Which of the 2 Ovādapātimokkha versions is the original?

Q & A
, ,
1

There are 2 versions of the Ovādapātimokkha.

The 1st one is taken from DN 14: Mahāpadānasutta, 16. Cārikāanujānana.

While the 2nd one is from Dhp 183-185: Ānandattherapañhavatthu (this is the back story from the commentary).

Both originated from the same historical account, which is when Buddha Gotama shared the stories of the past Buddhas to the monks, one of them is about when Buddha Vipassī recited the Ovādapātimokkha in Bandhumatī.

The DN version (DN 14):

'Khantī paramaṁ tapo titikkhā,
Nibbānaṁ paramaṁ vadanti buddhā;
Na hi pabbajito parūpaghātī,
Na samaṇo hoti paraṁ viheṭhayanto. [Variant: Na samaṇo → samaṇo]

Sabbapāpassa akaraṇaṁ,
kusalassa upasampadā;
Sacittapariyodapanaṁ,
etaṁ buddhānasāsanaṁ.

Anūpavādo anūpaghāto, [Variant: Anūpavādo anūpaghāto → anupavādo anupaghāto]
Pātimokkhe ca saṁvaro;
Mattaññutā ca bhattasmiṁ,
Pantañca sayanāsanaṁ;
Adhicitte ca āyogo,
Etaṁ buddhānasāsanan’ti.

‘Patient acceptance is the ultimate fervor.
Extinguishment is the ultimate, say the Buddhas.
No true renunciate injures another,
nor does an ascetic hurt another.

Not to do any evil;
to embrace the good;
to purify one’s mind:
this is the instruction of the Buddhas.

Not speaking ill nor doing harm;
restraint in the monastic code;
moderation in eating;
staying in remote lodgings;
commitment to the higher mind—
this is the instruction of the Buddhas.’

The Dhp version (Dhp 183-185):

Sabbapāpassa akaraṇaṁ,
kusalassa upasampadā; [Variant: kusalassa upasampadā → kusalassūpasampadā]
Sacittapariyodapanaṁ, [Variant: Sacittapariyodapanaṁ → sacittapariyodāpanaṁ]
etaṁ buddhāna sāsanaṁ.

Khantī paramaṁ tapo titikkhā,
Nibbānaṁ paramaṁ vadanti buddhā; [Variant: Nibbānaṁ → nibbāṇaṁ]
Na hi pabbajito parūpaghātī, [Variant: Na → ayaṁ nakāro]
Na samaṇo hoti paraṁ viheṭhayanto.

Anūpavādo anūpaghāto, [Variant: Anūpavādo anūpaghāto → anupavādo anupaghāto]
Pātimokkhe ca saṁvaro;
Mattaññutā ca bhattasmiṁ,
Pantañca sayanāsanaṁ;
Adhicitte ca āyogo,
Etaṁ buddhāna sāsanaṁ.

Not to do any evil;
to embrace the good;
to purify one’s mind:
this is the instruction of the Buddhas.

Patient acceptance is the ultimate fervor.
Extinguishment is the ultimate, say the Buddhas.
No true renunciate injures another,
nor does an ascetic hurt another.

Not speaking ill nor doing harm;
restraint in the monastic code;
moderation in eating;
staying in remote lodgings;
commitment to the higher mind—
this is the instruction of the Buddhas.

The most visible dissimilarity is the sequence of their 1st and 2nd verses were reversed. There are also differences in spellings & variants, but they are minor (eg. the DN version uses 'ti (end of direct speech)).

If I may so kindly ask, which one would you determine is the correct version (as in to what the Buddha had actually recited) [Edit: the version that is closest to what the Buddha had actually recited]? Or, do you have a preference of one over the other, eg. for chanting?

Much Metta :love_you_gesture:

2

These are mere differences of presentation.

buddhānasāsana

This is a compound, and the editor of the Dhammapada has chosen to split the compound into its elements. (the compound itself is slightly irregular, which may be why the editor was inconsistent.)

’ti

This is used in the DB version to mark the fact that it is the end of a passage of direct speech. This is not needed in the Dhammapada, where by convention each verse is separate.

1 Like
3

Why are you assuming that one is correct and the other is not?

1 Like
4

Thank you, Bhante Sujato :pray: :bowing_man:. I think I now prefer DN’s version for chanting.

Heaps of Metta :bouquet:

5

Thank you for pointing out the poor choice of word, Venerable @Snowbird :pray:. I didn’t mean to imply that the other is not correct. Original post editted :pray: