➥ pāragata and pāragū.

• for pāragū:
  • reached the Far Shore
  • reached the far shore
  • gone beyond (something)
  • master (of the three Vedas)
• for pāragato:
  • reached the Far Shore

‘Far Shore’: nibbāna

‘Far Shore’ (pāraṁ) means nibbāna. The Pārāyanavaggo indicates this when it says one would go from the Near Shore to the Far Shore if one developed the Supreme Way.

Apārā pāraṁ gaccheyya bhāvento maggamuttamaṁ. (Snp 1130)

‘Near Shore’: personal identity?

The (capitalised) ‘Near Shore’ likely means personal identity, because the simile in the Āsivisopama Sutta (SN iv 172) says the near shore of a great expanse of water (orimaṁ tīraṁ) is a metaphor for personal identity (sakkāyassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ) and the far shore (pārimaṁ tīraṁ) is a metaphor for Nibbāna (nibbānassetaṁ adhivacanaṁ).

Arahant: pāragato or pāragū

Therefore, because he has attained to Nibbāna, the arahant is ‘one who has reached the Far Shore,’ either pāragato (SN iv 157) or pāragū (Snp 372).

Pāraṅgata vs. Pāragata

Pāraṅgata and pāragata stem from paraṁ and para. PED explains the words as synonyms, as follows:

• Pāragata: ‘one who has reached the opposite shore.’
• Pāraṅgata: ‘gone to the other side, gone beyond, traversed, transcended.’

Pāli versions disagree on the spelling. For example, VRI usually spells pāraṅgata and commonly ascribes pāragata to BJT, as follows:

1) pāraṅgato [pāragato (sī. syā. kaṁ.)] (SN iv 174).

2) pāraṅgato [pāragato (sī. syā. kaṁ.)] (AN ii 5).

3) pāraṅgato [pāragato (sī. syā. kaṁ.)] (AN iv 11).

4) pāraṅgatā [pāragatā (sī. syā. pī.)] (AN iv 228).

5) pāraṅgatā [pāragatā (ka. sī. syā.)] (Iti 50).

6) tiṇṇo pāraṅgato [pāragato (sī. aṭṭha. syā.)] (Iti 57).

However, VRI itself occasionally spells pāragata. For example, in combination with tiṇṇo, the ratio is 11:2 as follows:

1) tiṇṇaṁ pāraṅgataṁ (Snp 359).

2) tiṇṇā pāraṅgatā (AN iv 411).

3) tiṇṇo pāraṅgato (MN ii 196).

4) tiṇṇo pāraṅgato (SN iv 156).

5) tiṇṇo pāraṅgato (SN iv 174).

6) tiṇṇo pāraṅgato (SN iv 175).

7) tiṇṇo pāraṅgato (AN ii 5).

8) tiṇṇo hoti pāraṅgato (AN iv 11).

9) tiṇṇo pāraṅgato (Iti 57).

10) tiṇṇo pāraṅgato (Snp 638).

11) tiṇṇo pāraṅgato (Tha 680).

1) tiṇṇo pāragato (Dhp 414).

2) tiṇṇo pāragato (Snp 21).

On the basis of these findings, we normalise spellings in the Glossary and in our translations to pāragato.

Pāraguṁ and pāragū: qualified

Where pāraguṁ and pāragū are qualified they still indicate arahantship, and should be rendered as ‘gone beyond [something]’ For example:

• pāragū dukkhassa: gone beyond suffering (Snp 539).
• jātimaraṇassa pāragā: gone beyond birth and death (SN iv 71).

Pāragū: master (of the three Vedas)

Pāragū can also mean that a brahman scholar is ‘master’ of the three Vedas: tiṇṇaṁ vedānaṁ pāragū. (AN i 163)

➥ pāragū: (main article see: pāragata)

Illustration: pāragū, one who reaches the far shore

So a person, being ever mindful, should avoid sensuous pleasures. Having forsaken them he would cross the flood [of suffering] like one, having bailed a boat, who reaches the far shore.

Tasmā jantu sadā sato kāmāni parivajjaye
Te pahāya tare oghaṁ nāvaṁ sitvāva pāragū ti. (Snp 771)

➥ pāragato: (main article see: pāragata)

Illustration: pāragato, reached the far shore

As long as he has not gained firm ground whilst [crossing] a river, a man strains with all his limbs. But on gaining firm ground, standing on the shore, he does not strain for he has reached the far shore.

Yāva na gādhaṁ labhati nadīsu āyūhati sabbagattehi jantu
Gādhañca laddhāna thale ṭhito so nāyūhati pāragato hi soti. (SN i 48)

Illustration: pāragato, reached the Far Shore

Having reached the end of birth and death, he does not strain for he has reached the Far Shore.

pappuyya jātimaraṇassa antaṁ nāyūhati pāragato hi so ti. (SN i 48)

Illustration: pāragato, reached the Far Shore

He is blessed with profound knowledge. He has fulfilled the religious life.

Sa vedagū vusitabrahmacariyo

He is called one who has reached the end of the world [of phenomena], one who has reached the Far Shore.

Lokantagū pāragato ti vuccatī ti. (SN iv 157)

Illustration: pāragato, reached the Far Shore

I have crossed [to the Far Shore], reached the Far Shore, having eliminated the flood [of suffering].

tiṇṇo pāragato vineyya oghaṁ. (Snp 21)

Illustration: pāragū, gone beyond

You have reached the end of suffering, gone beyond suffering.

antagūsi pāragū dukkhassa. (Snp 539)

➥ pāragā: (main article see: pāragata)

Illustration: pāragā, gone beyond

Having vanquished both attachment and hatred

te rāgadose abhibhuyya bhikkhavo

Be those who have gone beyond birth and death.

bhavātha jātimaraṇassa pāragā ti. (SN iv 71)

Illustration: pāragū, gone beyond

They are unattached; they have gone beyond birth and death.

te asitā jātimaraṇabhayassa pāragū. (AN ii 15)

➥ pāraguṁ: (main article see: pāragata)

Illustration: pāraguṁ, gone beyond

With self-centredness abandoned, he has gone beyond old age, I declare.

Mānaṁ jahaṁ brūmi jarāya pāraguṁ. (Iti 40)

Illustration: pāraguṁ, gone beyond

Be those who have gone beyond birth and death.

Bhavātha jātimaraṇassa pāragā ti. (Iti 40-1)

Illustration: pāragū, gone beyond

He bears his last body having gone beyond birth and death

Dhāreti antimaṁ dehaṁ jātimaraṇapāragū. (Tha 1022)

Illustration: pāraguṁ, gone beyond

One who has done what needed to be done, who is free of perceptually obscuring states, and who has gone beyond all things.

Katakiccaṁ anāsavaṁ pāraguṁ sabbadhammānaṁ. (Snp 1105)

➥ pāragun: (main article see: pāragata)

Illustration: pāragun, gone beyond

The devas venerate him, the one who has gone beyond individual existence.

Devā namassanti bhavassa pāragun ti. (Tha 38)