The Greater Battle

"Those settled in their views,"

*(an inquirer says,)*

"arguing 'this alone is the truth' —

do they all bring blame on themselves,

or do some win praise for that?"

"That [praise] is small — not enough for peace,"

*(the Buddha replies,)*

"dispute has two fruits, I say.

Seeing this, one wouldn't dispute,

seeing the safety in dispute-less ground.

Whatever worldly conventions there are,

the wise come at none of them.

Uninvolved — why get involved?

They form no preferences from the seen or heard.

Those who put precepts first say purity is by restraint —

having undertaken vows, they stand firm.

'Let us train right here, and we'll be pure' —

drawn into existence, claiming expertise.

If they fall from their precepts and vows,

they tremble, having failed in their task.

They pray and long for purity,

like one lost from their caravan, far from home.

Having let go of all precepts and vows,

and deeds blameworthy or blameless,

not longing for 'purity' or 'impurity' —

they live withdrawn, not grasping at peace.

Leaning on austerities,

or on what's seen, heard, or thought —

they moan about purity by going upstream,

still craving more and more existence.

For one who longs, mutterings —

and trembling over what they've made up.

But for one with no passing away or coming back here —

why would they tremble? Where would they pray?"

"What some call the 'ultimate' teaching,

others call 'lesser.'

Which of these speaks true?

They all claim expertise."

"They call their own teaching complete,

the other's teaching 'lesser.'

Arguing this way, they fight,

each calling their own convention the truth.

If another's disparagement makes you 'lesser,'

no one in any teaching would stand out.

So many call the other's teaching 'low,'

while speaking firmly of their own.

If they honor their teaching the same way

they praise their own path —

then all positions would be valid,

and purity each one's private affair.

The brahmin isn't led by another.

Considering the teachings, they've taken nothing tightly.

So they've gone beyond disputes —

they see no other teaching as best.

'I know, I see, that's how it is' —

some believe in purity through view.

If they've really seen, what use is that view?

Missing the point, they say purity comes from another.

A person, looking, sees name and form —

seeing, they know just those things.

Let them see much or little —

the skilled don't call that purity.

The dogmatic aren't easily corrected,

favoring an imagined view ahead.

Leaning on something, they call it 'beautiful' —

they speak of purity there, just as they saw.

The brahmin doesn't fall to fabricating, calculating —

not a follower of views, not bound by notions.

Knowing the conventions of common folk,

they look on while others grasp.

Releasing the knots here in the world, the sage

takes no side in disputes.

Peaceful among the unpeaceful — they look on,

ungrasping when others grasp.

Letting old defilements go, making no new ones,

not led by desire, not dogmatic —

the wise one, freed from views,

isn't stained in the world, doesn't blame themselves.

Unaffiliated to all teachings —

whatever's seen, heard, or thought —

the sage, burden put down, freed:

not fabricating, not holding back, not longing."