Desanā Sutta

So said the Awakened One,

 the Arahant, as I heard it:

“Monks, the Truth-finder,

the Arahant,

the perfectly all-awakened Buddha

Brings two light two successive Dhamma teachings. [1]

What two?

(1) “See the unwholesome as unwholesome” [2]

—This is the first teaching of Dhamma.

(2) “Once you see the unwholesome as unwholesome,

Turn away from it,

let it go,

and be free from it [3]

—This is the second Dhamma teaching.

“Monks, the Truth-finder,

the Arahant,

the perfectly all-awakened Buddha

Brings two light two successive Dhamma teachings.

This is what the Awakened One said.

Then he explained further:

The Truth-Finder, the Buddha,

is empathetic towards all beings;

Mind his explanation,

The two teachings he proclaimed. [4]

See your own heart when it becomes soiled,

So you may let go of it;

Your mind,

once detached from it,

will make and end of unhappiness. [5]

This is what the Awakened One said, as I heard it.

[1] dve dhammadesanā pariyāyena bhavanti.

[2] ‘Pāpaṁ pāpakato passathā’ti

[3] tattha nibbindatha virajjatha vimuccathā’ti

[4] “Tathāgatassa buddhassa, sabbabhūtānukampino; Pariyāyavacanaṁ passa, dve ca dhammā pakāsitā.

[5] Pāpakaṁ passatha cetaṁ, tattha cāpi virajjatha; Tato virattacittāse, dukkhassantaṁ karissathā”ti.