Sutta Nipāta 25
Anthology of Discourses 2.13
The Right Way to Wander
1 “I ask the sage abounding in wisdom—
crossed-over, gone beyond, quenched, steadfast:
when a mendicant has left home,
casting aside sensuality,
what’s the right way to wander the world?”
2 “When they’ve eradicated superstitions,” said the Buddha,
“about celestial portents, dreams, or bodily marks;
with the stain of superstitions left behind,
they’d rightly wander the world.
3 A mendicant ought dispel desire
for pleasures human or heavenly;
with rebirth transcended and truth comprehended,
they’d rightly wander the world.
4 Putting backbiting behind them,
a mendicant gives up anger and stinginess;
with favoring and opposing left behind,
they’d rightly wander the world.
5 When the loved and the unloved are both left behind,
not grasping or dependent on anything;
freed from all things that fetter,
they’d rightly wander the world.
6 Finding no core in attachments,
rid of desire for things they’ve acquired,
independent, needing no one to guide them,
they’d rightly wander the world.
7 Not hostile in speech, mind, or deed,
they’ve rightly understood the teaching.
Aspiring to the state of extinguishment,
they’d rightly wander the world.
8 Not gloating that, ‘they bow to me’;
though reviled, they’d still stay in touch;
not besotted when getting food from others,
they’d rightly wander the world.
9 When greed and craving to live again are cast off,
a mendicant refrains from violence and abduction;
rid of indecision, free of thorns,
they’d rightly wander the world.
10 Knowing what is suitable for themselves,
a mendicant would hurt no one in the world;
understanding the teaching in line with the truth,
they’d rightly wander the world.
11 They have no underlying tendencies at all,
and are rid of unskillful roots;
free of hope, with no need for hope,
they’d rightly wander the world.
12 Defilements ended, conceit given up,
beyond all manner of desire;
tamed, quenched, and steadfast,
they’d rightly wander the world.
13 Faithful, learned, seer of the sure path,
an attentive one joins no faction among sects;
rid of greed, hate, and aversion,
they’d rightly wander the world.
14 A purified victor with veil cast off,
among worldly things master, transcendent, stilled;
expert in knowledge of conditions’ cessation,
they’d rightly wander the world.
15 They’re over speculating on the future or past,
and understand what it means to be pure;
freed from all the sense fields,
they’d rightly wander the world.
16 The state of peace is understood,
the truth is comprehended,
they’ve openly seen defilements cast off;
and with the ending of all attachments,
they’d rightly wander the world.”
17 “Clearly, Blessed One, it is just as you say.
One who lives like this is a tamed mendicant,
passed beyond all fetters and yokes:
they’d rightly wander the world.”