The prefatory verse to the analysis of the eightfold path, on the Buddha as the one who points out the way he went himself.
- When chanted
- Chanted immediately before the Maggavibhaṅga 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 turns on a single word used four times over in four senses — path. The world does not know which path; he is the path among those who point out the path; he realised that path; he went by that very path himself.
That repetition is deliberate and is the whole argument of the verse.
Meaning and purpose
It opens with the problem: this world with its devas, its Māras and its Brahmās, not knowing which path, is not freed from all suffering. The difficulty is not that there is no way out but that nobody can tell which way it is.
The credential offered is not authority but experience — having gone by that very path himself, he reached the unsurpassed awakening. A guide who has made the journey is a different thing from one who has a map.
Then the purpose, which is put in terms of the listeners rather than the speaker: to arouse yet more faith and to straighten their view, and to bring about well-being. The discourse that follows is a plain list of eight definitions, and this verse is what makes a listener want it.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 107 and page 108 →
page 107สะเทวะโก อะยัง โลโก สะมาระโก สะพ๎รัห๎มะโก
Sadevako ayaṃ loko samārako sabrahmako
This world with its devas, with its Māras and its Brahmās,
ยัมมัคคัง อัปปะชานันโต สัพพะทุกขา นะ มุจจะติ.
Yammaggaṃ appajānanto sabbadukkhā na muccati.
not knowing which path, is not freed from all suffering.
มัคคักขายีนะมัคโค โส ภะคะวา มัคคะโกวิโท
Maggakkhāyīnamaggo so bhagavā maggakovido
He is the path among those who point out the path, the Blessed One skilled in the path,
ตัง เว มัคคัง อะภิญญายะ ทุกขะสังขะยะคามินัง.
Taṃ ve maggaṃ abhiññāya dukkhasaṅkhayagāminaṃ.
having realised that path which leads to the destruction of suffering.
สะยัง เตเนวะ คันต๎วานะ ปัตโต โพธิมะนุตตะรัง
Sayaṃ teneva gantvāna patto bodhimanuttaraṃ
Having gone by that very path himself, he reached the unsurpassed awakening;
สัมมานุปะฏิปัต๎ยัตถัง สัตตานัง โพธิกามินัง.
Sammānupaṭipattyatthaṃ sattānaṃ bodhikāminaṃ.
and for the right practice of beings who long for awakening,
นานาวิเธหุปาเยภิ ปะเวเทสิ หิเตสะโก
Nānāvidhehupāyebhi pavedesi hitesako
the seeker of their welfare made it known by many kinds of means.
ตัมมัคคะทีปะกัง สุตตัง ยัง สัมพุทเธนะ ภาสิตัง.
Tammaggadīpakaṃ suttaṃ yaṃ sambuddhena bhāsitaṃ.
That sutta which illuminates the path, spoken by the Fully Awakened One —
วัตถุตตะเย ปะสันนานัง สาธูนัง ธัมมะกามินัง
Vatthuttaye pasannānaṃ sādhūnaṃ dhammakāminaṃ
for good people with faith in the Triple Gem, who love the Dhamma,
ภิยโย ปะสาทุปปาเทนะ ทิฏโฐชุกะระเณนะ จะ.
Bhiyyo pasāduppādena diṭṭhojukaraṇena ca.
to arouse yet more faith and to straighten their view,
สุวัตถิสาธะนัตถังปิ ตัง สุตตันตัง ภะณามะ เส.
Suvatthisādhanatthaṃpi taṃ suttantaṃ bhaṇāma se.
and to bring about well-being — let us recite that discourse.