The prefatory verse to a short discourse on what is to be done and what abandoned, addressed to Ānanda.
- When chanted
- Chanted immediately before the Karaṇīyākaraṇīya Sutta, introducing it.
A note on this chant. The book prints this chant in Pali only, with no Thai translation. The English here is a working translation prepared for this edition — it is not the book's own, and has not yet been checked by a teacher.
Historical background
The introduction states the discourse's purpose in a single pairing: so that what should not be done be abandoned, and what should be done be done. The Pali sets the two words side by side, as the title does.
It also names the person taught — the Sage of Videha — which is Ānanda, the Buddha's attendant, and the discourse itself is cast as an exchange with him.
Meaning and purpose
The Buddha is described by function rather than by epithet here: the Sage, training those fit to be trained in the path of happiness. สุขะมัคคัส๎มิง, in the path of happiness, is an unusual way to name the training and worth noticing.
The purpose clause is symmetrical and covers the whole of conduct in four words. Nothing needs to be added to should be done and should not be done to have a complete ethics.
It closes as these verses do, with the reason for reciting: having heard it, so as to act accordingly. The recitation is not offered as merit but as the first step of doing what the discourse says.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 111 →
page 111วิเนตา สุขะมัคคัส๎มิง เวเนยเย วินะยัง มุนิ
Vinetā sukhamaggasmiṃ veneyye vinayaṃ muni
The Sage, training those fit to be trained in the path of happiness,
อะกะรัญญัปปะหานายะ กะรัญญะกะระณายะ จะ.
Akaraññappahānāya karaññakaraṇāya ca.
so that what should not be done be abandoned, and what should be done be done —
ยัง สุตตันตัง อะภาสิตถะ เวเทหะมุนิโน วะรัง
Yaṃ suttantaṃ abhāsittha vedehamunino varaṃ
the discourse he spoke, excellent, to the Sage of Videha,
สุต๎วา ตะถานุการายะ ตัง สุตตันตัง ภะณามะ เส.
Sutvā tathānukārāya taṃ suttantaṃ bhaṇāma se.
let us recite that discourse, having heard it, so as to act accordingly.