Khuddaka Nikaya - Sutta Nipata - Nava Sutta

Sn 2.8
Nava Sutta
A Boat
Translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Alternate translation:IrelandThanissaro
PTS: Sn 316-323



Source: Transcribed from a file provided by the translator.



Copyright © 2001 Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Access to Insight edition © 2001
For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted,
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to the public on a free and unrestricted basis and that translations and
other derivative works be clearly marked as such.



Translator's note: Although it is often lost in translation, this poem in the
Pali has a clearly articulated over-all structure. The first seven verses —
coming under the "because" (yasma) — state reasons, while the last verse, under
the "so" (tasma), draws the conclusion: find a good teacher and practice the
Dhamma.



Because:
when you honor
— as the devas, Indra —
one from whom
you might learn the Dhamma,
he, learned, honored,
confident in you,
shows you the Dhamma.

You, enlightened, heedful,
befriending a teacher like that,
practicing the Dhamma in line with the Dhamma,
pondering,
giving it priority,
become
knowledgeable,
clear-minded,
wise.

But if you consort with a piddling fool
who's envious,
hasn't come to the goal,
you'll go to death
without having cleared up the Dhamma right here,
with your doubts unresolved.

Like a man gone down to a river —
turbulent, flooding, swift-flowing —
and swept away in the current:
how can he help others across?

Even so:
he who hasn't
cleared up the Dhamma,
attended to the meaning
of what the learned say,
crossed over his doubts:
how can he get others
to comprehend?

But as one who's embarked
on a sturdy boat,
with rudder & oars,
would — mindful, skillful,
knowing the needed techniques —
carry many others across,

even so
an attainer-of-knowledge, learned,
self-developed, unwavering
can get other people to comprehend —
if they're willing to listen,
ready to learn.

So:
you should befriend
a person of integrity —
learned, intelligent.
Practicing so
as to know the goal,
when you've experienced the Dhamma,

you get bliss.