“See this fancy puppet, “Passa cittakataṁ bimbaṁ, a body built of sores, arukāyaṁ samussitaṁ; diseased, obsessed over, Āturaṁ bahusaṅkappaṁ, in which nothing lasts at all. yassa natthi dhuvaṁ ṭhiti.

See this fancy figure, Passa cittakataṁ rūpaṁ, with its gems and earrings; maṇinā kuṇḍalena ca; it is bones encased in skin, Aṭṭhiṁ tacena onaddhaṁ, made pretty by its clothes. saha vatthehi sobhati.

Rouged feet Alattakakatā pādā, and powdered face mukhaṁ cuṇṇakamakkhitaṁ; may be enough to beguile a fool, Alaṁ bālassa mohāya, but not a seeker of the far shore. no ca pāragavesino.

Hair in eight braids Aṭṭhapadakatā kesā, and eyeshadow nettā añjanamakkhitā; may be enough to beguile a fool, Alaṁ bālassa mohāya, but not a seeker of the far shore. no ca pāragavesino.

A rotting body all adorned Añjanīva navā cittā, like a freshly painted makeup box pūtikāyo alaṅkato; may be enough to beguile a fool, Alaṁ bālassa mohāya, but not a seeker of the far shore. no ca pāragavesino.

The hunter laid his snare, Odahi migavo pāsaṁ, but the deer didn’t spring the trap. nāsadā vāguraṁ migo; I’ve eaten the bait and now I go, Bhutvā nivāpaṁ gacchāma, leaving the trapper to lament. kandante migabandhake.

The hunter’s snare is broken, Chinno pāso migavassa, but the deer didn’t spring the trap. nāsadā vāguraṁ migo; I’ve eaten the bait and now I go, Bhutvā nivāpaṁ gacchāma, leaving the deer-hunter to grieve.” socante migaluddake.

“I see rich people in the world who, Passāmi loke sadhane manusse, because of delusion, <j>give not the money they’ve earned. Laddhāna vittaṁ na dadanti mohā; Greedily, they hoard their riches, Luddhā dhanaṁ sannicayaṁ karonti, yearning for ever more sensual pleasures. Bhiyyova kāme abhipatthayanti.

A king who conquered the earth by force, Rājā pasayhappathaviṁ vijetvā, ruling the land from sea to sea, Sasāgarantaṁ mahimāvasanto; unsatisfied with the near shore of the ocean, Oraṁ samuddassa atittarūpo, would still yearn for the further shore. Pāraṁ samuddassapi patthayetha.

Not just the king, but others too, Rājā ca aññe ca bahū manussā, reach death not rid of craving. Avītataṇhā maraṇaṁ upenti; They leave the body still wanting, Ūnāva hutvāna jahanti dehaṁ, for in this world sensual pleasures never satisfy. Kāmehi lokamhi na hatthi titti.

Relatives lament, their hair disheveled, Kandanti naṁ ñātī pakiriya kese, saying ‘Ah! Alas! They’re not immortal!’ Aho vatā no amarāti cāhu; They take out the body wrapped in a shroud, Vatthena naṁ pārutaṁ nīharitvā, heap up a pyre, and burn it there. Citaṁ samodhāya tato ḍahanti.

It’s poked with stakes while being burnt, So ḍayhati sūlehi tujjamāno, in just a single cloth, all wealth gone. Ekena vatthena pahāya bhoge; Relatives, friends, and companions Na mīyamānassa bhavanti tāṇā, can’t help you when you’re dying. Ñātī ca mittā atha vā sahāyā.

Heirs take your riches, Dāyādakā tassa dhanaṁ haranti, while beings fare on according to their deeds. Satto pana gacchati yena kammaṁ; Riches don’t follow you when you die; Na mīyamānaṁ dhanamanveti kiñci, nor do children, wife, wealth, nor kingdom. Puttā ca dārā ca dhanañca raṭṭhaṁ.

Longevity isn’t gained by riches, Na dīghamāyuṁ labhate dhanena, nor does wealth banish old age; Na cāpi vittena jaraṁ vihanti; for the attentive say this life is short, Appaṁ hidaṁ jīvitamāhu dhīrā, it’s perishable and not eternal. Asassataṁ vippariṇāmadhammaṁ.

The rich and the poor feel its touch; Aḍḍhā daliddā ca phusanti phassaṁ, the fool and the attentive one feel it too. Bālo ca dhīro ca tatheva phuṭṭho; But the fool lies stricken by their own folly, Bālo hi bālyā vadhitova seti, while the attentive don’t tremble at the touch. Dhīro ca no vedhati phassaphuṭṭho.

Therefore wisdom’s much better than wealth, Tasmā hi paññāva dhanena seyyā, since by wisdom <j>you reach consummation in this life. Yāya vosānamidhādhigacchati; But if because of delusion <j>you don’t reach consummation, Abyositattā hi bhavābhavesu, you’ll do evil deeds in life after life. Pāpāni kammāni karoti mohā.

One who enters a womb and the world beyond, Upeti gabbhañca parañca lokaṁ, will transmigrate from one life to the next. Saṁsāramāpajja paramparāya; While someone of little wisdom, <j>placing faith in them, Tassappapañño abhisaddahanto, also enters a womb and the world beyond. Upeti gabbhañca parañca lokaṁ.

As a bandit caught in a window Coro yathā sandhimukhe gahīto, is punished for his own bad deeds; Sakammunā haññati pāpadhammo; so after departing, in the world beyond, Evaṁ pajā pecca paramhi loke, people are punished for their own bad deeds. Sakammunā haññati pāpadhammo.

Sensual pleasures are diverse, sweet, delightful, Kāmā hi citrā madhurā manoramā, appearing in disguise they disturb the mind. Virūparūpena mathenti cittaṁ; Seeing danger in sensual stimulations, Ādīnavaṁ kāmaguṇesu disvā, I went forth, O King. Tasmā ahaṁ pabbajitomhi rāja.

As fruit falls from a tree, so the sons of Manu fall, Dumapphalānīva patanti māṇavā, young and old, when the body breaks up. Daharā ca vuḍḍhā ca sarīrabhedā; Seeing this, too, I went forth, O King; Etampi disvā pabbajitomhi rāja, the ascetic life is unfailingly better.” Apaṇṇakaṁ sāmaññameva seyyo.

“I went forth out of faith Saddhāyāhaṁ pabbajito, joining the victor’s dispensation. upeto jinasāsane; My going forth wasn’t wasted; Avañjhā mayhaṁ pabbajjā, I enjoy my food free of debt. anaṇo bhuñjāmi bhojanaṁ.

I saw sensual pleasures as burning, Kāme ādittato disvā, gold as a cutting blade, Jātarūpāni satthato; conception in a womb as suffering, Gabbhavokkantito dukkhaṁ, and the hells as very fearful. Nirayesu mahabbhayaṁ.

Knowing this danger, Etamādīnavaṁ ñatvā, I was struck with a sense of urgency. saṁvegaṁ alabhiṁ tadā; I was stabbed, but then I found peace, Sohaṁ viddho tadā santo, attaining the end of defilements. sampatto āsavakkhayaṁ.

I’ve served the teacher Pariciṇṇo mayā satthā, and fulfilled the Buddha’s instructions. kataṁ buddhassa sāsanaṁ; The heavy burden is laid down, Ohito garuko bhāro, the conduit to rebirth is eradicated. bhavanetti samūhatā.

I’ve reached the goal Yassatthāya pabbajito, for the sake of which I went forth agārasmānagāriyaṁ; from the lay life to homelessness—So me attho anuppatto, the ending of all fetters.” sabbasaṁyojanakkhayo”ti.

… Raṭṭhapālo thero ….