṇamattampi dukkhan”ti.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment: Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“What has been attained and what is to be attained are both strewn over with dust for that one training while still sick. “Yañca pattaṁ yañca pattabbaṁ, ubhayametaṁ rajānukiṇṇaṁ, āturassānusikkhato. Those for whom the training is the essence, or precepts and observances, chastity, and service as the essence: this is one extreme. Ye ca sikkhāsārā sīlabbataṁ jīvitaṁ brahmacariyaṁ upaṭṭhānasārā, ayameko anto. Those who say, Ye ca evaṁvādino: ‘There’s nothing wrong with sensual pleasures’: this is the second extreme. ‘natthi kāmesu doso’ti, ayaṁ dutiyo anto. Thus these two extremes swell the charnel grounds, while the charnel grounds swell wrong view. Iccete ubho antā kaṭasivaḍḍhanā, kaṭasiyo diṭṭhiṁ vaḍḍhenti. Not realizing these two extremes, some get stuck and some overreach. Etete ubho ante anabhiññāya olīyanti eke, atidhāvanti eke. Those who realize these things, who were not found there, who did not conceive by that, there is no cycle of rebirths to be found.” Ye ca kho te abhiññāya tatra ca nāhesuṁ, tena ca nāmaññiṁsu, vaṭṭaṁ tesaṁ natthi paññāpanāyā”ti.

Aṭṭhamaṁ.