PSALMS OF THE BRETHREN
Canto I.
Psalms of Single Verses
LXXXVI
Nāgita
Translated from the Pali by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids.
Public Domain
He was reborn in this Buddha-age at Kapilavatthu, in the family of a Sākiyan rāja, and named Nāgita. When the Exalted One was staying in that place, he preached the Lump of Sweetness discourse.[1] Thereby Nāgita was induced to enter the Order, whereupon he attained arahantship. Then, thrilled with rapture over the truth of the Master's teaching and the effective guidance of the Norm, he burst out in this psalm:
[86] Outside our Order many others be, who teach
A path never, like this one, to Nibbāna leading.
But us the Exalted One, the blessed Master's self
Instructs as 'twere by just the palm o' th' hand outspreading.[2]
[1] Majjhima Nikāya, 18th Sutta, outlined (at Kapilavatthu) by the Master, and expounded by Mahā-Kaccana (see Ps. CCXXIX.), on the self-mastery of the arahant. This is apparently not the bhikkhu of the Kassapa clan (Dialogues, i. 193 ff.; Ang. iii. 81, 341; iv. 341). Perhaps the latter was known as N. Kassapa, to distinguish.
Morrà = Mora. OED: A popular game in Italy in which one player guesses the number of fingers held up simultaneously by another player. Also applied by Europeans to a similar game in China.
— p.p.
[2] The Commentary has: 'Our Master sayaɱ' - that is, sayaṅbhū ñāṇena ñātaɱ, 'self-taught' knower by knowledge, or, 'himself' - urged by great compassion, teaches his own doctrine, like one who, to make sport (? vilāsapattiyā), shows āmalaka-seed in the palm of his hand. Is an ancient game like morrà alluded to?
