The introductory verse to the discourse on what is to be abandoned and what developed.
- When chanted
- Chanted immediately before the Pahānabhāvanā Sutta, introducing it.
Historical background
Four lines, built on the pair its title names: ปะหานะ, abandoning, and ภาวะนา, developing. The two are treated as one operation with two halves.
It is among the shortest of the prefatory verses and does not elaborate.
Meaning and purpose
The Buddha is named by three descriptions in the first line alone — the Awakened One, best of men, the Sage of great compassion — which is more than most of these verses spend before getting to the point.
The point is put as a demonstration rather than a teaching: having shown what can be done in abandoning and in developing. What is offered is not a doctrine about them but a showing of what is possible.
And the reason for the discourse is given as สัมมาปะฏิปัตติ — for the sake of right practice — with the usual closing: having heard it, that we may act accordingly.
The chant
As the book prints it: page 117 →
page 117สัมพุทโธ ทิปะทัง เสฏโฐ มะหาการุณิโก มุนิ
Sambuddho dipadaṃ seṭṭho mahākāruṇiko muni
The Awakened One, best of men, the Sage of great compassion,
สามัตถิยัง ทัสเสต๎วานะ ปะหาเน ภาวะนายะ จะ
Sāmatthiyaṃ dassetvāna pahāne bhāvanāya ca
having shown what can be done in abandoning and in developing,
สัมมานุปะฏิปัต๎ยัตถัง ยัง สุตตันตัง อะภาสะยิ
Sammānupaṭipatyatthaṃ yaṃ suttantaṃ abhāsayi
spoke that discourse for the sake of right practice;
สุต๎วา ตะถานุการายะ ตัง สุตตันตัง ภะณามะ เส.
Sutvā tathānukārāya taṃ suttantaṃ bhaṇāma se.
having heard it, that we may act accordingly — let us recite that discourse.