For a long time, sadly, “Cirarattaṁ vatātāpī, though I keenly contemplated the teaching, dhammaṁ anuvicintayaṁ; I gained no peace of mind. Samaṁ cittassa nālatthaṁ, So I asked this of ascetics and brahmins: pucchaṁ samaṇabrāhmaṇe.

“Who in the world have crossed over? ‘Ko so pāraṅgato loke, Whose attainment culminates <j>in freedom from death? ko patto amatogadhaṁ; Whose teaching do I accept Kassa dhammaṁ paṭicchāmi, to understand the ultimate goal? paramatthavijānanaṁ’.

I was hooked inside, Antovaṅkagato āsi, like a fish gulping bait; macchova ghasamāmisaṁ; bound like the titan Vepaciti Baddho mahindapāsena, in Mahinda’s trap. vepacityasuro yathā.

Dragging it along, I’m not free Añchāmi naṁ na muñcāmi, from grief and lamentation. asmā sokapariddavā; Who will free me from bonds in the world, Ko me bandhaṁ muñcaṁ loke, so that I may know awakening? sambodhiṁ vedayissati.

What ascetic or brahmin Samaṇaṁ brāhmaṇaṁ vā kaṁ, points out what is frail? ādisantaṁ pabhaṅgunaṁ; Whose teaching do I accept Kassa dhammaṁ paṭicchāmi, to rinse off old age and death? jarāmaccupavāhanaṁ.

Tied up with uncertainty and doubt, Vicikicchākaṅkhāganthitaṁ, secured by the power of aggression, sārambhabalasaññutaṁ; stiff as a mind beset by anger; Kodhappattamanatthaddhaṁ, the arrow of covetousness, abhijappappadāraṇaṁ.

propelled by the bow of craving, Taṇhādhanusamuṭṭhānaṁ, is stuck in my twice-fifteen ribcage—dve ca pannarasāyutaṁ; see how it stands in my breast, Passa orasikaṁ bāḷhaṁ, breaking my strong heart. bhetvāna yadi tiṭṭhati.

Theories are not abandoned, Anudiṭṭhīnaṁ appahānaṁ, they are sharpened by memories and intentions; saṅkappaparatejitaṁ; and pierced by this I tremble, Tena viddho pavedhāmi, like a leaf blowing in the gale. pattaṁva māluteritaṁ.

Having arisen within, Ajjhattaṁ me samuṭṭhāya, what belongs to me burns quickly, khippaṁ paccati māmakaṁ; in that place where the body always heads Chaphassāyatanī kāyo, with its six sense-fields of contact. yattha sarati sabbadā.

I don’t see a healer Taṁ na passāmi tekicchaṁ, who can pull out my dart of doubt yo metaṁ sallamuddhare; without a lance Nānārajjena satthena, or some other blade. nāññena vicikicchitaṁ.

Without knife or wound, Ko me asattho avaṇo, who will pull out this dart Sallamabbhantarapassayaṁ; that’s stuck inside me, Ahiṁsaṁ sabbagattāni, without harming any part of my body? Sallaṁ me uddharissati.

He really would be the Lord of the Dhamma, Dhammappati hi so seṭṭho, the best one to cure the damage of poison; visadosappavāhako; when I have fallen into deep waters, Gambhīre patitassa me, he would show me his hand and the shore. thalaṁ pāṇiñca dassaye.

I’ve plunged into a lake, Rahadehamasmi ogāḷho, and I can’t wash off the mud and dirt. ahāriyarajamattike; It’s full of fraud, jealousy, aggression, Māyāusūyasārambha, and dullness and drowsiness. thinamiddhamapatthaṭe.

Like a thundering cloud of restlessness, Uddhaccameghathanitaṁ, like a stormcloud of fetters; saṁyojanavalāhakaṁ; lustful thoughts are winds Vāhā vahanti kuddiṭṭhiṁ, that sweep off a person with bad views. saṅkappā rāganissitā.

The streams flow everywhere; Savanti sabbadhi sotā, a weed springs up and remains. latā ubbhijja tiṭṭhati; Who will block the streams? Te sote ko nivāreyya, Who will cut the weed?” taṁ lataṁ ko hi checchati.

“Venerable sir, build a dam Velaṁ karotha bhaddante, to block the streams. sotānaṁ sannivāraṇaṁ; Don’t let your mind-made streams Mā te manomayo soto, cut you down suddenly like a tree.” rukkhaṁva sahasā luve.

That is how, when I was full of fear, Evaṁ me bhayajātassa, seeking the far shore from the near, apārā pāramesato; my shelter was the teacher <j>whose weapon is wisdom, Tāṇo paññāvudho satthā, frequented by the Saṅgha of seers. isisaṅghanisevito.

As I was being swept away, Sopāṇaṁ sugataṁ suddhaṁ, he gave me a strong, simple ladder, dhammasāramayaṁ daḷhaṁ; made of the heartwood of Dhamma, Pādāsi vuyhamānassa, and he said to me: “Do not fear.” ‘mā bhāyī’ti ca mabravi.

I climbed the tower of mindfulness meditation, Satipaṭṭhānapāsādaṁ, and checked back down āruyha paccavekkhisaṁ; at people delighting in substantial reality, Yaṁ taṁ pubbe amaññissaṁ, as I had obsessed over in the past. sakkāyābhirataṁ pajaṁ.

When I saw the path, Yadā ca maggamaddakkhiṁ, as I was embarking on the ship, nāvāya abhirūhanaṁ; without fixating on the self, Anadhiṭṭhāya attānaṁ, I saw the supreme landing-place. titthamaddakkhimuttamaṁ.

The dart that arises in oneself, Sallaṁ attasamuṭṭhānaṁ, and that which stems from the conduit to rebirth: bhavanettippabhāvitaṁ; he taught the supreme path Etesaṁ appavattāya, for the canceling of these. desesi maggamuttamaṁ.

For a long time it had lain within me; Dīgharattānusayitaṁ, for a long time it was fixed in me: cirarattamadhiṭṭhitaṁ; the Buddha cast aside the knot, Buddho mepānudī ganthaṁ, curing the damage of poison. visadosappavāhano”ti.

… Telakāni thero ….