Muni's Play(७) आर्याष्टाङ्गमार्गः — The Noble Eightfold Path
Sanskrit
तत्र भिक्षवः कतम आर्याष्टाङ्गमार्गः ?
Translation
There, O monks, what is the Noble Eightfold Path?
Sanskrit
तद्यथा-सम्यग्दृष्टिः। सम्यक्संकल्पः। सम्यग्वाक्। सम्यक्कर्मान्तः। सम्यगाजीवः। सम्यग्व्यायामः। सम्यक्स्मृतिः। सम्यक्समाधिरिति॥
Translation
Namely: Right View, Right Intention, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration.
I. Right View & Intention
Sanskrit
तत्र भिक्षवः कतमा सम्यग्दृष्टिः ?
Translation
Monks, what is Right View?
Sanskrit
अस्त्ययं लोकः, अस्ति परलोकः, अस्ति पिता, अस्ति दत्तम्, अस्ति हुतम्…
Translation
This world exists, the next world exists, the father exists, giving (charity) exists, sacrifice exists…
Sanskrit
अस्ति इष्टानिष्टसुकृतदुष्कृतानां कर्मणां फलविपाकः, सन्ति लोके सम्यग्गताः सम्यक्प्रतिपन्ना इति।
Translation
There is the fruit and result of good and bad deeds; there are in the world those who have attained and practiced rightly.
Sanskrit
सम्यक्संकल्पः कतमः ? बुद्धत्वादिपरिणामितं दानम्, शीलं च चक्रवर्त्यादिपरिणामितम्।
Translation
What is Right Intention? Giving dedicated to attaining Buddhahood, and virtue dedicated to becoming a Universal Monarch (Chakravartin), etc.
II. Right Speech & Action
Sanskrit
सम्यग्वाक् कतमा ? पारुष्यानृतपैशुन्यसंभिन्नप्रलापवर्जिता अनमृतवाक्।
Translation
What is Right Speech? Speech free from harshness, lying, slander, and idle gossip; speech that is not false.
Sanskrit
सम्यक्कर्मान्तः कतमः ? कायवाङ्मनसां दशकुशलेषु कर्मपथेषु व्यापारः।
Translation
What is Right Action? Engaging the body, speech, and mind in the ten wholesome paths of action.
Sanskrit
तत्र कायिकं त्रिविधम्-प्राणातिपाताददत्तादानात्काममिथ्याचाराद्विरतिः।
Translation
The physical is threefold: abstaining from killing, stealing, and sexual misconduct.
Sanskrit
वाचिकं चतुर्विधम्-अनृतपारुष्यपैशुन्यसंभिन्नप्रलापाद्विरतिः।
Translation
The verbal is fourfold: abstaining from lies, harshness, slander, and idle gossip.
Sanskrit
मानसिकं त्रिविधम्-अभिध्याव्यापादमिथ्यादृष्ट्याविरतिः॥
Translation
The mental is threefold: abstaining from covetousness, ill-will, and wrong views.
III. Definitions of Unwholesome Acts
Sanskrit
प्राणातिपातः कतमः ? प्राणी च भवति… वधकचित्तं चोत्पादयति, जीविताद्व्यपरोपयति।
Translation
What is killing? There is a living being, the perception of a living being, the intent to kill, and the act of taking its life.
Sanskrit
अदत्तादानं कतमत् ? स्तेयचित्तस्य परद्रव्यस्वीकरणम्…
Translation
What is stealing? Taking another’s property with the intent to steal…
Sanskrit
काममिथ्याचारः कतमः ? परस्त्रीणामुपभोगो… अथवा अस्थानगम्यादेशकालेषु विप्रतिपत्तिः।
Translation
What is sexual misconduct? Sexual relations with protected women, or improper conduct regarding place, time, or parts of the body.
Sanskrit
अनृतं कतमत् ? साक्षिप्रश्नेऽयथाभूतान् वितथवचनम्…
Translation
What is lying? Speaking untruths when questioned as a witness, or falsely claiming to be an Arhat.
Sanskrit
पैशुन्यं कतमत् ? अभूतेन सत्येन वा भेदकरणवचनम्।
Translation
What is slander? Words intended to cause division, whether based on falsehood or truth.
Sanskrit
पारूष्यं कतमत् ? परदुःखचिकीर्षोर्यदनिष्टवचनश्रावणम्…
Translation
What is harshness? Speaking cruel words with the intent to cause pain to others.
Sanskrit
संभिन्नप्रलापः कतमः ? राजकथा चौरकथा द्यूतकथा मद्यकथा स्त्रीकथा आख्यायिकाकथा।
Translation
What is idle gossip? Talk of kings, thieves, gambling, liquor, women, and fictional stories.
Sanskrit
अभिध्या कतमा ? परद्रव्यस्वीकरणेच्छया अन्यस्य द्रव्याणि तानि मम स्युरिति।
Translation
What is covetousness? The desire to possess another’s goods, thinking “May these be mine.”
Sanskrit
व्यापादः कतमः ? परस्य जीवितव्यपरोपणमवच्छेदनपीडनादिचिन्तनम्।
Translation
What is ill-will? Thinking of killing, harming, or causing pain to others.
Sanskrit
मिथ्यादृष्टिः कतमा ? नास्त्ययं लोकः, नास्ति परलोकः इत्यादि।
Translation
What is wrong view? Thinking “this world does not exist, the next does not exist,” etc.
IV. Right Livelihood (Samyag-ājīva)
Sanskrit
भिक्षोस्तावत् कुहना लपना नैमित्तिकत्वं नैष्पेषिकत्वं लाभेन लाभप्रतिकाङ्क्षा…
Translation
For a monk, (it is avoiding) hypocrisy, flattery, hinting, coercion, and seeking profit from profit.
Sanskrit
कुहना (Kuhanā):
Translation
लपना (Lapanā): Using flattery or sweet words (“You are like a mother to me”) to get offerings.
Sanskrit
नैमित्तिकत्वं (Naimittikatva):
Translation
नैष्पेषिकत्वं (Naiṣpeṣikatva): Intimidating donors by telling them they will go to hell if they don’t give.
Sanskrit
लाभेन लाभप्रतिकाङ्क्षा (Lābhena lābha):
Translation
उपासकस्य मिथ्याजीवः (Layperson’s Wrong Livelihood): विषविक्रयः (poison), शस्त्रविक्रयः (weapons), सत्त्वविक्रयः (living beings), मद्यविक्रयः (liquor), मांसविक्रयः (meat), and improper oil-pressing.
V. Right Effort
Sanskrit
सम्यग्व्यायामः कतमः ? अभिवादनबहुलप्रत्युपस्थानाञ्जलिः सामीचीकर्मकरणम्।
Translation
What is Right Effort? Frequent acts of reverence, standing up in respect, making the anjali gesture, and proper conduct.
VI. Right Mindfulness
Sanskrit
सम्यक्स्मृतिः कतमाः ?
Translation
What is Right Mindfulness?
Sanskrit
इह खलु भिक्षवो भिक्षुः स्त्रियं दृष्ट्वा उत्पन्ने रागे बाह्यात्मिकयोः शरीरयोरशुभाकारेण यथाभूतदर्शी भवति-
Translation
Here indeed, O monks, when a monk sees a woman and passion arises, he sees the truth of both the external and internal bodies through the aspect of impurity:
Sanskrit
सन्त्यस्मिन् काये केशा रोमाणि नखा दन्ता रजोमलत्वङ्मांसम्,
Translation
“There are in this body: hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth, dust, dirt, skin, and flesh;
Sanskrit
अस्थिस्नायुसिरा वृक्का हृदयम् (आ) मक आमाशयः पक्काशयः अन्त्राणि अन्त्रगुणा ओदरीयकं यकृत्
Translation
Bones, sinews, veins, kidneys, heart, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, intestines, mesentery, undigested food, and liver;
Sanskrit
परीषमश्रु स्वेदः खेलकः सिंघाणको वसा लसीका मज्जा मेदः पित्तं श्लेष्मा पूयं शोणितं
Translation
Excrement, tears, sweat, saliva, mucus, fat, synovial fluid, marrow, adipose tissue, bile, phlegm, pus, and blood;
Sanskrit
मस्तकलुङ्गमुच्चारप्रस्रवैः पूर्णं नानाप्रकारकमशुचिरिति।
Translation
Brain, and it is filled with feces and urine—a variety of impurities.”
Sanskrit
इयमुच्यते भिक्षवः सम्यक्स्मृतिः॥
Translation
This, O monks, is called Right Mindfulness.
VI. Right Concentration
Sanskrit
सम्यक्समाधिः कतमः ? चत्वारि ध्यानानि।
Translation
What is Right Concentration? The four meditative absorptions (dhyānas).
Sanskrit
इह भिक्षवो भिक्षुः विविक्तं कामैः विविक्तं पापकैरकुशलैर्धर्मैः सवितर्कं सविचारं विवेकजं प्रीतिसुखं प्रथमध्यानमुपसंपद्य विहरति।
Translation
Here, O monks, a monk, secluded from desires and secluded from evil, unwholesome states, attains and dwells in the first dhyāna, which is accompanied by thought (vitarka) and reflection (vicāra), and has joy (prīti) and pleasure (sukha) born of seclusion.
Sanskrit
स वितर्कविचारव्युपशमादध्यात्मसंप्रसादाच्चेतस एकोतिभावादवितर्कमविचारं समाधिजं प्रीतिसुखं द्वितीयध्यानमुपसंपद्यं विहरति।
Translation
With the stilling of thought and reflection, through internal tranquility and unification of mind, he attains and dwells in the second dhyāna, which is without thought and reflection, and has joy and pleasure born of concentration.
Sanskrit
स प्रीतेर्विरागादुपेक्षको विहरति स्मृतः संप्रजानन्, सुखं च कायेन प्रतिसंवेदयते-
Translation
With the fading away of joy, he dwells equanimous, mindful, and clearly aware, and experiences pleasure with the body—
Sanskrit
यत्तदार्या आचक्षते उपेक्षकः स्मृतिमान् सुखविहारी-तृतीयं ध्यानमुपसंपद्य विहरति।
Translation
Of which the Noble Ones say: “He is equanimous, mindful, and dwells in pleasure”—attaining and dwelling in the third dhyāna.
Sanskrit
स सुखस्य च प्रहाणाद्दुःखस्य च प्रहाणात् पूर्वमेव च सौमनस्यदौर्मनस्ययोरस्तंगमाददुःखासुखमुपेक्षास्मृतिपरिशुद्धं चतुर्थध्यानमुपसंपद्य विहरति।
Translation
With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, he attains and dwells in the fourth dhyāna, which is neither-pain-nor-pleasure and has purity of mindfulness due to equanimity.
Sanskrit
इमानि खलु भिक्षवश्चत्वारि ध्यानानि। अयमुच्यते सम्यक्समाधिः॥
Translation
These indeed, O monks, are the four dhyānas. This is called Right Concentration.
Sanskrit
अयमुच्यते भिक्षवः आर्याष्टाङ्गो मार्गः॥
Translation
This, O monks, is called the Noble Eightfold Path.