Temple monks – Dana 1960
Temple monks – Dana 2008
Found all the differences? Maybe now you know why there is no English translation of the Phusso Theragatha? v. 949 – 980. Hmmm….
The online versions of the Theragatha seem to ignore this interesting gatha. It seems like every monastic translator is working his way around these verses 🙂 But they are not unimportant, especially today; quite the contrary:
Theragatha – Phusso Thero {pali}
949
Having seen many monks
Of noble stature, developed and restrained,
The wise one of the Pandaraso clan
Asked Phusso, his beloved friend:
950
“How do you think the monks
In future times will behave?
What will they ponder, what desire?
Pray tell me, this I ask of you!”
951
“Well hear my word, Pandaraso,
You sage and dear old friend:
Mark well my word, remember it
I will explain the future times:
952
Full hatred and full enmity
Concealing and insensible,
Jealous of each other, each teaching his own
So will they be in future times.
953
Believing that they have realized
The truth so deep. These monks just take it lightly –
They walk just on this worldly shore – a disrespectful crowd,
And blame each other for this and that.
954
Many disadvantages will then appear
In future times.
The teachings, oh so well explained,
These foolish monks will spoil.
955
Within the Sangha, void of virtue
They show themselves so bold as the standard;
They will become much even stronger,
Loud with their mouths, untrained at all.
956
Those in the Sangha, full of virtue
Will appear less, behaving right,
They will become much even weaker,
Not looking for their benefit, humble and shy.
957
Gold, silver – money – they accept
As well as house and cattle, land!
And servant, maid – these unwise monks:
This will the future bring, my friend.
958
These fools will walk without restraint,
And unrestrained in virtue’s path,
And haughty will their walk be like
They find their joy in heated arguments.
959
Puffed up they walk and dress in dark
These fellows want to look like saints?
Deceitful, stubborn is their heart
And boastful babblers that they are!
960
They will apply gel to their hair
Use make-up for their fancy looks.
Such will they walk on city streets,
Adorned with gold and ivory.
961
The brown robe of the purified,
The dress of all the Arahants,
They hate that robe and wear instead
A (white) clean dress – finding here delight.
962
They long for riches, long for pleasure,
Are lazy without energy,
They flee the hermitage, the wood,
And move closer to city walls.
963
And those who gain the most,
Enjoying frivolously their wrong life,
They will be honored, will be leaders,
And people take refuge in unrestrained monks.
964
Those without gains
Will not be honored,
And even if they are best trained
And wise: nobody joins their fellowship.
965
The various patches
Which we color and sew into a robe:
They hate those ugly robes and look instead
To wear clean (white) robes like other pilgrims do.
966
Without respect for pale brown robes,
Against their very mind goes this:
The reason for the beggar’s robe
These “bhikkhus” will not tolerate.
967
Hit by a spear – long time ago,
In bitter pain, an elephant
Once fell into a trap
Unthinkable, unheard before:
968
There saw the elephant a man
A hunter clad in arhant’s cloth,
And deep his pain, deep his complaint,
He spoke this word, his final one:
969
«One who wears the stainless robe
who’s yet not free from stain,
without restraint and truthfulness
Does not deserve the stainless robe.
970
But one who is self-cleansed of stain,
in moral conduct firmly set,
having restraint and truthfulness
He does deserve the stainless robe.»
971
Who, void of virtue, foolish,
Is servant of his sensual pleasures,
Whose mind is scattered, dull, unclear:
Does not deserve the stainless robe.
972
Yet who endowed with virtue is,
Empty of lust, whose mind is well stilled,
With purified and cleared mind:
Yes, he deserves the stainless robe.
973
The haughty, cocky fool indeed,
In whom no virtue can be found –
Yes, white householder’s clothes dress fine:
What should he care for brownish robes?
974
The monks and nuns in future times
With upset minds, without respect
Enjoy putting down anyone
Who mastered silence, kindliness.
975
And even if the elder monks
Teach how to wear the robes,
They listen not, impatient fools,
Are known to follow sensual joys.
976
And thus these untrained foolish men
Will just enjoy blaming each other,
Not listening to teachers, elders,
Like a bad breed of untrained horse.
977
This is the future’s face, my friend,
This will indeed their “progress” be:
Which monks and nuns in later times
Will have to face, that’s what they get.
978
Before however such a time,
This great a danger comes to us,
Be mild in mind, and listen well,
Respect each other full of joy.
979
Develop kindness and compassion,
Restrain in virtue quite yourself;
And seek out striving, dedication
Give never up, the goal is close!
980
View carelessness as a precipice
And carefulness as certitude:
Thus on the path eightfold it’s known:
You will touch soon the deathlessness.”
PS: This translation is far from perfect, but at least it gives the gist of Thera Phusso’s reflections. It is especially helpful for monks/nuns in the Sangha to help keep the Sangha on track. Here are some very positive examples from today: here and here and many more!!
