A New Course in Reading Pali

Lesson II - Readings

Exercise 1

Kiccho manussapa.tilaabho
kiccha.m maccaana.m jiivita.m
kiccha.m saddhammasavana.m
kiccho buddhaana.m uppaado.
Difficult it is to be born human,
difficult is the life of a man,
difficult it is listening to the true doctrine,
difficult is the arising of enlightened ones.

(Dhp. 14:182)

Sabbapaapassa akara.na.m
kusalassa upasampadaa
sacittapariyodapana.m
eta.m buddhaana(.m) saasana.m.
The non-doing of all evil,
the attainment of the good,
the purification of one’s own mind;
this is the teaching of the enlightened ones.

(Dhp. 14:183)

Na hi verena veraani
sammantiidha kudaacana.m
averena ca sammanti
esa dhammo sanantano.
Not from enmity do enmities
ever cease in this world,
but rather from non-enmity.
This is the eternal doctrine.

(Dhp. 1:5)

Exercise 2

Tiihi, bhikkhave, a.mgehi samannaagato paapa.niko abhabbo anadhigata.m vaa bhoga.m adhigantu.m, adhigata.m vaa bhoga.m phaati.m kaatu.m. Katamehi tiihi: idha, bhikkhave, paapa.niko pubbanhasamaya.m na sakkacca.m kammanta.m adhi.t.thaati, majjha.nhikasamaya.m na sakkacca.m kammanta.m adhi.t.thaati, saayanhasamaya.m na sakkacca.m kammanta.m adi.t.thaati. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tiihi a.mgehi samannaagato paapa.niko abhabbo anadhigata.m aa bhoga.m adhigantu.m, adhigata.m vaa bhoga.m phaati.m kaatu.m.
O monks, a merchant endowed with three attributes is not able to obtain unattained wealth, nor increase wealth already attained. With which three? Here, monks, a merchant does not attend carefully to his business in the morning, does not attend carefully to his business in the afternoon, and does not attend carefully to his business in the evening. Endowed with these three attributes, monks, a merchant is not able to obtain unattained wealth, nor increase wealth already attained.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, tiihi dhammehi samannaagato bhikkhu abhabbo anadhigata.m vaa kusala.m dhamma.m adhigantu.m, adhigata.m vaa kusala.m dhamma.m phaati.m kaatu.m. Katamehi tiihi: idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pubbanhasamaya.m na sakkacca.m samaadhinimitta.m adhi.t.thaati, majjha.nhikasamaya.m na sakkacca.m samaadhinimitta.m adhi.t.thaati, saayanhasamaya.m na sakkacca.m samaadhinimitta.m adi.t.thaati. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tiihi dhammehi samannaagato bhikkhu abhabbo anadhigata.m vaa kusala.m dhamma.m adhigantu.m, adhigata.m vaa kusala.m dhamma.m phaati.m kaatu.m.
Similarly, monks, a monk endowed with three attributes is not able to obtain an unattained good mental state nor develop a good mental state already attained. With which three? Here, monks, a monk does not attend carefully to his object of meditation in the morning, does not attend carefully to his object of meditation in the afternoon, and does not attend carefully to his object of meditation in the evening. Endowed with these three attributes, o monks, a monk is not able to obtain an unattained good mental state, nor develop a good mental state already attained.

Tiihi, bhikkhave, a.mgehi samannaagato paapa.niko bhabbo anadhigata.m vaa bhoga.m adhigantu.m, adhigata.m vaa bhoga.m phaati.m kaatu.m. Katamehi tiihi: idha, bhikkhave, paapa.niko pubbanhasamaya.m sakkacca.m kammanta.m adhi.t.thaati, majjha.nhikasamaya.m... pe... saayanhasamaya.m sakkacca.m kammanta.m adhi.t.thaati. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tiihi a.mgehi samannaagato paapa.niko bhabbo anadhigata.m vaa bhoga.m adhigantu.m, adhigata.m vaa bhoga.m phaati.m kaatu.m.
O monks, a merchant endowed with three attributes is able to obtain unattained wealth or develop a wealth already attained. With which three? Here, monks, a merchant does attend carefully to his business in the morning, does attend carefully to his business in the afternoon, and does attend carefully to his business in the evening. Endowed with these three attributes, o monks, a merchant is able to obtain an unattained wealth, or develop a wealth already attained.

Evameva kho, bhikkhave, tiihi dhammehi samannaagato bhikkhu bhabbo anadhigata.m vaa kusala.m dhamma.m anadhigantu.m, adhigata.m vaa kusala.m dhamma.m phaati.m kaatu.m. Katamehi tiihi: idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu pubbanhasamaya.m sakkacca.m samaadhinimitta.m adhi.t.thaati, majjha.nhikasamaya.m... pe... saayanhasamaya.m sakkacca.m samaadhinimitta.m adi.t.thaati. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, tiihi dhammehi samannaagato bhikkhu bhabbo anadhigata.m vaa kusala.m dhamma.m adhigantu.m, adhigata.m vaa kusala.m dhamma.m
phaati.m kaatu.m’ti.
Similarly, monks, a monk endowed with three attributes is able to obtain an unattained good mental state or develop a good mental state already attained. With which three? Here, monks, a monk does attend carefully to his object of meditation in the morning, does attend carefully to his object of meditation in the afternoon, and does attend carefully to his object of meditation in the evening. Endowed with these three attributes, o monks, a monk is able to obtain an unattained good mental state, or develop a good mental state already attained.

(A.N. 3.2.9 [3.19] Pa.thamapaapa.nikasutta.m)

Exercise 3

...Evameva kho, bhikkhave, appakaa te sattaa ye manussesu paccaajaayanti; atha kho eteva sattaa bahutaraa ye aññatra manussehi paccaajaayanti.
...Similarly, monks, few are those beings that are born among men; while many are those beings born apart from men.

...Evameva kho, bhikkhave, appakaa te sattaa ye majjhimesu janapadesu paccaajaayanti; atha kho eteva sattaa bahutaraa ye paccantimesu janapadesu paccaajaayanti…
...Similarly, monks, few are those beings that are born in the middle provinces; while many are those beings born in the outskirts.

...Evameva kho, bhikkhave, appakaa te sattaa ye paññavanto, aja.laa, ane.lamuugaa pa.tibalaa subhaasitadubbhaasitassa atthamaññaatu.m; atha kho eteva sattaa bahutaraa ye duppaññaa ja.laa e.lamuugaa na pa.tibalaa subhaasitadubbhaasitassa atthamaññaatu.m.
...Similarly, monks, few are those beings that are wise ones, not stupid, receptive to the doctrine, and competent to discriminate between good speech and bad; while many are those beings that are unwise ones, stupid, unreceptive to the doctrine, and incompetent to discriminate between good speech and bad.

...Evameva kho, bhikkhave, appakaa te sattaa ye ariyena paññaacakkhunaa samannaagataa; atha kho eteva satta bahutaraa ye avijjaagataa sammuu.lhaa.
...Similarly, monks, few are those beings that are endowed with the noble eye of wisdom; while many are those beings who are ignorant and confused.

...Evameva kho, bhikkhave, appakaa te sattaa ye labhanti tathaagata.m dassanaaya; atha kho eteva sattaa bahutaraa ye na labhanti tathaagata.m dassanaaya.
...Similarly, monks, few are those beings who get to see the Buddha; while many are those beings who do not get to see the Buddha.

...Evameva kho, bhikkhave, appakaa te sattaa ye labhanti tathaagatappavedita.m dhammavinaya.m sava.naaya; atha kho eteva sattaa bahutaraa, ye na labhanti tathaagatappavedita.m dhammavinaya.m sava.naaya.
...Similarly, monks, few are those beings who get to hear the teachings expounded by the Buddha; while many are those beings born who do not get to hear the doctrine and the moral code expounded by the Buddha.

(A.N. 1.16.4 [1.323-327] Ekadhammapaali Catutthavaggo)

Lesson II - Further Readings

Exercise 1

*Tii.ni’maani, bhikkhave, nidaanaani kammaana.m samudayaaya.
There are these three causes for the arising of karma.
[*Warder, Ch 26, ordinal numbers: adding suffix -ma (fem. mii) to the cardinals. That does it: tiinimaani, in one word. Threefold.]
[ tiini'maani = tiini (three) + imaani (these), both nominative plural. ]

Lobho nidaana.m kammaana.m samudayaaya, doso nidaana.m kammaana.m samudayaaya, moho nidaana.m kammaana.m samudayaaya.
Greed is an origin of the arising of karma, anger is an origin of the arising of karma, and delusion is an origin of the arising of karma.

Ya.m, bhikkhave, lobhapakata.m kamma.m lobhaja.m lobhanidaana.m lobhasamudaya.m, ta.m kamma.m akusala.m, ta.m kamma.m saavajja.m, ta.m kamma.m dukkhavipaaka.m, ta.m kamma.m kammasamudayaaya sa.mvattati. Na ta.m kamma.m kammanirodhaaya sa.mvattati.
That action which is done from greed, is born from greed, has greed as its origin, arises from greed, that action is unskillful, that action is reprehensible, that action results in suffering, that action leads to the arising of karma. That action does not lead to cessation of karma.

Ya.m, bhikkhave, dosapakata.m kamma.m dosaja.m dosanidaana.m dosasamudaya.m, ta.m kamma.m akusala.m, ta.m kamma.m saavajja.m, ta.m kamma.m dukkhavipaaka.m, ta.m kamma.m kammasamudayaaya sa.mvattati. Na ta.m kamma.m kammanirodhaaya sa.mvattati.
That action which is done from anger, is born from anger, has anger as its origin, arises from anger, that action is unskillful, that action is reprehensible, that action results in suffering, that action leads to the arising of karma. That action does not lead to cessation of karma.

Ya.m, bhikkhave, mohapakata.m kamma.m mohaja.m mohanidaana.m mohasamudaya.m, ta.m kamma.m akusala.m, ta.m kamma.m saavajja.m, ta.m kamma.m dukkhavipaaka.m, ta.m kamma.m kammasamudayaaya sa.mvattati. Na ta.m kamma.m kammanirodhaaya sa.mvattati.
That action which is done from delusion, is born from delusion, has delusion as its origin, arises from delusion, that action is unskillful, that action is reprehensible, that action results in suffering, that action leads to the arising of karma. That action does not lead to cessation of karma.

Imaani kho bhikkhave tii.ni nidaanaani kammaana.m samudayaaya.
Indeed these, monks, are three causes for the arising of karma.

Tii.nimaani bhikkhave nidaanaani kammaana.m samudayaaya.
There are these three causes for the arising of karma.

Katamaani tii.ni?
What are the three?

Alobho nidaana.m kammaana.m samudayaaya, adoso nidaana.m kammaana.m samudayaaya, amoho nidaana.m kammaana.m samudayaaya.
Non-greed is an origin of the arising of karma, non-anger is an origin of the arising of karma, and non-delusion is an origin of the arising of karma.

Ya.m, bhikkhave, alobhapakata.m kamma.m alobhaja.m alobhanidaana.m alobhasamudaya.m, ta.m kamma.m kusala.m, ta.m kamma.m anavajja.m, ta.m kamma.m sukhavipaaka.m, ta.m kamma.m kammanirodhaaya sa.mvattati. Na ta.m kamma.m kammasamudayaaya sa.mvattati.
That action which is done from non-greed, is born from non-greed, has non-greed as its origin, arises from non-greed, that action is skillful, that action is commendable, that action results in happiness, that action leads to freedom from kamma. That action does not lead to the arising of karma.

Ya.m, bhikkhave, adosapakata.m kamma.m adosaja.m adosanidaana.m adosasamudaya.m, ta.m kamma.m kusala.m, ta.m kamma.m anavajja.m, ta.m kamma.m sukhavipaaka.m, ta.m kamma.m kammanirodhaaya sa.mvattati. Na ta.m kammaa kammasamudayaaya sa.mvattati.
That action which is done from non-anger, is born from non-anger, has non-anger as its origin, arises from non-anger, that action is skillful, that action is commendable, that action results in happiness, that action leads to freedom from kamma. That action does not lead to the arising of karma.

Ya.m, bhikkhave, amohapakata.m kamma.m amohaja.m amohanidaana.m amohasamudaya.m, ta.m kamma.m kusala.m, ta.m kamma.m anavajja.m, ta.m kamma.m sukhavipaaka.m, ta.m kamma.m kammanirodhaaya sa.mvattati. Na ta.m kamma.m kammasamudayaaya sa.mvattati.
That action which is done from non-delusion, is born from non-delusion, has non-delusion as its origin, arises from non-delusion, that action is skillful, that action is commendable, that action results in happiness, that action leads to freedom from kamma. That action does not lead to the arising of karma.

Imaani kho, bhikkhave, tii.ni nidaanaani kammaana.m samudayaayaati.
Indeed these, monks, are three causes for the arising of karma.

(A.N. 3.11.9. [3.112] Pa.thamanidaanasutta.m)

Exercise 2

Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannaagato bhikkhu cavati, nappati.t.thaati saddhamme.
Monks, a monk endowed with five factors falls away, and does not stand firmly in the true doctrine.

Katamehi pañcahi?
With what five?

Assaddho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cavati, nappati.t.thaati saddhamme.
Monks, an monk without faith falls away, and does not stand firmly in the true doctrine.

Ahiriko, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cavati, nappati.t.thaati saddhamme.
Monks, a shameless monk falls away, and does not stand firmly in the true doctrine.

Anottappii, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cavati, nappati.t.thaati saddhamme.
Monks, a monk without remorse falls away, and does not stand firmly in the true doctrine.

Kusiito, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cavati, nappati.t.thaati saddhamme.
Monks, a lazy monk falls away, and does not stand firmly in the true doctrine.

Duppañño, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cavati, nappati.t.thaati saddhamme
Monks, an unwise monk falls away, and does not stand firmly in the true doctrine.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannaagato bhikkhu cavati, nappati.t.thaati saddhamme.
Monks, a monk endowed with these five factors falls away, and does not stand firmly in the true doctrine.

Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannaagato bhikkhu na cavati, pati.t.thaati saddhamme.
Monks, a monk endowed with five factors does not fall away, and stands firmly in the true doctrine.

Katamehi pañcahi?
With what five?

Saddho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na cavati, pati.t.thaati saddhamme.
Monks, a devoted monk does not fall away, and stands firmly in the true doctrine.

Hirimaa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuu na cavati, pati.t.thaati saddhamme.
Monks, a modest monk does not fall away, and stands firmly in the true doctrine.

Ottappii, bhikkhave, bhikkhuu na cavati pati.t.thaati saddhamme.
Monks, a scrupulous monk does not fall away, and stands firmly in the true doctrine.

AAraddhaviriyo, bhikkhave, bhikkhu na cavati, pati.t.thaati saddhamme.
Monks, an energetic monk does not fall away, and stands firmly in the true doctrine.

Paññavaa, bhikkhave, bhikkhuu na cavati, pati.t.thaati saddhamme.
Monks, a wise monk does not fall away, and stands firmly in the true doctrine.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannaagato bhikkhuu na cavati, pati.t.thaati saddhamme.
Monks, a monk endowed with these five factors does not fall away, and stands firmly in the true doctrine.

(A.N. 5.1.8, [5.8] Cavanasutta.m)