This is the first translation completed by The Thālaka Group (@fiachra.harte, @khagga, @ficus, @a.messenger, @gillian). We are students of Pali, so please critique the following fully, from any point of view you can think of.
1. Saṁsāramocakapetivatthu
Deliverance from one realm to another - A Ghost Realm Story.
[Question from Sariputta to a female ghost]
“Naggā dubbaṇṇarūpāsi,
“You, who are naked and grotesque in form,
kisā dhamanisanthatā;
thin and strewn with veins,
Upphāsulike kisike
ribs protruding and scrawny,
Kā nu tvaṁ idha tiṭṭhasī”ti.
who are you, standing here?”
[response of ghost to Sariputta]
“Ahaṁ bhadante petīmhi,
“I, Bhante, am a Peti [female ghost]
duggatā yamalokikā;
resident of the bad realms, the world of death;
Pāpakammaṁ karitvāna,
having done evil deeds,
petalokaṁ ito gatā”ti.
I have therefore gone to the world of the Peta.”
[Response of Sariputta to the ghost]
“Kiṁ nu kāyena vācāya,
manasā dukkaṭaṁ kataṁ;
“What evil deed was done with the body, with speech, or with the mind?
Kissa kammavipākena,
What action’s result
petalokaṁ ito gatā”ti.
caused you to go to the world of the Peta?”
[Response of the ghost to Sariputta]
“Anukampakā mayhaṁ nāhesuṁ bhante,
Pitā ca mātā athavāpi ñātakā;
My father, mother, and other relatives, were not compassionate to me, Venerable,
Ye maṁ niyojeyyuṁ dadāhi dānaṁ,
they should have urged me to give dana
Pasannacittā samaṇabrāhmaṇānaṁ.
from a devoted heart to the ascetics and brahmins.
Ito ahaṁ vassasatāni pañca,
Since then, for five hundred rains [years],
Yaṁ evarūpā vicarāmi naggā;
I wander thus, in this naked form;
Khudāya taṇhāya ca khajjamānā,
consumed by hunger and thirst,
Pāpassa kammassa phalaṁ mamedaṁ.
this is the fruit for me of such evil conduct.
Vandāmi taṁ ayya pasannacittā,
I salute you, venerable one, with a devoted heart
Anukampa maṁ vīra mahānubhāva;
Have pity on me, O majestic hero,
Datvā ca me ādisa yaṁ hi kiñci,
Give and then dedicate to me [the merit of] anything whatsoever
Mocehi maṁ duggatiyā bhadante”ti.
Deliver me from the bad place, Bhante!”
[in reference to Sariputta]
Sādhūti so paṭissutvā,
Having assented, he said “Good”.
sāriputtonukampako;
Compassionate Sāriputta,
Bhikkhūnaṁ ālopaṁ datvā,
Having given to the Bhikkhus a bit of food,
pāṇimattañca coḷakaṁ;
a hand-measure of cloth, and
Thālakassa ca pānīyaṁ,
water from a drinking bowl,
tassā dakkhiṇamādisi.
he dedicated the offering to her.
Samanantarānuddiṭṭhe,
As soon as [this act] was acknowledged,
vipāko udapajjatha;
the result [of the karmic action] arose.
Bhojanacchādanapānīyaṁ,
Food, cloth, and drinking water
dakkhiṇāya idaṁ phalaṁ.
[became] this fruit of the offering:
Tato suddhā sucivasanā,
Thus [she was] purified, clad in bright clean cloth,
kāsikuttamadhārinī;
wearing the upper garment of Kāsi,
Vicittavatthābharaṇā
and an ornamented gown
sāriputtaṁ upasaṅkami.
She came to Sariputta.
[Sariputta’s statement to her]
“Abhikkantena vaṇṇena,
"With most excellent appearance,
yā tvaṁ tiṭṭhasi devate;
how you are divine!
Obhāsentī disā sabbā
Shining in all directions
osadhī viya tārakā.
Like the planet Osadhī.
Kena te tādiso vaṇṇo,
By what means is such an appearance yours?
kena te idha mijjhati;
How did you come to be here like this?
Uppajjanti ca te bhogā,
ye keci manaso piyā.
Wealth and whatever is dear to your mind arise for you
Pucchāmi taṁ devi mahānubhāve,
I inquire of you, goddess of great splendour.
Manussabhūtā kimakāsi puññaṁ;
What meritorious deed did you do in human form?
Kenāsi evaṁ jalitānubhāvā,
By what means are you like this, aflame with splendour?
Vaṇṇo ca te sabbadisā pabhāsatī”ti.
Your beauty shines in all directions,” he said.
[her response to Sariputta]
“Uppaṇḍukiṁ kisaṁ chātaṁ,
"Pale, thin, hungry,
naggaṁ sampatitacchaviṁ
naked and flabby,
Muni kāruṇiko loke,
taṁ maṁ addakkhi duggataṁ.
You, compassionate sage in the world, were able to see me in that state of miserable existence
Bhikkhūnaṁ ālopaṁ datvā,
Having given to the Bhikkhus a morsel of food,
pāṇimattañca coḷakaṁ;
a handful of cloth,
Thālakassa ca pānīyaṁ,
and water from a drinking bowl,
mama dakkhiṇamādisi.
you dedicated the offering to me.
Ālopassa phalaṁ passa,
See the fruit of the morsel you gave:
bhattaṁ vassasataṁ dasa;
Nourishment for a thousand years.
Bhuñjāmi kāmakāminī,
I enjoy after my heart’s content all the pleasures I could wish for,
Anekarasabyañjanaṁ.
Numberless pleasant taste experiences.
Pāṇimattassa coḷassa,
The hand measure of cloth,
vipākaṁ passa yādisaṁ;
behold how great is the consequence [of that]:
Yāvatā nandarājassa,
vijitasmiṁ paṭicchadā.
Covering as far as the [reaches of] the empire of the Nanda King.
Tato bahutarā bhante,
Greater than that, Bhante,
vatthānacchādanāni me;
are my clothes:
Koseyyakambalīyāni,
silk, wool,
khomakappāsikāni ca.
linen, and cotton.
Vipulā ca mahagghā ca,
[they are] extensive and expensive
tepākāsevalambare;
They even hang down from the sky.
Sāhaṁ taṁ paridahāmi,
I myself am clothed
yaṁ yaṁ hi manaso piyaṁ.
in whatever is pleasing to the mind.
Thālakassa ca pānīyaṁ,
The water from the bowl,
vipākaṁ passa yādisaṁ;
See how great is the consequence [from that]:
Gambhīrā caturassā ca,
pokkharañño sunimmitā.
Deep, four cornered, symmetrical lotus ponds
Setodakā suppatitthā,
With clear, still water,
sītā appaṭigandhiyā;
Cool, sweet smelling.
Padumuppalasañchannā,
Covered with lotuses and blue lotuses
vārikiñjakkhapūritā.
Filled with other kinds of lotus.
Sāhaṁ ramāmi kīḷāmi,
I frolic and play
modāmi akutobhayā;
I rejoice, having nothing to fear from anywhere.
Muniṁ kāruṇikaṁ loke,
Compassionate sage of the world,
bhante vanditumāgatā”ti.
I, myself, have come to honor you, Bhante.”
