Verse 6. from Sutra One - Jié, Greedy King

Therefore, the reciter with attentive mind,

Far away from craving, not having committed them,

Determined, seeks to crossover the [flood],

Like one rowing a boat until it reaches the far shore.

故說攝意，
Gù shuō shè yì,
遠欲勿犯，
yuǎn yù wù fàn,
精進求度，　
jīng jìn qiú dù,
載船至岸。
zài chuán zhì àn.

Parallel: The Pali Sutta Nipata, Atthakavagga - Chap. 1 Verse 771

Discussion: I’ve used the word flood in the 3rd line as it appears in the Pali parallel to complete the sentence in english.

Bibliography

Verse 5. from Sutra One - Jié, Greedy King

Weakened, one collapses on being over powered,

Sitting as in mourning, one bitterly complains,

Afterward deep in pain one suffers,

Like a boat breaking-up amidst the sea.

倒羸為強，
Dào léi wéi qiáng,
坐服甚怨，
zuò fú shén yuàn,
次冥受痛，　
cì míng shòu tòng,
船破海中。
chuán pò hǎizhōng

Parallel: The Pali Sutta Nipata, Atthakavagga - Chap. 1 Verse 770

Bibliography

Verse 4. from Sutra One - Jié, Greedy King

Cultivated fields, precious treasures,

Owner of oxen and horses,

Women and [men], holding fast to these,

One is bond-up by desires,

Foolish ways that injure oneself,

田種珍寶,
Tián zhǒng zhēn bǎo,　　
牛馬養者，
niú mǎ yǎng zhě, 　　
坐女繫欲，
zuò nǚ xì yù,
癡行犯身，
chī xíng fàn shēn,

Parallel: The Pali Sutta Nipata, Atthakavagga - Chap. 1 Verse 769

Discussion: The inclusion of men follows the preceding verses use of pairs. The Pali parallel also lists both women and men.

Bibliography

Verse 3. from Sutra One - Jié, Greedy King

From desire one should flee,

As if close to the head of a snake,

Whoever [wants] to disregard pleasures of the world,

Should establish skill in contemplation.

是欲當遠，
Shì yù dāng yuàn,
如附蛇頭，　
rú fù shé tóu,
違世所樂，
wéi shì suǒ lè,　　
當定行禪。
dāng dìng xíng chán.


Parallel: The Pali Sutta Nipata, Atthakavagga - Chap. 1 Verse 768

Discussion: The character 禪 (chán) in the last line can be translated as meditation but is most commonly used today to refer to the Chan Buddhist school that would come to prominence in the proceeding centuries of Chinese buddhist history. The word itself is the shorten version of 禪那 (chán nuó), being a transliteration of the Sanskrit word for dhyāna (Pali, jhāna). Though, at this early stage of Buddhist transmission from India to China the word was associated with a wider range of Buddhist contemplation including but not exclusively the type of meditation known as dhyāna. It's for this reason I've translated it as contemplation rather than meditation as this captures the more generalised understanding and use of the word in China at that time (see Yuanci).

Bibliography

Verse 2. from Sutra One - Jié, Greedy King

Being greedy, craving the world,

A foolish person stuck in greed,

Wanting their desires, already that one is perishing,

As when the body results in poisoning from an arrow.

有貪世欲，
Yǒu tān shì yù,
坐貪癡人，
zuò tān chī rén,
既亡欲願，
jì wáng yù yuàn,

毒箭著身。
dú jiàn zhuó shēn.

Parallel: The Pali Sutta Nipata, Atthakavagga - Chap. 1 Kama Sutta Verse 767

Bibliography