Pheṇapiṇḍūpama Sutta SN 22.95 | translation guide

The Samyutta Nikaya, the third division of the Sutta Pitaka, contains a couple of thousand, mainly short suttas, grouped by topic into five sections (vaggas). In this, the Pheṇapiṇḍūpama sutta, the Buddha invokes a series of vivid similes to illustrate the core-less-ness of the five aggregates. As Bhikkhu Bodhi points out: The sutta is one of the most radical discourses on the empty nature of conditioned phenomena; its imagery (especially the similes of the mirage and the magic illusion) has been taken up by later Buddhist thinkers, most persistently by the Madhyamikas... In the context of early Buddhist thought these similes have to be handled with care. They are not intended to suggest an illusionist view of the world but to show that our conceptions of the world, and of our own existence, are largely distorted by the process of cognition... Instead of being seen as transient and selfless, they appear as substantial and as a self

You can find more of my sutta translation exercises here.

I must stress that I myself am just a student of Pali and make mistakes. For the sake of example, the translations are very literal and of course could be phrased differently.

For comparison see other translations. SuttaCentral SN 22.95
AccesstoInsight SN 22.95
Michael Olds SN 22.95 You may find the following dictionaries useful: Pali English Dictionary
 (See also PED lookup tool)
Digital Pāḷi Dictionary

(..) = implied from case/gender/person
[..] = my own addition to ease reading

SN 22.95 Pheṇapiṇḍūpama sutta - like a clump of foam

ekaṃ	samayaṃ	bhagavā	ayujjhāyaṃ	viharati	gaṅgāya	nadiyā	tīre
acc	acc	nom	loc	pr.ind.3rd	gen	gen	loc
m	m	m	f		f	f	n
sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl
one	time, occasion	Blessed one	in Ayujjhā	abides, sojourns	of the Ganges	on river	riverbank

On one occasion, the Blessed one abided at Ayujjhā on the bank of the river Ganges ekaṃ samayaṃ forms an adverbial accusative: 'at one time'. This is an example of what is called the historic present, the adverb casting the whole clause into past tense. The verb viharati has its subject bhagavā (fr.bhagavant) in nominative:; together with locatives describing the circumstance.

tatra	kho	bhagavā	bhikkhū	āmantesi
adv	prt	nom	acc	aor.3rd
		m	m
		sgl	pl	sgl
there	(emph)	Blessed one	monks	addressed

there, the Blessed one addressed the monks

seyyathāpi	bhikkhave	ayaṃ	gaṅgā	nadī	mahantaṃ	pheṇapiṇḍaṃ	āvaheyya
adv	voc	nom	nom	nom	acc	acc	pr.opt.3rd
	m	f	f	f	m	m
	pl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl
just as	Monks	this (near)	the Ganges.	river.	great; big	a lump of foam	would bring

Monks, suppose the river Ganges here would carry along a large clump of foam

tam-enaṃ	cakkhumā	puriso	passeyya	nijjhāyeyya	yoniso	upaparikkheyya
acc	nom	nom	pr.opt.3rd	pr.opt.3rd	adv	pr.opt.3rd
m	m	m
sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl		sgl
this it	possessing eyes	a person	would see	consider; reflect	properly	investigate; examine

this [foam] a person with goods eyesight were to see, consider & to the source examine yoniso Lit. 'to the source'. See discussion.

tassa	taṃ	passato	nijjhāyato	yoniso	upaparikkhato	rittakaññeva	khāyeyya
dat	nom	dat	dat	adv	abl	acc	pr.opt.3rd
m	n	m	m		m	m
sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl		sgl	sgl	sgl
for him	it (pn-3rd)	seeing	considering	properly	examining	merely empty	would seem to be

for him, seeing, considering, thoroughly examining, it would seem to be vacuous, rittakaññeva = rittakaṃ + eva, (adj, from ritta) lit. empty; hollow

tucchakaññeva	khāyeyya	asārakaññeva	khāyeyya
acc	pr.opt.3rd	acc	pr.opt.3rd
m		m
sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl
hollow; void	would seem to be	core-less	would seem to be

(it) would seem to be hollow, (it) would seem to be core-less, tucchakaññeva = tucchakaṃ + eva (adj. fr. tuccha) 'hollow; void'
asārakaññeva = asārakaṃ + eva (adj. fr. sāra) 'core-less'

kiṃ-hi		siyā	bhikkhave	pheṇapiṇḍe	sāro
nom	prt	pr.opt.3rd	voc	loc	nom
n			m	m	m
sgl		sgl	pl	sgl	sgl
for what (nom.)?		could there be	Monks	in a clump of foam	core

For what core could there be, Monks, in a clump of foam?

evaṃ-eva		kho	bhikkhave	yaṃ	kiñci	rūpaṃ	atīta-anāgata-paccuppannaṃ			...pe...
	prt	prt	voc	nom	nom	nom			nom	prt
			m	n	n	n			n
			pl	sgl	sgl	sgl			sgl
in the same way		(emph)	Monks	which	anything	form	past, present or future			etc.

In the same way, Monks, whatever shape, past, present or future, etc. yaṃ kiñci = idiom 'whatever'
pe 'etc' invites the narrator to fill in a standard phrase i.e. 'internal or external; blatant or subtle; common or sublime;'

yaṃ	dūre	santike	vā
nom	adv	adv	prt
n
sgl
which	far	near	or

whether far or near

taṃ	bhikkhu	passati	nijjhāyati	yoniso	upaparikkhati
acc	nom	pr.ind.3rd	pr.ind.3rd	adv	pr.ind.3rd
n	m
sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl		sgl
it (pn-3rd)	a monk	sees	considers; reflects	properly	investigates; examines

it, a monk sees, considers & to the source examines

tassa	taṃ	passato	nijjhāyato	yoniso	upaparikkhato	rittakaññeva	khāyati
dat	nom	dat	dat	adv	abl	acc	pr.ind.3rd
m	n	m	m		m	m
sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl		sgl	sgl	sgl
for him	it (pn-3rd)	seeing	considering	properly	examining	merely empty	seems to be

for him, seeing, considering, thoroughly examining, it seems to be vacuous,

tucchakaññeva	khāyati	asārakaññeva	khāyati
acc	pr.ind.3rd	acc	pr.ind.3rd
m		m
sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl
hollow; void	seems to be	core-less	seems to be

(it) seems to be hollow, (it) seems to be core-less,

kiṃ-hi		siyā	bhikkhave	rūpe	sāro
nom	prt	pr.opt.3rd	voc	loc	nom
n			m	m	m
sgl		sgl	pl	sgl	sgl
for what (nom.)?		could there be	Monks	in a form	core

For what core could there be, Monks, in a shape?

seyyathāpi	bhikkhave	saradasamaye	thullaphusitake	deve	vassante	udake
	voc	loc	loc	loc	loc	loc
	m	m	n	m	m	n
	pl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl
just as	Monks	in autumn season	which has big drops	rain cloud	rains	on water

Suppose, Monks, an autumn rain cloud with big drops (is) raining down on the water vassante here is a present participle 'raining'. The locative phrase setting the circumstance.

udaka-pubbuḷaṁ		uppajjati	ca-eva		nirujjhati	ca
	nom	pr.ind.3rd		prt	pr.ind.3rd	prt
	n
	sgl	sgl			sgl
water bubble		appears; arises	and	that very	ceases; dissolves; vanishes	and

and a water-bubble arises on that [water] & dissolves

the grammar then repeats with vedanā (I follow Jayarava using valence to represent 'hedonic tone'):

this [bubble] a person with goods eyesight were to see, consider & to the source examine
for him, seeing, considering, thoroughly examining, it would seem to be vacuous,
(it) would seem to be hollow, (it) would seem to be core-less,
For what core could there be, Monks, in a water-bubble?

In the same way, Monks, whatever valence, past, present or future, etc.
whether far or near
it, a monk sees, considers & to the source examines
for him, seeing, considering, thoroughly examining, it seems to be vacuous,
(it) seems to be hollow, (it) seems to be core-less,
For what core could there be, Monks, in a feeling?

seyyathāpi	bhikkhave	gimhānaṃ	pacchime	māse	ṭhite	majjhanhike	kāle	marīcikā	phandati
adv	voc	gen	loc	loc	loc	loc	loc	nom	pr.ind.3rd
	m	m	m	m	m	m	m	f
	pl	pl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl
just as	Monks	hot months	last	month	based	midday	time	mirage	shimmers

Suppose, Monks, in the last month of the hot months, a midday based mirage shimmers

the grammar then repeats with sañña 'qualia':

this [mirage] a person with goods eyesight were to see, consider & to the source examine
for him, seeing, considering, thoroughly examining, it would seem to be vacuous,
(it) would seem to be hollow, (it) would seem to be core-less,
For what core could there be, Monks, in a mirage?

In the same way, Monks, whatever qualia, past, present or future, etc.
whether far or near
it, a monk sees, considers & to the source examines
for him, seeing, considering, thoroughly examining, it seems to be vacuous,
(it) seems to be hollow, (it) seems to be core-less,
For what core could there be, Monks, in a quale?

seyyathāpi	bhikkhave	puriso	sāra-atthiko		sāra-gavesī		sāra-pariyesanaṃ		caramāno
adv	voc	nom		nom		nom		acc	nom
	m	m		m		m		f	m
	pl	sgl		sgl		sgl		sgl	sgl
just as	Monks	a person	heartwood-needing		heartwood-seeking		heartwood-searching		roaming

Suppose, Monks, a person needing heartwood, seeking heartwood, roams about searching (for) heartwood, the noun sāra 'heartwood' here is a pun on the adj. sāra 'core'

tiṇhaṃ	kuṭhāriṃ	ādāya	vanaṃ	paviseyya
acc	acc	absol	acc	pr.opt.3rd
m	f		n
sgl	sgl		sgl	sgl
sharp	an axe	having taken	a forest	would enter

(he) would enter a forest taking a sharp axe, The absolutive here expresses an ongoing action that is simultaneous with the main verb.

so	tattha	passeyya	mahantaṃ	kadali-khandhaṃ		ujuṃ	navaṃ	akukkuka-jātaṃ
nom	adv	pr.opt.3rd	acc		acc	acc	acc	acc
m			m		m	m	m	m
sgl		sgl	sgl		sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl
he	there	would see	a big	plantain tree	the trunk of	straight	new	not crooked-born

[and] there he would see a big plantain tree trunk, straight, young, not grown crooked a-kukkuka-jātaṃ, no consensus on meaning. PTS = enormous height (of a tree); others takes it to mean 'not grown crooked'. As plantains are quiet short.

tam-enaṃ	mūle	chindeyya	mūle	chetvā	agge	chindeyya
acc	loc	pr.opt.3rd	loc	absol	loc	pr.opt.3rd
m	n		n		m
sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl		sgl	sgl
this one	at the root	would cut	at the root	having cut	the top	would cut

[and] this one (he) would cut at base; [and] having cut at the base, (he) would cut off the top

agge	chetvā	patta-vaṭṭiṃ		vinibbhujeyya
loc	absol		acc	pr.opt.3rd
m			f
sgl			sgl	sgl
the top	having cut off	leaf-roll		unfurls

[and] having cut off the top, he would unfurl the leaf-roll agga could be either 'the top' (m) or 'the best part' (adj)

so	tassa	patta-vaṭṭiṃ		vinibbhujanto	phegguṃ-pi		nādhigaccheyya	kuto	sāraṃ
nom	adv		acc	nom	acc	prt	pr.opt.3rd	prt	acc
m			f	m	n				n
sgl			sgl	sgl	sgl		sgl		sgl
he	of that	leaf-roll		unfurling (acc)	sapwood	even	would not obtain	let alone	heartwood

thus unfurling the leaf-roll, he would not obtain even sapwood, let alone heartwood tassa is usually a pronoun but here I think it is the adverb 'of that; therefore; thus'

the grammar then repeats with saṅkhāra 'mental process, volition, conceptions':

this a person with goods eyesight were to see, consider & to the source examine
for him, seeing, considering, thoroughly examining, it would seem to be vacuous,
(it) would seem to be hollow, (it) would seem to be core-less,
For what core could there be, Monks, in a plantain tree trunk?

In the same way, Monks, whatever conceptions, past, present or future, etc.
whether far or near
it, a monk sees, considers & to the source examines
for him, seeing, considering, thoroughly examining, it seems to be vacuous,
(it) seems to be hollow, (it) seems to be core-less,
For what core could there be, Monks, in a concept?

seyyathāpi	bhikkhave	māyākāro	vā	māyākāra-antevāsī		vā	catumahāpathe	māyaṃ	vidaṃseyya
adv	voc	nom	prt		nom		loc	acc	pr.opt.3rd
	m	m			m		m	f
	pl	sgl			sgl		sgl	sgl	sgl
just as	Monks	magic maker	or	magic-maker-apprentice		or	at a crossroad	illusion	would cause to see (Acc.)

Suppose, Monks, a magician or magician's apprentice, at a crossroads, would cause [others] to see an illusion māyā-kāro lit. magic-maker
The crossroad was a common location for street vendors.

the grammar then repeats with viññāṇa 'awareness; experience':

this a person with goods eyesight were to see, consider & to the source examine
for him, seeing, considering, thoroughly examining, it would seem to be vacuous,
(it) would seem to be hollow, (it) would seem to be core-less,
For what core could there be, Monks, in an illusion?

In the same way, Monks, whatever conceptions, past, present or future, etc.
whether far or near
it, a monk sees, considers & to the source examines
for him, seeing, considering, thoroughly examining, it seems to be vacuous,
(it) seems to be hollow, (it) seems to be core-less,
For what core could there be, Monks, in an experience?

evaṃ	passaṃ	bhikkhave	sutavā	ariyasāvako	rūpasmiṃ-pi		nibbindati
adv	nom	voc	nom	nom	loc	prt	pr.ind.3rd
	m	m	m	m	n
	sgl	pl	sgl	sgl	sgl		sgl
like this	seeing	Monks	well-taught	noble-hearer	form	(emph)	disillusioned (by Loc.)

Seeing this, Monks, a well-taught, noble follower is disillusioned by shape

Likewise:

vedanāyapi disillusioned by valence,
saññāyapi disillusioned by qualia,
saṅkhāresupi disillusioned by concepts,
viññāṇasmimpi disillusioned by experience.

nibbindaṃ	virajjati	virāgā	vimuccati
nom	pr.ind.3rd	nom	pr.ind.3rd
m		m
sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl
disillusioned	becomes detached	disenchanted	is released

disillusioned (he) becomes detached; disenchanted he (is) released

vimuttasmiṃ	vimuttaṃ'ti		ñāṇaṃ	hoti	...pe...
loc	nom		nom	pr.ind.3rd	prt
n	n		n
sgl	sgl		sgl	sgl
in release	released		insight.	is,are,am	etc.

in release, there is the insight "released". pe here represents the standard phrase: 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done'

nāparaṃ	itthattāya'ti		pajānāti
nom	dat		pr.ind.3rd
n	n
sgl	sgl		sgl
no more	for this manner		knows clearly

he knows "no more for this manner of being" itthattāya = ima + ttha + tta, (abstract, fr. ittha) 'here thus'

idaṃ	avoca	bhagavā
acc	aor.3rd	nom
n		m
sgl	sgl	sgl
this	said	the Blessed one

the Blessed one said this.

idaṃ	vatvāna	sugato	athāparaṃ	etad-avoca		satthā
acc	absol	nom	adv		aor.3rd	nom
n		m				m
sgl		sgl			sgl	sgl
this	having told	Fortunate one	after that	this	he said	a teacher

After having told this, the Fortunate one, the teacher, (he) said this:

The next section is in verse, each line having 8 syllables.

pheṇapiṇḍa-upamaṃ		rūpaṃ
	nom	nom
	n	n
	sgl	sgl
a clump of foam	like	form

Shape (is) like a clump of foam

vedanā	bubbuḷa-upamā
nom		nom
f		f
sgl		sgl
feeling	bubble	like

bubble-like (is) valence

marīcikā-upamā		saññā
	nom	nom
	f	f
	sgl	sgl
mirage-like		qualia

mirage-like (is) qualia

saṅkhārā	kadala-upamā
nom		nom
m		f
pl		sgl
concepts	the plantain tree	like

concepts (are) like a plantain tree

māya-upamaṃ-ca			viññāṇaṃ
	nom	prt	nom
	n		n
	sgl		sgl
illusion	like	and	awareness

and illusion-like (is) experience

desita-ādiccabandhunā
	ins
	m
	sgl
taught	kinsman of the sun

[thus] taught the kinsman of the sun

yathā yathā	nijjhāyati
idiom	pr.ind.3rd
	sgl
in whatever way	considers

In whatever way (one) considers

yoniso	upaparikkhati
adv	pr.ind.3rd
	sgl
properly	examines

examining to the source

rittakaṃ	tucchakaṃ	hoti
nom	nom	pr.ind.3rd
n	n
sgl	sgl	sgl
vacuous	hollow	it is

(It) is vacuous, hollow

yo	naṃ	passati	yoniso
nom	acc	pr.ind.3rd	adv
m	n
sgl	sgl	sgl
he who	it, this	sees	properly

[to] he who sees this to the source

imaṃ-ca		kāyaṃ	ārabbha
acc	prt	acc	adv
m		m
sgl		sgl
this	and	body	beginning with

And beginning with this body

bhūri-paññena	desitaṃ
ins	nom
n	n
sgl	sgl
with extensive wisdom	taught

[as] taught by (one) with extensive wisdom

pahānaṃ	tiṇṇaṃ	dhammānaṃ
nom	gen	gen
n	m	m
sgl	pl	pl
removal	three	things

the removal of three things

rūpaṃ	passatha	chaḍḍitaṃ
acc	pr.imp.2nd	acc
n		n
sgl	pl	sgl
form	see!	thrown away; discarded

see [this] form discarded

āyu	usmā	ca	viññāṇaṃ
nom	nom	prt	nom
n	m		n
sgl	sgl		sgl
life; vitality	heat	and	awareness

vitality, heat & awareness

yadā	kāyaṃ	jahanti-imaṃ
adv	acc	pr.ind.3rd	acc
	m		m
	sgl	pl	sgl
when	the body	leaves	this

when (they) leave this body

apaviddho	tadā	seti
nom	adv	pr.ind.3rd
m
sgl		sgl
thrown away; discarded.	then	sleeps

then discarded, (it) sleeps

para-bhattaṃ		acetanaṃ
	acc	acc
	n	m
	sgl	sgl
other	food; meal.	senseless; inert.

inert, a meal for others

etādisa-ayaṃ	santāno
nom	nom
m	m
sgl	sgl
such like; this.	succession; spread; tendrils.

such (is) the progression

māya-ayaṃ	bāla-lāpinī
nom		nom
f		f
sgl		sgl
this illusion	youth, fool	chattering; babbling

this illusion, the cajole of a fool

vadhako	esa	akkhāto
nom	nom	nom
m	m	m
sgl	sgl	sgl
assassin; executioner	this/it	told; declared.

it is declared an assassin

sāro	ettha	na	vijjati
nom	adv	prt	pr.ind.3rd
m
sgl			sgl
core	here	not	is possible; is found.

no core here is found

evaṃ	khandhe	avekkheyya
adv	acc	pr.opt.3rd
	m
	pl	sgl
so; in this way	mass; heap	sees; regards (Acc.)

In this way, (he) regards [this] mass

bhikkhu	āraddha-vīriyo
nom		nom
m		m
sgl		sgl
a monk	aroused	vigour

the monk, vigour-aroused

divā	vā	yadi	vā	rattiṃ
adv	prt	adv	;prt	;adv
by day	or	whether	or	by night

whether by day or by night,

sampajāno	paṭissato
nom	nom
m	m
sgl	sgl
clearly aware	self-aware; thoughtful

[he] is aware & mindful

jaheyya	sabba-saṃyogaṃ
pr.opt.3rd		acc
		m
sgl		sgl
leaves; abandons	all	a bond; fetter

(he) should abandon all bonds

kareyya	saraṇa-attano
pr.opt.3rd		gen
		m
sgl		sgl
does; makes.	refuge; shelter.	oneself.

(he) should make of/for himself a refuge

careyya-āditta-sīso-va
pr.opt.3rd		nom
		m
		sgl
should walk roam	blazing	head	like; as

(he) should go about blazing-head-like [like his head is ablaze]

patthayaṃ	accutaṃ	padaṃ
nom	acc	acc
m	m	n
sgl	sgl	sgl
aspiring.	everlasting; unchanging	foot; path; state

aspiring (to) the unchanging state