Sutta Nipāta 5.18 Pārāyanatthutigāthā Idamavoca bhagavā magadhesu viharanto pāsāṇake cetiye, paricārakasoḷasānaṁ brāhmaṇānaṁ ajjhiṭṭho puṭṭho puṭṭho pañhaṁ byākāsi.

Verses in Praise of the Way to the Far Shore

The Blessed One said this while dwelling among the Magadhans at the Pāsāṇaka Shrine. Requested by the sixteen attending brahmins, he answered the questions as he was asked each in turn.

If one were to know the meaning and know the teaching of each and every question, and practice in line with the teaching, one would surely go to the far shore of old age and death.

Ekamekassa cepi pañhassa atthamaññāya dhammamaññāya dhammānudhammaṁ paṭipajjeyya, gaccheyyeva jarāmaraṇassa pāraṁ.

These teachings lead to the far shore:therefore, the designation for this exposition of the Dhamma is The Way to the Far Shore (Pārāyana).

Pāraṅgamanīyā ime dhammāti, tasmā imassa dhammapariyāyassa pārāyananteva adhivacanaṁ.

Ajita, Tissa Metteyya,

Puṇṇaka, and then Mettagū;

Dhotaka and Upasīva,

Nanda, and then Hemaka;

Ajito tissametteyyo, puṇṇako atha mettagū; Dhotako upasīvo ca, nando ca atha hemako.

Both Todeyya and Kappa,

and the wise Jatukaṇṇī;

Bhadrāvudha and Udaya,

and also the brahmin Posāla;

Todeyya-kappā dubhayo, jatukaṇṇī ca paṇḍito; Bhadrāvudho udayo ca, posālo cāpi brāhmaṇo; Mogharājā ca medhāvī, piṅgiyo ca mahāisi.

The intelligent Mogharāja,

and the great seer Piṅgiya:

These approached the Tathāgata,

the seer accomplished in conduct.

Ete buddhaṁ upāgacchuṁ, sampannacaraṇaṁ isiṁ; Pucchantā nipuṇe pañhe, buddhaseṭṭhaṁ upāgamuṁ.

Asking profound questions,

they approached the supreme Tathāgata.

Being asked, the Tathāgata answered

their questions according to reality.

Tesaṁ buddho pabyākāsi, pañhe puṭṭho yathātathaṁ; Pañhānaṁ veyyākaraṇena, tosesi brāhmaṇe muni.

By answering their questions,

the sage satisfied the brahmins.

Satisfied by the Visionary,

the Tathāgata, the Kinsman of the Sun,

Te tositā cakkhumatā, buddhenādiccabandhunā; Brahmacariyamacariṁsu, varapaññassa santike.

they lived the spiritual life

in the presence of the one of excellent wisdom.

Whoever would practice accordingly

for each and every question,

Ekamekassa pañhassa, yathā buddhena desitaṁ; Tathā yo paṭipajjeyya, gacche pāraṁ apārato.

just as taught by the Tathāgata,

would go from the near shore to the far shore.

From the near shore to the far shore one would go,

Apārā pāraṁ gaccheyya, bhāvento maggamuttamaṁ; Maggo so pāraṁ gamanāya, tasmā pārāyanaṁ iti.

developing the supreme path.

This is the path for going to the far shore,

therefore it is The Way to the Far Shore.