Source:: [SuttaCentral.net](https://suttacentral.net/snp3.2/en/sujato?layout=sidebyside&script=latin) # Snp3.2 Padhānasutta | On Buddha's [[Padhana|Striving]] Against [[Mara|Māra]] 🙏 Tags:: [[Padhana|Padhāna]], [[Adhitthana|Adhiṭṭhāna]], [[Mara|Māra]] ## Notes > [!tip] =="Who Cares If I Die!?"== 😭🙏 — Buddha's [[Adhitthana|Determination]] and [[Padhana|Striving]] — In Padhānasutta ([Snp3.2](https://suttacentral.net/snp3.2/en/sujato)) > I have **faith** and **energy** too, > _Atthi **saddhā** tathā **viriyaṁ**,_ > > and wisdom is found in me. > _paññā ca mama vijjati;_ > > When I am so **==resolute==**, > _Evaṁ maṁ **==pahitattampi==**,_ > > **==why do you beg me to live?==** > _**kiṁ jīvamanupucchasi**._ > > --- > **The rivers and streams** > _Nadīnamapi sotāni,_ > > **might be dried by the wind**, > _ayaṁ vāto visosaye;_ > > **==so why, when I am resolute==**, > _Kiñca me pahitattassa,_ > > **==should it not dry up my blood?==** > _lohitaṁ nupasussaye._ > > **And while the blood is drying up**, > _Lohite sussamānamhi,_ > > **the bile and phlegm dry too**. > _Pittaṁ semhañca sussati;_ > > And as **my muscles waste away**, > _Maṁsesu khīyamānesu,_ > > **==my mind grows more serene==**. > _**Bhiyyo cittaṁ pasīdati**;_ > > And all the stronger **grow ==mindfulness==** > and **==wisdom==** and **==immersion==**. > > _Bhiyyo **sati** ca **paññā** ca,_ > _**Samādhi** mama tiṭṭhati._ > > --- > ... > > **Let me gird myself** > _Esa muñjaṁ parihare,_ > > **==so what if I die!==** > _**==Dhiratthu mama jīvitaṁ==**;_ > > **==I’d rather die in battle==** > _Saṅgāme me mataṁ seyyo,_ > > **==than live on in defeat==**. > _Yañce jīve parājito._ > > --- > ... > > Having brought my thoughts under control, > _Vasīkaritvā saṅkappaṁ,_ > > and established mindfulness well, > _Satiñca sūpatiṭṭhitaṁ;_ > > I shall wander from country to country, > _Raṭṭhā raṭṭhaṁ vicarissaṁ,_ > > guiding many disciples. > _Sāvake vinayaṁ puthū._ > > **==Diligent==** and **==resolute==**, > _Te **==appamattā==** **==pahitattā==**,_ > > following my instructions, > _Mama sāsanakārakā;_ > > they will proceed despite your will, > _Akāmassa te gamissanti,_ > > to where there is **no sorrow**.” > _Yattha gantvā **na socare**”._ ^what-if-i-die > [!warning] The 10 Armies of Māra — In Padhānasutta ([Snp3.2](https://suttacentral.net/snp3.2/en/sujato)) > **(1)** **Sensual pleasures** are your **first army**, > _**==Kāmā==** te paṭhamā **senā**,_ > > **(2)** the second is called **discontent**, > _Dutiyā **==arati==** vuccati;_ > > **(3)** **hunger and thirst** are the third, > _Tatiyā **==khuppipāsā==** te,_ > > **(4)** and the fourth is said to be **craving**. > _Catutthī **==taṇhā==** pavuccati._ > > **(5)** Your fifth is dullness and **drowsiness**, > _Pañcamaṁ **==thinamiddhaṁ==** te,_ > > **(6)** the sixth is said to be **cowardice**, > _Chaṭṭhā **==bhīrū==** pavuccati;_ > > **(7)** your seventh is **doubt**, > _Sattamī **==vicikicchā==** te,_ > > **(8)** **contempt and obstinacy** are your eighth. > _**==Makkho thambho==** te aṭṭhamo._ > > **(9)** **Profit, praise, and honor**, > _**==Lābho== siloko sakkāro**,_ > > and misbegotten fame; > _**Micchāladdho** ca yo **==yaso==**;_ > > **(10)** the **extolling** of oneself > _Yo cattānaṁ **==samukkaṁse==**,_ > > while **scorning others**. > _Pare ca **avajānati**._ > > --- > > This is **your army**, Namucī, > _Esā namuci **te ==senā==**,_ > > the strike force of the Dark One. > _Kaṇhassābhippahārinī;_ > > Only a hero can defeat it, > _Na naṁ asūro jināti,_ > > but in victory there lies bliss. > _Jetvā ca labhate sukhaṁ._ ^10-armies ## Sutta (Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato) Anthology of Discourses 3.2 Sutta Nipāta 3.2 Striving Padhānasutta “During my time of resolute striving “Taṁ maṁ padhānapahitattaṁ, back on the bank of the Nerañjara River, nadiṁ nerañjaraṁ pati; I was meditating very hard Viparakkamma jhāyantaṁ, for the sake of finding sanctuary from the yoke. yogakkhemassa pattiyā. Namucī approached, Namucī karuṇaṁ vācaṁ, speaking words of kindness: bhāsamāno upāgami; ‘You’re thin, discolored, ‘Kiso tvamasi dubbaṇṇo, on the verge of death. santike maraṇaṁ tava. Death has a thousand parts of you, Compare Chāndogya Upaniṣad 6.7.6, where after fasting only one part of sixteen is left. Sahassabhāgo maraṇassa, one fraction is left to life. ekaṁso tava jīvitaṁ; Live sir! Life is better! Jīva bho jīvitaṁ seyyo, Living, you can make merits. jīvaṁ puññāni kāhasi. While leading the spiritual life Carato ca te brahmacariyaṁ, and serving the sacred flame, Aggihuttañca jūhato; you can pile up abundant merit— Pahūtaṁ cīyate puññaṁ, so what will striving do for you? Kiṁ padhānena kāhasi. Hard to walk is the path of striving, Duggo maggo padhānāya, hard to do, a hard challenge to win.’” dukkaro durabhisambhavo’”; These are the verses Māra spoke Imā gāthā bhaṇaṁ māro, as he stood beside the Buddha. aṭṭhā buddhassa santike. When Māra had spoken in this way, Taṁ tathāvādinaṁ māraṁ, Variant: tathā → tapo (sya-all, mr); tato (pts-vp-pli1) the Buddha said this: bhagavā etadabravi; “O Wicked One, kinsman of the negligent, “Pamattabandhu pāpima, you’re here for your own purpose. yenatthena idhāgato. Variant: yenatthena → senatthena (?) | attano atthena (aṭṭha.) I have no need for Aṇumattopi puññena, Variant: Aṇumattopi → aṇumattenapi (bj, pts-vp-pli1) the slightest bit of merit. Attho mayhaṁ na vijjati; Those with need for merit Yesañca attho puññena, are fit for Māra to address. Te māro vattumarahati. I have faith and energy too, Atthi saddhā tathā viriyaṁ, and wisdom is found in me. paññā ca mama vijjati; Variant: mama → idha (pts-vp-pli1, mr) When I am so resolute, Evaṁ maṁ pahitattampi, why do you beg me to live? kiṁ jīvamanupucchasi. The rivers and streams Nadīnamapi sotāni, might be dried by the wind, ayaṁ vāto visosaye; so why, when I am resolute, Kiñca me pahitattassa, should it not dry up my blood? lohitaṁ nupasussaye. And while the blood is drying up, Lohite sussamānamhi, the bile and phlegm dry too. Pittaṁ semhañca sussati; And as my muscles waste away, Maṁsesu khīyamānesu, my mind grows more serene. Bhiyyo cittaṁ pasīdati; And all the stronger grow mindfulness Bhiyyo sati ca paññā ca, and wisdom and immersion. Samādhi mama tiṭṭhati. As I meditate like this, Tassa mevaṁ viharato, having attained the supreme feeling, For vedanā, the Mahāvastu has padaṁ, while the Saṅghabhedavastu has cetanā. Pattassuttamavedanaṁ; my mind has no interest in sensual pleasures: Kāmesu nāpekkhate cittaṁ, Variant: Kāmesu → kāme (bj, sya-all) behold a being’s purity! Passa sattassa suddhataṁ. Sensual pleasures are your first army, Kāmā te paṭhamā senā, the second is called discontent, Dutiyā arati vuccati; hunger and thirst are the third, Tatiyā khuppipāsā te, and the fourth is said to be craving. Catutthī taṇhā pavuccati. Your fifth is dullness and drowsiness, Pañcamaṁ thinamiddhaṁ te, Variant: Pañcamaṁ → pañcamī (bj, pts-vp-pli1) the sixth is said to be cowardice, Chaṭṭhā bhīrū pavuccati; your seventh is doubt, Sattamī vicikicchā te, contempt and obstinacy are your eighth. Makkho thambho te aṭṭhamo. Profit, praise, and honor, Lābho siloko sakkāro, and misbegotten fame; Micchāladdho ca yo yaso; the extolling of oneself Yo cattānaṁ samukkaṁse, while scorning others. Pare ca avajānati. This is your army, Namucī, Esā namuci te senā, the strike force of the Dark One. Kaṇhassābhippahārinī; Only a hero can defeat it, Na naṁ asūro jināti, but in victory there lies bliss. Jetvā ca labhate sukhaṁ. Let me gird myself—The meaning of these lines is quite obscure. The muñja was used for the brahmin’s girdle, and as such became an epithet of Vishnu and Shiva. The sense of “girdle” in English conveys the idea of preparing oneself for a righteous challenge, “gird thy loins”. I take parihare as optative. Esa muñjaṁ parihare, so what if I die! Dhiratthu is a curse, lit. “damn my life”. But it’s hard to render as a literal curse without sounding like it’s weird, swearing, or casting a spell. Dhiratthu mama jīvitaṁ; I’d rather die in battle Saṅgāme me mataṁ seyyo, than live on in defeat. Yañce jīve parājito. Here some ascetics and brahmins Pagāḷhettha na dissanti, are swallowed up, not to be seen again. Eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā; And they do not know the path Tañca maggaṁ na jānanti, traveled by those true to their vows. Yena gacchanti subbatā. Seeing Māra ready on his mount, Samantā dhajiniṁ disvā, surrounded by his bannered forces, Yuttaṁ māraṁ savāhanaṁ; I shall meet them in battle— Yuddhāya paccuggacchāmi, they’ll never make me retreat! Mā maṁ ṭhānā acāvayi. That army of yours has never been beaten Yaṁ te taṁ nappasahati, by the world with all its gods. Senaṁ loko sadevako; Yet I shall smash it with wisdom, Taṁ te paññāya bhecchāmi, Variant: bhecchāmi → gacchāmi (bj, pts-vp-pli1); vecchāmi (sya-all); vajjhāmi (mr) like an unfired pot with a stone. An unfired pot is also used as simile for weakness at MN 122:27.1. Āmaṁ pattaṁva asmanā. Variant: pattaṁva asmanā → pakkaṁva amhanā (sya-all, mr); pattaṁ va amhanā (pts-vp-pli1) Having brought my thoughts under control, Vasīkaritvā saṅkappaṁ, Variant: Vasīkaritvā → vasiṁ karitvā (bahūsu) and established mindfulness well, Satiñca sūpatiṭṭhitaṁ; I shall wander from country to country, Raṭṭhā raṭṭhaṁ vicarissaṁ, guiding many disciples. Sāvake vinayaṁ puthū. Diligent and resolute, Te appamattā pahitattā, following my instructions, Mama sāsanakārakā; they will proceed despite your will, Akāmassa te gamissanti, Variant: Akāmassa → akāmā (mr) to where there is no sorrow.” Yattha gantvā na socare”. “For seven years I followed “Satta vassāni bhagavantaṁ, step by step behind the Blessed One. Anubandhiṁ padāpadaṁ; I found no vulnerability Otāraṁ nādhigacchissaṁ, in the mindful Awakened One. Sambuddhassa satīmato. A crow once circled a stone Medavaṇṇaṁva pāsāṇaṁ, that looked like a lump of fat. Vāyaso anupariyagā; ‘Perhaps I’ll find something tender,’ it thought, Apettha muduṁ vindema, Variant: muduṁ → mudu (bj, pts-vp-pli1) ‘perhaps there’s something tasty.’ Api assādanā siyā. But finding nothing tasty, Aladdhā tattha assādaṁ, the crow left that place. Vāyasetto apakkami; Like the crow that pecked the stone, Kākova selamāsajja, I leave Gotama disappointed.” Nibbijjāpema gotamaṁ”. So stricken with sorrow Tassa sokaparetassa, that his harp dropped from his armpit, Vīṇā kacchā abhassatha; that spirit, downcast, Tato so dummano yakkho, vanished right there. Tatthevantaradhāyathāti.