The Question of the Student Hemaka

Sutta Nipāta 5.9 Hemakamāṇavapucchā “Ye me pubbe viyākaṁsu, (iccāyasmā hemako) Huraṁ gotamasāsanā; Iccāsi iti bhavissati, Sabbaṁ taṁ itihītihaṁ; Sabbaṁ taṁ takkavaḍḍhanaṁ, Nāhaṁ tattha abhiramiṁ.

Those who explained things to me in the past,

(said the venerable Hemaka),

outside of Gotama’s teaching,

saying, ‘So it was, so it will be:

Tvañca me dhammamakkhāhi, taṇhānigghātanaṁ muni; Yaṁ viditvā sato caraṁ, tare loke visattikaṁ”.

all that was merely hearsay,

all that just fueled speculation.

I found no delight in it.

But you, O sage, please declare to me the Dhamma

“Idha diṭṭhasutamutaviññātesu, Piyarūpesu hemaka; Chandarāgavinodanaṁ, Nibbānapadamaccutaṁ.

that destroys craving,

knowing which, living mindfully,

one crosses over entanglement in the world.

Here, Hemaka, regarding agreeable things

Etadaññāya ye satā, Diṭṭhadhammābhinibbutā; Upasantā ca te sadā, Tiṇṇā loke visattikan”ti.

that are seen, heard, sensed, and cognized:

the dispelling of desire and greed

is the imperishable state of Nibbāna.

Those who are mindful, knowing this,

Hemakamāṇavapucchā aṭṭhamā.

are fully quenched in this very life.

They are forever peaceful,

having crossed over entanglement in the world.

The Question of the Student Hemaka is the eighth.