Attadanda Sutta Snp 4.15 | Translation guide

For those wishing a bit more of a challenge the Atthaka-vagga, of the Sutta Nipata, according to scholars, may well be the oldest portion of the entire canon. It is composed mostly in verse, and includes some lovely imagery. In this guide I've chosen the Attadaṇḍā Sutta (Snp 4.15) which, according to tradition, was taught by the Buddha when he went to settle a quarrel. The title of the sutta, translated here as "arming oneself," conveys the image of a person taking up a stick, (daṇḍa) - the stick being a common symbol in Indian literature for both violence and punishment. This then sets out the basic problem of confrontation  - people hurting each other. The sutta continues by outlining the cause  - the misplaced wish for security driven by desire - and finally, its solution - letting go of the ego.

The Sutta is found in the Sutta Nipata which itself forms part of the Khuddaka Nikaya. Scholars have classified it under differing number schemes, e.g. Kn 5.4.15 (Kn 5.53)  Snp 4.15 Attadaṇḍa  Sn vs.935-954 PTS: Sn pg.182,

For comparison see other translations. SuttaCentral Snp 4.15
AccesstoInsight Snp 4.15
Sutta.net 15-violence You may find the following dictionaries useful: Pali English Dictionary
 (See also PED lookup tool)
Critical Pali Dictionary
 (Incomplete -but very useful)

Again please note, this attempt at translation is for illustration and as such it is very literal and endeavours to remain true to the underlying grammar.

The Attadaṇḍa Sutta - Arming oneself.

atta-daṇḍā1		bhayaṃ	jātaṃ
	abl	nom	nom
	m	n	n
	sgl	sgl	sgl
self-arming		fear dread	born, arisen

From taking up weapons,
dread (is) born.

janaṃ	passatha	medhagaṃ
acc	pr.imp.2nd	acc
m		m
sgl	pl	sgl
a person the people.	(you) see	a quarrel.

See the people quarrel.

saṃvegaṃ	kittayissāmi
acc	fut.1st
m
sgl	sgl
alarm, dismay	(I will) explain

I will explain [my] dismay

yathā	saṃvijitaṃ2	mayā3
adv	nom	ins
	n
	sgl	sgl
		pn-1st
how	(made) agitated; startled;	by me

how I (was) made uneasy.

phandamānaṃ	pajaṃ	disvā
acc	acc	absol
f	f
sgl	sgl
pr.p.[rfx]
trembling writhing	a generation mankind.	having seen

Having seen a generation writhing,

macche	appodake	yathā
acc	loc	adv
m	m
pl	sgl
fish.	having little or no water	as like

as fish in shallow water,

añña-m-aññehi	byāruddhe
ins	loc
n	n
pl	sgl
one another	at odds

at odds with one another.

disvā	maṃ	bhaya-m-āvisi
absol	acc		aor.3rd
	sgl		sgl
	pn-1st
having seen	me	fear, dread	entered

Having understood, dread-entered me.

samanta-m-asāro		loko
	nom	nom
	m	m
	sgl	sgl
entirely	core-less worthless	the world

Entirely worthless/coreless (is) the world.

disā	sabbā	sameritā6
nom	nom	nom
m	m	m
pl	pl	pl
		pp.
rivals, directions	all every	tossed, blown

Every direction (is) turmoil
[Every rival in turmoil]

icchaṃ7	bhavana8-m-attano
nom		acc
m		m
sgl		pl
wishing for	home, being	oneself.

desiring a haven for myself

nā-addasāsiṃ		anositaṃ9
	aor.1st	acc
		m
	sgl	sgl
I did not see		unoccupied

I did not see (one) unoccupied

osāne	tveva10	byāruddhe
loc	prt	loc
n		m
sgl		sgl
in the end, home	however	hostility.

But only confrontation in the end
[But even in dwelling, confrontation]

disvā	me	aratī	ahu11
absol	gen	nom	aor-rt.3rd
		f
	sgl	pl	sgl
	pn-1st
having found	mine	discontent	was

having found, mine was discontent.

atha-ettha	salla-m-addakkhiṃ12
prt		aor.1st
		sgl
then here	a quill	I saw

then here a quill I saw

duddasaṃ	hadayanissitaṃ
acc	acc
n	n
sgl	sgl
hard to see	embedded in the heart.

hard to discern, aggravating the heart

yena	sallena	otiṇṇo13
	ins	nom
	m	m
	sgl	sgl
because	by a quill	beset

Because by a quill beset,

disā	sabbā	vidhāvati
acc14	acc	pr.ind.3rd
f	f
pl	pl	sgl
directions	all	he runs about

one casts about (in) all directions

taṃ-eva	salla-m-abbuyha15
		absol
that very same	quill	having pulled out

(But) having extracted that quill

na	dhāvati	na	sīdati
	pr.ind.3rd		pr.ind.3rd
	sgl		sgl
not	he runs	nor	he sinks, yields.

one runs not, one yields not.

tattha	sikkhi-anugīyanti16
adv		pr.ind.3rd
		pl
in that place in that regard	trained	recited

In that regard, the trained recited:

yāni17	loke	gadhitāni18
nom	loc	nom
n	m	n
pl	sgl	pl
pn-rel		pp.
those	the world	tied up (by), infatuated (with)

Those infatuated with the world

na	tesu	pasuto	siyā
prt	loc	nom	pr.opt.3rd
	m	m
	pl	sgl	sgl
	pn-dem
not	in/among them	engaged in	he should

One should not (be) engrossed amongst them

nibbijjha19	sabbaso	kāme
aora.3rd	adv	acc
		m
sgl		pl
pierces.	in every respect	desire

(Having) penetrated in every respect wants,

sikkhe20	nibbāna-m-attano
pr.opt.2nd		dat
		m
sgl		sgl
should learn train	nibbāna	oneself.

one should train for one's own nibbana.

sacco	siyā	appagabbho
nom	pr.opt.3rd	nom
m		m
sgl	sgl	sgl
true, honest	he should	courteous; respectful;

True (&) courteous, one should be,

amāyo	ritta-pesuṇo
nom		nom
m		n>m
sgl		sgl
not deceiving, honest	devoid of	slandering.

not deceptive, devoid of slander

akkodhano	lobha21-pāpaṃ22
nom		acc
m		n>m
sgl		sgl
free from anger	desire	bad action

free from anger; desire driven bad actions,

ve-vicchaṃ23		vitare	muni
		pr.opt.3rd	nom
			m
		sgl	sgl
wanting to have		crosses beyond	monk; sage

wanting much, beyond these should be the muni.

niddaṃ	tandiṃ	sahe24	thīnaṃ
acc	acc	pr.opt.3rd	acc
f	f		n
sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl
sleep	laziness	endures overcomes	dullness; drowsiness;

One should overcome sleepiness, laziness, & weariness,

pamādena	na	saṃvase
ins	prt	pr.opt.3rd
m
sgl		sgl
carelessness; negligence	not	cohabit (with), associate

Let him not live in carelessness

atimāne	na	tiṭṭheyya
loc	prt	pr.opt.3rd
m
sgl		sgl
pride vanity	not	stands remains, persist

Let him not persist in pride/vanity

nibbāna-manaso		naro
	gen	nom
	m	m
	sgl	sgl
nibbāna-minded		man

The nibbāna-minded man

mosavajje	na	nīyetha25
loc		pr.opt.3rd
n
sgl		sgl
(in) untruth	not	is led, guided

(he) should not be led to untruth

rūpe	snehaṃ	na	kubbaye
loc	acc		pr.opt.3rd
n	m
sgl	sgl		sgl
form, figure	affection	not	should do make

(he) should not build affection for forms

mānaṃ	ca	parijāneyya
acc		pr.opt.3rd
m
sgl		sgl
to compare oneself	and,	knows for certain, accurately

And conceit, (he) should know thoroughly.

sāhasā	virato26	care
abl	nom	pr.opt.3rd
n	m
sgl	sgl	sgl
impulsive or violent acts	abstained from	wanders, practises

(he) should fare refrained from hasty/violent acts,

purāṇaṃ	nābhinandeyya
acc	pr.opt.3rd
n
sgl	sgl
old, used, former	not rejoice at, delight in

(he) should rejoice not in the old,

nave	khantiṃ	na	kubbaye
loc	acc		pr.opt.3rd
n	f
sgl	sgl		sgl
new, fresh	patience, preference	not	should do, make, build

nor should (he) build preference for the new

hiyyamāne27	na	soceyya
loc		pr.opt.3rd
n
sgl		sgl
decreasing, given up	not	should mourn, grieve

(he) should not grieve for the abandoned

ākāsaṃ28	na	sito29	siyā
acc		nom	pr.opt.3rd
m		m
sgl		sgl	sgl
the sky, space	not	attached to, dependent on	he should

nor should (he) be attached to the sky-like.

gedhaṃ	brūmi	mahogho'ti
acc	pr.ind.1st	nom30
m		m
sgl	sgl	sgl
greed	I say	great flood

Greed, I say (is) “the great flood”

ājavaṃ31	brūmi	jappanaṃ32
acc	pr.ind.1st	acc
n		n
sgl	sgl	sgl
swift current	I say	yearned for

the yearned for, I say (is) the current.

ārammaṇaṃ	pakappanaṃ
acc	acc
n	f
sgl	sgl
base; foundation	devising, planning

Attempting a foothold,

kāma-paṅko		duraccayo
	nom	nom
	m	m
	sgl	sgl
want, desire	bog, mire	hard to cross,

the bog of desire (is) hard to cross

saccā	avokkamma33	muni
abl	absol	nom
m		m
sgl		sgl
truth. adj. true, real	not deviating (from)	monk, sage

The Muni, having not diverted from truth,

thale	tiṭṭhati	brāhmaṇo
loc	pr.ind.3rd	nom
n		m
sgl	sgl	sgl
dry land, firm ground	stands, stays	a Brahman

(he) stands on firm ground, (as) a Brahmin.

sabbaṃ	so	paṭinissajja34
acc	nom	absol
m	m
sgl	sgl	sgl
	pn-3rd
all, entire	he, this	having given up, forsaken

He, having forsaken the all,

sa	ve	santo'ti35	vuccati
nom	prt	nom	pr.ind.3rd
m		m
sgl		sgl	sgl
he, that	truly, surely	being, tranquil	is said, called

he truly is called “tranquil”
[this truly is called “being”]

sa	ve	vidvā36	sa	vedagū
nom	prt	nom	nom	nom
m		m	m	m
sgl		sgl	sgl	sgl
he, that	truly, surely	one who is wise	he, that	has complete understanding

he truly (is) knowing; he (has) complete understanding (of the Vedas)

ñatvā37	dhammaṃ	anissito38
absol	acc	nom
	m	m
	sgl	sgl
having known	a knowable, doctrine	not dependent

independent, having known the dhamma

sammā	so	loke	iriyāno39
adv	nom	loc	nom
	m	m	m
	sgl	sgl	sgl
properly, rightly	he, that	in the world	moving about

he, faring rightly in the world,

na	piheti-idha		kassaci
prt	pr.ind.3rd	adv	gen
			m
	sgl		sgl
			pn-indef
not	envies	here, now	anyone anything,

(he) envies not anyone here (in the world)

yo-idha40		kāme	accatari
nom	adv	loc	aor.3rd
m		m
sgl		sgl	sgl
he who, whoever	here	wants, enjoyment	passed over, gone beyond

Whoever here has gone beyond desire

saṅgaṃ	loke	duraccayaṃ
acc	loc	nom
m	m	n
sgl	sgl	sgl
tie, snare	in the world	hard to cross

a snare hard to cross in the world

na	so	socati	nā-ajjheti
prt	nom	pr.ind.3rd		pr.ind.3rd
	m
	sgl	sgl		sgl
not	he	mourns, grieves	not	frets, anxious

he grieves not, nor frets

chinnasoto	abandhano
nom	nom
m	m
sgl	sgl
a stream-cutter	unchained, free

unbound, a stream-cutter

yaṃ	pubbe	taṃ	visosehi41
adv	loc	adv	pr.imp.2nd
	m
	sgl		sgl
which	former, earlier	that	dries; desiccates; makes wither

Make wither that which is before

pacchā	te	mā-ahu42		kiñcanaṃ
asv	dat		aor-rt.2nd	acc
				n
	sgl		sgl	sgl
	pn-2nd
later	to/for you	don’t let there be		anything

don’t let there be anything for you after

majjhe	ce	no	gahessasi44
adv	prt	prt	fut.2nd
			sgl
in the midst	if	not	will grab, seize

if (you) seize not in-between

upasanto45	carissasi
nom	fut.2nd
m
sgl	sgl
calmed, cooled	will walk, move about

tranquil you will fare.

sabbaso	nāmarūpasmiṃ
adv	loc
	n
	sgl
in every respect	name and form

(For whom) in name and form, in every respect

yassa	natthi	mamāyitaṃ46
dat	pr.ind.3rd	acc
m		m
sgl	sgl	sgl
for whom	there is not	taken as mine

there is nothing taken as mine

asatā47	ca	na	socati
ins	prt	prt	pr.ind.3rd
m
sgl			sgl
not being, false	and	not	mourns, grieves

and he grieves not (over) being not

sa	ve	loke	na	jīyati48
nom	prt	loc	prt	pr.pass.3rd
m		m
sgl		sgl		sgl
he, this/that	truly, surely	in the world	not	is conquered; suffers loss

he truly suffers no loss in this world
[...is not defeated in this world]

yassa	natthi	idaṃ	me'ti
dat	pr.ind.3rd	nom	gen
m		n
sgl	sgl	sgl	sgl
			pn-1st
for whom	there is not	this/that	to me, my, mine

For whom there is not "this (is) mine"

paresaṃ49	vāpi	kiñcanaṃ
gen	prt	acc
m		m
pl		sgl
of others,	or even	anything

or even anything of others

mamattaṃ51	so	asaṃvindaṃ52
nom	nom	nom
n	m	n
sgl	sgl	sgl
possession; mine-state	he, this/that	not finding

He finding no mine-ness

natthi	me'ti	na	socati
pr.ind.3rd	gen		pr.ind.3rd
sgl	sgl		sgl
there is not	to me, my, mine	not	mourns, grieves

"there is no mine" he grieves not

aniṭṭhurī53	ananugiddho54
nom	nom
m	m
sgl	sgl
not rough, agreeable	not greedy; without wants

Mild, unwanting

anejo55	sabbadhī	samo
nom	adv	nom
m		m
sgl		sgl
unperturbed; unmoved	in every way	level, equal

unmoved, in every way balanced

tam-ānisaṃsaṃ		pabrūmi56
	acc	pr.ind.1st
	m
	sgl	sgl
this	profit, benefit	I reply

this (is) the benefit, I reply

pucchito	avikampinaṃ57
nom	dat
m	m
sgl	pl
asked, questioned	one unshaken, confident

[when] asked for one unshaken

anejassa58	vijānato59
dat	dat
m	m
sgl	sgl
for one unmoved	for one knowing

for one unmoved, who knows

natthi	kāci	nisaṅkhati60
pr.ind.3rd	nom	nom
	f	f
sgl	sgl	sgl
there is not	anyone, anything	formation, accumulation

there is no accumulation [of] anything

virato61	so	viyārabbhā62
nom	nom	abl
m	m	m
sgl	sgl	sgl
stopped, abstained from	he, this/that	effort, striving

he, from striving ceased

khemaṃ	passati	sabbadhi
acc	pr.ind.3rd	adv
m
sgl	sgl
safety; security	sees, finds	everywhere

(he) finds security everywhere

na	samesu	na	omesu
prt	loc	prt	loc
	n		n
	pl		pl
not	even, equal	not	lower, inferior

not in equality, inferiority

na	ussesu	vadate63	muni
prt	loc	pr.ind.3rd	nom
	n		m
	pl	sgl	sgl
not	higher, superior	one speaks of oneself (as)	a monk

nor in superiority, (does) the Muni speak of himself

santo64	so	vīta-maccharo
nom	nom		nom
m	m		m
sgl	sgl		sgl
calmed peaceful	he, this/that	without	envy, hostility,

he, tranquil, without envy

nādeti65	na	nirassati'ti
pr.ind.3rd	prt	pr.ind.3rd
sgl		sgl
does not take	not	rejects; discards

(he) does not take to oneself, nor reject

---

Notes

1 Lit. to take up a stick; fig. take up weapons, fight. Ablative indicating origin: 'danger from'.

2 pp. of saṃvejeti, causative; make agitated, fill with fear, made to tremble

3 Instrumental here used to indicate cause or to be filled/endowed with

4 lit. sapless; fig worthless, without substance

5 Often implies the world of the senses

6 pp of samereti, caus; tossed; thrown; shaken

7 prp of icchati, wishing; wanting; desiring

8 nt, from bhavati; lit. being; dwelling, sphere, realm

9 an-osita pp. of ava + sā

10 fr. tu-eva; but, however

11 CPED ahu aor. 2/3^rd s of hū: 'there was'. See also Warder pg353

12 aor addakkhi fr. dassati 'to see'

13 pp. of otarati, lit. crossed down (with); afflicted

14 Accusative indicating goal of motion

15 Possible: abs of Abbahati, fpp of abbuhati; imp 2nd sg of abbuyhati

16 passive of anugāyati, chanting; recitation

17Relative pronoun or fr. yanin lit. one who rides in a vehicle, fig. follows a method

18 pp of gantheti

19 fr. Nibbijjhati, imp 2nd sg?

20 fr. sikkhati

21 The desire to appropriate

22 Actions resulting in suffering

23 fr. vivicchā, desid

24 adj fr. sah enduring

25 passive of neti -ya-etha

26 pp. of viramati

27 loc of Pres. Part. Pass of Jahati, √ha -ya-māna-e. The passive form is hīyati and present participle hīyamāna. hīy- changed to hiyy- to fit metre. Although it is usually translated as abandoned I think the root ha can mean either lost or attained.

28 lit. 'shining forth', fig. 'space'. Might mean 'attractive'? Commentary reads 'craving'

29 pp. of sayati; lit. stuck to; or pp. of sinoti; bound

30 'iti' clauses are in nominative

31 fr. ājavati the on-rush of a stream. See CPED.

32 fr. jappati (pass past participle) lit. praying; want desire

33 abs. of vokkamati

34 rare absolutive of paṭinissajjati

35 prp of atthi being or pp. of sammati calmed

36 Nom. of vidvant, adj fr. vedeti; lit. having the quality of knowing (the Vedas). One who is wise.

37 abs. of jānāti

38 pp. of nissayati

39 pres part of iriyati +(m)āno; wandering

40 note yodha = warrior, but probably a compound of yo-idha

41 caus of vissussati; lit. causes to dry up

42 mā-ahu, mā prohibitive particle and ahu aor. 2, 3 sg. of hoti which loses its time reference

43

44 2^nd fut/cond of a causative of gaṇhāti -e-ssasi without the guna strengthening.

45 pp. of upasammati

46 pp. of mamāyati which is itself a Denom. fr. pron mama lit. to make mine

47 Instr of santa 'existing'; used to indicate cause or motive

48 jiyati passive of jināti 'is defeated (in); is conquered (in); suffers loss'

49 para + esānaṃ

50

51 mam-atta lit self-mine

52 prp. a+saŋvindati to (not) find

53 fr. na niṭṭhura not hard cruel

54 pp of na anugijjhati not greedy

55 fr. na ejati not moved

56 brūmi to tell, pa- directional prefix ~ reply

57 fr avikampin (na vikampati) one unmoved. Dative indicating for whom there's advantage

58 fr. na ejati. not moved

59 pr.p. of vijānāti

60 abstr, fr. ni+saṅkharoti, put (down) together; commentary reads 'accumulation of merit and demerit'

61 pp. of viramati

62 vi-y-ārabbhā initiating, rousing oneself. PED viyārambha Abl. 'striving'

63 fr. vada + te

64 prp of atthi being or pp. of sammati calmed

65 fr. na+ ādeti possible variation of ādiyati 'to take to oneself'

Abbreviations

(..) = inflectional addition
[..] = My own insertion for easy of reading