Buddhist Pāli chanting of the Pārāyana Vagga in the Sutta Nipāta, one of the old parts of the Pali Canon in which 16 brahmin spiritual seekers visit the Buddha and ask him profound questions in verse about bondage and liberation.
The unifying theme is going beyond, or crossing over – Crossing the floods (of sensuality, becoming, views and ignorance), crossing over birth and old age, crossing over attachment to the world – With the purpose to instruct and inspire us to do the same.
The Pārāyana Vagga – “The Chapter on the Way to the Beyond” already existed as collection during the time of the Buddha and was memorized and chanted by monastics and laypeople, for eg. by Nandamātā the Buddha's foremost female lay disciple in deep meditation.
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Sometimes monks would discuss the meaning of the verses, give different interpretations and then go to ask the Buddha about it. ([ Ссылка ])
Sometimes the Buddha would quote some of the verses and give a detailed explanation himself.
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A free translation of the whole Sutta Nipāta is available here:
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A short summary of the Questions of the 16 Brahmins:
0:00 Ajita's Questions
Ajita:
With what is the world shrouded?
Because of what doesn’t it shine?
With what is it smeared? Tell me.
What is its great danger & fear?
The Buddha:
With ignorance the world is shrouded.
Because of stinginess, heedlessness,
it doesn’t shine.
With longing it’s smeared—I tell you.
Ajita:
They flow every which way, the streams.
What is their blocking,
what their restraint—tell me—
with what are they finally stopped?
The Buddha:
Whatever streams there are in the world:
Their blocking is mindfulness,
mindfulness is their restraint—I tell you—
with discernment they’re finally stopped.
01:33 Tissa Metteyya's Questions
Tissa Metteyya:
Who here in the world is contented?
Who has no agitations?
Who, directly knowing both sides,
by reflection doesn’t get stuck in the middle?
Whom do you call a great person?
Who here has gone past
the seamstress?
02:19 Punnaka's Questions:
For what reason do people make offerings and pray to gods? Who in the world has crossed over birth and old age?
04:00 Mettagū's Questions:
From where do the manifold sufferings in the world arise? How do the wise cross over the flood of birth and old age, sorrow and lamentation?
06:43 Dhotaka's Questions:
Instruct me in the state of seclusion so that I can live peaceful and unattached just as space is totally unobstructed. How can one cross over attachment to the world?
08:29 Upasīva's Questions:
Declare to me a basis by which I might cross this flood. Does one who has attained final Nibbāna cease to exist after he passed away or does he exist through eternity?
10:30 Nanda's Questions:
Is a silent sage someone who has knowledge or one who is following a particular way of life? Who in the world has crossed over birth and old age?
12:55 Hemaka's Questions:
Declare the destruction of craving, having understood which one can cross over attachment to the world.
13:50 Todeyya's Questions:
How is the liberation of one in whom craving is not found?
14:46 Kappa's Question:
Declare a safe island for those in the midst of this flood, oppresses by old age and death.
15:43 Jatukannī's Questions:
Teach me the true state of peace.
17:00 Bhadrāvudha's Questions:
Explain the Dhamma to the people here who have come to listen to you.
18:03 Udaya's Questions:
Explain the liberation by final knowledge to me and the breaking apart of ignorance. By what is the world fettered? What must be abandoned to attain Nibbāna?
19:25 Posāla's Questions:
What further knowledge has someone to realize for whom perceptions of form have vanished and who sees "there is nothing" internally and externally?
20:18 Mogharāja's Questions:
How does one have to see the world so that the king of death doesn't see you?
21:18 Pingiya's Questions:
Declare the abandoning of birth and old age to me.
22:29 - Verses praising "The Way to the Beyond"
"...If one understands the meaning of each of these questions, and practices in accordance with the Dhamma, one will go beyond old age and death. Since these teachings lead beyond, this Dhamma exposition is called Pārāyana - "The Way to the Beyond"..."
The Brahmin Pingiya returns to report to his teacher, the Brahmin Bāvari, about the teaching that he received from the Buddha and praises his qualities. Final encouragement to embark on The Way to the Beyond:
"As Vakkali unleashed his faith
and Bhadrāvuda and Alavi Gotama
so too you must unleash your faith
then, Pingiya, you will go beyond the realm of death.
The immovable, the unshakable,
for which there is no simile
surely I will go there; I have no doubt about this.
Remember me as one with a heart thus resolved."
