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Saį¹yutta NikÄya 1.60 Linked Discourses 1.60
6. JarÄvagga 6. Old Age
Kavisutta A Poet Poetry
āKiį¹su nidÄnaį¹ gÄthÄnaį¹, āWhatās the source of verses? In this short discourse the Buddha articulates a naturalistic theory of poetry.āWhat is the scaffolding of verses?
kiį¹su tÄsaį¹ viyaƱjanaį¹; What constitutes their phrasing? What constitutes their phrasing?
Kiį¹su sannissitÄ gÄthÄ, What do verses depend upon? On what base do verses rest?
kiį¹su gÄthÄnamÄsayoāti. What underlies verses?ā What is the abode of verses?ā
āChando nidÄnaį¹ gÄthÄnaį¹, āMetre is the source of verses. Rig Veda 10.90.9 says that verses, chants, and metres were born, rather, from the sacrifice.āMetre is the scaffolding of verses;
akkharÄ tÄsaį¹ viyaƱjanaį¹; Syllables constitute their phrasing. The akkhara (āsyllableā) is the smallest indivisible morpheme, typically consisting of a consonant bound with a vowel. Mystically, it is the āimperishableā Divinity within all things. The āphrasingā (viyaƱjana) is the complex linguistic expression. Verses and other expressions are often counted by their syllables (eg. Åatapatha BrÄhmaį¹a 6.2.1.22, 6.2.2.33, 6.3.1.43).Syllables constitute their phrasing;
NÄmasannissitÄ gÄthÄ, Verses depend on names. ChÄndogya Upaniį¹£ad 7.1.4 defines ānameā (nÄma) as the Vedic texts and sciences.Verses rest on a base of names;
kavi gÄthÄnamÄsayoāti. A poet underlies verses.ā The Buddha uses the worldly word for āpoetā (kavi) instead of the divinely-inspired Vedic āseerā (isi).The poet is the abode of verses. ā
JarÄvaggo chaį¹į¹ho.
TassuddÄnaį¹
JarÄ ajarasÄ mittaį¹,
vatthu tÄ«į¹i janÄni ca;
Uppatho ca dutiyo ca,
kavinÄ pÅ«rito vaggoti.