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Dhammapada Verse 1
Cakkhupalatthera Vatthu
Manopubbangama dhamma1
manosettha manomaya
manasa ce padutthena2
bhasati va karoti va
tato nam dukkhamanveti
cakkamva vahato padam.
Verse 1: All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with an evil mind, 'dukkha' 3 follows him just as the wheel follows the hoofprint of the ox that draws the cart.
1. manopubbangama dhamma: All mental phenomena have Mind as their forerunner in the sense that Mind is the most dominant, and it is the cause of the other three mental phenomena, namely, Feeling (vedana), Perception (sanna) and Mental Formations or Mental Concomitants (sankhara). These three have Mind or Consciousness (vinnana) as their forerunner, because although they arise simultaneously with Mind they cannot arise if Mind does not arise. (The Commentary)
2. manasa ce padutthena (Verse 1) and manasi ce pasannena (Verse 2): Manasa here means intention or volition (cetana); volition leads one to the performance of volitional actions, both good and evil. This volition and the resultant actions constitute kamma; and kamma always follows one to produce results. Cakkhupala's blindness (Verse 1) was the consequence of his having acted with an evil intention in a previous existence and Matthakundali's happy existence in Tavatimsa celestial world (Verse 2) was the result of his mental devotion (manopasada) to the Buddha.
3. dukkha: In this context, dukkha mens suffering, or physical or mental pain, misfortune, unsatisfactoriness, evil consequences, etc., and rebirth in the lower planes of existence or in the lower strata of human society if born in the human world.
The Story of Thera Cakkhupala
While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verse (1) of this book, with reference to Cakkhupala, a blind thera.
On one occasion, Thera Cakkhupala came to pay homage to the Buddha at the Jetavana monastery. One night, while pacing up and down in meditation, the thera accidentally stepped on some insects. In the morning, some bhikkhus visiting the thera found the dead insects. They thought ill of the thera and reported the matter to the Buddha. The Buddha asked them whether they had seen the thera killing the insects. When they answered in the negative, the Buddha said, "Just as you had not seen him killing, so also he had not seen those living insects. Besides, as the thera had already attained arahatship he could have no intention of killing and so was quite innocent." On being asked why Cakkhupala was blind although he was an arahat, the Buddha told the following story:
Cakkhupala was a physician in one of his past existences. Once, he had deliberately made a woman patient blind. That woman had promised him to become his slave, together with her children, if her eyes were completely cured. Fearing that she and her children would have to become slaves, she lied to the physician. She told him that her eyes were getting worse when, in fact, they were perfectly cured. The physician knew she was deceiving him, so in revenge, he gave her another ointment, which made her totally blind. As a result of this evil deed the physician lost his eyesight many times in his later existences.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 1: All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with an evil mind, 'dukkha' follows him just as the wheel follows the hoofprint of the ox that draws the cart. |
At the end of the discourse, thirty thousand bhikkhus attained arahatship together with Analytical Insight (Patisambhida).
Dhammapada Verse 2
Matthakundali Vatthu
Manopubbangama dhamma
manosettha manomaya
manasa ce pasannena
bhasati va karoti va
tato nam sukha1 manveti
chayava anapayini.
Verse 2: All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness (sukha) follows him like a shadow that never leaves him.
1. Sukham/sukha: in this context, happiness, satifactoriness, fortune, etc., and rebirth in the three upper planes of happy existence.
The Story of Matthakundali
While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verse (2) of this book, with reference to Matthakundali, a young Brahmin. Matthakundali was a young brahmin, whose father, Adinnapubbaka, was very stingy and never gave anything in charity. Even the gold ornaments for his only son were made by himself to save payment for workmanship. When his son fell ill, no physician was consulted, until it was too late. When he realized that his son was dying, he had the youth carried outside on to the verandah, so that people coming to his house would not see his possessions.
On that morning, the Buddha arising early from his deep meditation of compassion saw, in his Net of Knowledge, Matthakundali lying on the verandah. So when entering Savatthi for alms-food with his disciples, the Buddha stood near the door of the brahmin Adinnapubbaka. The Buddha sent forth a ray of light to attract the attention of the youth, who was facing the interior of the house. The youth saw the Buddha; and as he was very weak he could only profess his faith mentally. But that was enough. When he passed away with his heart in devotion to the Buddha he was reborn in the Tavatimsa celestial world.
From his celestial abode the young Matthakundali, seeing his father mourning over him at the cemetery, appeared to the old man in the likeness of his old self. He told his father about his rebirth in the Tavatimsa world and also urged him to approach and invite the Buddha to a meal. At the house of Adinnapubbaka the question of whether one could or could not be reborn in a celestial world simply by mentally professing profound faith in the Buddha, without giving in charity or observing the moral precepts, was brought up. So the Buddha willed that Matthakundali should appear in person; Matthakundali soon appeared fully decked with celestial ornaments and told them about his rebirth in the Tavatimsa world. Then only, the audience became convinced that the son of the brahmin Adinnapubbaka by simply devoting his mind to the Buddha had attained much glory.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 2: All mental phenomena have mind as their forerunner; they have mind as their chief; they are mind-made. If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness (sukha) follows him like a shadow that never leaves him. |
At the end of the discourse Matthakundali and his father Adinnapubbaka attained Sotapatti Magga and Sotapatti Phala. Adinnapubbaka also donated almost all his wealth to the cause of the Buddha's Teaching.
Dhammapada Verses 3 and 4
Tissatthera Vatthu
Akkocchi mam avadhi mam
ajini mam ahasi me
ye ca tam upanayhanti
veram tesam na sammati.
Akkocchi mam avadhi mam
ajini mam ahasi me
ye ca tam nupanayhanti
veram tesupasammati.
Verse 3: "He abused me, he ill-treated me, he got the better of me, he stole my belongings;"... the enmity of those harbouring such thoughts cannot be appeased.
Verse 4: "He abused me, he ill-treated me, he got the better of me, he stole my belongings;"... the enmity of those not harbouring such thoughts can be appeased.
The Story of Thera Tissa
While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verses (3) and (4) of this book, with reference to Thera Tissa.
Tissa, son of the Buddha's maternal aunt, was at one time staying with the Buddha. He had become a bhikkhu only in his old age, but he posed as a senior bhikkhu and was very pleased when visiting bhikkhus asked his permission to do some service for him. On the other hand, he failed to perform the duties expected of junior bhikkhus; besides, he often quarrelled with the younger bhikkhus. Should anyone rebuke him on account of his behaviour he would go complaining to the Buddha, weeping, very much dissatisfied and very upset. The others also followed him to the presence of the Buddha. The Buddha told them not to harbour thoughts of enmity, for enmity could only be appeased by not harbouring enmity.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 3: "He abused me, he ill-treated me, he got the better of me, he stole my belongings;"... the enmity of those harbouring such thoughts cannot be appeased. |
| |
| Verse 4: "He abused me, he ill-treated me, he got the better of me, he stole my belongings;"... the enmity of those not harbouring such thoughts can be appeased. |
At the end of the discourse, one hundred thousand bhikkhus attained Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verse 5
Kalayakkhini Vatthu
Na hi verena verani
sammantidha kudacanam
averena ca sammanti
esa dhammo sanantano.1
Verse 5: Hatred is, indeed, never appeased by hatred in this world. It is appeased only by loving-kindness. This is an ancient law.
1. esa dhammo sanantano: This is the same as "poranako dhammo," the doctrine followed by the Budhha and his disciples. The exhortation is not to return hatred for hatred but to conquer it by loving-kindness (absence of hatred).
The Story of Kalayakkhini
While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verse (5) of this book, with reference to a certain woman who was barren, and her rival.
Once there lived a householder, whose wife was barren; later he took another wife. The feud started when the elder wife caused abortion of the other one, who eventually died in child birth. In later existences the two were reborn as a hen and a cat; a doe and a leopardess; and finally as the daughter of a nobleman in Savatthi and an ogress named Kali. The ogress (Kalayakkhini) was in hot pursuit of the lady with the baby, when the latter learned that the Buddha was nearby, giving a religious discourse at the Jetavana monastery. She fled to him and placed her son at his feet for protection. The ogress was stopped at the door by the guardian spirit of the monastery and was refused admission. She was later called in and both the lady and the ogress were reprimanded by the Buddha. The Buddha told them about their past feuds as rival wives of a common husband, as a cat and a hen, and as a doe and a leopardess. They were made to see that hatred could only cause more hatred, and that it could only cease through friendship, understanding and goodwill.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 5: Hatred is, indeed, never appeased by hatred in this world. It is appeased only by loving-kindness. This is an ancient law. |
At the end of the discourse, the ogress was established in Sotapatti Fruition and the long-standing feud came to an end.
Dhammapada Verse 6
Kosambaka Vatthu
Pare ca na vijananti1
mayamettha yamamase2
ye ca tattha vijananti3
tato sammanti medhaga.
Verse 6: People, other than the wise, do not realize, "We in this world must all die," (and, not realizing it, continue their quarrels). The wise realize it and thereby their quarrels cease.
1. Pare ca na vijananti: 'Pare' means 'others'; in this context, people other than the wise. These people do not realize that they must die, and behave as if they were never going to die and keep on quarrelling. Therefore, they are sometimes referred to as the ignorant or the foolish, or those who are not worthy of love and respect.
2. mayamettha yamamase: lit., "We here must die," meaning we, of this world, must die; or all men are mortal.
3. ye ca tattha vijananti: in the case of those who understand, meaning the wise. The wise understand (or realize) that all men are mortal.
The Story of Kosambi Bhikkhus
While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verse (6) of this book, with reference to the bhikkhus of Kosambi.
The bhikkhus of Kosambi had formed into two groups. One group followed the master of Vinaya and the other followed the teacher of the Dhamma and they were often quarrelling among themselves. Even the Buddha could not stop them from quarrelling; so he left them and spent the vassa, residence period of the rains, all alone in Rakkhita Grove near Palileyyaka forest. There, the elephant Palileyya waited upon the Buddha.
The lay disciples of Kosambi, on learning the reason for the departure of the Buddha, refused to make offerings to the remaining bhikkhus. This made them realize their mistake and reconciliation took place among themselves. Still, the lay disciples would not treat them as respectfully as before, until they owned up their fault to the Buddha. But the Buddha was away and it was in the middle of the vassa; so the bhikkhus of Kosambi spent the vassa in misery and hardship.
At the end of the vassa, the Venerable Ananda and five hundred bhikkhus approached the Buddha and gave the message from Annathapindika and other lay disciples imploring him to return. In due course the Buddha returned to the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi. The bhikkhus followed him there, fell down at his feet, and owned up their fault. The Buddha rebuked them for disobeying him. He told them to remember that they must all die some day and therefore, they must stop their quarrels and must not act as if they would never die.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 6: People, other than the wise, do not realize, "We in this world must all die," (and, not realizing it, continue their quarrels). The wise realize it and thereby their quarrels cease. |
At the end of the discourse, all the assembled bhikkhus were established in Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verses 7 and 8
Mahakalatthera Vatthu
Subhanupassim viharantam
indriyesu asamvutam
bhojanamhi camattannum
kusitam hinaviriyam
tam ve pasahati Maro1
vato rukkhamva dubbalam.
Asubhanupassim viharantam
indriyesu susamvutam
bhojanamhi ca mattannum
saddham2 araddhaviriyam
tam ve nappasahati Maro
vato selamva pabbatam.
Verse 7: He who keeps his mind on pleasant objects, who is uncontrolled in his senses, immoderate in his food, and is lazy and lacking in energy, will certainly be overwhelmed by Mara,3 just as stormy winds uproot a weak tree.
Verse 8: He who keeps his mind on the impurities (of the body), who is well-controlled in his senses and is full of faith and energy, will certainly be not overwhelmed by Mara, just as stormy winds cannot shake a mountain of rock.
1. Maro/Mara: in this context kilesamara, the defilements hindering the realization of Nibbana.
2. saddham/saddha: According to the Commentary,
(a) unwavering (unshakable) faith in the Buddha, the Dhamma (the Doctrine) and the Samgha (the Buddhist Religious Order) and
(b) faith or belief in kamma (action) and its results.
3. Refer to 1.
The Story of Thera Mahakala
While residing in the neighbourhood of the town of
Mahakala was serious in his ascetic practice at the cemetery (Sosanika dhutinga) and diligently meditated on decay and impermanence. He finally gained Insight and attained arahatship.
Later, the Buddha and his disciples, including the brothers, happened to be staying in the
The next day, the wives of Mahakala invited the Buddha and his disciples to their house hoping to do the same with Mahakala as the wives of Culakala had done to Culakala. After the meal they requested the Buddha to let Mahakala remain to "express appreciation" (anumodana). So the Buddha and the other disciples left.
Arriving at the village gate the bhikkhus expressed their dissatisfaction and apprehension. They were dissatisfied because Mahakala was permitted to stay behind and they were afraid that, like Culakala, his brother, Mahakala, too, would be made to leave the Order by his former wives. To this, the Buddha replied that the two brothers were not alike. Culakala indulged in sensual pleasures and was lazy and weak; he was just like a weak tree. Mahakala, on the other hand, was diligent, steadfast and strong in his faith of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha; he was like a mountain of rock.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 7: He who keeps his mind on pleasant objects, who is uncontrolled in his senses, immoderate in his food, and is lazy and lacking in energy, will certainly be overwhelmed by Mara, just as stormy winds uproot a weak tree. |
| |
| Verse 8: He who keeps his mind on the impurities (of the body), who is well-controlled in his senses and is full of faith and energy, will certainly be not overwhelmed by Mara, just as stormy winds cannot shake a mountain of rock. |
Meanwhile, the former wives of Mahakala surrounded him and tried to remove his yellow robes. The thera, sensing their attitude, stood up and rising up into the air by his supernormal powers passed through the roof of the house into the sky. He landed at the feet of the Buddha at the very moment the Master was coming to the end of his utterance of the above two stanzas. At the same time, all the bhikkhus assembled there were established in Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verses 9 and 10
Devadatta Vatthu
Anikkasavo kasavam1
yo vattham paridahissati
apeto damasaccena
na so kasavamarahati.
Yo ca vantakasav'assa2
silesu susamahito
upeto damasaccena
sa ve kasavamarahati.
Verse 9: He who is not free from taints of moral defilements (kilesas) and yet dons the yellow robe, who lacks restraint in his senses and (speaks not the) truth is unworthy of the yellow robe.
Verse 10: He who has discarded all moral defilements (kilesas), who is established in moral precepts, is endowed with restraint and (speaks the) truth is, indeed, worthy of the yellow robe.
1. kasavam or kasavam vattham: the yellow or reddish yellow robe donned by members of the Buddhist Religious Order. There is a play on words in the above stanzas; 'anikkasavo', meaning, not free from faults of moral defilements and therefore, stained; and kasavam, the yellow robe, dyed sombre in some astringent juice and is therefore stained.
2. vantakasav'assa: lit., has vomited all moral defilements; it means, has discarded all moral defilements through the four Path Knowledge (Magga nana).
The Story of Devadatta
While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verses (9) and (10) of this book, with reference to Devadatta.
Once the two Chief Disciples, the Venerable Sariputta and the Venerable Maha Moggallana, went from Savatthi to Rajagaha. There, the people of Rajagaha invited them, with their one thousand followers, to a morning meal. On that occasion someone handed over a piece of cloth, worth one hundred thousand, to the organizers of the alms-giving ceremony. He instructed them to dispose of it and use the proceeds for the ceremony should there be any shortage of funds, or if there were no such shortage, to offer it to anyone of the bhikkhus they thought fit. It so happened that there was no shortage of anything and the cloth was to be offered to one of the theras. Since the two Chief Disciples visited Rajagaha only occasionally, the cloth was offered to Devadatta, who was a permanent resident of Rajagaha.
Devadatta promptly made the cloth into robes and moved about pompously, wearing them. Then, a certain bhikkhu from Rajagaha came to Savatthi to pay homage to the Buddha, and told him about Devadatta and the robe, made out of cloth worth one hundred thousand. The Buddha then said that it was not the first time that Devadatta was wearing robes that he did not deserve. The Buddha then related the following story.
Devadatta was an elephant hunter in one of his previous existences. At that time, in a certain forest, there lived a large number of elephants. One day, the hunter noticed that these elephants knelt down to the paccekabuddhas* on seeing them. Having observed that, the hunter stole an upper part of a yellow robe and covered his body and hand with it. Then, holding a spear in his hand, he waited for the elephants on their usual route. The elephants came, and taking him for a paccekabuddha fell down on their knees to pay obeisance. They easily fell prey to the hunter. Thus, one by one, he killed the last elephant in the row each day for many days.
The Bodhisatta (the Buddha-to-be) was then the leader of the herd. Noticing the dwindling number of his followers he decided to investigate and followed his herd at the end of the line. He was alert, and was therefore able to evade the spear. He caught hold of the hunter in his trunk and was about to dash him against the ground, when he saw the yellow robe. Seeing the yellow robe, he desisted and spared the life of the hunter.
The hunter was rebuked for trying to kill under cover of the yellow robe and for commuting such an act of depravity. The hunter clearly did not deserve to put on the yellow robe.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 9: He who is not free from taints of moral defilements (kilesas) and yet dons the yellow robe, who lacks restraint in his senses and (speaks not the) truth is unworthy of the yellow robe. |
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| Verse 10: He who has discarded all moral defilements (kilesas), who is established in moral precepts, is endowed with restraint and (speaks the) truth is, indeed, worthy of the yellow robe. |
At the end of the discourse, many bhikkhus were established in Sotapatti Fruition.
* Paccekabuddha: One who, like the Buddha, is Self-Enlightened in the Four Noble Truths and has uprooted all the moral defilements (kilesas). However, he cannot teach others. Paccekabuddhas appear during the absence of the Buddha Sasana (Teaching).
Dhammapada Verses 11 and 12
Sariputtatthera Vatthu
Asare1saramatino
sare2casaradassino
te saram3 nadhigacchanti
micchasankappagocara.
Saranca sarato natva
asaranca adhigacchanti
te saram adhigacchanti
sammasankappagocara.
Verse 11: They take untruth for truth; they take truth for untruth; such persons can never arrive at the truth, for they hold wrong views.
Verse 12: They take truth for truth; they take untruth for untruth; such persons arrive at the truth, for they hold right views.
1. asare: lit., essenceless; according to the Commentary, wrong view, i.e., untruth.
2. sare: lit., essence; according to the Commentary, right view, i.e. , truth.
3. siram: Truth According to the Commentary, essence of the Dhamma. The essence of the Dhamma comprises sila (moral precepts or morality), samadhi (concentration), panna (knowledge), vimutti (liberation), vimutti-nanadasasana (Knowledge of and Insight into liberation), haramattha (ultimate truth) and Nibbana.
The Story of Thera Sariputta
While residing at Veluvana, the Bamboo Grove monastery in Rajagaha, the Buddha uttered Verses (11) and (12) of this book, with reference to Sanjaya, a former teacher of the Chief Disciples, the Venerable Sariputta and the Venerable Moggallana (formerly Upatissa and Kolita).
Upatissa and Kolita were two youths from Upatissa and Kolita, two villages near Rajagaha. While looking at a show they realized the insubstantiality of things and they decided to search for the way to liberation. First, they approached Sanjaya. the wandering ascetic at Rajagaha, but they were not satisfied with his teachings. So they went all over Jambudipa and came back to their native place, after searching for, but not finding the true dhamma. At this point they came to an understanding that one who found the true dhamma should inform the other.
One day, Upatissa came across Thera Assaji and learned from him the substance of the dhamma. The thera uttered the verse beginning with "Ye dhamma hetuppabhava", meaning, "those phenomena which proceed from a cause". Listening to the verse, Upatissa became established in the Sotapatti Magga and Phala. Then, as promised, he went to his friend Kolita, explained to him that he, Upatissa, had attained the state of Deathlessness and repeated the verse to his friend. Kolita also become established in Sotapatti Fruition at the end of the verse. They both remembered their former teacher and so went to Sanjaya and said to him, "We have found one who could point out the Path to Deathlesseness; the Buddha has appeared in the world; the Dhamma has appeared; the Sangha has appeared... Come, let us go to the Teacher." They had hoped that their former teacher would go along with them to the Buddha and by listening to the discourses he, too, would come to realize Magga and Phala. But Sanjaya refused.
So Upatissa and Kolita, with two hundred and fifty followers, went to the Buddha, at Veluvana. There, they were initiated and admitted into the Order as bhikkhus. Upatissa as son of Rupasari became known as Thera Sariputta; Kolita as son of Moggali became known as Thera Maha Moggallana. On the seventh day after the initiation Maha Moggallana attained Arahatship. Thera Sariputta achieved the same a fortnight after initiation. On that day, the Buddha made them his two Chief Disciples (Agga-Savaka).
The two Chief Disciples then related to the Buddha how they went to the Giragga festival, the meeting with Thera Assaji and their attainment of Sotapatti Fruition. They also told the Buddha about their former teacher Sanjaya, who refused to accompany them. Sanjaya had said, "Having been a teacher to so many pupils, for me to become his pupil would be like a jar turning into a drinking cup. Besides, only few people are wise and the majority are foolish; let the wise go to the wise Gotama, the foolish would still come to me. Go your way, my pupils."
Thus, as the Buddha pointed out, Sanjaya's false pride was preventing him from seeing truth as truth; he was seeing untruth as truth and would never arrive at the real truth.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 11: They take untruth for truth; they take truth for untruth; such persons can never arrive at the truth, for they hold wrong views. |
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| Verse 12: They take truth for truth; they take untruth for untruth; such persons arrive at the truth, for they hold right views. At the end of the discourse, many people came to be established in Sotapatti Fruition. |
At the end of the discourse, many people came to be established in Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verses 13 and 14
Nandatthera Vatthu
Yatha agaram ducchannam
vutthi samativijjhati
evam abhavitam cittam
rago samativijjhati.
Yatha agaram suchannam
vutthi na samativijjhati
evam subhavitam cittam
rago na samativijjhati.
Verse 13: Just as rain penetrates a badly-roofed house, so also, passion (raga) penetrates a mind not cultivated in Tranquillity and Insight Development (Samatha and Vipassana).
Verse 14: Just as rain cannot penetrate a well-roofed house, so also, passion (raga) cannot penetrate a mind well-cultivated in Tranquillity and Insight Development (Samatha and Vipassana).
The Story of Thera Nanda
While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verses (13) and (14) of this book, with reference to Thera Nanda, a cousin of the Buddha.
Once the Buddha was residing at the Veluvana monastery in Rajagaha when his father King Suddhodana repeatedly sent messengers to the Buddha requesting him to visit the city of
On the third day, there was the marriage ceremony of Prince Nanda, a cousin of the Buddha. The Buddha went there for alms and handed over the alms bowl to Prince Nanda. The Buddha then departed without taking back the bowl. So the prince, holding the bowl, had to follow the Buddha. The bride, Princess Janapadakalyani, seeing the prince following the Buddha rushed forth and cried out to the prince to come back soon. At the monastery, the prince was admitted into the Order as a bhikkhu.
Later, the Buddha moved into the monastery built by Anathapindika, at
Knowing this, the Buddha, by supernormal power, showed Nanda, the beautiful female devas of the Tavatimsa world who were far prettier than Princess Janapadakalyani. He promised to get them for Nanda, if the latter strove hard in the practice of the Dhamma. Other bhikkhus ridiculed Nanda by saying that he was like a hireling who practised the Dhamma for the sake of beautiful women, etc. Nanda felt very much tormented and ashamed. So, in seclusion, he tried very hard in the practice of the Dhamma and eventually attained arahatship. As an arahat his mind was totally released from all attachments, and the Buddha was also released from his promise to Nanda. All this had been foreseen by the Buddha right from the very beginning.
Other bhikkhus, having known that Nanda was not happy in the life of a bhikkhu, again asked him how he was faring. When he answered that he had no more attachments to the life of a householder, they thought Nanda was not speaking the truth. So they informed the Buddha about the matter, at the same time expressing their doubts. The Buddha then explained to them that, previously, the nature of Nanda was like that of an ill-roofed house, but now, it had grown to be like a well-roofed one.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 13: Just as rain penetrates a badly-roofed house, so also, passion (raga) penetrates a mind not cultivated in Tranquillity and Insight Development (Samatha and Vipassana). |
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| Verse 14: Just as rain cannot penetrate a well-roofed house, so also, passion (raga) cannot penetrate a mind well-cultivated in Tranquillity and Insight Development (Samatha and Vipassana). |
* Sakadagami Fruition: Sakadagami Phala, 'fruit' or 'fruition'. This immediately follows Sakadagami Magga which is the second Magga or the second stage of Enlightenment attained by one who has practised Insight Meditation.
Dhammapada Verse 15
Cundasukarika Vatthu
Idha socati pecca socati
papakari ubhayattha socati
so socati so vihannati
disva kammakilitthamattano.
Verse 15: Here he grieves, hereafter he grieves; the evil-doer grieves in both existences. He grieves and he suffers anguish when he sees the depravity of his own deeds.
The Story of Cundasukarika
While residing at the Veluvana monastery in Rajagaha, the Buddha uttered Verse (15) of this book, with reference to Cunda, the pork-butcher.
Once, in a village not far away from the Veluvana monastery, there lived a very cruel and hard-hearted pork-butcher, by the name of Cunda. Cunda was a pork-butcher for over fifty-five years; all this time he had not done a single meritorious deed. Before he died, he was in such great pain and agony that he was grunting and squealing and kept on moving about on his hands and knees like a pig for seven whole days. In fact, even before he died, he was suffering as if he were in Niraya*. On the seventh day, the pork-butcher died and was reborn in Avici Niraya. Thus, the evil-doer must always suffer for the evil deeds done by him; he suffers in this world as well as in the next.
In this connection, the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 15: Here he grieves, hereafter he grieves; the evil-doer grieves in both existences. He grieves and he suffers anguish when he sees the depravity of his own deeds. |
* Niraya or Naraka: a place of continuous torment sometimes compared with hell; but it is different from hell because suffering in Niraya is not everlasting like suffering in hell. Avici Niraya is the most fearful of all Nirayas.
Dhammapada Verse 16
Dhammika-upasaka Vatthu
Idha modati pecca modati
katapunno ubhayattha modati
so modati so pamodati
disva kammavisuddhimattano.
Verse 16: Here he rejoices, hereafter he rejoices; one who performed meritorious deeds rejoices in both existences. He rejoices and greatly rejoices when he sees the purity of his own deeds.
The Story of Dhammika Upasaka
While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verse (16) of this book, with reference to Dhammika, a lay disciple.
Once there lived in Savatthi, a lay disciple by the name of Dhammika, who was virtuous and very fond of giving in charity. He generously offered food and other requisites to the bhikkhus regularly and also on special occasions. He was, in fact, the leader of five hundred virtuous lay disciples of the Buddha who lived in Savatthi. Dhammika had seven sons and seven daughters and all of them, like their father, were virtuous and devoted to charity. When Dhammika was very ill and was on his death-bed he made a request to the Samgha to come to him and recite the sacred texts by his bedside. While the bhikkhus were reciting the Maha satipatthana Sutta, six decorated chariots from six celestial worlds arrived to invite him to their respective worlds. Dhammika told them to wait for a while for fear of interrupting the recitation of the Sutta. The bhikkhus, thinking that they were being asked to stop, stopped and left the place.
A little while later, Dhammika told his children about the six decorated chariots waiting for him. Then and there he decided to choose the chariot from the Tusita world and asked one of his children to throw a garland on to it. Then he passed away and was reborn in the Tusita world. Thus, the virtuous man rejoices in this world as well as in the next.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 16: Here he rejoices, hereafter he rejoices; one who performed meritorious deeds rejoices in both existences. He rejoices and greatly rejoices when he sees the purity of his own deeds. |
Dhammapada Verse 17
Devadatta Vatthu
Idha tappati pecca tappati
papakari ubhayattha tappati
papam me katanti tappati
bhiyyo tappati duggatim1 gato.
Verse 17: Here he is tormented, hereafter he is tormented; the evil-doer is tormented in both existences. He is tormented, and he laments: "Evil have I done." He is even more tormented when he is reborn in one of the lower worlds (Apaya).
1. duggatim/duggati: unhappy destinations, the four lower worlds (apaya). In the case of Devadatta, avici niraya, the lowest niraya, (placement of torment).
The Story of Devadatta
While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verse (17) of this book, with reference to Devadatta.
Devadatta was at one time residing with the Buddha in Kosambi. While staying there he realized that the Buddha was receiving much respect and honour as well as offerings. He envied the Buddha and aspired to head the Order of the bhikkhus. One day, while the Buddha was preaching at the Veluvana monastery in Rajagaha, he approached the Buddha and on the ground that the Buddha was getting old, he suggested that the Order be entrusted to his care. The Buddha rejected his offer and rebuked him, saying that he was a swallower of other people's spittle. The Buddha next asked the Samgha to carry out an act of proclamation (Pakasaniya kamma*) regarding Devadatta.
Devadatta felt aggrieved and vowed vengeance against the Buddha. Three times, he attempted to kill the Buddha: first, by employing some archers; secondly, by climbing up the Gijjhakuta hill and rolling down a big piece of rock on to the Buddha; and thirdly, by causing the elephant Nalagiri to attack the Buddha. The hired assassins returned after being established in Sotapatti Fruition, without harming the Buddha. The big piece of rock rolled down by Devadatta hurt the big toe of the Buddha just a little, and when the Nalagiri elephant rushed at the Buddha, it was made docile by the Buddha. Thus Devadatta failed to kill the Buddha, and he tried another tactic. He tried to break up the Order of the bhikkhus by taking away some newly admitted bhikkhus with him to Gayasisa; however, most of them were brought back by Thera Sariputta and Thera Maha Moggallana.
Later, Devadatta fell ill. He had been ill for nine months when he asked his pupils to take him to the Buddha, and subsequently made the trip to the Jetavana monastery. Hearing that Devadatta was coming, the Buddha told his disciples that Devadatta would never get the opportunity to see him.
When Devadatta and his party reached the pond in the Jetavana monastery compound the carriers put down the couch on the bank of the pond and went to take a bath. Devadatta also rose from his couch and placed both his feet on the ground. Immediately, his feet sank into the earth and he was gradually swallowed up, Devadatta did not have the opportunity to see the Buddha because of the wicked deeds he had done to the Buddha. After his death, he was reborn in Avici Niraya, a place of intense and continuous torment.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 17: Here he is tormented, hereafter he is tormented; the evil-doer is tormented in both existences. He is tormented, and he laments: "Evil have I done." He is even more tormented when he is reborn in one of the lower worlds (Apaya). |
* Pakasaniya kamma: An act of Proclamation carried out by the Order of the Samgha regarding a member declaring that as his conduct was of one kind before and is of another kind now, henceforth all his physical and verbal actions are only his and have nothing to do with the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha.
Dhammapada Verse 18
Sumanadevi Vatthu
Idha nandati pecca nandati
katapunno ubhayattha nandati
punnam me katanti nandati
bhiyyo nandati suggatim1 gato.
Verse 18: Here he is happy, hereafter he is happy; one who performs meritorious deeds is happy in both existences. Happily he exclaims: I have done meritorious deeds." He is happier still when he is reborn in a higher world (suggati).
1. sugattim/suggati: happy existence.
The Story of Sumanadevi
[ Read longer version of story here ]
While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verse (18) of this book, with reference to Sumanadevi, the youngest daughter of Anathapindika.
In Savatthi, at the house of Anathapindika and the house of Visakha, two thousand bhikkhus were served with food daily. At the house of Visakha, the offering of alms-food was supervised by her granddaughter. At the house of Anathapindika, the supervision was done, first by the eldest daughter, next by the second daughter and finally by Sumanadevi, the youngest daughter. The two elder sisters attained Sotapatti Fruition by listening to the Dhamma, while serving food to the bhikkhus. Sumanadevi did even better and she attained Sakadagami Fruition.
Later, Sumanadevi fell ill and on her death-bed she asked for her father. Her father came, and she addressed her father as "younger brother" (Kanittha bhatika) and passed away soon after. Her form of address kept her father wondering and made him uneasy and depressed, thinking that his daughter was delirious and not in her right senses at the time of her death. So, he approached the Buddha and reported to him about his daughter, Sumanadevi. Then the Buddha told the noble rich man that his daughter was in her right senses and fully self-possessed at the time of her passing away. The Buddha also explained that Sumanadevi had addressed her father as "younger brother" because her attainment of Magga and Phala was higher than that of her father's. She was a Sakadagam whereas her father was only a Sotapanna. Anathapindika was also told that Sumanadevi was reborn in the Tusita deva world.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 18: Here he is happy, hereafter he is happy; one who performs meritorious deeds is happy in both existences. Happily he exclaims: I have done meritorious deeds." He is happier still when he is reborn in a higher world (suggati). |
Dhammapada Verses 19 and 20
Dvesahayakabhikkhu Vatthu
Bahumpi ce samhita bhasamano
na takkaro hoti naro pamatto
gopova gavo ganayam paresam
na bhagava samannassa hoti.
Appampi ce samhita bhasamano
dhammassa hoti anudhammacari
raganca dosanca pahaya moham
sammappajano suvimuttacitto1
anupadiyano idha va haram va
sa bhagava samannassa hoti.2
Verse 19: Though he recites much the Sacred Texts (Tipitaka), but is negligent and does not practise according to the Dhamma, like a cowherd who counts the cattle of others, he has no share in the benefits of the life of a bhikkhu (i.e., Magga-phala).
Verse 20: Though he recites only a little of the Sacred Texts (Tipitaka), but practises according to the Dhamma, eradicating passion, ill will and ignorance, clearly comprehending the Dhamma, with his mind freed from moral defilements and no longer clinging to this world or to the next, he shares the benefits of the life of a bhikkhu (i.e., Magga-phala).
1. suvimuttacitto: Mind freed from moral defilements; this has been achieved through perfect practice and clear comprehension of the Dhamma.
2. sa bhagava samannassa hoti: lit., shares the benefits of the life of a samana (a bhikkhu). According to the Commentary, in this context, it means, "Shares the benefits of Magga-phala."
The Story of Two Friends
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (19) and (20) of this book, with reference to two bhikkhus who were friends.
Once there were two friends of noble family, two bhikkhus from Savatthi. One of them learned the Tipitaka and was very proficient in reciting and preaching the sacred texts. He taught five hundred bhikkhus and became the instructor of eighteen groups of bhikkhus. The other bhikkhu striving diligently and ardently in the course of Insight Meditation attained arahatship together with Analytical Insight.
On one occasion, when the second bhikkhu came to pay homage to the Buddha, at the Jetavana monastery, the two bhikkhus met. The master of the Tipitaka did not realize that the other had already become an arahat. He looked down on the other, thinking that this old bhikkhu knew very little of the sacred texts, not even one out of the five Nikayas or one out of the three Pitakas. So he thought of putting questions to the other, and thus embarass him. The Buddha knew about his unkind intention and he also knew that as a result of giving trouble to such a noble disciple of his, the learned bhikkhu would be reborn in a lower world.
So, out of compassion, the Buddha visited the two bhikkhus to prevent the scholar from questioning the other bhikkhu. The Buddha himself did the questioning. He put questions on jhanas and maggas to the master of the Tipitaka; but he could not answer them because he had not practised what he had taught. The other bhikkhu, having practised the Dhamma and having attained arahatship, could answer all the questions. The Buddha praised the one who practised the Dhamma (i.e., a vipassaka), but not a single word of praise was spoken for the learned scholar (i.e., a ganthika).
The resident disciples could not understand why the Buddha had words of praise for the old bhikkhu and not for their learned teacher. So, the Buddha explained the matter to them. The scholar who knows a great deal but does not practise in accordance with the Dhamma is like a cowherd, who looks after the cows for wages, while the one who practises in accordance with the Dhamrna is like the owner who enjoys the five kinds of produce of the cows*. Thus, the scholar enjoys only the services rendered to him by his pupils but not the benefits of Magga-phala. The other bhikkhu, though he knows little and recites only a little of the sacred texts, having clearly comprehended the essence of the Dhamma and having practised diligently and strenuously, is an 'anudhammacari'**, who has eradicated passion, ill will and ignorance. His mind being totally freed from moral delilements and from all attachments to this world as well as to the next, he truly shares the benefits of Magga-phala.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 19: Though he recites much the Sacred Texts (Tipitaka), but is negligent and does not practise according to the Dhamma, like a cowherd who counts the cattle of others, he has no share in the benefits of the life of a bhikkhu (i.e., Magga-phala). |
| |
| Verse 20: Though he recites only a little of the Sacred Texts (Tipitaka), but practises according to the Dhamma, eradicating passion, ill will and ignorance, clearly comprehending the Dhamma, with his mind freed from moral defilements and no longer clinging to this world or to the next, he shares the benefits of the life of a bhikkhu (i.e., Magga-phala). |
* Milk, cream, butter, butter-milk and ghee.
** Anudhammacari: one who practises in conformity with the Dhamma.
End of Chapter One: The Pairs (Yamakavagga)
2 Appamada vagga
Dhammapada Verses 21, 22 and 23
Samavati Vatthu
Appamado1 amatapadam2
pamado maccuno padam3
appamatta na miyanti4
ye pamatta yatha mata.5
Evam visesato natva
appamadamhi pandita
appamade pamodanti
ariyanam gocare rata.6
Te jhayino7 satatika
ni ccam dalhaparakkama
phusanti dhira nibbanam8
yogakkhemam9 anuttaram.
Verse 21: Mindfulness is the way to the Deathless (Nibbana); unmindfulness is the way to Death. Those who are mindful do not die; those who are not mindful are as if already dead.
Verse 22: Fully comprehending this, the wise, who are mindful, rejoice in being mindful and find delight in the domain of the Noble Ones (Ariyas).
Verse 23: The wise, constantly cultivating Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice, being ever mindful and steadfastly striving, realize Nibbana: Nibbana, which is free from the bonds of yoga; Nibbana, the Incomparable!
1. appamada: According to the Commentary, it embraces all the meanings of the words of the Buddha in the Tipitaka, and therefore appamada is to be interpreted as being ever mindful in doing meritorious deeds; to be in line with the Buddha's Teaching in Mahasatipatthana Sutta, "appamado amatapadam", in particular, is to be interpreted as "Cultivation of Insight Development Practice is the way to Nibbana."
2. amata: lit., no death, deathless; it does not mean eternal life or immortality. The Commentary says: "Amata means Nibbana. It is true that Nibbana is called "Amata" as there is no ageing (old age) and death because there is no birth."
3. pamado maccuno padam: lit., unmindfulness is the way to Death. According to the Commentary, one who is unmindful cannot be liberated from rebirth; when reborn, one must grow old and die; so unmindfulness is the cause of Death.
4. appamatta na miyanti: Those who are mindful do not die. It does not mean that they do not grow old or die. According to the Commentary, the mindful develop mindful signs (i.e., cultivate Insight Development Practice); they soon realize Magga-Phala (i.e., Nibbana) and are no longer subject to rebirths. Therefore, whether they are, in fact, alive or dead, they are considered not to die.
5. ye pamatta yatha mata: as if dead. According to the Commentary, those who are not mindful are like the dead; because they never think of giving in charity, or keeping the moral precepts, etc., and in the case of bhikkhus, because they do not fulfil their duties to their teachers and preceptors, nor do they cultivate Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice.
6. ariyanam gocare rata: lit., "finds delight in the domain of the ariyas." According to the Commentary the domain of the ariyas consists of the Thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment (Bodhipakkhiya) and the nine Transcendentals, viz., the four Maggas, the four Phalas, and Nibbana.
7. jhiyino: those cultivating Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice.
8. phusanti dhira nibbanam: the wise realize Nibbana. Lit., phusati means, to touch, to reach. According to the Commentary, the realization takes place, through contact or experience, which may be either through Insight (Magga-Nana) or through Fruition (Phala). In this context, contact by way of Fruition is meant.
9. yogakkhemam: an attribute of Nibbana. Lit., it means free or secure from the four bonds which bind people to the round of rebirths. The four bonds or yoga are: sense pleasures (
The Story of Samavati
While residing at the Ghosita monastery near Kosambi, the Buddha uttered Verses (21), (22) and (23) of this book, with reference to Samavati, one of the chief queens of Udena, King of Kosambi.
Samavati had five hundred maids-of-honour staying with her at the palace; she also had a maid servant called Khujjuttara. The maid had to buy flowers for Samavati from the florist Sumana everyday. On one occasion, Khujjuttara had the opportunity to listen to a religious discourse delivered by the Buddha at the home of Sumana and she attained Sotapatti Fruition. She repeated the discourse of the Buddha to Samavati and the five hundred maids-of-honour, and they also attained Sotapatti Fruition. From that day, Khujjuttara did not have to do any menial work, but took the place of mother and teacher to Samavati. She listened to the discourses of the Buddha and repeated them to Samavati and her maids. In course of time, Khujjuttara mastered the Tipitaka.
Samavati and her maids wished very much to see the Buddha and pay obeisance to him; but they were afraid the king might be displeased with them. So, making holes in the walls of their palace, they looked through them and paid obeisance to the Buddha everyday as he was going to the houses of the three rich men, namely, Ghosaka, Kukkuta and Pavariya.
At that time, King Udena had also another chief queen by the name of Magandiya. She was the daughter of Magandiya, a brahmin. The brahmin seeing the Buddha one day thought the Buddha was the only person who was worthy of his very beautiful daughter. So, he hurriedly went off to fetch his wife and daughter and offered to give his daughter in marriage to the Buddha. Turning down his offer, the Buddha said, "Even after seeing Tanha, Arati and Raga, the daughters of Mara, I felt no desire in me for sensual pleasures; after all, what is this which is full of urine and filth and which I don't like to touch even with my foot."
On hearing those words of the Buddha, both the brahmin and his wife attained Anagami Magga and Phala. They entrusted their daughter to the care of her uncle and themselves joined the Order. Eventually, they attained arahatship. The Buddha knew from the beginning that the brahmin and his wife were destined to attain Anagami Fruition that very day, hence his reply to the brahmin in the above manner. However, the daughter Magandiya became very bitter and sore and she vowed to take revenge if and when an opportunity arose.
Later, her uncle presented Magandiya to King Udena and she became one of his chief queens. Magandiya came to learn about the arrival of the Buddha in Kosambi and about how Samavati and her maids paid obeisance to him through holes in the walls of their living quarters. So, she planned to take her revenge on the Buddha and to harm Samavati and her maids who were ardent devotees of the Buddha. Magandiya told the king that Samavati and her maids had made holes in the walls of their living quarters and that they had outside contacts and were disloyal to the king. King Udena saw the holes in the walls, but when the truth was told he did not get angry.
But Magandiya kept on trying to make the king believe Samavati was not loyal to him and was trying to kill him. On one occasion, knowing that the king would be visiting Samavati within the next few days and that he would be taking along his lute with him, Magandiya inserted a snake into the lute and closed the hole with a bunch of flowers. Magandiya followed King Udena to Samavati's quarters after trying to stop him on the pretext that she had some presentiment and felt worried about his safety. At Samavati's place Magandiya removed the bunch of flowers from the hole of the lute. The snake came out hissing and coiled itself on the bed. When the king saw the snake he believed Magandiya's words that Samavati was trying to kill him. The king was furious. He commanded Samavati to stand and all her ladies to line up behind her. Then he fitted his bow with an arrow dipped in poison and shot the arrow. But Samavati and her ladies bore no ill wills towards the king and through the power of goodwill (metta), the arrow turned back, although an arrow shot by the king usually went even through a rock. Then, the king realized the innocence of Samavati and he gave her permission to invite the Buddha and his disciples to the palace for alms-food and for delivering discourses.
Magandiya realizing that none of her plans had materialized, made a final, infallible plan. She sent a message to her uncle with full instructions to go to Samavati's place and burn down the building with all the women inside. As the house was burning, Samavati and her maids-of-honour, numbering five hundred, kept on meditating. Thus, some of them attained Sakadagami Fruition, and the rest attained Anagami Fruition.
As the news of the fire spread, the king rushed to the scene, but it was too late. He suspected that it was done at the instigation of Magandiya but he did not show that he was suspicious. Instead, he said, "While Samavati was alive I had been fearful and alert thinking I might be harmed by her; only now, my mind is at peace. Who could have done this? It must have been done only by someone who loves me very dearly." Hearing this, Magandiya promptly admitted that it was she who had instructed her uncle to do it. Whereupon. the king pretended to be very pleased with her and said that he would do her a great favour, and honour all her relatives. So, the relatives were sent for and they came gladly. On arrival at the palace, all of them, including Magandiya, were seized and burnt in the palace court yard, by the order of the king.
When the Buddha was told about these two incidents, he said that those who are mindful do not die; but those who are negligent are as good as dead even while living.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 21: Mindfulness is the way to the Deathless (Nibbana); unmindfulness is the way to Death. Those who are mindful do not die; those who are not mindful are as if already dead. |
| |
| Verse 22: Fully comprehending this, the wise, who are mindful, rejoice in being mindful and find delight in the domain of the Noble Ones (Ariyas). |
| |
| Verse 23: The wise, constantly cultivating Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice, being ever mindful and steadfastly striving, realize Nibbana: Nibbana, which is free from the bonds of yoga*; Nibbana, the Incomparable! |
* The bonds of yoga are four in number, viz., sense-pleasures (kama), existence (bhava), wrong belief (ditthi) and ignorance of the Four Noble Truths (i.e., avijja).
Dhammapada Verse 24
Kumbhaghosakasetthi Vatthu
Utthanavato satimato
sucikammassa nisammakarino
sannatassa dhammajivino
appamattassa yaso bhivaddhati.
Verse 24: If a person is energetic, mindful, pure in his thought, word and deed, and if he does everything with care and consideration, restrains his senses, earns his living according to the Law (Dhamma) and is not unheedful, then, the fame and fortune of that mindful person steadily increase.
The Story of Kumbhaghosaka, the Banker
While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (24) of this book, with reference to Kumbhaghosaka, the banker.
At one time, a plague epidemic broke out in the city of
By that time, he was quite a grown up youth and nobody in the city recognized him. He went to the place where the treasure was hidden and found it was quite intact. But he reasoned and realized that there was no one who could identify him and that if he were to unearth the buried treasure and make use of it people might think a young poor man had accidentally come upon buried treasure and they might report it to the king. In that case, his property would be confiscated and he himself might be manhandled or put in captivity. So he concluded it was not yet time to unearth the treasure and that meanwhile he must find work for his living. Dressed in old clothes Kumbhaghosaka looked for work. He was given the work of waking up and rousing the people to get up early in the morning and of going round announcing that it was time to prepare food, time to fetch carts and yoke the bullocks, etc.
One morning, King Bimbisara heard him. The king, who was a keen judge of voices, commented, "This is the voice of a man of great wealth." A maid, hearing the king's remark, sent someone to investigate. He reported that the youth was only a hireling of the labourers. In spite of this report the king repeated the same remark on two subsequent days. Again, enquiries were made but with the same result. The maid thought that this was very strange, so she asked the king to give her permission to go and personally investigate.
Disguised as rustics, the maid and her daughter set out to the place of the labourers. Saying that they were travellers, they asked for shelter and was given accommodation in the house of Kumbhaghosaka just for one night. However, they managed to prolong their stay there. During that period, twice the king proclaimed that a certain ceremony must be performed in the locality of the labourers, and that every household must make contributions. Kumbhaghosaka had no ready cash for such an occasion. So he was forced to get some coins (Kahapanas) from his treasure. As these coins were handed over to the maid, she substituted them with her money and sent the coins to the king. After some time, she sent a message to the king asking him to send some men and summon Kumbhaghosaka to the court. Kumbhaghosaka, very reluctantly, went along with the men. The maid and her daughter also went to the palace, ahead of them.
At the palace, the king told Kumbhaghosaka to speak out the truth and gave him assurance that he would not be harmed on this account. Kumbhaghosaka then admitted that those Kahapanas were his and also that he was the son of the city banker of Rajagaha, who died in the plague epidemic twelve years ago. He further revealed the place where the treasure was hidden. Subsequently, all the buried treasure was brought to the palace; the king made him a banker and gave his daughter in marriage to him.
Afterwards, taking Kumbhaghosaka along with him, the king went to the Buddha at the Veluvana monastery and told him how the youth, though rich, was earning his living as a hireling of the labourers, and how he had appointed the youth a banker.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 24: If a person is energetic, mindful, pure in his thought, word and deed, and if he does every thing with care and consideration, restrains his senses, earns his living according to the Law (Dhamma) and is not unheedful, then, the fame and fortune of that mindful person steadily increase. |
At the end of the discourse, Kumbhaghosaka attained Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verse 25
Culapanthaka Vatthu
Utthanena' ppamadena
samyamena damena ca
dipam kayiratha medhavi1
yam ogho2 nabhikirati.
Verse 25: Through diligence, mindfulness, discipline (with regard to moral precepts), and control of his senses, let the man of wisdom make (of himself) an island which no flood can overwhelm.
1. dipam kayiratha medhavi = island + make + the wise, meaning let the man of wisdom make an island. The 'island', in this context stands for arahatship. Arahatship is here linkened to an island because it enables one to escape from the stormy waters of Samsara (round of rebirths).
2. ogho: flood or torrent. It is used metaphoxically of evils or passions which overwhelm humanity.
The Story of Culapanthaka
[ Read longer version of story here ]
While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (25) of this book, with reference to Culapanthaka, a grandson of a banker of Rajagaha.
The banker had two grandsons, named Mahapanthaka and Culapanthaka. Mahapanthaka, being the elder, used to accompany his grandfather to listen to religious discourses. Later, Mahapanthaka joined the Buddhist religious Order and in course of time became an arahat. Culapanthaka followed his brother and became a bhikkhu. But, because in a previous existence in the time of Kassapa Buddha, Culapanthaka had made fun of a bhikkhu who was very dull, he was born a dullard in the present existence. He could not even memorize one verse in four months. Mahapanthaka was very disappointed with his younger brother and even told him that he was not worthy of the Order.
About that time, Jivaka came to the monastery to invite the Buddha and the resident bhikkhus to his house for a meal. Mahapanthaka, who was then in charge of assigning the bhikkhus to meal invitations, left out Culapanthaka from the list. When Culapanthaka learnt about this he felt very much frustrated and decided that he would return to the life of a householder. Knowing his intention, the Buddha took him along and made him sit in front of the Gandhakuti hall. He then gave a clean piece of cloth to Culapanthaka and told him to sit there facing east and rub the piece of cloth. At the same time he was to repeat the word "Rajoharanam", which means "taking on impurity." The Buddha then went to the residence of Jivaka, accompanied by the bhikkhus.
Meanwhile, Culapanthaka went on rubbing the piece of cloth, all the time muttering the word "Rajoharanam". Very soon, the cloth became soiled. Seeing this change in the condition of the cloth, Culapanthaka came to realize the impermanent nature of all conditioned things. From the house of Jivaka, the Buddha through supernormal power learnt about the progress of Culapanthaka. He sent forth his radiance so that (to Culapanthaka) the Buddha appeared to be sitting in front of him, saying:
"It is not the piece of cloth alone that is made dirty by the dust; within oneself also there exist the dust of passion (raga), the dust of ill will (dosa), and the dust of ignorance (moha), i.e., the ignorance of the Four Noble Truths. Only by removing these could one achieve one's goal and attain arahatship". Culapanthaka got the message and kept on meditating and in a short while attained arahatship, together with Analytical Insight. Thus, Culapanthaka ceased to be a dullard.
At the house of Jivaka, they were about to pour libation water as a mark of donation; but the Buddha covered the bowl with his hand and asked if there were any bhikkhus left at the monastery. On being answered that there were none, the Buddha replied that there was one and directed them to fetch Culapanthaka from the monastery. When the messenger from the house of Jivaka arrived at the monastery he found not only one bhikkhu, but a thousand identical bhikkhus. They all have been created by Culapanthaka, who by now possessed supernormal powers The messenger was baffled and he turned back and reported the matter to Jivaka. The messenger was sent to the monastery for the second time and was instructed to say that the Buddha summoned the bhikkhu by the name of Culapanthaka. But when he delivered the message, a thousand voices responded, "I am Culapanthaka." Again baffled, he turned back for the second time. Then he was sent to the monastery, for the third time. This time, he was instructed to get hold of the bhikkhu who first said that he was Culapanthaka. As soon as he got hold of that bhikkhu all the rest disappeared, and Culapanthaka accompanied the messenger to the house of Jivaka. After the meal, as directed by the Buddha, Culapanthaka delivered a religious discourse confidently and bravely, roaring like a young lion.
Later, when the subject of Culapanthaka cropped up among the bhikkhus, the Buddha said that one who was diligent and steadfast in his striving would certainly attain arahatship.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 25: Through diligence, mindfulness, discipline (with regard to moral precepts), and control of his senses, let the man of wisdom make (of himself) an island which no flood can overwhelm. |
| hammapada: Verses and Stories |
Dhammapada Verses 26 and 27
Balanakkhattasanghuttha Vatthu
Pamadamanuyujanti
bala dummedhino jana1
appamadaca medhavi
dhanam setthamva rakkhati.
Ma pamadamanuyujetha
ma kamaratisanthavam
appamatto hi jhayanto
pappoti vipulam sukham.
Verse 26: The foolish and the ignorant give themselves over to negligence; whereas the wise treasure mindfulness as a precious jewel.
Verse 27: Therefore, one should not be negligent, nor be addicted to sensual pleasures; for he who is established in mindfulness, through cultivation of Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice, experiences supreme happiness (i.e., realizes Nibbana).
1. bala dummedhino jana: the foolish and the ignorant. The foolish mentioned in the story were the hooligans who were given up to wild revelry and disorder during the Balanakkhatta festival. They were not mindful of others or of the consequence for themselves in this world and the next.
The Story of Balanakkhatta Festival
White residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (26) and (27) of this book, in connection with the Balanakkhatta festival.
At one time, the Balanakkhatta festival was being celebrated in Savatthi. During the festival, many foolish young men smearing themselves with ashes and cow-dung roamed about the city shouting and making themselves a nuisance to the public. They would also stop at the doors of others and leave only when given some money.
At that time there were a great many lay disciples of the Buddha, living in Savatthi. On account of these foolish young hooligans, they sent word to the Buddha, requesting him to keep to the monastery and not to enter the city for seven days. They sent alms-food to the monastery and they themselves kept to their own houses. On the eighth day, when the festival was over, the Buddha and his disciples were invited into the city for alms-food and other offerings. On being told about the vulgar and shameful behaviour of the foolish young men during the festival, the Buddha commented that it was in the nature of the foolish and the ignorant to behave shamelessly.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 26: The foolish and the ignorant give themselves over to negligence; whereas the wise treasure mindfulness as a precious jewel. |
| |
| Verse 27: Therefore, one should not be negligent, nor be addicted to sensual pleasures; for he who is established in mindfulness, through cultivation of Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice, experiences supreme happiness (i.e., realizes Nibbana). |
| mmapada: Verses and Stories |
Dhammapada Verse 28
Mahakassapatthera Vatthu
Pamadam appamadena
yada nudati pandito
pannapasadamaruyha
asoko sokinim pajam
pabbatatthova bhumatthe
dhiro1 bale2 avekkhati.
Verse 28: The wise one dispels negligence by means of mindfulness; he ascends the tower of wisdom and being free from sorrow looks at the sorrowing beings. Just as one on the mountain top looks at those on the plain below, so also, the wise one (the arahat) looks at the foolish and the ignorant (worldlings).
1. dhiro: the wise one; in this context, the arahat.
2. bile: the foolish; in this context, the worldings.
The Story of Thera Mahakassapa
[ Read longer version of story here ]
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (28) of this book, with reference to Thera Mahakassapa.
On one occasion, while Thera Mahakassapa was staying at Pipphali cave, he spent his time developing the mental image of light (aloka kasina) and trying to find out through Divine Vision, beings who were mindful and beings who were negligent, also those who were about to die and those who were about to be born.
From his monastery, the Buddha saw through his Divine Vision what Thera Mahakassapa was doing and wanted to warn him that he was wasting his time. So he sent forth his radiance and appeared seated before the thera and exhorted him thus: "My son Kassapa, the number of births and deaths of beings is innumerable and cannot be counted. It is not your concern to count them; it is the concern only of the Buddhas."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 28. The wise one dispels negligence by means of mindfulness; he ascends the pinnacle of wisdom and being free from sorrow looks at the sorrowing beings. Just as one on the mountain top looks at those on the plain below, so also, the wise one (the arahat) looks at the foolish and the ignorant (worldlings). |
Dhammapada Verse 29
Dvesahayakabhikkhu Vatthu
Appamatto pamattesu
suttesu bahujagaro
abalassa mva sighasso
hitva yati sumedhaso.1
Verse 29: Mindful amongst the negligent, highly vigilant amongst the drowsy, the man of wisdom advances like a race-horse, leaving the jade behind.
1. sumedhaso: the wise one: the wise one advances steadily until he realizes Magga, Phala and Nibbana, leaving the negligent ones behind in the round of rebirths (samsara).
The Story of the Two Companion Bhikkhus
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha tittered Verse (29) of this book, with reference to two bhikkhus, who were friends.
Two bhikkhus, after obtaining a subject of meditation from the Buddha, went to a monastery in the forest. One of them, being negligent, spent his time warming himself by the fire and talking to young novices throughout the first watch of the night, and generally idling away his time. The other faithfully performed the duties of a bhikkhu. He walked in meditation during the first watch, rested during the second watch and again meditated during the last watch of the night. Thus, being diligent and ever mindful, the second bhikkhu attained arahatship within a short time.
At the end of the rainy season (vassa) both of them went to pay obeisance to the Buddha, and the Buddha asked them how they had spent their time during the vassa. To this, the lazy and negligent bhikkhu answered that the other bhikkhu had been idling away his time, just lying down and sleeping. The Buddha then asked, "But, what about you?" His reply was that he generally sat warming himself by the fire during the first watch of the night and then sat up without sleeping. But the Buddha knew quite well how the two bhikkhus had spent their time, so he said to the idle one: "Though you are lazy and negligent you claim to be diligent and ever mindful; but you have made the other bhikkhu appear to be lazy and negligent though he is diligent and ever mindful. You are like a weak and slow horse compared to my son who is like a strong, fleet-footed horse."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 29: Mindful amongst the negligent, highly vigilant amongst the drowsy, the man of wisdom advances like a race-horse, leaving the jade behind. |
Dhammapada Verse 30
Magha Vatthu
Appamadena1 maghava
devanam setthatam gato
appamadam pasamanti
pamado garahito sada.
Verse 30: Through mindfulness (in doing meritorious deeds) Magha became king of the devas. Mindfulness is always praised, but negligence is always blamed.
1. appamadena: through mindfulness; i.e., mindfulness in doing meritorious deeds. In the above story, Magha, the young man from Macala village, by cleaning and clearing land and making roads was reborn as Indra or Sakka, king of the devas. (The devas are celestial beings.)
The Story of Magha
While residing at the Kutagara monastery near Vesali, the Buddha uttered Verse (30) of this book, with reference to Sakka, king of the devas.
On one occasion, a Licchavi prince, named Mahali, came to listen to a religious discourse given by the Buddha. The discourse given was Sakkapanha Suttanta. The Buddha spoke of Sakka vividly in glowing terms; so, Mahali thought that the Buddha must have personally met Sakka. To make sure, he asked the Buddha, and the Buddha replied, "Mahali, I do know Sakka; I also know what has made him a Sakka." He then told Mahali that Sakka, king of the devas, was in a previous existence a young man by the name of Magha, in the
It was because of his good deeds and right conduct in that existence that Magha was reborn as Sakka, king of the devas.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 30: Through mindfulness (in doing meritorious deeds) Magha became king of the devas. Mindfulness is always praised, but negligence is always blamed. |
At the end of the discourse Mahali attained Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verse 31
Annatarabhikkhu Vatthu
Appamadarato bhikkhu1
pamade bhayadassi2 va
samyojanam anum thulam
daham aggiva gacchati.
Verse 31: A bhikkhu who takes delight in mindfulness and sees danger in negligence, advances like fire, burning up all fetters, great and small.
1. appamadarato bhikkhu: a bhikkhu who takes delight in mindfulness, i.e., in the practice of Tranquillity and Insight Development.
2. pamade bhayadassi: seeing danger in negligence, i.e., negligence which would lead to continued existence in the round of rebirths (samsara).
The Story of A Certain Bhikkhu
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (31) of this book, with reference to a certain bhikkhu.
A certain bhikkhu, after obtaining a subject of meditation from the Buddha, went to the forest to meditate. Although he tried hard he made very little progress in his meditation practice. As a result, he became very depressed and frustrated. So, with the thought of getting further specific instructions from the Buddha, he set out for the Jetavana monastery. On his way, he came across a big blazing fire. He ran up to the top of a mountain and observed the fire from there. As the fire spread, it suddenly occurred to him that just as the fire burnt up everything, so also Magga Insight will burn up all fetters of life, big and small.
Meanwhile, from the Gandhakuti hall in the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha was aware of what the bhikkhu was thinking. So, he transmitted his radiance and appeared to the bhikkhu and spoke to him. "My son," he said, "you are on the right line of thought; keep it up. All beings must burn up all fetters of life with Magga Insight."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 31: A bhikkhu who takes delight in mindfulness and sees danger in negligence, advances like fire, burning up all fetters, great and small. |
At the end of the discourse that bhikkhu attained arahatship then and there.
Dhammapada Verse 32
Nigamavasitissatthera Vatthu
Appamadarato bhikkhu
pamade bhayadassi va
abhabbo parihanaya1
nibbanasseva santike.
Verse 32: A bhikkhu who takes delight in mindfulness and sees danger in negligence will not fall away; he is, indeed, very close to Nibbana.
1. abhabbo parihanaya: Unable to fall away; here it means, unable to fall away from the practice of Tranquillity and Insight Development and the benefits thereof, i.e., Magga and Phala. (The Commentary)
The Story of Thera Nigamavasitissa
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (32) of this book, with reference to Thera Nigamavasitissa.
Nigamavasitissa was born and brought up in a small market town near Savatthi. After becoming a bhikkhu he lived a very simple life, with very few wants. For alms-food, he used to go to the village where his relatives were staying and took whatever was offered to him. He kept away from big occasions. Even when Anathapindika and King Pasenadi of Kosala made offerings on a grand scale, the thera did not go.
Some bhikkhus then started talking about the thera that he kept close to his relatives and that he did not care to go even when people like Anathapindika and King Pasenadi were making offerings on a grand scale, etc. When the Buddha was told about this, he sent for the thera and asked him. The thera respectfully explained to the Buddha that it was true he frequently went to his village, but it was only to get alms-food, that when he had received enough food, he did not go any further, and that he never cared whether the food was delicious or not. Whereupon, instead of blaming him, the Buddha praised him for his conduct in the presence of the other bhikkhus. He also told them that to live contentedly with only a few wants is in conformity with the practice of the Buddha and the Noble Ones (Ariyas), and that all bhikkhus should, indeed, be like Thera Tissa from the small market town. In this connection, he further related the story of the king of the parrots.
Once upon a time, the king of the parrots lived in a grove of fig trees on the banks of the
Much impressed by this reply, Sakka revealed himself. He took water from the
The parrot king in the story was the Buddha himself; Sakka was Anuruddha.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 32: A bhikkhu who takes delight in mindfulness and sees danger in negligence will not fall away*, he is, indeed, very close to Nibbana. |
At the end of the discourse, Thera Tissa attained arahatship.
* will not fall away: It means, will not fall away from Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice and is assured of attaining Magga and Phalla. (The Commentary)
End of Chapter Two: Mindfulness (Appamdavagga)
3 Cittavagga
Dhammapada Verses 33 and 34
Meghiyatthera Vatthu
Phandanam capalam cittam
durakkham1 dunnivarayam2
ujum karoti3 medhavi
usukarova tejanam.
Varijova thale khitto
okamokata ubbhato
pariphandatidam cittam
maradheyyam pahatave.
Verse 33: The mind is excitable and unsteady; it is difficult to control and to restrain. The wise one trains his mind to be upright as a fletcher straightens an arrow.
Verse 34: As a fish quivers when taken out of its watery home and thrown on to dry ground, so does the mind quiver when it is taken out of the sensual world to escape from the realm of Mara (i.e., kilesa vatta, round of moral defilements).
1. durakkham: difficult to keep the mind fixed on a single object when meditating.
2. dunnivarayam: difficult to restrain the mind from drifting towards sensual pleasures.
3. ujum karoti: straightens:
(a) the fletcher straightens the arrow,
(b) the wise man trains his sensuous, unruly mind by means of Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice (Samatha and Vipassana). (The Commentary)
The Story of Thera Meghiya
While residing on the
At that time, Thera Meghiya was attending upon the Buddha. On one occasion, on his return from alms-round, the thera noticed a pleasant and beautiful mango grove, which he thought was an ideal spot for meditation. He asked the Buddha's permission to let him go there, but as the Buddha was alone at that time, he was told to wait for awhile until the arrival of some other bhikkhus. The thera was in a hurry to go and so he repeated his request again and again, until finally the Buddha told him to do as he wished.
Thus, Thera Meghiya set out for the mango grove, sat at the foot of a tree and practised meditation. He stayed there the whole day, but his mind kept wandering and he made no progress. He returned in the evening and reported to the Buddha how all the time he was assailed by thoughts associated with the senses, ill will and cruelty (
So, the Buddha told him that as the mind is easily excitable and fickle, one should control one's mind.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 33: The mind is excitable and unsteady; it is difficult to control and to restrain. The wise one trains his mind to be upright as a fletcher straightens an arrow. |
| |
| Verse 34: As a fish quivers when taken out of its watery home and thrown on to dry ground, so does the mind quiver when it is taken out of the sensual world to escape from the realm of Mara (i.e., kilesa vatta, round of moral defilements). |
At the end of the discourse, Thera Meghiya attained Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verse 35
Annatarabhikkhu Vatthu
Dunniggahassa lahuno
yatthakamanipatino1
cittassa damatho sadhu
cittam dantam sukhavaham2.
Verse 35: The mind is difficult to control; swiftly and lightly, it moves and lands wherever it pleases. It is good to tame the mind, for a well-tamed mind brings happiness.
1. yatthakamanipatino: moving about wherever it pleases, landing on any sense object without any control.
2. sukhavaham: brings happiness, fortune, satisfaction, etc., and also, Maggas, Phalas and Nibbana. (The Commentary)
The Story of A Certain Bhikkhu
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (35) of this book, with reference to a certain bhikkhu.
On one occasion, sixty bhikkhus, after obtaining a subject of meditation from the Buddha, went to Matika village, at the foot of a mountain. There, Matikamata, mother of the village headman, offered them alms-food; she also built a monastery for them, so that they could stay in the village during the rainy season. One day she asked the group of bhikkhus to teach her the practice of meditation. They taught her how to meditate on the thirty-two constituents of the body leading to the awareness of the decay and dissolution of the body. Matikamata practised with diligence and attained the three Maggas and Phalas together with Analytical Insight and mundane supernormal powers, even before the bhikkhus did.
Rising from the bliss of the Magga and Phala she looked with the Divine Power of Sight (Dibbacakkhu) and saw that the bhikkhus had not attained any of the Maggas yet. She also learnt that those bhikkhus had enough potentiality for the attainment of arahatship, but that they needed proper food. So, she prepared good, choice food for them. With proper food and right effort, the bhikkhus developed right concentration and eventually attained arahatship.
At the end of the rainy season, the bhikkhus returned to the Jetavana monastery, where the Buddha was in residence. They reported to the Buddha that all of them were in good health and in comfortable circumstances and that they did not have to worry about food. They also mentioned about Matikamata who was aware of their thoughts and prepared and offered them the very food they wished for.
A certain bhikkhu, hearing them talking about Matikamata, decided that he, too, would go to that village. So, taking a subject of meditation from the Buddha he arrived at the village monastery. There, he found that everything he wished for was sent to him by Matikamata, the lay-devotee. When he wished her to come she personally came to the monastery, bringing along choice food with her. After taking the food, he asked her if she knew the thoughts of others, but she evaded his question and replied, "People who can read the thoughts of others behave in such and such a way." Then, the bhikkhu thought, "Should I, like an ordinary worldling, entertain any impure thought, she is sure to find out." He therefore got scared of the lay-devotee and decided to return to the Jetavana monastery. He told the Buddha that he could not stay in Matika village because he was afraid that the lay-devotee might detect impure thoughts in him. The Buddha then asked him to observe just one thing; that is, to control his mind. The Buddha also told the bhikkhu to return to Matika village monastery, and not to think of anything else, but the object of his meditation only. The bhikkhu went back. The lay-devotee offered him good food as she had done to others before, so that he might able to practise meditation without worry. Within a short time, he, too, attained arahatship.
With reference to this bhikkhu, the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 35: The mind is difficult to control; swiftly and lightly, it moves and lands wherever it pleases. It is good to tame the mind, for a well-tamed mind brings happiness. |
At the end of the discourse, many of those assembled attained Sotapatti Fruition.
| The Dhammapada: Verses and Stories |
Dhammapada Verse 36
Ukkanthitabhikkhu Vatthu
Sududdasam sunipunam
yatthakamanipatinam
cittam rakketha medhavi
cittam guttam sukhavaham.
Verse 36: The mind is very difficult to see, very delicate and subtle; it moves and lands wherever it pleases. The wise one should guard his mind, for a guarded mind brings happiness.
The Story of A Certain Disgruntled Bhikkhu
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (36) of this book, with reference to a young disgruntled bhikkhu who was the son of a banker.
Once, there lived in Savatthi, the son of a banker. This young man asked the bhikkhu, who used to come to his house for alms, what he should do to be liberated from the ills of life. The bhikkhu instructed him to divide his property into three parts; one part to do business with, one part to support the family and one part to give in charity. He did as he was told and again asked what else should be done next. So he was further instructed; first to take refuge in the Three Gems* and to observe the five precepts; secondly, to observe the ten precepts; and thirdly, to renounce the world and enter the Buddhist religious Order. The young man complied with all these instructions and became a bhikkhu.
As a bhikkhu, he was taught the Abhidhamma** by one teacher and the Vinaya by another. Being taught in this way, he felt that there was too much to be learnt, that the disciplinary rules were too strict and too many, so much so that there was not enough freedom even to stretch out one's hands. He thought that it might be better to return to the life of a householder. As a result of doubt and discontent, he became unhappy and neglected his duties; he also became thin and emaciated. When the Buddha came to know about this, he said to the young bhikkhu, "if you can only control your mind, you will have nothing more to control; so guard your own mind."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 36: The mind is very difficult to see, very delicate and subtle; it moves and lands wherever it pleases. The wise one should guard his mind, for a guarded mind brings happiness. |
At the end of the discourse, the young bhikkhu and many others attained arahatship.
* Three Gems: The Three Gems are the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha, (i.e., the Buddha, the Teaching of the Buddha, and the Buddhist religious Order).
** Abhidhamma: the third great division of the Pitaka comprising the Buddha's philosophical exposition of ultimate realities.
Dhammapada Verse 37
Samgharakkhitatthera Vatthu
Durangamam ekacaram1
asariram guhasayam2
ye cittam samyamissanti
mokkhanti marabandhana.
Verse 37: The mind wanders far and moves about alone: it is non-material; it lies in the cave (chamber) of the heart. Those who control their mind will be free from the bonds of Mara.
1. ekacaram: walking alone, moves about alone, it means conceiving one thought at a time, i.e., one thought arises only when another ceases.
2. guhasayam: lit., lying, or sleeping in a cave; mind lies and arises continually in the cave (chamber) of the heart (hadayavatthu), the seat of consciousness.
The Story of Thera Samgharakkhita
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (37) of this book, with reference to the nephew of Thera Samgharakkhita.
Once, there lived in Savatthi, a senior bhikkhu by the name of Samgharakkhita. When his sister gave birth to a son, she named the child after the thera and he came to be known as Samgharakkhita Bhagineyya. The nephew Samgharakkhita, in due course, was admitted into the Order. While the young bhikkhu was staying in a village monastery he was offered two sets of robes, and he intended to offer one to his uncle, the thera.
At the end of the vassa he went to his uncle to pay respect to him and offered the robe to the thera. But, the uncle declined to accept the robe, saying that he had enough. Although he repeated his request, the thera would not accept. The young bhikkhu felt disheartened and thought that since his uncle was so unwilling to share the requisites with him, it would be better for him to leave the Order and live the life of a layman.
From that point, his mind wandered and a train of thoughts followed. He thought that after leaving the Order he would sell the robe and buy a she-goat; that she-goat would breed quickly and soon he would make enough money to enable him to marry; his wife would give birth to a son. He would take his wife and child in a small cart to visit his uncle at the monastery. On the way, he would say that he would carry the child; she would tell him to drive the cart and not to bother about the child. He would insist and grab the child from her; between them the child would drop on the cart-track and the wheel would pass over the child. He would get so furious with his wife that he would strike her with the goading-stick.
At that time he was fanning the thera with a palmyra fan and he absentmindedly struck the head of the thera with the fan. The thera, knowing the thoughts of the young bhikkhu, said, "You were unable to beat your wife; why have you beaten an old bhikkhu?" Young Samgharakkhita was very much surprised and embarrassed at the words of the old bhikkhu; he also became extremely frightened. So he fled. Young bhikkhus and novices of the monastery chased him and finally took him to the presence of the Buddha.
When told about the whole episode, the Buddha said that the mind has the ability to think of an object even though it might be far away, and that one should strive hard for liberation from the bondage of passion, ill will and ignorance.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 37: The mind wanders far and moves about alone: it is non-material; it lies in the cave (chamber) of the heart. Those who control their mind will be free from the bonds of Mara. |
At the end of the discourse the young bhikkhu attained Sotapatti Fruition.
| Dhammapada: Verses and Stories |
Dhammapada Verses 38 and 39
Cittahatthatthera Vatthu
Anavatthitacittassa
saddhammam avijanato
pariplavapasadassa
panna na paripurati.
Anavassutacittassa
ananvahatacetaso
punnapapapahinassa1
natthi jagarato2 bhayam.
Verse 38: If a man's mind is unsteady, if he is ignorant of the true Dhamma, and if his faith is wavering, then his knowledge will never be perfect.
Verse 39: If a man's mind is free from passion, if he is free from ill will, if he has abandoned both good and evil, and if he is vigilant, for such a man there is no danger.
The Story of Thera Cittahattha
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (38) and (39) of this book, with reference to Thera Cittahattha.
A man from Savatthi, after looking for his lost ox in the forest, felt very hungry and went to a village monastery, where he was given the remains of the morning meal. While taking his food, it occurred to him that even though he worked hard every day he could not get such good food and that it might be a good idea to become a bhikkhu. So he asked the bhikkhus to admit him into the Order. At the monastery, he performed the duties of a bhikkhu and as there was plenty of food he soon gained weight. After some time, he got weary of going round for alms-food and returned to the life of a lay man. A few days later, he felt that life at home was too strenuous and he went back to the monastery to be admitted as a bhikkhu for a second time. For a second time, he left the Order and returned to home-life. Again, he went back to the monastery for a third time and left it. This shuttling process went on for six times, and because he acted only according to his whims he was known as Thera Cittahattha.
While he was going back and forth between his home and the monastery, his wife became pregnant. One day, during his last stay at home, he happened to enter the bedroom while his wife was asleep. She was almost naked as the clothes she was wearing had partially fallen off. She was also snoring loudly through her nose and mouth and saliva was trickling down her mouth. Thus, with her mouth open and her bloated stomach, she looked just like a corpse. Seeing her thus, he instantly came to perceive the impermanent and unpleasant nature of the body, and he reflected, "I have been a bhikkhu for several times and it is only because of this woman that I have not been able to remain as a bhikkhu." Hence, taking the yellow robe with him he left his home for the monastery for the seventh time. As he went along he repeated the words "impermanence" and "unpleasantness" (anicca and dukkha) and thus attained Sotapatti Fruition on the way to the monastery.
On arrival at the monastery he asked the bhikkhus to admit him into the Order. They refused and said, "We cannot admit you as a bhikkhu. You have been shaving your head so often that your head is like a whetting stone." Still, he entreated them to admit him into the Order just once more and they complied. Within a few days, the bhikkhu Cittahattha attained arahatship together with Analytical Insight. Other bhikkhus, seeing him staying on for a long time in the monastery, were surprised and they asked him the reason why. To this, he replied. "I went home when I still had attachment in me, but now that attachment has been cut off" The bhikkhus, not believing him, approached the Buddha and reported the matter. To them, the Buddha said, "Thera Cittahattha was speaking the truth; he shifted between home and monastery before because at that time, his mind was not steadfast and he did not understand the Dhamma. But at this moment, Thera Cittahattha is already an arahat; he has discarded both good and evil."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 38: If a man's mind is unsteady, if he is ignorant of the true Dhamma, and if his faith is wavering, then his knowledge will never be perfect. |
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| Verse 39: If a man's mind is free from passion, if he is free from ill will, if he has abandoned both good and evil, and if he is vigilant, for such a man there is no danger. |
Dhammapada Verse 40
Pancasatabhikkhu Vatthu
Kumbhupamam kayamimam viditva
nagarupam cittamidam thapetva
yodhetha maram panna vudhena
jitanca rakkhe anivesano siya1.
Verse 40: Knowing that this body is (fragile) like an earthern jar, making one's mind secure like a fortified town, one should fight Mara with the weapon of Knowledge. (After defeating Mara) one should still continue to guard one's mind, and feel no attachment to that which has been gained (i.e., jhana ecstasy and serenity gained through meditation).
1. anivesano siya: not to be attached; in this Context not to be attached to jhana ecstasy and serenity gained through meditation, but to proceed further with Insight meditation practices until the attainment of arahatship. (The Commentary)
The Story of Five Hundred Bhikkhus
[ Read longer version of story here ]
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (40) of this book, with reference to five hundred bhikkhus.
Five hundred bhikkhus from Savatthi, after obtaining a subject of meditation from the Buddha, travelled for a distance of one hundred yojanas* away from Savatthi and came to a large forest grove, a suitable place for meditation practice. The guardian spirits of the trees dwelling in that forest thought that if those bhikkhus were staying in the forest, it would not be proper for them to live with their families in the trees. So they descended from the trees, thinking that the bhikkhus would stop there only for one night. But the bhikkhus were still there at the end of a fortnight; then it occurred to them that the bhikkhus might be staying there till the end of the vassa. In that case, they and their families would have to be living on the ground for a long time. So, they decided to frighten away the bhikkhus, by making ghostly sounds and frightful apparitions. They showed up with bodies without heads, and with heads without bodies, etc. The bhikkhus were very upset and left the place and returned to the Buddha, to whom they related everything. On hearing their account, the Buddha told them that this had happened because previously they went without any weapon and that they should go back there armed with a suitable weapon. So saying, the Buddha taught them the entire Metta Sutta (discourse on Loving-Kindness) beginning with the following stanza:
Karaniyamattha kusalena
Yanta santam padam abhisamecca
Sakko uju ca suhuju ca
Suvaco c'assa mudu anatimani.
[The above stanza may be translated as: "He who is skilled in (acquiring) what is good and beneficial, (mundane as well as supra-mundane), aspiring to attain Perfect Peace (Nibbana) should act (thus): He should be efficient, upright, perfectly upright, compliant, gentle and free from conceit."]
The bhikkhus were instructed to recite the sutta from the time they came to the outskirts of the forest grove and to enter the monastery reciting the same. The bhikkhus returned to the forest grove and did as they were told. The guardian spirits of the trees receiving loving-kindness from the bhikkhus reciprocated by readily welcoming and not harming them. There were no more ghostly sounds and ungainly sights. Thus left in peace, the bhikkhus meditated on the body and came to realize its fragile and impermanent nature.
From the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha, by his supernormal power, learned about the progress of the bhikkhus and sent forth his radiance making them feel his presence. To them he said, "Bhikkhus just as you have realized, the body is, indeed, impermanent."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 40: Knowing that this body is (fragile) like an earthern jar, making one's mind secure like a fortified town, one should fight Mara with the weapon of Knowledge. (After defeating Mara) one should still continue to guard one's mind, and feel no attachment to that which has been gained (i.e., jhana ecstasy and serenity gained through meditation). |
At the end of the discourse, the five hundred bhikkhus attained arahatship.
* yozana: a measure of length about twelve miles.
| The Dhammapada: Verses and Stories |
Dhammapada Verse 41
Putigattatissatthera Vatthu
Aciram vata' yam kayo
pathavim adhisessati
chuddho apetavinnano
niratthamva kalingaram.
Verse 41: Before long, alas, this body, deprived of consciousness, will lie on the earth, discarded like a useless log.
The Story of Tissa, the Thera with a Stinking Body
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (41) of this book, with reference to Thera Tissa.
After taking a subject of meditation from the Buddha, Thera Tissa was diligently practising meditation when he was afflicted with a disease. Small boils appeared all over his body and these developed into big sores. When these sores burst, his upper and lower robes became sticky and stained with pus and blood, and his whole body was stinking. For this reason, he was known as Putigattatissa, Tissa the thera with stinking body.
As the Buddha surveyed the universe with the light of his own intellect, the thera appeared in his vision. He saw the sorrowful state of the thera, who had been abandoned by his resident pupils on account of his stinking body. At the same time, he also knew that Tissa would soon attain arahatship. So, the Buddha proceeded to the fire-shed, close to the place where the thera was staying. There, he boiled some water, and then going, to where the thera was lying down, took hold of the edge of the couch. It was then only that the resident pupils gathered round the thera, and as instructed by the Buddha, they carried the thera to the fire-shed, where he was washed and bathed. While he was being bathed, his upper and lower robes were washed and dried. After the bath, the thera became fresh in body and mind and soon developed one-pointedness of concentration. Standing at the head of the couch, the Buddha said to him that this body when devoid of life would be as useless as a log and would be laid on the earth.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 41: Before long, alas, this body, deprived of consciousness, will lie on the earth, discarded like a useless log. |
At the end of the discourse Thera Tissa attained arahatship together with Analytical Insight, and soon passed away.
| The Dhammapada: Verses and Stories |
Dhammapada Verse 42
Nandagopalaka Vatthu
Diso1 disam yam tam kariya
veri va pana verinam
micchapanihitam cittam
papiyo nam tato kare.
Verse 42: A thief may harm a thief; an enemy may harm an enemy; but a wrongly directed mind can do oneself far greater harm.2
1. diso: lit.; an enemy; a thief in this context. (The Commentary)
2. According to the Commentary, the mind, wrongly set on the ten-fold evil path, will cause ruin and destruction not only in this life, but also, even in a hundred. thousand future existences in Apaya.
The Story of Nanda, the Herdsman
While on a visit to a village in the
Nanda was a herdsman who looked after the cows of Anathapindika. Although only a herdsman, he had some means of his own. Occasionally, he would go to the house of Anathapindika and there he sometimes met the Buddha and listened to his discourses. Nanda requested the Buddha to pay a visit to his house. But the Buddha did not go to Nanda's house immediately, saying that it was not yet time.
After some time, while travelling with his followers, the Buddha went off his route to visit Nanda, knowing that the time was ripe for Nanda to receive his teaching properly. Nanda respectfully received the Buddha and his followers; he served them milk and milk products and other choice food for seven days. On the last day, after hearing the discourse given by the Buddha, Nanda attained Sotapatti Fruition. As the Buddha was leaving that day, Nanda carrying the bowl of the Buddha, followed him for some distance, paid obeisance and turned back to go home.
At that instant, a hunter who was an old enemy of Nanda, shot him down. The bhikkhus who were following the Buddha, saw Nanda lying dead. They reported the matter to the Buddha, saying, "Venerable Sir, because you came here, Nanda who made great offerings to you and accompanied you on your return was killed as he was turning back to go home." To them, the Buddha replied, "Bhikkhus, whether I came here or not, there was no escape from death for him, as a wrongly directed mind can do oneself much greater harm than an enemy or a thief can."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 42: A thief may harm a thief; anenemy may harm an enemy; but a wrongly directed mind can do oneself far greater harm. |
Dhammapada Verse 43
Soreyya Vatthu
Na tam mata pita kayira
anne vapi ca nataka
sammapanihitam cittam
seyyaso1naim tato kare.
Verse 43: Not a mother, nor a father, nor any other relative can do more for the well-being of one than a rightly-directed mind can.
1. seyyaso: still better; here it means much better service; because it (the rightly-directed mind) can lead one to the well-being of a man and of a deva and even to the realization of Nibbana.
The Story of Soreyya
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (43) of this book, with reference to Soreyya, the son of a rich man of Soreyya city.
On one occasion, Soreyya accompanied by a friend and some attendants was going out in a luxurious carriage for a bath. At that moment, Thera Mahakaccayana was adjusting his robes outside the city, as he was going into the city of
Soreyya, now a woman, offered her signet ring to some people going to Taxila, to allow her to go along with them in their carriage. On arrival at Taxila, her companions told a young rich man of Taxila about the lady who came along with them. The young rich man, finding her to be very beautiful and of a suitable age for him, married her. As a result of this marriage two sons were born; there were also two sons from the previous marriage of Soreyya as a man.
One day, a rich man's son from the city of
After that, he was often asked, "Whom do you love more, the two sons you had as a man or the other two you had as a wife?" To them, he would answer that his love for those born of the womb was greater. This question was put to him so often, he felt very much annoyed and ashamed. So he stayed by himself and with diligence, contemplated the decay and dissolution of the body. He soon attained arahatship together with the Analytical Insight. When the old question was next put to him he replied that he had no affection for any one in particular. Other bhikkhus hearing him thought he must be telling a lie. When reported about Soreyya giving a different answer, the Buddha said, "My son is not telling lies, he is speaking the truth. His answer now is different because he has now realized arahatship and so has no more affection for anyone in particular. By his well-directed mind my son has brought about in himself a well-being which neither the father nor the mother can bestow on him."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 43: Not a mother, nor a father, nor any other relative can do more for the well-being of one than a rightly-directed mind can. |
At the end of the discourse many attained Sotapatti Fruition.
End of Chapter Three: The Mind (Cittavagga)
3 pupphavagga
Dhammapada Verses 44 and 45
Pancasatabhikkhu Vatthu
Ko imam pathavim vicessati
yamalokanca imam sadevakam
ko dhammapadam sudesitam1
kusalo pupphamiva pacessati.
Sekho pathavim vicessati
yamalokanca imam sadevakam
sekho dhammapadam sudesitam
kusalo pupphamiva pacessati.
Verse 44: Who shall examine this earth (i.e., this body), the world of Yama (i.e., the four Apayas) and the world of man together with the world of devas? Who shall examine the well-taught Path of Virtue (Dhammapada) as an expert florist picks and chooses flowers?
Verse 45: The Ariya Sekha2 shall examine this earth (i.e., the body), the world of Yama (i.e., the four Apayas) and the world of man together with the world of devas. The Ariya Sekha shall examine the well-taught Path of Virtue (Dhammapada) as an expert florist picks and chooses flowers.
1. dhammapadam sudesitam: the well-taught Path of Virtue; here it means the thirty-seven Factors of Enlightenment (Bodhipakkhiya Dhamma).
2. sekho/sekhapuggala: one who is practising the Dhamma, and has entered the Path, but has not yet become an arahat. The term is applied to the first seven ariyapuggalas, the eighth or arahat being asekho.
The Story of Five Hundred Bhikkhus
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (44) and (45) of this book, with reference to five hundred bhikkhus.
Five hundred bhikkhus, after accompanying the Buddha to a village, returned to the Jetavana monastery. In the evening, while the bhikkhus were talking about the trip, especially the condition of the land, whether it was level or hilly, or whether the soil was clayey or sandy, red or black, etc., the Buddha came to them. Knowing the subject of their talk, he said to them, "Bhikkhus, the earth you are talking about is external to the body; it is better, indeed, to examine your own body and make preparations (for meditation practice)."
The Buddha then spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 44: Who shall examine this earth (i.e., this body)' the world of Yama (i.e., the four Apayas) and the world of man together with the world of devas? Who shall examine the well-taught Path of Virtue (Dhammapada) as an expert florist picks and chooses flowers? |
| |
| Verse 45: The Ariya Sekha* shall examine this earth (i.e., the body), the world of Yama (i.e., the four Apayas) and the world of man together with the world of devas. The Ariya Sekha shall examine the well-taught Path of Virtue (Dhammapada) as an expert florist picks and chooses flowers. |
At the end of the discourse those five hundred bhikkhus attained arahatship.
* Sekha/Ariya Sekha: one who practises the Dhamma and has entered the Path, but has not yet become an arahat.
| hammapada: Verses and Stories |
Dhammapada Verse 46
Maricikammatthanika bhikkhu Vatthu
Phepnupamam1 kayamimam viditva
maricidhammam2 abhisambudhano
chetvana marassa papupphakani3
adassanam maccurajassa gacche4
Verse 46: One who knows that this body is impermanent like froth, and comprehends that it is insubstantial like a mirage, will cut the flowers of Mara (i.e., the three kinds of vatta or rounds), and pass out of sight of the King of Death.
1. Phepnupamam: like froth; it means that this body is perishable and impermanent like froth.
2. maricidhammam: lit., mirage + nature; nature of a mirage, i. e., insubstantial like a mirage.
3. marassa papupphakani: flowers or flower-tipped arrows of Mara. These flowers or arrows of Mara represent the tivattam or the three kinds of vattam (rounds), viz., kilesavattam ( the round of moral defilements), kammavattam (the round of volitional action) and vipakavattam (the round of resultant effects). According to the Commentary, this chain or round is broken when cut by the sword of ariya magga nana.
4. adassanam maccurajassa gacche: In this context, out of sight of the King of Death means the realization of Nibbana.
The Story of the Bhikkhu who Contemplates the Body as a Mirage
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (46) of this book, with reference to a certain bhikkhu.
On one occasion, a certain bhikkhu, after taking a subject of meditation from the Buddha, went to the forest. Although he tried hard he made little progress in his meditation; so he decided to go back to the Buddha for further instruction. On his way back he saw a mirage, which, after all, was only an illusive appearance of a sheet of water. At that instant, he came to realize that the body also was insubstantial like a mirage. Thus keeping his mind on the insubstantiality of the body he came to the bank of the river Aciravati. While sitting under a tree close to the river, seeing big froths breaking up, he realized the impermanent nature of the body.
Soon, the Buddha appeared in his vision and said to him, "My son, just as you have realized, this body is impermanent like froth and insubstantial like a mirage."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 46: One who knows that this body is impermanent like froth, and comprehends that it is insubstantial like a mirage will cut the flowers of Mara (i.e., the three kinds of vatta or rounds), and pass out of sight of the King of Death. |
At the end of the discourse the bhikkhu attained arahatship.
Dhammapada Verse 47
Vitatubha Vatthu
Pupphani heva pacinantam
byasattamanasam naram
suttam gamam mahoghova
maccu adaya gacchati.
Verse 47: Like one who picks and chooses flowers, a man who has his mind attached to sensual pleasures is carried away by Death, just as a great flood sweeps away a sleeping village.
The Story of Vitatubha
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (47) of this book, with reference to Vitatubha, son of King Pasenadi of Kosala.
King Pasenadi of Kosala, wishing to marry into the clan of the Sakyans, sent some emissaries to Kapilavatthu with a request for the hand of one of the Sakyan princesses. Not wishing to offend King Pasenadi, the Sakyan princes replied that they would comply with his request, but instead of a Sakyan princess they sent a very beautiful girl born of King Mahanama and a slave woman. King Pasenadi made that girl one of his chief queens and subsequently she gave birth to a son. This son was named Vitatubha. When the prince was sixteen years old, he was sent on a visit to King Mahanama and the Sakyan princes. There he was received with some hospitality but all the Sakyan princes who were younger than Vitatubha had been sent away to a village, so that they would not have to pay respect to Vitatubha. After staying a few days in Kapilavatthu, Vitatubha and his company left for home. Soon after they left, a slave girl was washing with milk the place where Vitatubha had sat; she was also cursing him, shouting, "This is the place where that son of a slave woman had sat". At that moment, a member of Vitatubha's entourage returned to fetch something which he had left at the place and heard what the slave girl said. The slave girl also told him that Vitatubha's mother, Vasabhakhattiya, was the daughter of a slave girl belonging to Mahanama.
When Vitatubha was told about the above incident, he became wild with rage and declared that one day he would wipe out the whole clan of the Sakyans. True to his word, when Vitatubha became king, he marched on the Sakyan clan and massacred them all, with the exception of a few who were with Mahanama and some others. On their way home, Vitatubha and his army encamped on the sandbank in the river Aciravati. As heavy rain fell in the upper parts of the country on that very night, the river swelled and rushed down with great force carrying away Vitatubha and his army into the ocean.
On hearing about these two tragic incidents, the Buddha explained to the bhikkhus that his relatives, the Sakyan princes, had in one of their previous existences, put poison into the river killing the fishes. It was as a result of that particular action that the Sakyan princes had to die en masse. Then, referring to the incident about Vitatubha and his army, the Buddha said, "As a great flood sweeps away all the villagers in a sleeping village, so also, Death carries away all the creatures hankering after sensual pleasures."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 47: Like one who picks and chooses flowers, a man who has his mind attached to sensual pleasures is carried away by Death, just as a great flood sweeps away a sleeping village. |
Dhammapada Verse 48
Patipujikakumari Vatthu
Pupphani heva pacinantam
bysssasattamanasam naram
atittanneva kamesu
antako kurute vasam.
Verse 48: Like one who picks and chooses flowers, a man who has his mind attached to sensual pleasures and is insatiate in them is over powered by Death.
The Story of Patipujika Kumari
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (48) of this book, with reference to Patipujika Kumari.
Patipujika Kumari was a lady from Savatthi. She married at the age of sixteen and had four sons. She was a virtuous as well as a generous lady, who loved to make offerings of food and other requisites to the bhikkhus. She would often go to the monastery and clean up the premises, fill the pots and jars with water and perform other services. Patipujika also possessed Jatissara Knowledge through which she remembered that in her previous existence she was one of the numerous wives of Malabhari, in the deva world of Tavatimsa. She also remembered that she had passed away from there when all of them were out in the garden enjoying themselves, plucking and picking flowers. So, every time she made offerings to the bhikkhus or performed any other meritorious act, she would pray that she might be reborn in the Tavatimsa realm as a wife of Malabhari, her previous husband.
One day, Patipujika fell ill and passed away that same evening. As she had so ardently wished, she was reborn in Tavatimsa deva world as a wife of Malabhari. As one hundred years in the human world is equivalent to just one day in Tavatimsa world, Malabhari and his other wives were still in the garden enjoying themselves and Patipujika was barely missed by them. So, when she rejoined them, Malabhari asked her where she had been the whole morning. She then told him about her passing away from Tavatimsa, her rebirth in the human world, her marriage to a man and also about how she had given birth to four sons, her passing away from there and finally her return to Tavatimsa.
When the bhikkhus learned about the death of Patipujika, they were stricken with grief. They went to the Buddha and reported that Patipujika, who was offering alms-food to them early in the morning, had passed away in the evening. To them the Buddha replied that the life of beings was very brief; and that before they could hardly be satiated in their sensual pleasures, they were overpowered by Death.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 48: Like one who picks and chooses flowers, a man who has his mind attached to sensual pleasures and is ins |
Dhammapada Verse 49
Macchariyakosiyasetthi Vatthu
Yathipi bhamaro puppham
vannagandhamahethayam
paleti rasamadaya
evam game muni care.
Verse 49: As the bee collects nectar and flies away without damaging the flower or its colour or its scent, so also, let the bhikkhu dwell and act in the village (without affecting the faith and generosity or the wealth of the villagers).
The Story of Kosiya, the Miserly Rich Man
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (49) of this book, with reference to the Chief Disciple Maha Moggallana and the miserly rich man, Kosiya.
In the
Early in the morning, on that day, the Buddha through his supernormal power, saw the rich man and his wife in his vision, and knew that both of them would soon attain Sotapatti Fruition. So he sent his Chief Disciple Maha Moggallana to the house of the rich man, with instructions to bring the couple to the Jetavana monastery in time for the midday meal. The Chief Disciple, by supernormal power, reached Kosiya's house in an instant and stood at the window. The rich man saw him and asked him to leave; the Venerable Maha Moggallana just stood there without saying anything. In the end, Kosiya said to his wife, "Make a very small pancake and give it to the bhikkhu." So she took just a little amount of dough and put it in the pan, and the cake filled up the whole pan. Kosiya thought his wife must have put in too much, so he took just a pinch of dough and put it into the pan; his pancake also swelled into a big one. It so happened that however little dough they might put in, they were unable to make small pancakes. At last, Kosiya asked his wife to offer one from the basket to the bhikkhu. When she tried to take out one from the basket it would not come off because all the pancakes were sticking together and could not be separated. By this time Kosiya has lost all appetite for pancakes and offered the whole basket of pancakes to Maha Moggallana. The Chief Disciple then delivered a discourse on charity to the rich man and his wife. He also told the couple about how the Buddha was waiting with five hundred bhikkhus at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, forty-five yojanas away from Rajagaha. Maha Moggallana, by his supernormal power, then took both Kosiya and his wife together with their basket of pancakes, to the presence of the Buddha. There, they offered the pancakes to the Buddha and the five hundred bhikkhus. At the end of the meal, the Buddha delivered a discourse on charity, and both Kosiya and his wife attained Sotapatti Fruition.
Next evening, while the bhikkhus were talking in praise of Maha Moggallana, the Buddha came to them and said, "Bhikkhus, you should also dwell and act in the village like Maha Moggallana, receiving the offerings of the villagers without affecting their faith and generosity, or their wealth."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 49: As the bee collects nectar and flies away without damaging the flower or its colour or its scent, so also, let the bhikkhu dwell and act in the village (without affecting the faith and generosity or the wealth of the villagers). |
Dhammapada Verse 50
Paveyya ajivaka Vatthu
Na paresam vilomani
na paresam katakatam
attanova avekkheyya
katani akatani ca.
Verse 50: One should not consider the faults of others, nor their doing or not doing good or bad deeds. One should consider only whether one has done or not done good or bad deeds.
The Story of the Ascetic Paveyya
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (50) of this book, with reference to the ascetic Paveyya and a rich lady.
A rich lady of Savatthi had adopted Paveyya, an ascetic, as a son and was looking after his needs. When she heard her neighbours talking in praise of the Buddha, she wished very much to invite him to her house to offer him alms-food. So, the Buddha was invited and choice food was offered. As the Buddha was expressing appreciation (anumodana), Paveyya, who was in the next room, fumed with rage. He blamed and cursed the lady for venerating the Buddha. The lady heard him cursing and shouting and felt so ashamed that she could not concentrate on what the Buddha was saying. The Buddha told her not to be concerned about those curses and threats, but to concentrate only on her own good and bad deeds.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 50: One should not consider the faults of others, nor their doing or not doing good or bad deeds. One should consider only whether one has done or not done good or bad deeds. |
At the end of the discourse the rich lady attained Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verses 51 and 52
Chattapani upasaka Vatthu
Yathapi ruciram puppham
vannavantam agandhakam
evam subhasita vaca
aphala hoti akubbato.
Yathapi ruciram puppham
vannavantam sagandhakam
evam subhasita vaca
saphala hoti kubbato.
Verse 51: Just as a beautiful flower, lacking in scent, cannot give the wearer the benefit of its scent, so also, the well-preached words of the Buddha cannot benefit one who does not practise the Dhamma.
Verse 52: Just as a flower, beautiful as well as fragrant, will give the wearer the benefit of its scent, so also, the well-preached words of the Buddha will benefit one who practises the Dhamma.
The Story of Chattapani, a Lay Disciple
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (51) and (52) of this book, with reference to the lay disciple Chattapani and the two queens of King Pasenadi of Kosala.
A lay disciple named Chattapani who was an anagami* lived in Savatthi. On one occasion, Chattapani was with the Buddha at the Jetavana monastery respectfully and attentively listening to a religious discourse, when King Pasenadi also came to the Buddha. Chattapani did not stand up because he thought that by standing up, it might mean that he was paying respect to the king, but not paying due respect to the Buddha. The king took that as an insult and was very much offended. The Buddha knew exactly how the king was feeling; so he spoke in praise of Chattapani, who was well-versed in the Dhamma and had also attained the Anagami Fruition. On hearing this, the king was impressed and favourably inclined towards Chattapani.
When the king next met Chattapani he said, "You are so learned; could you please come to the palace and give lessons of the Dhamma to my two queens?" Chattapani declined but he suggested that the king should request the Buddha to assign a bhikkhu for this purpose. So, the king approached the Buddha in connection with this, and the Buddha directed the Venerable Ananda to go regularly to the palace and teach the Dhamma to Queen Mallika and Queen Vasabhakhattiya. After some time, the Buddha asked the Venerable Ananda about the progress of the two queens. The Venerable Ananda answered that although Mallika was learning the Dhamma seriously, Vasabhakhattiya was not paying proper attention. On hearing this the Buddha said that the Dhamma could be of benefit only to those who learn it seriously with due respect and proper attention and then practise diligently what was taught.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 51: Just as a beautiful flower, lacking in scent, cannot give the wearer the benefit of its scent, so also, the well-preached words of the Buddha cannot benefit one who does not practise the Dhamma. |
| |
| Verse 52: Just as a flower, beautiful as well as fragrant, will give the wearer the benefit of its scent, so also, the well-preached words of the Buddha will benefit one who practises the Dhamma. |
*Anagami: one who has attained the third Magga.
Dhammapada Verse 53
Visakha Vatthu
Yathapi puppharasimha
kayira malagune bahu
evam jatena maccena
kattabbam kusalam bahum1.
Verse 53: As from a collection of flowers many a garland can be made by an expert florist, so also, much good can be done (with wealth, out of faith and generosity) by one subject to birth and death.
1. kattabbam kusalam bahum: much good may be done. According to the Commentary, it means many deeds of merit should be done with wealth, out of faith and generosity.
The Story of Visakha
While residing at the Pubbarama monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verse (53) of this book, with reference to Visakha, the famous donor of the Pubbarama monastery.
Visakha was the daughter of a rich man of Bhaddiya, named Danancaya, and his wife Sumanadevi, and the granddaughter of Mendaka, one of the five extremely wealthy men of King Bimbisara's dominions. When Visakha was seven years old, the Buddha came on a tour to Bhaddiya. On that occasion, the rich man Mendaka took Visakha and her five hundred companions with him to pay homage to the Buddha. After hearing the discourse given by the Buddha, Visakha, her grandfather and all her five hundred companions attained Sotapatti Fruition.
When Visakha came of age, she married Punnavadahana, son of Migara, a fairly rich man from Savatthi. One day, while Migara was having his meal, a bhikkhu stopped for alms at his house; but Migara completely ignored the bhikkhu. Visakha, seeing this, said to the bhikkhu, "I am sorry, your reverence, my father-in-law only eats leftovers." On hearing this, Migara flew into a rage and told her to leave his house. But Visakha said she was not going away, and that she would send for the eight elderly rich men who were sent by her father to accompany her and to advise her. It was for them to decide whether she was guilty or not. When the elders came, Migara said to them, "While I was having my rice-with-milk in a golden bowl, Visakha said that I was taking only dirt and filth. For this offence, I'm sending her away." Thereupon, Visakha explained as follows: "When I saw my father-in-law completely ignoring the bhikkhu standing for alms-food, I thought to myself that my father-in-law was not doing any meritorious deed in this existence. he was only eating the fruits of his past good deeds. So, I said, 'My father-in-law only eats leftovers.' Now Sirs, what do you think, am I guilty?" The elders decided that Visakha was not guilty. Visakha then said that she was one who had absolute and unshakable faith in the Teaching of the Buddha and so could not stay where the bhikkhus were not welcome; and also, that if she was not given permission to invite the bhikkhus to the house to offer alms-food and make other offerings, she would leave the house. So permission was granted to her to invite the Buddha and his bhikkhus to the house.
The next day, the Buddha and his disciples were invited to the house of Visakha. When alms-food was about to be offered, she sent word to her father-in-law to join her in offering food; but he did not come. When the meal was over, again she sent a message, this time requesting her father-in-law to join her in hearing the discourse that would soon be given by the Buddha. Her father-in-law felt that he should not refuse for a second time. But his ascetic teachers, the Niganthas, would not let him go; however, they conceded that he could listen from behind a curtain. After hearing the Buddha's discourse Migara attained Sotapatti Fruition. He felt very thankful to the Buddha and also to his daughter-in-law. Being so thankful, he declared that henceforth Visakha would be like a mother to him, and Visakha came to be known as Migaramata.
Visakha gave birth to ten sons and ten daughters, and ten sons and ten daughters each were born to everyone of her children and grand-children. Visakha possessed an immensely valuable gem-encrusted cloak given by her father as a wedding present. One day, Visakha went to the Jetavana monastery with her entourage. On arrival at the monastery, she found that her bejeweled cloak was too heavy. So, she took it off, wrapped it up in her shawl, and gave it to the maid to hold it and take care of it. The maid absentmindedly left it at the monastery. It was the custom for the Venerable Ananda to look after the things left by any one of the lay disciples. Visakha sent the maid back to the monastery saying, "Go and look for the bejeweled cloak, but if the Venerable Ananda had already found it and kept it in a place do not bring it back; I donate the bejeweled cloak to the Venerable Ananda." But the Venerable Ananda did not accept her donation. So Visakha decided to sell the bejeweled cloak and donate the sale proceeds. But there was no one who could afford to buy that bejeweled cloak. So Visakha bought it back for nine crores and one lakh. With this money, she built a monastery on the eastern side of the city; this monastery came to be known as Pubbarama.
After the libation ceremony she called all her family to her and on that night she told them that all her wishes had been fulfilled and that she had nothing more to desire. Then reciting five verses of exultation she went round and round the monastery. Some bhikkhus hearing her, thought she was singing and reported to the Buddha that Visakha was not like before, and that she was going round and round the monastery, singing. "Could it be that she had gone off her head?" they asked the Buddha. To this question, the Buddha replied, "Today, Visakha had all her wishes of the past and present existences fulfilled and on account of that sense of achievement, she was feeling elated and contented; Visakha was just reciting some verses of exultation; she certainly had not gone off her head. Visakha, throughout her previous existences, had always been a generous donor and an ardent promoter of the Doctrine of successive Buddhas. She was most strongly inclined to do good deeds and had done much good in her previous existences, just as an expert florist makes many garlands from a collection of flowers."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 53: As from a collection of flowers many a garland can be made by an expert florist, so also, much good can be done (with wealth, out of faith and generosity) by one subject to birth and death. |
Dhammapada Verses 54 and 55
Anandattherapanha Vatthu
Na pupphagandho pativatameti
na candanam tagara mallika va
satanca gandho pativatameti
sabba disa sappuriso1pavayati.
Cadanam tagaram vapi
uppalam atha vassiki
etesam gandhajatanam
silagandho anuttaro.
Verse 54: The scent of flowers cannot go against the wind; nor the scent of sandalwood, nor of rhododendron (tagara), nor of jasmin (mallika)2; only the reputation of good people can go against the wind. The reputation of the virtuous ones (sappurisa) is wafted abroad in all directions.
Verse 55: There are the scents of sandalwood, rhododendron, lotus and jasmin (vassika)3; but the scent of virtue surpasses all scents.
1. sappuriso/sappurisa: good and pious people; virtuous persons. The virtuous are the Noble Ones (the ariyas) and the virtuous worldlings (kalyana puthujjana).
2. mallika: Arabian jasmin.
3. vassika: Spanish jasmin.
The Story of the Question Raised by the Venerable Ananda
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (54) and (55) of this book, with reference to a question raised by the Venerable Ananda.
While the Venerable Ananda was sitting by himself one evening, the problem relating to scents and perfumes came to his mind and he pondered: "The scent of wood, the scent of flowers, and the scent of roots all spread with the current of wind but not against it. Is there no scent which would spread with the current of wind as well as against it? Is there no scent which would pervade every part of the world?" Without answering the question himself, the Venerable Ananda approached the Buddha and solicited an answer from him. The Buddha said, "Ananda, supposing, there is one who takes refuge in the Three Gems (the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Samgha), who observes the five moral precepts, who is generous and not avaricious; such a man is truly virtuous and truly worthy of praise. The reputation of that virtuous one would spread far and wide, and bhikkhus, brahmins and laymen all alike would speak in praise of him, wherever he lives."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 54: The scent of flowers cannot go against the wind; nor the scent of sandalwood, nor of rhododendron (tagara), nor of jasmin (mallika); only the reputation of good people can go against the wind. The reputation of the virtuous ones (sappurisa) is wafted abroad in all directions. |
| |
| Verse 55: There are the scents of sandalwood, rhododendron, lotus and jasmin (vassika); but the scent of virtue surpasses all scents. |
Dhammapada Verse 56
Mahakassapatthera Vatthu
Appamatto ayam gandho
yayam tagaracandani
yo ca silavatam gandho
vati devesu uttamo.
Verse 56: The scents of rhododendron and of sandal wood are very faint; but the scent (reputation) of the virtuous is the strongest; it spreads even to the abodes of the deva.
The Story of Thera Mahakassapa
While residing at the Veluvana monastery in Rajagaha, the Buddha uttered Verse 56 of this book, with reference to Thera Mahakassapa.
Arising from nirodhasamapatti*, Thera Mahakassapa entered a poor section of the city of
The Buddha, from his monastery, saw Sakka and Sujata leaving and told the bhikkhus about Sakka offering alms-food to Thera Mahakassapa. The bhikkhus wondered how Sakka knew that Thera Mahakassapa had just come out of nirodhasamapatti, and that it was the right and auspicious time for him to make offerings to the thera. This question was put up to the Buddha, and the Buddha answered, "Bhikkhus, the reputation of a virtuous one as my son, Thera Mahakassapa, spreads far and wide; it reaches even the deva world. On account of his good reputation, Sakka himself has come to offer alms-food to him."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 56: The scents of rhododendron and of sandal wood are very faint; but the scent (reputation) of the virtuous is the strongest; it spreads even to the abodes of the deva. |
* Nirodhasamapatti: sustained deep mental absorption following the attainment of nirodha, i.e., temporary cessation of the four mental khandhas.
Dhammapada Verse 57
Godhikattheraparinibbana Vatthu
Tesam sampannasilanam
appamadaviharinam
sammadanna vimuttanam
Maro maggam na vindati.
Verse 57: Mara cannot find the path taken by those who are endowed with virtue, who live mindfully and have been freed from moral defilements by Right Knowledge.1
1. Arahats having eradicated moral defilements are no longer subject to rebirths; so Mara, for all his power, cannot find out where such arahats go after death. (The Commentary)
The Story of Thera Godhika
While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (57) of this book, with reference to Thera Godhika.
Thera Godhika was, on one occasion, diligently practising Tranquillity and Insight Development, on a stone slab on the side of Isigili mountain in
When Mara learned that Thera Godhika had died, he tried to find out where the thera was reborn but failed to find him. So, assuming the likeness of a young man, Mara approached the Buddha and enquired where Thera Godhika was. The Buddha replied to him, "It will be of no benefit to you to learn of the destination of Thera Godhika; for having been freed of moral defilements he became an arahat. One like you, Mara, for all your power will not be able to find out where such arahats go after death."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 57: Mara cannot find the path taken by those who are endowed with virtue, who live mindfully and have been freed from moral defilements by Right Knowledge. |
Dhammapada Verses 58 and 59
Garahadinna Vatthu
Yatha sankaradhanasmim
ujjhitasmim mahapathe
padumam tattha jayetha
sucigandham manoramam.
Evam sankarabhutesu1
andhabhute puthujjane2
atirocati pannaya
sammasambuddhasavako.
Verses 58 - 59: As a sweet-smelling and beautiful lotus flower may grow upon a heap of rubbish thrown on the highway, so also, out of the rubbish heap of beings may appear a disciple of the Buddha, who with his wisdom shines forth far above the blind (ignorant) worldlings.
1. sankarabhutesu: rubbish heap of beings.
2. andhabhute puthujjane: blind worldlings. The worldlings are like the blind because they are lacking in knowledge.
The Story of Garahadinna
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (58) and (59) of this book, with reference to a rich man named Garahadinna and the miracle of the lotus flowers.
There were two friends named Sirigutta and Garahadinna in Savatthi. Sirigutta was a follower of the Buddha and Garahadinna was a follower of the Niganthas, the ascetics who were hostile to the Buddhists. At the instance of the Niganthas, Garahadinna often said to Sirigutta, "What benefit do you get by following the Buddha? Come, be a follower of my teachers." Having been told thus many times, Sirigutta said to Garahadinna, "Tell me, what do your teachers know?" To this, Garahadinna replied that his teachers knew everything; with their great power they knew the past, the present and the future and also the thoughts of others. So, Sirigutta invited the Niganthas to his house for alms-food.
Sirigutta wanted to find out the truth about the Niganthas, whether they really possessed the power of knowing other people's thoughts, etc. So he made a long, deep trench and filled it up with excreta and filth. Seats were then placed precariously over the trench; and big empty pots were brought in and covered up with cloth and banana leaves to make them appear as if they were full of rice and curries. When the Niganthas arrived, they were requested to enter one by one, to stand near their respective seats, and to sit down simultaneously. As all of them sat down, the flimsy strings broke and the Niganthas fell into the filthy trench. Then Sirigutta taunted them, "Why don't you know the past, the present and the future? Why don't you know the thoughts of others?" All the Niganthas then fled in terror.
Garahadinna naturally was furious with Sirigutta and refused to talk to him for two weeks. Then, he decided that he would have his revenge on Sirigutta. He pretended that he was no longer angry, and one day asked Sirigutta to invite, on his behalf, the Buddha and his five hundred disciples to partake of alms-food. So Sirigutta went to the Buddha and invited him to the house of Garahadinna. At the same time, he told the Buddha about what he had done to the Niganthas, the teachers of Garahadinna. He also expressed his fear that this invitation might be a reprisal and so the invitation should be accepted only after due consideration.
The Buddha, with his supernormal power, knew that this would be the occasion for the two friends to attain Sotapatti Fruition, and therefore accepted the invitation. Garahadinna made a trench, filled it with live coals and covered it with mats. He also kept some empty pots covered with cloth and banana leaves to make them appear as if filled with rice and curries. The next day, the Buddha came followed by five hundred bhikkhus in single file. When the Buddha stepped on the mat over the trench, the mat and live coals miraculously disappeared, and five hundred lotus flowers, each as large as a cart wheel, sprang up for the Buddha and his disciples to sit upon.
Seeing this miracle, Garahadinna was very much alarmed and he said rather incoherently to Sirigutta, "Help me, dear friend. Out of my desire for revenge, I have truly done a great wrong. My bad designs have had no effect at all on your Teacher. The pots in my kitchen are all empty. Please help me." Sirigutta then told Garahadinna to go and look at the pots. When Garahadinna found all the pots filled with food he was astounded and at the same time very much relieved and very happy. So the food was offered to the Buddha and his disciples. After the meal, the Buddha expressed his appreciation (anumodana) of the meritorious act and then said, "Ignorant worldlings, lacking in knowledge, do not know the unique qualities of the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha and so they are like the blind; but the wise, having knowledge, are like people with sight."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verses 58 - 59: As a sweet-smelling and beautiful lotus flower may grow upon a heap of rubbish thrown on the highway, so also, out of the rubbish heap of beings may appear a disciple of the Buddha, who with his wisdom shines forth far above the blind (ignorant) worldlings. |
At the end of the discourse, both Garahadinna and Sirigutta attained Sotapatti Fruition.
End of Chapter Four: Flowers (Pupphavagga)
4 balavagga
Dhammapada Verse 60
Annatarapurisa Vatthu
Digha jagarato ratti1
digham santassa yojanam2
digho balana samsaro
saddhammam avijanatam.
Verse 60: Long is the night to one who is wakeful; long is (the journey of) one yojana to the traveller who is tired; long is samsara (round of rebirths) to the fool, who is ignorant of the true Dhamma (the Teaching of the Buddha).
1. Balavagga: Chapter on the Fool. Bala is the opposita of pandita; it means those who are ignorant, stupid and mentally dull. They cannot think or act right.
2. yojanam/yojana: a measure of length, about twelve miles.
The Story of a Person
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (60) of this book, with reference to a certain young man and King Pasenadi of Kosala.
One day King Pasenadi, while going out in the city, happened to see a beautiful young woman standing at the window of her house and he instantly fell in love with her. So the king tried to find ways and means of getting her. Finding that she was a married woman, he sent for her husband and made him serve at the palace. Later, the husband was sent on an impossible errand by the king. The young man was to go to a place, a yojana (twelve miles) away from Savatthi, bring back some Kumuda lotus flowers and some red earth called 'arunavati' from the land of the dragons (nagas) and arrive back at Savatthi the same evening, in time for the king's bath. The king's intention was to kill the husband if he failed to arrive back in time, and to take the wife for himself.
Hurriedly taking a food packet from his wife, the young man set out on his errand. On the way, he shared his food with a traveller. He also threw some rice into the water and said loudly, "O guardian spirits and dragons inhabiting this river! King Pasenadi has commanded me to get some Kumuda lotus flowers and arunavati red earth for him. I have today shared my food with a traveller; I have also fed the fish in the river; I now share with you the benefits of the good deeds I have done today. Please get the Kumuda lotus and arunavati red earth for me." The king of the dragons, hearing him, took the appearance of an old man and brought the lotus and the red earth.
On that evening, King Pasenadi, fearing that the young husband might arrive back in time, had the city-gates closed early. The young man, finding the city-gates closed, placed the red earth on the city-wall and stuck the flowers on the earth. Then he declared loudly, "O citizens! Be my witnesses! I have today accomplished my errand in time as instructed by the king. King Pasenadi, without any justification, plans to kill me." After that, the young man left for the Jetavana monastery to take shelter and find solace in the peaceful atmosphere of the monastery.
Meanwhile, King Pasenadi, obsessed with sexual desire, could not sleep, and kept thinking out how he would get rid of the husband in the morning and take his wife. At about midnight, he heard some eerie sounds; actually, these were the doleful voices of four persons suffering in Lohakumbhi Niraya . Hearing those weird voices, the king was terrified. Early in the morning, he went to the Buddha, as advised by Queen Mallika. When the Buddha was told about the four voices the king heard in the night, he explained to the king that those were the voices of four beings, who were the sons of rich men during the time of Kassapa Buddha, and that now they were suffering in Lohakumbhi Niraya because they had committed sexual misconduct with other people's wives. Then, the king came to realize the depravity of the deed and the severity of the punishment. So, he decided then and there that he would no longer covet another man's wife. "After all, it was on account of my intense desire for another man's wife that I was tormented and could not sleep the whole of last night," he reflected. Then King Pasenadi said to the Buddha, "Venerable Sir, now I know how long the night is for one who cannot sleep." The young man who was close at hand also said, "Venerable Sir, because I had travelled the full distance of a yojana yesterday, I, too, know how long the journey of a yojana is to one who is weary."
Combining their two statements, the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 60: Long is the night to one who is wakeful; long is (the journey of) one yojana to the traveller who is tired; long is samsara (round of rebirths) to the fool, who is ignorant of the true Dhamma (the Teaching of the Buddha). |
At the end of the discourse, the young man attained Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verse 61
Mahakassapa saddhiviharika Vatthu
Carance nadhigaccheyya
seyyam sadisamattano
ekacariyaram dalham kayira
natthi bale sahayata.
Verse 61: If a person seeking a companion cannot find one who is better than or equal to him, let him resolutely go on alone; there can be no companionship with a fool.
The Story of a Resident Pupil of Thera Mahakassapa
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (61) of this book, with reference to a resident pupil of Thera Mahakassapa.
When Thera Mahakassapa was residing near Rajagaha, he had two young bhikkhus staying with him. One of them was respectful, obedient and dutiful to the thera, but the other one was not. When the old thera chided the latter for his slackness in his duties, he was very much offended. On one occasion, he went to the house of a lay-disciple of the thera, and lied to them that the thera was ill. Thus, he got some choice food from them for the thera; but he ate the food on the way. When admonished by the thera for this he was extremely angry. The next day, when the thera was out on his alms-round, the young foolish bhikkhu stayed behind, broke the pots and pans and set fire to the monastery.
When a bhikkhu from Rajagaha told the Buddha about this, the Buddha said that it would have been much better for Thera Mahakassapa to live alone than to live with a foolish companion.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 61: If a person seeking a companion cannot find one who is better than or equal to him, let him resolutely go on alone; there can be no companionship with a fool. |
At the end of the discourse, the bhikkhu from Rajagaha attained Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verse 62
Anandasetthi Vatthu
Putta1 ma'tthi dhanam ma' tthi
iti balo vihannati
atta hi attano natthi
kuto putta kuto dhanam.
Verse 62: "I have sons, I have wealth"; with this (feeling of attachment) the fool is afflicted. Indeed, he himself is not his own, how can sons and wealth be his?
1. putta: sons also means both son and daughter.
The Story of Ananda, the Rich Man
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (62) of this book, with reference to a miserly rich man, named Ananda.
There was once a very wealthy man named Ananda in Savatthi. Although he possessed eighty crores, he was very reluctant to give anything in charity. To his son, Mulasiri, he used to say, "Don't think the wealth we have now is very much. Do not give away anything from what you have, for you must make it grow. Otherwise your wealth will dwindle away." This rich man had five pots of gold buried in his house and he died without revealing their location to his son.
Ananda, the rich man, was reborn in a village of beggars, not far from Savatthi. From the time his mother was pregnant, the income of the beggars decreased; the villagers thought there must be a wicked and unlucky one amongst them. By dividing themselves up into groups and by the process of elimination, they came to the conclusion that the pregnant beggar woman must be the unfortunate one. Thus, she was driven out of the village. When her son was born, the son proved to be extremely ugly and repulsive. If she went out begging by herself, she would get as before, but if she went out with her son she would get nothing. So, when the boy could go out by himself, his mother placed a plate in his hand and left him. As he wandered about in Savatthi, he remembered his old house and his past existence. So he went into the house. When the sons of his son Mulasiri saw him, they were frightened by his ugly looks and began to cry. The servants then beat him and threw him out of the house.
The Buddha who was on his alms-round saw the incident and asked the Venerable Ananda to fetch Mulasiri. When Mulasiri came, the Buddha told him that the young beggar was his own father in his previous existence. But Mulasiri could not believe it. So, the Buddha directed the beggar boy to show where he had buried his five pots of gold. Then only, Mulasiri accepted the truth and from that time he became a devoted lay-disciple of the Buddha.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 62: "I have sons, I have wealth"; with this (feeling of attachment) the fool is afflicted. Indeed, he himself is not his own, how can sons and wealth be his? |
Dhammapada Verse 63
Ganthibhedakacora Vatthu
Ya balo mannati balyam
panditovapi tena so
balo ca panditamani
sa ve baloti vuccati.
Verse 63: The fool who knows that he is a fool can, for that reason, be a wise man; but the fool who thinks that he is wise is, indeed, called a fool.
The Story of Two Pick-Pockets
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (63) of this book, with reference to two pick-pockets.
On one occasion, two pick-pockets joined a group of lay-disciples going to the Jetavana monastery, where the Buddha was giving a discourse. One of them listened attentively to the discourse and soon attained Sotapatti Fruition. However, the second thief did not attend to the discourse as he was bent on stealing only; and he managed to snatch a small sum of money from one of the lay-disciples. After the discourse they went back and cooked their meal at the house of the second thief, the one who managed to get some money. The wife of the second thief taunted the first thief, "You are so wise, you don't even have anything to cook at your house." Hearing this remark, the first thief thought to himself, "This one is so foolish that she thinks she is being very smart." Then, together with some relatives, he went to the Buddha and related the matter to him.
To the man, the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 63: The fool who knows that he is a fool can, for that reason, be a wise man; but the fool who thinks that he is wise is, indeed, called a fool. |
At the end of the discourse, all the relatives of the man attained Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verse 64
Udayitthera Vatthu
Yavajivampi ce balo
panditam payirupasati
na so dhammam vijanati
dabbi suparasam yatha.
Verse 64: A fool, even though he is associated with a wise man all his life, does not understand the Dhamma, just as a ladle does not know the taste of soup.
The Story of Thera Udayi
While residing at tho Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (64) of this book, with reference to Thera Udayi, a pretentious bhikkhu.
Thera Udayi would often go and sit on the platform from which learned theras delivered their discourses. On one occasion, some visiting bhikkhus, taking him for a very learned thera, put to him some questions on the five aggregates (khandhas). Thera Udayi could not answer, because he did not know anything of the dhamma. The visiting bhikkhus were greatly astonished to find that one staying in the same monastery with the Buddha knew so very little about the khandhas and the ayatanas (sense-bases and sense-objects).
To them, the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 64: A fool, even though he is associated with a wise man all his life, does not understand the Dhamma, just as a ladle does not know the taste of soup. |
At the end of the discourse, all the visiting bhikkhus attained arahatship.
Dhammapada Verse 65
Timsapaveyyakabhikkhu Vatthu
Muhuttamapi ce vinnu
panditam payirupasati
khippam dhammam vijanati
jivha suparasam yatha.
Verse 65: An intelligent man, even though he is associated with a wise man only for a moment, quickly understands the Dhamma, just as the tongue knows the taste of soup.
The Story of Thirty Bhikkhus from Paveyyaka
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (65) of this book, with reference to thirty bhikkhus from Paveyyaka.
Thirty youths from Paveyyaka were, on one occasion, enjoying themselves with a prostitute in a forest, when the prostitute stole some of their valuable ornaments and ran away. While searching for her in the forest, they met the Buddha on the way. As the Buddha delivered them a discourse the youths attained Sotapatti Fruition, and all of them joined the Order of the Buddha and followed him to the Jetavana monastery. While staying at the monastery, they strictly observed the austerity or purification practice (dhutanga). Later, when the Buddha delivered the Anamatagga Sutta (Discourse on Countless Existences), all those bhikkhus attained arahatship.
When other bhikkhus commented that Paveyyaka bhikkhus were very quick in attaining arahatship, the Buddha replied to them in verse, as follows:
| Verse 65: An intelligent man, even though he is associated with a wise man only for a moment, quickly understands the Dhamma, just as the tongue knows the taste of soup. |
Dhammapada Verse 66
Suppabuddhakutthi Vatthu
Caranti bala dummedha
amitteneva attana
karonta papakam kammam
yam hoti katukapphalam.
Verse 66: With themselves as their own enemies, fools lacking in intelligence, move about doing evil deeds, which bear bitter fruits.
The Story of Suppabuddha, the Leper
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (66) of this book, with reference to Suppabuddha, a leper.
Suppabuddha, the leper, while sitting at the back of the crowd and listening attentively to the discourse given by the Buddha, attained Sotapatti Fruition. When the crowd had dispersed, he followed the Buddha to the monastery as he wished to tell the Buddha about his attainment of Sotapatti Fruition. Sakka, king of the devas, wishing to test the leper's faith in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha, appeared to him and said, "You are only a poor man, living on what you get by begging, with no one to fall back on. I can give you immense wealth if you deny the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha and say that you have no use for them." To this, Suppabuddha replied. "I am certainly not a poor man, with no one to rely on. I am a rich man; I possess the seven attributes which the ariyas possess; I have faith (saddha), morality (sila), sense of shame to do evil (hiri), sense of fear to do evil (ottappa), learning (sula), generosity (caga) and knowledge (panna).
Then, Sakka went to the Buddha ahead of Suppabuddha and related the conversation between himself and Suppabuddha. To him the Buddha replied that it would not be easy even for a hundred or a thousand Sakkas to coax Suppabuddha away from the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha. Soon after this, Suppabuddha arrived at the monastery and reported to the Buddha about his attainment of Sotapatti Fruition. On his way back from the Jetavana monastery, Suppabuddha was gored to death by an infuriated cow, who, in fact, was an ogress assuming the form of a cow. This ogress was none other than the prostitute who was killed by Suppabuddha in one of his previous existences and who had vowed to have her revenge on him.
When the news of Suppabuddha's death reached the Jetavana monastery, the bhikkhus asked the Buddha where Suppabuddha was reborn and the Buddha replied to them that Suppabuddha was reborn in Tavatimsa deva realm. The Buddha also explained to them that Suppabuddha was born a leper because, in one of his previous existences, he had spat upon a paccekabuddha.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 66: With themselves as their own enemies, fools lacking in intelligence, move about doing evil deeds, which bear bitter fruits. |
Dhammapada Verse 67
Kassaka Vatthu
Na tam kammam katam sadhu
yam katva anutappati
yassa assumukho rodam
vipakam patisevati.
Verse 67: That deed is not well done, if one has to repent for having done it, and if, with a tearful face, one has to weep as a result of that deed.
The Story of a Farmer
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (67) of this book, with reference to a farmer who handled poison.
One day, some thieves having stolen some valuables and cash from the house of a rich man came to a field. There, they divided the stolen property among themselves and dispersed; but a packet containing one thousand in cash, having dropped from one of the thieves, was left behind unnoticed.
Early in the morning on that day, the Buddha, on surveying the world with his supernormal power, perceived that a farmer, cultivating near that field, would attain Sotapatti Fruition on that very day. So, the Buddha went there, accompinied by the Venerable Ananda. The farmer on seeing the Buddha paid obeisance to him and continued to plough the field. The Buddha seeing the packet of money said to the Venerable Ananda, "Ananda, look at that very poisonous snake," and Ananda replied, "Venerable Sir, yes, it is, indeed, a very poisonous snake!" Then, both the Buddha and the Venerable Ananda continued their way.
The farmer, hearing them, went to find out if there really was a snake and found the packet of money. He took the picket and hid it in a place. The owners of the property coming after the thieves came to the field, and tracing the footprints of the farmer, found the packet of money. They beat the farmer and took him to the king, who ordered his men to kill the farmer. On being taken to the cemetery, where he was to be killed, the farmer kept on repeating, "Ananda, look at that very poisonous snake. Venerable Sir, I see the snake; it is, indeed, a very poisonous snake!" When the king's men heard the above dialogue between the Buddha and the Venerable Ananda being repeated all the way, they were puzzled and took him to the king. The king surmised that the farmer was calling upon the Buddha as a witness; he was therefore taken to the presence of the Buddha. After hearing from the Buddha everything that had happened in the morning, the king remarked, "If he had not been able to call upon the Buddha as a witness of his innocence, this man would have been killed." To him, the Buddha replied, "A wise man should not do anything that he would repent after doing it."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 67: That deed is not well done, if one has to repent for having done it, and if, with a tearful face, one has to weep as a result of that deed. |
At the end of the discourse, the farmer attained Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verse 68
Sumanamalakara Vatthu
Tanca kammam katam sadhu
yam katva nanutappati
yassa patito sumano
vipikam patisevati.
Verse 68: That deed is well done if one has not to repent for having done it, and if one is delightful and happy with the result of that deed.
The Story of Sumana, the Florist
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (68) of this book, with reference to Sumana the florist.
A florist, named Sumana, had to supply King Bimbisara of Rajagaha with jasmin flowers every morning. One day, as he was going to the king's palace he saw the Buddha, with a halo of light-rays radiating from him, coming into town for alms-food accompanied by many bhikkhus. Seeing the Buddha in his resplendent glory, the florist Sumana felt a strong desire to offer his flowers to the Buddha. Then and there, he decided that even if the king were to drive him out of the country or to kill him, he would not offer the flowers to the king for that day. Thus, he threw up the flowers to the sides, to the back and over and above the head of the Buddha. The flowers remained hanging in the air; those over the head formed a canopy of flowers and those at the back and the sides formed walls of flowers. These flowers followed the Buddha in this position as he moved on, and stopped when the Buddha stopped. As the Buddha proceeded, surrounded by walls of flowers, and a canopy of flowers, with the six-coloured rays radiating from his body, followed by a large entourage, thousands of people inside and outside of Rajagaha came out of their houses to pay obeisance to the Buddha. As for Sumana, his entire body was suffused with delightful satisfaction (Piti).
The wife of the florist Sumana then went to the king and said that she had nothing to do with her husband failing to supply the king with flowers for that day. The king, being a Sotapanna himself, felt quite happy about the flowers. He came out to see the wonderful sight and paid obeisance to the Buddha. The king also took the opportunity to offer alms-food to the Buddha and his disciples. After the meal, the Buddha returned in the Jetavana monastery and the king followed him for some distance. On arrival back at the palace King Bimbisara sent for Sumana and offered him a reward of eight elephants, eight horses, eight male slaves, eight female slaves, eight maidens and eight thousand in cash.
At the Jetavana monastery, the Venerable Ananda asked the Buddha what benefits Sumana would gain by his good deed done on that day. The Buddha answered that Sumana, having given to the Buddha without any consideration for his life, would not be born in any of the four lower worlds (Apaya) for the next one hundred thousand worlds and that eventually he would become a paccekabuddha. After that, as the Buddha entered the Perfumed Hall (Gandhakuti) the flowers dropped off of their own accord.
That night, at the end of the usual discourse, the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 68: That deed is well done if one has not to repent for having done it, and if one is delightful and happy with the result of that deed. |
Dhammapada Verse 69
Uppalavannattheri Vatthu
Madhumva mannati balo
yava papam na paccati
yada ca paccati papam
atha dukkham nigacchati.
Verse 69: As long as the evil deed does not bear fruit, the fool thinks it is sweet like honey; but when his evil deed does bear fruit, the fool suffers for it.
The Story of Theri Uppalavanna
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (69) of this book, with reference to Theri Uppalavanna.
Once there was a young daughter of a rich man in Savatthi. Because she was so beautiful, with looks so tender and sweet, like a blue lotus flower, she was called "Uppalavanna", the blue lotus. The fame of her beauty spread far and wide and there were many suitors: princes, rich men and many others. But she decided that it would be better for her to become a bhikkhuni, a female member of the Buddhist Order. One day, after lighting a lamp, she kept her mind fixed on the flame and meditating on the fire kasina (object of concentration) she soon achieved Magga Insight and finally attained arahatship.
Some time later, she moved to the '
Hearing about this, the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 69: As long as the evil deed does not bear fruit, the fool thinks it is sweet like honey; but when his evil deed does bear fruit, the fool suffers for it. |
At the end of the discourse, many attained Sotapatti Fruition.
The Buddha next sent for King Pasenadi of Kosala and told him about the dangers that bhikkhunis living in forests had to face from irresponsible persons obsessed with sex. The king then promised to build monasteries for bhikkhunis only in towns or close to the towns.
Dhammapada Verse 70
Jambukatthera Vatthu
Mase mase kusaggena
balo bhunjeyya bhojanam
na so sankhatadhammanam
kalam agghati solasim.
Verse 70: Even though, month after month, the fool (living in austerity) takes his food sparingly with the tip of a grass blade, he is not worth even one-sixteenth part of those who have comprehended the Truth (i.e., the ariyas).
The Story of Thera Jambuka
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (70) of this book, with reference to Thera Jambuka.
Jambuka was the son of a rich man in Savatthi. Due to his past evil deeds he was born with very peculiar habits. As a child, he wanted to sleep on the floor with no proper bed, and to take his own excreta for food instead of rice. When he grew older, his parents sent him to the Ajivakas, the naked ascetics. When those ascetics found out about his peculiar food habits they drove him away. At nights he ate human excreta and in the day time stood still on one leg and kept his mouth open. He used to say that he kept his mouth open because he only lived on air and that he stood on one leg because it would otherwise be too heavy for the earth to bear him. "I never sit down, I never go to sleep," he boasted and on account of this, he was known as Jambuka, a 'jackal'.
Many people believed him and some would come to him with offerings of choice food. Then Jambuka would refuse and say, "I do not take any food except air." When pressed, he would take just a little of the food with the tip of a blade of grass and say, "Now go, this little will give you enough merit." In this way, Jambuka lived for fifty-five years, naked and taking only excreta.
One day, the Buddha saw in his vision that Jambuka was due to attain arahatship within a short time. So, in the evening, the Buddha went to where Jambuka was staying and asked for some place to spend the night. Jambuka pointed out to him a mountain-cave not far from the stone slab on which he himself was staying. During the first, second and third watches of the night, the Catumaharajika devas, Sakka and Mahabrahma came to pay homage to the Buddha in turn. On all the three occasions, the forest was lit up and Jambuka saw the light three times. In the morning, he walked over to the Buddha and enquired about the lights.
When told about the devas, Sakka and Mahabrahma coming to pay homage to the Buddha, Jambuka was very much impressed, and said to the Buddha, "You must, indeed, be a wonderfully great person for the devas, Sakka and Mahabrahma to come and pay homage to you. As for me, even though I have practised austerely for fifty-five years, living only on air and standing only on one leg, none of the devas, nor Sakka, nor Mahabrahma has ever came to me" To him, the Buddha replied, "O Jambuka! You have been deceiving other people, but you cannot deceive me. I know that for fifty-five years you have been eating excreta and sleeping on the ground."
Furthermore, the Buddha explained to him how in one of his past existences during the time of Kassapa Buddha, Jambuka had prevented a thera from going with him to the house of a lay-disciple where alms-food was being offered and how he had also thrown away the food that was sent along with him for that thera. It was for those evil deeds that Jambuka had to be eating excreta and sleeping on the ground. Hearing that account, Jambuka was horrified and terror-stricken, and repented for having done evil and for having deceived other people. He went down on his knees and the Buddha gave him a piece of cloth to put on. The Buddha then proceeded to deliver a discourse; at the end of the discourse Jambuka attained arahatship and joined the Buddhist Order on the spot.
Soon after this, Jambuka's pupils from Anga and
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 70: Even though, month after month, the fool (living in austerity) takes his food sparingly with the tip of a grass blade, he is not worth even one-sixteenth part of those who have comprehended the Truth (i.e., the ariyas). |
Dhammapada Verse 71
Ahipeta Vatthu
Na hi papam katam kammam
sajju khiramva muccati
dahantam balarnanveti
bhasmacchannova pavako.
Verse 71: An evil deed does not immediately bear fruit, just as the newly-drawn milk does not curdle at once; but it follows the fool burning him like live coal covered with ashes.
The Story of Ahipeta*
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (71) of this book, with reference to a peta-ghost.
The Chief Disciple Maha Moggallana was on one occasion going on an alms-round with Thera Lakkhana in Rajagaha. On seeing something, he smiled but said nothing. When they were back at the monastery, Thera Maha Moggallana told Thera Lakkhana that he smiled because he saw a peta-ghost with the head of a human being and the body of a snake. The Buddha then said that he himself had seen that very peta-ghost on the day he attained Buddhahood. The Buddha also explained that, a very long time ago, there was a paccekabuddha, who was respected by many. People going to his monastery had to traverse a field. The owner of the field, fearing that his field would be damaged by too many people going to and from the monastery, set fire to it. Consequently, the paccekabuddha had to move to some other place. The disciples of the paccekabuddha, being very angry with the land-owner, beat him and killed him. On his death he was reborn in Avici Niraya. In his present existence, he was serving out the remaining term of the evil consequences (kamma) as a peta-ghost.
In conclusion, the Buddha said, "An evil deed does not bear fruit immediately, but it invariably follows the evil doer. There is no escape from the consequences of an evil deed."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 71: An evil deed does not immediately bear fruit, just as the newly-drawn milk does not curdle at once; but it follows the fool burning him like live coal covered with ashes. |
* Ahipeta = Ahi + peta; ahi = snake + peta = peta-ghost, an ever-hungry spirit or ghost. In this instance a ghost with the head of a human being and the body of a snake.
Dhammapada Verse 72
Satthikutapeta Vatthu
Yavadeva anatthaya
nattam balassa jayati
hanti balassa sukkamsam1
muddhamassa2 vipatayam.
Verse 72: The skill of a fool can only harm him; it destroys his merit and his wisdom (lit., it severs his head).
1. sukkamsa: sukka + amsa : sukka means white, bright, pure or good; amsa means portion. According to the Commentary, sukkamsa means merit.
2. muddha: head, top, summit. According to the Commentary, it means knowledge.
The Story of Satthikutapeta
While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (72) of this book with reference to a peta-ghost named Satthikutapeta.
The Chief Disciple Maha Moggallana saw this enormous peta-ghost while going on an alms-round with Thera Lakkhana. In this connection, the Buddha explained that Satthikutapeta, in one of his previous existences, was very skilful in throwing stones at things. One day, he asked permissions from his teacher to try out his skill. His teacher told him not to hit a cow, or a human being as he would have to pay compensation to the owner or to the relative, but to find a target which was ownerless or guardianless.
On seeing the paccekabuddha, the idiots lacking in intelligence, thought the paccekabuddha, having no relative or guardian, would be an ideal target. So he threw a stone at the paccekabuddha who was on an alms-round. The stone entered from one ear and came out of the other. The paccekabuddha expired when he reached the monastery. The stone-thrower was killed by the disciples of the paccekabuddha and he was reborn in Avici Niraya. Afterwards, he was reborn as a peta-ghost and had since been serving the remaining term of the evil consequences (kamma) of his evil deed. As a peta-ghost his enormous head was being continuously hit with red-hot hammers.
In conclusion, the Buddha said, "To a fool, his skill or knowledge is of no use; it can only harm him."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 72: The skill of a fool can only harm him; it destroys his merit and his wisdom (lit., it severs his head). |
Dhammapada Verses 73 and 74
Cittagahapati Vatthu
Asantam bhavanamiccheyya
purekkharanca bhikkhusu
avasesu ca issariyam
pujam parakulesu1 ca.
Mameva kata mannantu
gihi2 pabbajita ubho
mamevativasa assu
kiccakiccesu kismici
iti balassa sankappo
iccha mano ca vaddhati.
Verse 73: The foolish bhikkhu desires praise for qualities he does not have, precedence among bhikkhus, authority in the monasteries, and veneration from those unrelated to him.
Verse 74: "Let both laymen and bhikkhus think that things are done because of me; let them obey me in all matters, great and small." Such being the thoughts of the fool, his greed and his pride grow.
1. parakulesu: those outside the family; (para = outside or others).
2. gihi: short form for gahapati, householder.
The Story of Citta the Householder
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (73) and (74) of this book, with reference to Thera Sudhamma and Citta the householder.
Citta, a householder, once met Thera Mahanama, one of the group of the first five bhikkhus (Pancavaggis), going on an alms-round, and invited the thera to his house. There, he offered alms-food to the thera and after listening to the discourse given by him, Citta attained Sotapatti Fruition. Later, Citta built a monastery in his mango grove. There, he looked to the needs of all bhikkhus who came to the monastery and Bhikkhu Sudhamma was installed as the resident bhikkhu.
One day, the two Chief Disciples of the Buddha, the Venerable Sariputta and the Venerable Maha Moggallana, came to the monastery and after listening to the discourse given by the Venerable Sariputta, Citta attained Anagami Fruition. Then, he invited the two Chief Disciples to his house for alms-food the next day. He also invited Thera Sudhamma, but Thera Sudhamma refused in anger and said, "You invite me only after the other two." Citta repeated his invitation, but it was turned down. Nevertheless, Thera Sudhamma went to the house of Citta early on the following day. But when invited to enter the house, Thera Sudhamma refused and said that he would not sit down as he was going on his alms-round. But when he saw the things that were to be offered to the two Chief Disciples, he envied them so much that he could not restrain his anger. He abused Citta and said, "I don't want to stay in your monastery any longer," and left the house in anger.
From there, he went to the Buddha and reported everything that had happened. To him, the Buddha said, "You have insulted a lay-disciple who is endowed with faith and generously. You'd better go back to him and own up your mistake." Sudhamma did as he was told by the Buddha, but Citta would not be appeased; so he returned to the Buddha for the second time. The Buddha, knowing that the pride of Sudhamma had dwindled by this time, said, "My son, a good bhikkhu should have no attachment; a good bhikkhu should not be conceited and say 'This is my monastery, this is my place, these are my lay-disciples,' etc., for in one with such thoughts, covetousness and pride will increase."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 73: The foolish bhikkhu desires praise for qualities he does not have, precedence among bhikkhus, authority in the monasteries, and veneration from those unrelated to him. |
| |
| Verse 74: "Let both laymen and bhikkhus think that things are done because of me; let them obey me in all matters, great and small." Such being the thoughts of the fool, his greed and his pride grow. |
At the end of the discourse, Sudhamma went to the house of Citta, and this time they got reconciled; and within a few days, Sudhamma attained arahatship.
Dhammapada Verse 75
Vanavasitissasamanera Vatthu
Anna hi labhupanisa
anna nibbanagamini
evametam abhinnaya
bhikkhu Buddhassa savako
sakkaram nabhinandeyya
vivekamanubruhaye1.
Verse 75: Indeed, the path that leads to worldly gain is one and the Path that leads to Nibbana is another. Fully comprehending this, the bhikkhu, the disciple of the Buddha, should not take delight in worldly gain and honour, but devote himself to solitude, detachment and the realization of Nibbana.
1.Vivekamanubruhaye (vivekam + anubruhaye): Viveka - solitary seclusion. According to the Commentary, the three kinds of vivekas are kayaviveka (seclusion of the body or solitude); cittaviveka (detachment of the mind from human passions) and upadhiviveka (Nibbana).
The Story of Samanera Tissa of the
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (75) of this book, with reference to Tissa, a samanera, who dwelt in a forest monastery.
Tissa was the son of a rich man from Savatthi. His father used to offer alms-food to the Chief Disciple Sariputta in their house and so Tissa even as a child had met the Chief Disciple on many occasions. At the age of seven he became a novice (samanera) under the Chief Disciple Sariputta. While he was staying at the Jetavana monastery, many of his friends and relatives came to see him, bringing presents and offerings. The samanera found these visits to be very tiresome; so after taking a subject of meditation from the Buddha, he left for a forest monastery. Whenever a villager offered him anything, Tissa would just say 'May you be happy, may you be liberated from the ills of life,' ("Sukhita hotha, dukkha muccatha"), and would go on his own way. While he stayed at the forest monastery, he ardently and diligently practised meditation, and at the end of three months he attained arahatship.
After the vassa, the Venerable Sariputta accompanied by the Venerable Maha Moggallana and other senior disciples paid a visit to Samanera Tissa, with the permission of the Buddha. All the villagers came out to welcome the Venerable Sariputta and his company of four thousand bhikkhus. They also requested the Venerable Sariputta to favour them with a discourse, but the Chief Disciple declined; instead, he directed his pupil Tissa to deliver a discourse to the villagers. The villagers, however, said that their teacher Tissa could only say "May you be happy, may you be liberated from the ills of life", and asked the Chief Disciple to assign another bhikkhu in his place. But the Venerable Sariputta insisted that Tissa should deliver a discourse on the dhamma, and said to Tissa, "Tissa, talk to them about the dhamma and show them how to gain happiness and how to be liberated from the ills of life."
Thus, in obedience to his teacher, Samanera Tissa went up the platform to deliver his discourse. He explained to the audience the meaning of the aggregates (khandhas), sense bases and sense objects (ayatanas), elements of the perpetuation of the Teaching (Bodhipakkhiya Dhamma), the Path leading to arahatship and Nibbana, etc. Finally he concluded, "And thus, those who attain arahatship are liberated from all the ills of life and have Perfect Peace; all the rest will still wander about in the round of rebirths (samsara)."
The Venerable Sariputta praised Tissa for having expounded the dhamma so well. Dawn was approaching when he finished his exposition, and all the villagers were very much impressed. Some of them were surprised that Samanera Tissa knew the dhamma so well, but they were also dissatisfied with him because formerly he had talked so little about the dhamma to them; the others were happy and contented to find the samanera to be so learned and felt that they were very lucky to have him amongst them.
The Buddha, with his supernormal power, saw from the Jetavana monastery these two groups of villagers and appeared before them. His intention in coming to the village was to clear up the misunderstanding amongst the first group of villagers. The Buddha arrived while the villagers were preparing alms-food for the bhikkhus. So, they had the opportunity to offer alms-food to the Buddha as well. After the meal, the Buddha addressed the villagers, "O lay disciples, all of you are so lucky to have Samanera Tissa amongst you. It is on account of his presence here that I myself, my Chief Disciples, senior disciples and many other bhikkhus now pay you a visit." These words made them realize how fortunate they were to have Samanera Tissa with them and they were satisfied. The Buddha then delivered a discourse to the villagers and the bhikkhus, and consequently, many of them attained Sotapatti Fruition.
After the discourse, the Buddha returned to the Jetavana monastery. In the evening, the bhikkhus said in praise of Tissa to the Buddha, "Venerable Sir, Samanera Tissa had performed a very difficult task; he was so well provided with gifts and offerings of all kinds here in Savatthi, yet he gave up all these to go and live austerely in a forest monastery." To them the Buddha replied, "Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu, whether in town or in village, should not live for the sake of gifts and offerings, if a bhikkhu renounces all good prospects or worldly gain and diligently practises the dhamma in solitude, he is sure to attain arahatship."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 75: Indeed, the path that leads to worldly gain is one and the Path that leads to Nibbana is another. Fully comprehending this, the bhikkhu, the disciple of the Buddha, should not take delight in worldly gain and honour, but devote himself to solitude, detachment and the realization of Nibbana. |
End of Chapter Five: The Fool (Bilavagga)
5 panditavagga
Dhammapada Verse 76
Radhatthera Vatthu
Nidhinamva pavattaram
yam passe vajjadassinam
niggayhavadim medhavim
tadisam panditam bhaje
tadisam bhajamanassa
seyyo hoti na papiyo.
Verse 76: One should follow a man of wisdom who rebukes one for one's faults, as one would follow a guide to some buried treasure. To one who follows such a wise man, it will be an advantage and not a disadvantage.
The Story of Thera Radha
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (76) of this book, with reference to Thera Radha, who was at one time a poor old Brahmin.
Radha was a poor brahmin who stayed in the monastery doing small services for the bhikkhus. For his services he was provided with food and clothing and other needs, but was not encouraged to join the Order, although he had a strong desire to become a bhikkhu.
One day, early in the morning, when the Buddha surveyed the world with his supernormal power, he saw the poor old brahmin in his vision and knew that he was due for arahatship. So the Buddha went to the old man, and learned from him that the bhikkhus of the monastery did not want him to join the Order. The Buddha therefore called all the bhikkhus to him and asked them, "Is there any bhikkhu here who recollects any good turn done to him by this old man?" To this question, the Venerable Sariputta replied, "Venerable Sir, I do recollect an instance when this old man offered me a spoonful of rice." "If that be so," the Buddha said, "shouldn't you help your benefactor get liberated from the ills of life?" Then the Venerable Sariputta agreed to make the old man a bhikkhu and he was duly admitted to the Order. The Venerable Sariputta guided the old bhikkhu and the old bhikkhu strictly followed his guidance. Within a few days, the old bhikkhu attained arahatship.
When the Buddha next came to see the bhikkhus, they reported to him how strictly the old bhikkhu followed the guidance of the Venerable Sariputta. To them, the Buddha replied that a bhikkhu should be amenable to guidance like Radha, and should not resent when rebuked for any fault or failing.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 76: One should follow a man of wisdom who rebukes one for one's faults, as one would follow a guide to some buried treasure. To one who follows such a wise man, it will be an advantage and not a disadvantage. |
Dhammapada Verse 77
Assajipunabbasuka Vatthu
Ovadeyya'nusaseyya1
asabbha ca nivaraye
satam hi so piyo hoti
asatam hoti appiyo.
Verse 77: The man of wisdom should admonish others; he should give advice and should prevent others from doing wrong; such a man is held dear by the good; he is disliked only by the bad.
1. anusaseyya: to give advice in advance; also to give advice repeatedly.
The Story or Bhikkhus Assaji and Punabbasuka
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (77) of this book, with reference to bhikkhus Assaji and Punabbasuka.
Bhikkhus Assaji and Punabbasuka and their five hundred disciples were staying at Kitagiri village. While staying there they made their living by planting flowering plants and fruit trees for gain, thus violating the rules of Fundamental Precepts for bhikkhus.
The Buddha hearing about these bhikkhus sent his two Chief Disciples Sariputta and Maha Moggallana, to stop them from committing further misconduct. To his two Chief Disciples the Buddha said, "Tell those bhikkhus not to destroy the faith and generosity of the lay disciples by misconduct and if anyone should disobey, drive him out of the monastery. Do not hesitate to do as I told you, for only fools dislike being given good advice and being forbidden to do evil."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 77: The man of wisdom should admonish others; he should give advice and should prevent others from doing wrong; such a man is held dear by the good; he is disliked only by the bad. |
Dhammapada Verse 78
Channatthera Vatthu
Na bhaje papake mitte
na bhaje purisadhame
bhajetha mitte kalyane
bhajetha purisuttame.
Verse 78: One should not associate with bad friends, nor with the vile. One should associate with good friends, and with those who are noble.
1. namayanti: to bend, to incline a person's heart or will. In the case of fletchers, to make the arrows straight; in the case of carpenters, to make the timber into things that people want, by cutting, sawing and planing.
The Story of Thera Channa
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (78) of this book, with reference to Thera Channa.
Channa was the attendant who accompanied Prince Siddhattha when he renounced the world and left the palace on horseback. When the prince attained Buddhahood, Channa also became a bhikkhu. As a bhikkhu, he was very arrogant and overbearing because of his close connection to the Buddha. Channa used to say, "I came along with my Master when he left the palace for the forest. At that time, I was the only companion of my Master and there was no one else. But now, Sariputta and Moggallana are saying, 'we are the Chief Disciples,' and are strutting about the place."
When the Buddha sent for him and admonished him for his behaviour, he kept silent but continued to abuse and taunt the two Chief Disciples. Thus the Buddha sent for him and admonished him three times; still, he did not change. And again, the Buddha sent for Channa and said, "Channa, these two noble bhikkhus are good friends to you; you should associate with them and be on good terms with them."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 78: One should not associate with bad friends, nor with the vile. One should associate with good friends, and with those who are noble. |
In spite of repeated admonitions and advice given by the Buddha, Channa did as he pleased and continued to scold and abuse the bhikkhus. The Buddha, knowing this, said that Channa would not change during the Buddha's lifetime but after his demise (parinibbana) Channa would surely change. On the eve of his parinibbana, the Buddha called Thera Ananda to his bedside and instructed him to impose the Brahma-punishment (Brahmadanda) to Channa; i.e., for the bhikkhus to simply ignore him and to have nothing to do with him.
After the parinibbana of the Buddha, Channa, learning about the punishment from Thera Ananda, felt a deep and bitter remorse for having done wrong and he fainted three times. Then, he owned up his guilt to the bhikkhus and asked for pardon. From that moment, he changed his ways and outlook. He also obeyed their instructions in his meditation practice and soon attained arahatship.
Dhammapada Verse 17
Devadatta Vatthu
Idha tappati pecca tappati
papakari ubhayattha tappati
papam me katanti tappati
bhiyyo tappati duggatim1 gato.
Verse 17: Here he is tormented, hereafter he is tormented; the evil-doer is tormented in both existences. He is tormented, and he laments: "Evil have I done." He is even more tormented when he is reborn in one of the lower worlds (Apaya).
1. duggatim/duggati: unhappy destinations, the four lower worlds (apaya). In the case of Devadatta, avici niraya, the lowest niraya, (placement of torment).
The Story of Devadatta
While residing at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi, the Buddha uttered Verse (17) of this book, with reference to Devadatta.
Devadatta was at one time residing with the Buddha in Kosambi. While staying there he realized that the Buddha was receiving much respect and honour as well as offerings. He envied the Buddha and aspired to head the Order of the bhikkhus. One day, while the Buddha was preaching at the Veluvana monastery in Rajagaha, he approached the Buddha and on the ground that the Buddha was getting old, he suggested that the Order be entrusted to his care. The Buddha rejected his offer and rebuked him, saying that he was a swallower of other people's spittle. The Buddha next asked the Samgha to carry out an act of proclamation (Pakasaniya kamma*) regarding Devadatta.
Devadatta felt aggrieved and vowed vengeance against the Buddha. Three times, he attempted to kill the Buddha: first, by employing some archers; secondly, by climbing up the Gijjhakuta hill and rolling down a big piece of rock on to the Buddha; and thirdly, by causing the elephant Nalagiri to attack the Buddha. The hired assassins returned after being established in Sotapatti Fruition, without harming the Buddha. The big piece of rock rolled down by Devadatta hurt the big toe of the Buddha just a little, and when the Nalagiri elephant rushed at the Buddha, it was made docile by the Buddha. Thus Devadatta failed to kill the Buddha, and he tried another tactic. He tried to break up the Order of the bhikkhus by taking away some newly admitted bhikkhus with him to Gayasisa; however, most of them were brought back by Thera Sariputta and Thera Maha Moggallana.
Later, Devadatta fell ill. He had been ill for nine months when he asked his pupils to take him to the Buddha, and subsequently made the trip to the Jetavana monastery. Hearing that Devadatta was coming, the Buddha told his disciples that Devadatta would never get the opportunity to see him.
When Devadatta and his party reached the pond in the Jetavana monastery compound the carriers put down the couch on the bank of the pond and went to take a bath. Devadatta also rose from his couch and placed both his feet on the ground. Immediately, his feet sank into the earth and he was gradually swallowed up, Devadatta did not have the opportunity to see the Buddha because of the wicked deeds he had done to the Buddha. After his death, he was reborn in Avici Niraya, a place of intense and continuous torment.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 17: Here he is tormented, hereafter he is tormented; the evil-doer is tormented in both existences. He is tormented, and he laments: "Evil have I done." He is even more tormented when he is reborn in one of the lower worlds (Apaya). |
* Pakasaniya kamma: An act of Proclamation carried out by the Order of the Samgha regarding a member declaring that as his conduct was of one kind before and is of another kind now, henceforth all his physical and verbal actions are only his and have nothing to do with the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha
Dhammapada Verse 80
Panditasamanera Vatthu
Udakam hi nayanti nettika
usukara namayanti tejanam
darum namayanti tacchaka
attanam damayanti pandita.
Verse 80: Farmers (lit., makers of irrigation canals ) channel the water; fletchers straighten the arrow; carpenters work the timber; the Wise tame themselves.
The Story of Samanera Pandita
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (80) of this book, with reference to Samanera Pandita.
Pandita was a young son of a rich man of Savatthi. He became a samanera at the age of seven. On the eighth day after becoming a samanera, as he was following Thera Sariputta on an alms-round, he saw some farmers channeling water into their fields and asked the thera, "Can water which has no consciousness be guided to wherever one wishes ?" The thera replied, "Yes, it can be guided to wherever one wishes." As they continued on their way, the samanera next saw some fletchers heating their arrows with fire and straightening them. Further on, he came across some carpenters cutting, sawing and planing timber to make it into things like cart-wheels. Then he pondered, "If water which is without consciousness can be guided to wherever one desires, if a crooked bamboo which is without consciousness can be straightened, and if timber which is without consciousness can be made into useful things, why should I, having consciousness, be unable to tame my mind and practise Tranquillity and Insight Meditation?"
Then and there he asked permission from the thera and returned to his own room in the monastery. There he ardently and diligently practised meditation, contemplating the body. Sakka and the devas also helped him in his meditation by keeping the monastery and its precincts very quiet and still. Before meal time Samanera Pandita attained Anagami Fruition.
At that time Thera Sariputta was bringing food to the samanera. The Buddha saw with his supernormal power that Samanera Pandita had attained Anagami Fruition and also that if he continued to practise meditation he would soon attain arahatship. So the Buddha decided to stop Sariputta from entering the room, where the samanera was. The Buddha went to the door and kept Sariputta engaged by putting some questions to him. While the conversation was taking place, the samanera attained arahatship. Thus, the samanera attained arahatship on the eighth day after becoming a novice.
In this connection, the Buddha said to the bhikkhus of the monastery, "When one is earnestly practising the Dhamma, even Sakka and the devas give protection and keep guard; I myself have kept Thera Sariputta engaged at the door so that Samanera Pandita should not be disturbed. The samanera, having seen the farmers irrigating their fields, the fletchers straightening their arrows, and carpenters making cart-wheels and other things, tames his mind and practises the dhamma; he has now become an arahat."
The Buddha then spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 80: Farmers (lit., makers of irrigation canals) channel the water; fletchers straighten the arrow; carpenters work the timber; the Wise tame themselves. |
Dhammapada Verse 81
Lakundakabhaddiyatthera Vatthu
Selo yatha ekaghano
vatena na samirati
evam nindapasamsasu
na saminjanti pandita
Verse 81: As a mountain of rock is unshaken by wind, so also, the wise are unperturbed by blame or by praise.
The Story of Thera Lakundaka Bhaddiya
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (81) of this book, with reference to Thera Bhaddiya.
Bhaddiya was one of the bhikkhus staying at the Jetavana monastery. Because of his short stature he was known as Lakundaka (the dwarf) to other bhikkhus. Lakundaka Bhaddiya was very good natured; even young bhikkhus would often tease him by pulling his nose or his ear, or by patting him on his head. Very often they would jokingly say, "Uncle, how are you? Are you happy, or are you bored with your life here as a bhikkhu?", etc. Lakundaka Bhaddiya never retaliated in anger, or abused them; in fact, even in his heart he did not get angry with them.
When told about the patience of Lakundaka Bhaddiya, the Buddha said, "An arahat never loses his temper, he has no desire to speak harshly or to think ill of others. He is like a mountain of solid rock; as a solid rock is unshaken, so also, an arahat is unperturbed by scorn or by praise."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 81: As a mountain of rock is unshaken by wind, so also, the wise are unperturbed by blame or by praise. |
Dhammapada Verse 82
Kanamata Vatthu
Yathapi rahado gambhiro
vippasanno anavilo
evam dhammani sutvana
vippasidanti pandita.
Verse 82: Like a lake which is deep, clear and calm, the wise after listening to the Teaching (Dhamma) become serene.
The Story of Kanamata
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (82) of this book, with reference to the mother of Kana, Kanamata.
Kanamata was a devoted lay disciple of the Buddha. Her daughter Kana was married to a man from another village. As Kana had been on a visit to her mother for some time, her husband sent a message for her to come home. Her mother told her to wait for one more day as she wanted to send along some sweetmeats with her for her husband. The next day, Kanamata made some sweetmeats, but when four bhikkhus stood at her door for alms, she offered some to them. The four bhikkhus told other bhikkhus about the sweetmeats from Kanamata's house and they also came to stand at the door of Kanamata, as a devotee of the Buddha and his disciples, offered her sweetmeats to the bhikkhus as they came in, one after another. The result was that in the end there was none left for Kana and she did not go home on that day. The same thing happened on the next two days; her mother made some sweetmeats, the bhikkhus stood at her door, she offered her sweetmeats to the bhikkhus, there was nothing left for her daughter to take home, and her daughter did not go home. On the third day, for the third time, her husband sent her a message, which was also an ultimatum stating that if she failed to come home the next day, he would take another wife. But on the next day also Kana was unable to go home because her mother offered all her sweetmeats to the bhikkhus. Kana's husband then took another wife and Kana became very bitter towards the bhikkhus. She used to abuse all bhikkhus so much so that the bhikkhus kept away from the house of Kanamata.
The Buddha heard about Kana and went to the house of Kanamata; there Kanamata offered him some rice gruel. After the meal, the Buddha sent for Kana and asked her, "Did my bhikkhus take what was given them or what was not given them ?" Kana answered that the bhikkhus had taken only what was given them, and then added, "They were not in the wrong; only I was in the wrong." Thus, she owned up her fault and she also paid homage to the Buddha. The Buddha then gave a discourse. At the end of the discourse, Kana attained Sotapatti Fruition.
On the way back to the monastery, the Buddha met King Pasenadi of Kosala. On being told about Kana and her bitter attitude towards the bhikkhus, King Pasenadi asked the Buddha whether he had been able to teach her the Dhamma and, make her see the Truth (Dhamma). The Buddha replied, "Yes, I have taught her the Dhamma, and I have also made her rich in her next existence." Then the king promised the Buddha that he would make Kana rich even in this existence. The king then sent his men with a palanquin to fetch Kana. When she arrived, the king announced to his ministers, "Whoever can keep my daughter Kana in comfort may take her." One of the ministers volunteered to adopt Kana as his daughter, gave her all his wealth, and said to her, "You may give in charity as much as you like." Everyday, Kana made offerings to the bhikkhus at the four city-gates. When told about Kana giving generously in charity, the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus, the mind of Kana which was foggy and muddled was made clear and calm by my words."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 82: Like a lake which is deep, clear and calm, the wise after listening to the Teaching (Dhamma) become seren |
Dhammapada Verse 83
Pancasatabhikkhu Vatthu
Sabbattha ye sappurisa cajanti
na kamakama lapayanti santo
sukhena phuttha atha va dukhena
na uccavacam pandita dassayanti.
Verse 83: Indeed, the virtuous give up all (i.e., attachment to the five khandhas, etc.); the virtuous (lit., the tranquil) do not talk with sensual desire; when faced with joy or sorrow, the wise do not show elation or depression.
The Story of Five Hundred Bhikkhus
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (83) of this book, with reference to five hundred bhikkhus.
At the request of a brahmin from Veranja, the Buddha was, on one occasion, staying at Veranja with five hundred bhikkhus. While they were at Veranja, the brahmin failed to look after them. The people of Varanja, who were then facing a famine, could offer very little to the bhikkhus when they went on their rounds for alms-food. In spite of all these hardships, the bhikkhus were not disheartened; they were quite contented with the small amount of shrivelled grain which the horse-traders offered them daily. At the end of the vasa, after informing the brahmin from Veranja, the Buddha returned to the Jetavana monastery, accompanied by the five hundred bhikkhus. The people of Savatthi welcomed them back with choice food of all kinds.
A group of people living with the bhikkhus, eating whatever was left over by the bhikkhus, ate greedily like true gluttons and went to sleep after their meals. On waking up, they were shouting, singing and dancing, thus making themselves a thorough nuisance. When the Buddha came in the evening to the congregation of bhikkhus, they reported to him about the behaviour of those unruly persons, and said, "These people living on the leftovers were quite decent and well-behaved when all of us were facing hardship and famine in Veranja. Now that they have enough good food they are going about shouting, singing and dancing, and thus make themselves a thorough nuisance. The bhikkhus, however, behave themselves here just as they were in Veranja".
To them the Buddha replied, "It is in the nature of the foolish to be full of sorrow and feel depressed when things go wrong, and to be full of gladness and feel elated when things go well. The wise, however, can withstand the ups and downs of life."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 83: Indeed, the virtuous give up all (i.e., attachment to the five khandhas, etc.); the virtuous (lit., the tranquil) do not talk with sensual desire; when faced with joy or sorrow, the wise do not show elation or depression. |
Dhammapada Verse 84
Dhammikatthera Vatthu
Na attahetu na parassa hetu
na puttamicche na dhanam na rattham
na iccheyya adhammena samiddhimattano
sa silava pannava dhammiko siya.
Verse 84: For his own sake or for the sake of others, he does no evil; nor does he wish for sons and daughters or for wealth or for a kingdom by doing evil; nor does he wish for success by unfair means; such a one is indeed virtuous, wise and just.
The Story of Thera Dhammika
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (84) of this book, with reference to Thera Dhammika.
Dhammika lived in Savatthi with his wife. One day, he told his pregnant wife that he wished to become a bhikkhu; his wife pleaded with him to wait until after the birth of their child. When the child was born, he again requested his wife to let him go; again, she pleaded with him to wait until the child could walk. Then Dhammika thought to himself, "It will be useless for me to ask my wife for her approval to join the Order; I shall work for my own liberation." Having made a firm decision, he left his house to become a bhikkhu. He took a subject of meditation from the Buddha and practised meditation ardently and diligently and soon became an arahat.
Some years later, he visited his house in order to teach the Dhamma to his son and his wife. His son entered the Order and he too attained arahatship. The wife then thought, "Now that both my husband and my son have left the house, I'd better leave it, too." With this thought she left the house and became a bhikkhuni; eventually, she too attained arahatship.
At the congregation of the bhikkhus, the Buddha was told how Dhammika became a bhikkhu and attained arahatship, and how through him his son and his wife also attained arahatship. To them the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus, a wise man does not wish for wealth and prosperity by doing evil, whether it is for his own sake or for the sake of others. He only works for his own liberation from the round of rebirths (samsara) by comprehending the Dhamma and living according to the Dhamma."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 84: For his own sake or for the sake of others, he does no evil; nor does he wish for sons and daughters or for wealth or for a kingdom by doing evil; nor does he wish for success by unfair means; such a one is indeed virtuous, wise and just. |
Dhammapada Verses 85 and 86
Dhammassavana Vatthu
Appaka te manussesu
ye jana paragamino
athayam itara paja
tiramevanudhavati1
Ye ca kho sammadakkhate
dhamme dhammanuvattino
te jana paramessanti2
maccudheyyam3 suduttaram.
Verse 85: Few among men reach the other shore (Nibbana); all the others only run up and down on this shore.
Verse 86: But those who practise according to the well-expounded Dhamma will reach the other shore (Nibbana), having passed the realm of Death (i.e., samsara), very difficult as it is to cross.
1. tiramevanudhavati: tiram + eva + anudhavati: shore + only this + run up and down: according to the Commentary 'only this shore' in this context means sakkayaditthi (ego belief).
2. paramessanti: param + essanti: the other shore + will reach. The other or opposite shore is metaphorically used for Nibbana.
3. maccudheyyam: the realm of Death (or samsara, round of rebirths).
The Story of Dhamma Listeners
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (85) and (86) of this book, with reference to a congregation of people who had come to listen to a religious discourse in Savatthi.
On one occasion, a group of people from Savatthi made special offerings to the bhikkhus collectively and they arranged for some bhikkhus to deliver discourses throughout the night, in their locality. Many in the audience could not sit up the whole night and they returned to their homes early; some sat through the night, but most of the time they were drowsy and half-asleep. There were only a few who listened attentively to the discourses.
At dawn, when the bhikkhus told the Buddha about what happened the previous night, he replied, "Most people are attached to this world; only a very few reach the other shore (Nibbana)."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 85: Few among men reach the other shore (Nibbana); all the others only run up and down on this shore. |
| |
| Verse 86: But those who practise according to the well-expounded Dhamma will reach the other shore (Nibbana), having passed the realm of Death (i.e., samsara), very difficult as it is to cross. |
Dhammapada Verses 87, 88 and 89
Pancasata Agantukabhikkhu Vatthu
Kanham dhammam vippahaya
sukkam bhavetha pandito
oka anokamagamma1
viveke2 yattha duramam.
Tatrabhiratimiccheyya
hitva kame akincano3
pariyodapeyya attanam
cittaklesehi4 pandito.
Yesam sambodhiyangesu5
samma cittam subhavitam
adanapatinissagge
anupadaya ye rata
khinasava6 jutimanto7
te loke parinibbuta.8
Verses 87 & 88: The man of wisdom, leaving the home of craving and having Nibbana as his goal, should give up dark, evil ways and cultivate pure, good ones. He should seek great delight in solitude, detachment and Nibbana, which an ordinary man finds so difficult to enjoy. He should also give up sensual pleasures, and clinging to nothing, should cleanse himself of all impurities of the mind.
Verse 89: Those, with mind well-developed in the seven Factors of Enlightenment (bojjhanga), having rid themselves of all craving, rejoice in their abandonment of attachment. Such men, with all moral intoxicants eradicated, and powerful (with the light of Arahatta Magganana), have realized Nibbana in this world (i.e., with Khandha aggregates remaining).
1. oka anakamagamma; lit., having gone from home to the homeless. In this context interpreted as leaving the seat of craving and having Nibbana as a goal.
2. viveke: solitude, detachment, Nibbana.
3. akincano: lit., having nothing; clinging to nothing. (The term kincana may include any of the kilesas or defilements such as passion, ill will, ignorance, etc; it also means clinging or attachment to the world.)
4. cittaklesehi: citta kilesa: impurities of the mind.
5. sambodhiyangesu: sambojjhanga: the Factors of Enlightenment or requisites for attaining Magga Insight.
6. khinasava: one in whom human passions are extinguished; an arahat.
7. jutimanta: one endowed with the power of Arahatta Magganana.
8. te loke parinibbuta: the realization of Nibbana in the realm of the five aggregates (khandhas), or in other words, in this world. But according to the Commentary, in this context, both Sa-upadisesa and Anupadisesa Nibbana are meant. Sa-upadisesa or Kilesa Nibbana is Nibbana with groups of existence or khandhas remaining; it is realized by an arahat on the attainment of arahatship. Anupadisesa or Khandha Nibbana is Nibbana without groups of existence or khandhas remaining. It takes place on the death of an arahat.
The Story of Five Hundred Visiting Bhikkhus
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (87), (88) and (89) of this book, with reference to five hundred visiting bhikkhus.
Five hundred bhikkhus who had spent the vassa in Kosala came to pay homage to the Buddha at the Jetavana monastery, at the end of the vassa.
The Buddha uttered the following three verses to suit their various temperaments:
| Verses 87 & 88: The man of wisdom, leaving the home of craving and having Nibbana as his goal, should give up dark, evil ways and cultivate pure, good ones. He should seek great delight in solitude, detachment and Nibbana, which an ordinary man finds so difficult to enjoy. He should also give up sensual pleasures, and clinging to nothing, should cleanse himself of all impurities of the mind. |
| |
| Verse 89: Those, with mind well-developed in the seven Factors of Enlightenment (bojjhanga), having rid themselves of all craving, rejoice in their abandonment of attachment. Such men, with all moral intoxicants eradicated, and powerful (with the light of Arahatta Magganana), have realized Nibbana in this world (i.e., with Khandha aggregates remaining). |
End of Chapter Six: The Wise (Panditavagga)
5 Arahantavagga
Dhammapada Verse 90
Jivakapanha Vatthu
Gataddhino1 Visokassa
vippamuttassa sabbadhi
sabbaganthappahinassa2
parilaho na vijjati.
Verse 90: For him (an arahat) whose journey is ended, who is free from sorrow and from all (e.g. khandha aggregates), who has destroyed all fetters, there is no more distress.
1. gataddhino: the journey is ended. Here 'the journey' means round of rebirths (samsara).
2. sabbaganthappahinassa: one who has destroyed all fetters. Here 'fetters' means greed, ill will, and wrong view.
The Story of the Question Asked by Jivaka
While residing at the mango-grove monastery of Jivaka, the Buddha uttered Verse (90) of this book, with reference to the question raised by Jivaka to the Buddha.
Devadatta, on one occasion, tried to kill the Buddha by pushing a big rock from the
Just about this time, the Buddha asked Thera Ananda to remove the bandage from his big toe and found that the wound was completely healed. Jivaka came to the monastery early next morning and asked the Buddha whether he felt great pain and distress the previous night. The Buddha replied, "Jivaka! Ever since I attained Buddhahood there has been no pain and distress for me."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 90: For him (an arahat) whose journey is ended, who is free from sorrow and from all (e.g. khandha aggregates), who has destroyed all fetters, there is no more distress. |
At the end of the discourse many attained Sotapatti Fruition.
Dhammapada Verse 91
Mahakassapatthera Vatthu
Uyyunjanti satimanto
na nikete ramanti te
hamsava pallalam hitva
okamokam jahanti te.
Verse 91: The mindful strive diligently (in the Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice); they take no delight in the home (i.e., in the life of sensual pleasures); like swans (hamsa) that forsake the muddy pool, they abandon all home life (i.e., all cravings).
The Story of Thera Mahakassapa
While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (91) of this book, with reference to Thera Mahakassapa.
The Buddha once spent the vassa at Rajagaha with a number of bhikkhus. About two weeks before the end of the vassa, the Buddha informed the bhikkhus that they would soon be leaving Rajagaha and told them to prepare for departure. Some bhikkhus stitched and dyed new robes, some washed the old robes. When some bhikkhus saw Mahakassapa washing his robes, they speculated, "There are so many people inside and outside Rajagaha who love and respect Thera Mahakassapa and are constantly looking to all his needs; is it possible that the Thera would leave his lay devotees here and follow the Buddha elsewhere?"
At the end of fifteen days, on the eve of his departure, the Buddha thought that there might be some occasions like alms-food offering ceremonies, initiation of novices, funerals, etc., and so it would not be proper for all the bhikkhus to leave. So he decided that some bhikkhus should remain at the Veluvana monastery and that the most suitable person would be Thera Mahakassapa. Consequently, Thera Mahakassapa remained in Rajagaha with some junior bhikkhus.
Then the other bhikkhus said scornfully, "Mahakassapa has not accompanied the Buddha, just as we have predicted!" The Buddha heard their remark and said to them, "Bhikkhus! Do you wish to say that my son Kassapa is attached to his lay disciples of Rajagaha and to the things they offer him? You are very much mistaken. My son Kassapa remains here under my instruction; he is not attached to anything here."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 91: The mindful strive diligently (in the Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice); they take no delight in the home (i.e., in the life of sensual pleasures); like swans (hamsa) that forsake the muddy pool, they abandon all home life (i.e., all cravings). |
Dhammapada Verse 92
Belatthasisatthera Vatthu
Yesam sannicayo1natthi
ye parinnatabhojana2
sunnato3 animitto4 ca
vimokkho5 yesam gocaro
akaseva sakuntnam
gati tesam durannaya6.
Verse 92: Arahats do not hoard (anything); when taking food they reflect well over it (i.e., in accordance with the three parinnas). They have as their object liberation from existence, that is, Nibbana which is Void and Signless. Their destination, like the course of birds in the air, cannot be traced.
1. sannicayo: hoarding. According to the Commentary, it means accumulating either kamma and its effects or any of the four requisites.
2. parinnatabhojana: to take food according to the three parinnas. According to the Commentary, there are three parinnas that the bhikkhu should have concerning food, viz., (a) nataparinna, knowing the exact nature of the food being taken, (b) tiranaparinna, being convinced of the vileness of material food, and (c) pahanaparinna, rejection of all pleasure in eating.
3. sunnata: the Void. According to the Commentary, it means void of craving. It is an epithet of Nibbana.
4. animittam: the Signless. According to the Commentary, it means no sign of craving, ill will and ignorance. It is also an epithet of Nibbana.
5. vimokkho: liberation from existence; Nibbana.
6. gati tesam durannaya: their destination cannot be traced because arahats have eradicated craving and are no more subject to rebirths.
The Story of Thera Belatthasisa
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (92) of this book, with reference to Thera Belatthasisa.
Thera Belatthasisa, after going on an alms-round in the village, stopped on the way and took his food there. After the meal, he continued his round of alms for more food. When he had collected enough food he returned to the monastery, dried up the rice and hoarded it. Thus, there was no need for him to go on an alms-round every day; he then remained in jhana concentration for two or three days. Arising from jhana concentration he ate the dried rice he had stored up, after soaking it in water. Other Bhikkhunis thought ill of the thera on this account, and reported to the Buddha about his hoarding of rice. Since then, the hoarding of food by the bhikkhus has been prohibited.
As for Thera Belatthasisa, since he stored up rice before the ruling on hoarding was made and because he did it not out of greed for food, but only to save time for meditation practice, the Buddha declared that the thera was quite innocent and that he was not to be blamed.
The Buddha then spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 92: Arahats do not hoard (anything); when taking food they reflect well over it (i.e., in accordance with the three parinnas).* They have as their object liberation from existence, that is, Nibbana which is Void and Signless. Their destination, like the course of birds in the air, cannot be traced. |
*Parinnatabhojana: to take food according to the three parinnas. According to the Commentary, there are three parinnas that the bhikkhu should have concerning food, viz., (a) nataparinna, knowing the exact nature of the food being taken, (b) tiranaparinna, being convinced of the vileness of material food, and (c) pahanaparrina, rejection of all pleasure in eating.
Dhammapada Verse 93
Anuruddhatthera Vatthu
Yassasa va parikkhina
ahare ca anissito
sunnato animitto ca
vimokkho yassa gocaro
akaseva sakuntanam
padam tassa durannayam.
Verse 93: The arahat is free from moral intoxicants (asavas); he is not attached to food. He has as his object liberation from existence, i.e., Nibbana which is Void and Signless. His path, like that of birds in the air, cannot be traced.
The Story of Thera Anuruddha
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (93) of this book, with reference to Thera Anuruddha.
Thera Anuruddha was one day looking for some discarded pieces of cloth in a rubbish heap to make into a robe as his old robe was getting soiled and torn. Jalini, his wife of a previous existence, who was now in a deva world, saw him. Knowing that he was looking for some cloth, she took three pieces of good deva material and put them in the rubbish heap, making them barely visible. The thera found the pieces of cloth and took them to the monastery. While he was making the robe, the Buddha arrived with his Chief Disciples and senior disciples and they also helped stitch the robe.
Meanwhile, Jalini, assuming the form of a young lady, came to the village and learnt about the arrival of the Buddha and his disciples and also how they were helping Thera Anuruddha. She urged the villagers to send good delicious food to the monastery and consequently there was more than enough for all. Other bhikkhus, seeing so much surplus, put the blame on the thera and said, "Thera Anuruddha should have asked his relatives and lay disciples to send just enough food; may be, he just wanted to show off that he had so many devotees." To those bhikkhus, the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus, do not think my son Anuruddha has asked his relatives and lay disciples to send rice gruel and other foods. My son the thera did not ask for anything; arahats do not talk about such things like food and clothing. The excessive amount of food brought to the monastery this morning was due to the promptings of a celestial being and not of a man."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 93: The arahat is free from moral intoxicants (asavas); he is not attached to food. He has as his object liberation from existence, i.e., Nibbana which is Void and Signless. His path, like that of birds in the air, cannot be traced. |
Dhammapada Verse 94
Mahakaccayanatthera Vatthu
Yassindriyani samathangatani
assa yatha sarathina sudanta
pahinamanassa anasavassa
devapi tassa pihayanti tadino1.
Verse 94: The arahat whose sense-faculties are calm like horses well-tamed by the charioteer, who is free from pride and moral intoxicants - such an arahat is held dear even by the devas.
1. tadino: one who is calm and tranquil or unperturbed by the ups and downs of life (Lokadhamma).
The Story of Thera Mahakaccayana
While residing at the Pubbarama monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (94) of this book, with reference to Thera Mahakaccayana.
On a full moon day, which was also the end of the vassa, Sakka with a large company of devas came to pay homage to the Buddha, who was then in residence at Pubbarama, the monastery built by Visakha. At that time, the Buddha was being attended upon by the Chief Disciples and all the senior bhikkhus. Thera Mahakaccayana, who spent the vassa in Avanti, had not yet arrived, and a seat was kept vacant for him. Sakka paid homage to the Buddha with flowers, incense and perfumes. On seeing a vacant seat he declared how he wished that Thera Mahakaccayana would come so that he could pay obeisance to him also. At that instant Mahakaccayana arrived; Sakka was very pleased and eagerly paid obeisance to him with flowers, incense and perfumes.
The bhikkhus were awed by Sakka paying obeisance to Mahakaccayana, but some bhikkhus thought that Sakka was being partial to Mahakaccayana. To them, the Buddha said, "One who is restrained in his senses is loved by both men and devas."
The Buddha then spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 94: The arahat whose sense-faculties are calm like horses well-tamed by the charioteer, who is free from pride and moral intoxicants - such an arahat is held dear even by the devas. |
Dhammapada Verse 95
Sariputtatthera Vatthu
Pathavisamo no virujjhati
indakhilupamo tadi subbato
rahadova apetakaddamo1
samsara na bhavanti tadino.
Verse 95: Like the earth, the arahat is patient and is not provoked to respond in anger; like the door-post he is firm; he is unperturbed by the ups and downs of life; he is serene and pure like a lake free from mud. For such an arahat there will be no more rebirth.
1. apetakaddamo: free from mud. The lake water being free from mud is unpolluted; the arahat being free from defilements is also serene and pure.
The Story of Thera Sariputta
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (95) of this book, with reference to the Chief Disciple Sariputta and a young bhikkhu.
It was the end of the vassa; and Thera Sariputta was about to set out on a journey with some followers. A young bhikkhu, who bore some grudge against the thera, approached the Buddha and falsely reported that Thera Sariputta had abused him and beaten him. The Buddha therefore sent for the thera and questioned him, and Thera Sariputta replied as follows: "Venerable Sir! How could a bhikkhu, who steadfastly keeps his mind on the body, set out on a journey without apologizing, after doing wrong to a fellow bhikkhu? I am like the earth, which feels no pleasure when flowers are cast on it, nor resentment when rubbish and excreta are piled upon it. I am also like the door-mat, the beggar, the bull with broken horns; I also feel abhorrence for the impurity of the body and am no longer attached to it."
When Thera Sariputta spoke thus, the young bhikkhu felt very much distressed and wept bitterly, and admitted that he had lied about the Chief Disciple Sariputta. Then the Buddha advised Thera Sariputta to accept the apology of the young bhikkhu, lest a heavy punishment should fall on him and get his head crushed. The young bhikkhu then admitted that he had done wrong and respectfully asked for pardon. Thera Sariputta pardoned the young bhikkhu and also asked to be forgiven if he also had done any wrong.
All those present talked in praise of Thera Sariputta, and the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus, a bhikkhu like Sariputta has no anger or ill will in him. Like the earth and the door-post, he is patient, tolerant, and firm; like the lake free from mud, he is serene and pure."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 95: Like the earth, the arahat is patient and is not provoked to respond in anger; like the door-post he is firm; he is unperturbed by the ups and downs of life; he is serene and pure like a lake free from mud. For such an arahat there will be no more rebirth. |
Dhammapada Verse 96
Kosambivasitissattherasamanera Vatthu
Santam tassa manam hoti
santa vaca ca kamma ca
sammadanna vimuttassa
upasantassa tadino.
Verse 96: An arahat is calm in his mind, calm in his speech, and also in his deed; truly knowing the Dhamma, such an arahat is free from moral defilements and is unpurturbed by the ups and downs of life.
The Story of a Samanera from Kosambi
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (96) of this book, with reference to a samanera, a pupil of Thera Tissa from Kosambi.
Once, a seven year old boy was made a samanera at the request of his father. Before his head was shaved the boy was given a subject of meditation. While he was being shaved, the boy had his mind fixed steadfastly on the object of meditation; as a result, he attained arahatship as soon as they finished shaving his head.
After some time, Thera Tissa, accompanied by the samanera, set out for Savatthi to pay homage to the Buddha. On the way, they spent one night in a village monastery. The thera fell asleep, but the young samanera sat up the whole night beside the bed of the old thera. Early in the morning, the old thera thought it was time to wake up the young samanera. So he roused up the samanera with a palm-leaf fan, and accidentally hit the eye of the samanera with the handle of the fan and damaged the eye. The samanera covered that eye with one hand and went about doing his duties of getting water for the thera to wash his face and clean his mouth, sweeping the floor of the monastery, etc. When the young samanera offered water with one hand to the thera, the thera chided him, and said that he should offer things with both hands. Only then, did the thera learn how the samanera lost his eye. At that instant, he realized that he had wronged a truly noble person. Feeling very sorry and humiliated, he made an apology to the samanera. But the samanera said that it was not the fault of the thera, nor his own fault, but that it was only the result of kamma, and so the thera was not to feel sad about it. But the thera could not get over the unfortunate incident.
Then they continued their journey to Savatthi and arrived at the Jetavana monastery where the Buddha was in residence. The thera then told the Buddha that the young samanera who came along with him was the most noble person he had ever met, and related all that had happened on their way. The Buddha listened to him, and replied, "My son, an arahat does not get angry with anyone he is restrained in his senses and is perfectly calm and serene."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 96: An arahat is calm in his mind, calm in his speech, and also in his deed; truly knowing the Dhamma, such an arahat is free from moral defilements and is unpurturbed by the ups and downs of life. |
Dhammapada Verse 97
Sariputtatthera Vatthu
Assaddho akatannu ca
sandhicchedo ca yo naro
hatavakaso vantaso1
sa ve uttamaporiso.
Verse 97. He who is not credulous, who has realized the Unconditioned (Nibbana), who has cut off the links of the round of rebirths, who has destroyed all consequences of good and bad deeds, who has discarded all craving, is indeed the noblest of all men (i.e., an arahat).
1. Vantaso: one who has discarded all craving (lit., one who has vomited out all craving).
The Story of Thera Sariputta
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (97) of this book, with reference to Thera Sariputtta.
Thirty bhikkhus from a village had arrived at the Jetavana monastery to pay homage to the Buddha. The Buddha knew that the time was ripe for those bhikkhus to attain arahatship. So, he sent for Sariputta, and in the presence of those bhikkhus, he asked, "My son Sariputta, do you accept the fact that by meditating on the senses one could realize Nibbana ?" Sariputta answered, "Venerable Sir, in the matter of the realization of Nibbana by meditating on the senses, it is not that I accept it because I have faith in you; it is only those who have not personally realized it, that accept the fact from others." Sariputta's answer was not properly understood by the bhikkhus; they thought, "Sariputta has not given up wrong views yet; even now, he has no faith in the Buddha."
Then the Buddha explained to them the true meaning of Sariputta's answer. "Bhikkhus, Sariputta's answer is simply this; he accepts the fact that Nibbana is realized by means of meditation on the senses, but his acceptance is due to his own personal realization and not merely because I have said it or somebody else has said it. Sariputta has faith in me; he also has faith in the consequences of good and bad deeds."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 97: He who is not credulous, who has realized the Unconditioned (Nibbana), who has cut off the links of the round of rebirths, who has destroyed all consequences of good and bad deeds, who has discarded all craving, is indeed the noblest of all men (i.e., an arahat). |
At the end of the discourse, all those bhikkhus attained arahatship.
Dhammapada Verse 98
Khadiravaniyarevatatthera Vatthu
Game va yadi varanne
ninne va yadi va thale
yattha arahanto viharanti
tam bhumiramaneyyakam.
Verse 98: In a village or in a forest, in a valley or on a hill, wherever arahats dwell, that place is delightful.
The Story of Thera Revata
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (98) of this book, with reference to Thera Revata of the Acacia (khadira)
Revata was the youngest brother of the Chief Disciple, Sariputta. He was the only one of the brothers and sisters of Sariputta who had not left home for the homeless life. His parents were very anxious to get him married. Revata was only seven years old when his parents arranged a marriage for him to a young girl. At the wedding reception, he met an old lady who was one hundred and twenty years old, and he realized that all beings are subject to ageing and decay. So, he ran away from the house and went straight to a monastery, where there were thirty bhikkhus. Those bhikkhus had been requested earlier by Thera Sariputta to make his brother a samanera if he should come to them. Accordingly, he was made a samanera and Thera Sariputta was informed about it.
Samanera Revata took a subject of meditation from those bhikkhus and left for an acacia forest, thirty yojanas away from the monastery. At the end of the vassa, the samanera attained arahatship. Thera Sariputta then asked permission from the Buddha to visit his brother, but the Buddha replied that he himself would go there. So the Buddha accompanied by Thera Sariputta, Thera Sivali and five hundred other bhikkhus set out to visit Samanera Revata.
The journey was long, the road was rough and the area was uninhabited by people; but the devas looked to all the needs of the Buddha and the bhikkhus on the way. At an interval of every yojana, a monastery and food were provided, and they travelled at the rate of a yojana a day. Revata, learning about the visit of the Buddha, also made arrangements to welcome him. By supernormal power he created a special monastery for the Buddha and five hundred monasteries for the other bhikkhus, and made them comfortable throughout their stay there.
On their return journey, they travelled at the same rate as before, and came to the Pubbarama monastery on the eastern end of Savatthi at the end of the month. From there, they went to the house of Visakha, who offered them alms-food. After the meal, Visakha asked the Buddha if the place of Revata in the acacia forest was pleasant.
And the Buddha answered in verse as follows:
| Verse 98: In a village or in a forest, in a valley or on a hill, wherever arahats dwell, that place is delightful. |
Dhammapada Verse 99
Annatara itthi Vatthu
Ramaniyani arannani
yaittha na ramati jano
vitaraga ramissanti
na te kamagavesino.
Verse 99: Forests are delightful, but the worldlings find no delight in them; only those who are free from passion will find delight in them, for they do not seek sensual pleasures.
The Story of a Woman
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (99) of this book, with reference to a woman of doubtful character.
A bhikkhu, after taking a subject of meditation from the Buddha, was practising meditation in an old garden. A woman of doubtful character came into the garden and, seeing the bhikkhu, tried to attract his attention and seduce him. The thera got frightened; at the same time, his whole body was diffused with some kind of delightful satisfaction. The Buddha saw him from his monastery, and with his supernormal power, sent rays of light to him, and the bhikkhu received this message, which said, "My son, where worldlings seek sensual pleasures is not the place for bhikkhus; bhikkhus should take delight in forests where worldlings find no pleasure."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 99: Forests are delightful, but the worldlings find no delight in them; only those who are free from passion will find delight in them, for they do not seek sensual pleasures. |
End of Chapter Seven: The Arahat (Arahantavagga)
7 sahassavagga
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Dhammapada Verse 100
Tambadathika Coraghataka Vatthu
Sahassamapi ce vaca
anatthapadasamhita
ekam atthapadam seyyo
yam sutva upasammati.
Verse 100: Better than a thousand words that are senseless and unconnected with the realization of Nibbana, is a single word of sense, if on hearing it one is calmed.
The Story of Tambadathika
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (100) of this book, with reference to Tambadathika, the executioner of thieves.
Tambadathika served the king as an executioner of thieves for fifty-five years; he had just retired from that post. One day, after preparing rice gruel at his house, he went to the river for a bath; he had intended to take the specially prepared rice gruel on his return. As he was about to take the rice gruel, Thera Sariputta, who had just arisen from sustained absorption in Concentration (jhana samapatti), stood at his door for alms-food. Seeing the thera, Tambadathika thought to himself, "Throughout my life, I have been executing thieves; now I should offer this food to the thera." So, he invited Thera Sariputta to come in and respectfully offered the rice gruel.
After the meal, the thera taught him the Dhamma, but Tambadathika could not pay attention, because he was so agitated as he recollected his past life as an executioner. When the thera knew this, he decided to ask Tambadathika tactfully whether he killed the thieves because he wished to kill them or because he was ordered to do so. Tambadathika answered that he was ordered to kill them by the king and that he had no wish to kill. Then the thera asked, "If that is so, would you be guilty or not ?" Tambadathika then concluded that, as he was not responsible for the evil deeds, he was not guilty. He, therefore, calmed down, and requested the thera to continue his exposition. As he listened to the Dhamma with proper attention, he came very close to attaining Sotapatti Magga, and reached as far as anuloma nana.* After the discourse, Tambadathika accompanied Thera Sariputta for some distance and then returned home. On his way home a cow (actually a demon in the guise of a cow) gored him to death.
When the Buddha came to the congregation of the bhikkhus in the evening, they informed him about the death of Tambadathika. When asked where Tambadathika was reborn, the Buddha told them that although Tambadathika had committed evil deeds throughout his life, because he comprehended the Dhamma after hearing it from Thera Sariputta and had already attained anuloma nana before he died, he was reborn in the Tusita deva world. The bhikkhus wondered how such an evil-doer could have such great benefit after listening to the Dhamma just once. To them the Buddha said that the length of a discourse is of no consequence, for one single word of sense can produce much benefit.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 100: Better than a thousand words that are senseless and unconnected with the realization of Nibbana, is a single word of sense, if on hearing it one is calmed. |
*anuloma nana: Vipassana Insight which causes the namarupa process of the yogi to become fully adapted for Magga Insight.
Dhammapada Verse 101
Bahiyadaruciriya Vatthu
Sahassamapi ce gatha
anatthapadasamhita
ekam gathapadam seyyo
yam sutva upasammati.
Verse 101: Better than a thousand verses that are senseless and unconnected with the realization of Nibbana, is a single verse, if on hearing it one is calmed.
The Story of Bahiyadaruciriya
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (101) of this book, with reference to Bahiyadaruciriya.
A group of merchants went out to sea in a boat; their boat was wrecked at sea and all, except one, died. The only survivor got hold of a plank and eventually came to land at the
At about this time, Mahabrahma, who had been his friend in one of his previous existences, saw him going astray and felt that it was his duty to put Bahiya on the right path. So, Mahabrahma came to him in the night and said to him "Bahiya, you are not an arahat yet, and what is more, you do not have the qualities that make one an arahat." Bahiya looked up at Mahabrahma and said, "Yes, I must admit that I am not an arahat, as you have said. I now realize that I have done a great wrong. But is there anyone else in this world now who is an arahat?" Mahabrahma then told him that there lived in Savatthi Gotama Buddha, an arahat, who was perfectly self-enlightened.
Bahiya, realizing the enormity of his guilt, felt very much distressed and ran all the way to Savatthi. Mahabrahma helped him by his supernormal power, so that the whole stretch of one hundred and twenty yojanas was covered in one night. Bahiya found the Buddha going on an alms-round with other bhikkhus and respectfully followed him. He pleaded with the Buddha to teach him the Dhamma, but the Buddha replied that since they were on an alms-round it was not yet time for a religious discourse. And again, Bahiya pleaded, "Venerable Sir, one cannot know the danger to your life or to my life, so please talk to me about the Dhamma." The Buddha knew that Bahiya had made the journey of one hundred and twenty yojanas in one night, and also that he was overwhelmed with joy at seeing the Buddha. That was why the Buddha did not want to talk about the Dhamma immediately but wanted him to calm down to enable him to take in the Dhamma properly. Still, Bahiya persistently pleaded. So, while standing on the road, the Buddha said to Bahiya, "Bahiya, when you see an object, be conscious of just the visible object; when you hear a sound, be conscious of just the sound; when you smell or taste or touch something, be conscious of just the smell, the taste or the touch; and when you think of anything, be conscious of just the mind-object."
After hearing the above discourse, Bahiya attained arahatship and he asked permission from the Buddha to join the Order. The Buddha told him to get the robes, the bowl and other requisites of a bhikkhu. On his way to get them, he was gored to death by a cow which was, in fact, an ogress in the likeness of a cow. When the Buddha and the other bhikkhus came out after having had their meal, they found Bahiya lying dead on a rubbish heap. As instructed by the Buddha, the bhikkhus cremated the body of Bahiya and had his bones enshrined in a stupa.
Back at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha told the bhikkhus that Bahiya had realized Nibbana. He also told them that as far as speed was concerned in attaining Magga Insight (abhinna), Bahiya was the fastest, the best (Etadaggam). The bhikkhus were puzzled by the statement made by the Buddha and they asked him why and when Bahiya became an arahat. To this, the Buddha replied, "Bahiya attained arahatship while he listened to my instructions given to him on the road when we were on the alms-round." The bhikkhus wondered how one could attain arahatship after listening to just a few sentences of the Dhamma. So, the Buddha told them that the number of words or the length of a speech did not matter if it was beneficial to someone.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 101: Better than a thousand verses that are senseless and unconnected with the realization of Nibbana, is a single verse, if on hearing it one is calmed. |
Dhammapada Verses 102 and 103
Kundalakesitheri Vatthu
Yo ca gatha satam bhase
anatthapadasamhita
ekam dhammapadam seyyo
yam sutva upasammati.
Yo sahassam sahassena
sangame manuse jine
ekanca jeyyamattanam
sa ve sangamajuttamo.
Verse 102: Better than the recitation of a hundred verses that are senseless and unconnected with the realization of Nibbana, is the recitation of a single verse of the Teaching (Dhamma), if on hearing it one is calmed.
Verse 103: A man may conquer a million men in battle, but one who conquers himself is, indeed, the greatest of conquerors.
The Story of Theri Kundalakesi
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (102) and (103) of this book, with reference to Theri Kundalakesi.
Kundalakesi was the daughter of a rich man from Rajagaha. She had led a very secluded life; but one day, she happened to see a thief being led out to be killed and she immediately fell in love with him. Her parents had to pay for the freedom of the thief, and they married her off to him. Although she loved her husband very dearly, her husband being a thief, was only attracted to her property and her jewels. One day, he coaxed her to put on all her jewellery and led her to a mountain saying that he wanted to make some offerings to the guardian spirit of the mountain because that guardian spirit had saved his life when he was about to be killed. Kundalakesi went along with her husband, but when they reached their destination, the thief revealed that he intended to kill her and take her jewels. She pleaded with him to take her jewels, but to spare her life, but it was of no avail. She then realized that if she did not get rid of her husband, there would be no way of escape for her. She felt she must be cautious and crafty. So she said to her husband that as they would be together only for a few moments more, she wanted to pay respect to him for the last time. So saying, and going round the man respectfully, she pushed him off the crag, taking him unaware.
After this, she had no desire to return home. She left all her jewellery hanging on a tree, and went on her way, without any idea where she was going. She happened to come to a place of some Paribbajikas (female wandering ascetics) and she herself became a Paribbajikas. The Paribbajikas taught her all their one thousand problems in sophistry; being intelligent she mastered all of them within a short time. Then her teachers told her to go out into the world and if she should find somebody who could answer all her questions, to become a pupil to him. Kundalakesi went throughout the length and breadth of Jambudipa, openly challenging everyone else to compete with her. Accordingly, she came to be known as "Jambukaparibbajika."
On one occasion, she came to Savatthi. Before entering the city for alms-food she made a mound of sand and stuck a branch of eugenia on it, her usual sign of invitation to all others to take up her challenge. Thera Sariputta took up her challenge. Kundalakesi asked him a thousand questions and Thera Sariputta answered them all. When his turn came, he asked her just this, "What is the one? (ekam nama kim)." Kundalakesi could not answer, so she asked Thera Sariputta to teach her the answer to the question. Thera Sariputta replied that she should first become abhikkhuni; so she became a bhikkhuni, by the name of Theri Kundalakesi. Within a few days, she became an arahat.
Soon after this, the bhikkhus asked the Buddha, "Could it be possible for Bhikkhuni Kundalakesi to become an arahat after listening to the Dhamma only a little?" They also added that this lady had fought and won a victory over her husband, who was a thief, before she became a paribbajika.
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 102: Better than the recitation of a hundred verses that are senseless and unconnected with the realization of Nibbana, is the recitation of a single verse of the Teaching (Dhamma), if on hearing it one is calmed. |
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| Verse 103: A man may conquer a million men in battle, but one who conquers himself is, indeed, the greatest of conquerors. |
Dhammapada Verses 104 and 105
Anatthapucchakabrahmana Vatthu
Atta have jitam seyyo
ya cayam itara paja
attadantassa posassa
niccam sannatacarino.
na Maro saha Brahmuna
jitam apajitam kayira
tatharupassa jantuno.
Verses 104 & 105: It is better indeed, to conquer oneself than to conquer others. Neither a deva, nor a gandhabba, nor Mara together with Brahma can turn into defeat the victory of the man who controls himself.
The Story of the Brahmin Anatthapucchaka
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (104) and (105) of this book, with reference to Anatthapucchaka, a brahmin.
On one occasion, a Brahmin by the name of Anatthapucchaka came to the Buddha and said to him, "Venerable Sir, I think that you know only the practices that are beneficial and not the practices that are unbeneficial." To him, the Buddha answered that he also knew the practices which were unbeneficial and harmful. Then the Buddha enumerated six practices which cause dissipation of wealth; they are: (1) sleeping until the sun has risen, (2) habitual idleness, (3) cruelty, (4) indulgence in intoxicants which causes drunkenness and negligence, (5) sauntering alone in streets at unearthly hours, and (6) sexual misconduct.
Further, the Buddha asked the brahmin how he earned his living, and the brahmin replied that he earned his living by playing dice, i.e., by gambling. Next, the Buddha asked him whether he won or lost. When the brahmin answered that he sometimes lost and sometimes won, the Buddha said to him, "To win in a game of dice is nothing compared to a victory over moral defilements."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verses 104 & 105: It is better indeed, to conquer oneself than to conquer others. Neither a deva, nor a gandhabba, nor Mara together with Brahma can turn into defeat the victory of the man who controls himself. |
Dhammapada Verse 106
Sariputtattherassa Matula Brahmana Vatthu
Mase mase sahassena1
yo vajetha satam samam
ekanca bhivatattanam
muhuttamapi pujaye
sa yeva pujana seyyo
yance vassasatam hutam.
Verse 106: Month after month for a hundred years, one may make offerings (to ordinary people) to the value of a thousand Kahapanas; yet if, only for a moment one pays homage to a bhikkhu who has practised Insight Development, this homage is, indeed, better than a hundred years of making offerings (to ordinary people).
1. sahassa: one thousand; in this context, one thousand kahapanas. A kahapana coin can be in copper, silver or gold.
The Story of Thera Sariputta's Uncle
While residing at the Veluvana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (106) of this book, with reference to a brahmin, who was the maternal uncle of Thera Sariputta.
On one occasion, Thera Sariputta asked his uncle the brahmin whether he was doing any meritorious deeds. The brahmin answered that he was making offerings to the value of one thousand Kahapanas every month to the Nigantha ascetics, hoping to get to the Brahma world in his next existence. Thera Sariputta then explained to him that his teachers had given him false hopes and that they themselves did not know the way to the Brahma world. So saying, he took his uncle the brahmin to the Buddha, and requested the Buddha to expound the Dhamma, which would surely take one to the Brahma world.
The Buddha said to the brahmin, "Brahmin, an offering of a spoonful of alms-food to a bhikkhu would be much better than your present offering of one thousand Kahapanas to your teachers."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
| Verse 106: Month after month for a hundred years, one may make offerings (to ordinary people) to the value of a thousand Kahapanas; yet if, only for a moment one pays homage to a bhikkhu who has practised Insight Development, this homage is, indeed, better than a hundred years of making offerings (to ordinary people). |
At the end of the discourse, the brahmin, who was the maternal uncle of Thera Sariputta, attained Sotapatti Fruition.
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