I

PpPdPlUtUPUQ
" \f

DHAMMAPADA

TRANSLATION

DHAMMAPADA

TRANSLATION

Thanissaro

Bhikkhu

(Geoffrey DeGraff)

PRINTED

FOR

FREE

DISTRIBUTION

DHAMMA
BARRE CENTER

DANA
FOR

PUBLICATIONS
BUDDHIST STUDIES

BARRE,

MASSACHUSETTS

COPYRIGHT THANISSARO BHIKKHU 1998

Thisbookmay copied reprinted/or/ree be or distribution withoutpermission thepublisher. from Otherwise rightsreserved. all Cover Photo Gregory Smith. Used M. with permission.
Printed in the United States of America.

Libraryof Congress Cataloging-in-Publication pending. Data

Third edition, revised, 2003

CONTENTS

PREFACE INTRODUCTION iii

i: PAIRS

ii: HEEDFULNESS
in: THE MIND

7
10

iv: BLOSSOMS
v : FOOLS

13
18

vi: THE WISE vii: ARAHANTS vni: THOUSANDS ix : EVIL x: THE ROD xi: AGING xii: SELF xin : WORLDS xiv : AWAKENED xv : HAPPY

23 27 30 34 38 42 45 48 51 56

xvi: DEAR ONES

xvn : ANGER xvin: IMPURITIES

59
62 66

xix : THE JUDGE xx : THE PATH

xxi: MISCELLANY

71 76
81

xxn: xxm: xxiv:

xxv: xxvi:

HELL ELEPHANTS CRAVING

MONKS BRAHMANS

85 89 93
100 106

HISTORICAL END NOTES GLOSSARY

NOTES

119 137 l6l l66

ABBREVIATIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

167

PREFACE

Another translation theDhammapada. of Many other Englishtranslations already are available-the fingers at least people of five wouldbeneeded to countthem-so I suppose a newtranslation that has to bejustified,to prove it'snot "just"another In that one. doingso,though,I'd rathernot criticizethe effortsof earlier translators, I owethema greatdeal Instead, for I'll askyou to readthe Introduction and Historical Notes,to gain an ideaof what is distinctive aboutthe
approach havetaken,andthe translationitself,which I I

hopewill standon its ownmerits. The original impulse for making translation the came frommyconviction that the text deservedto be offered freely as a gift of Dhamma. I knewof no existing As translations available asgifts,I made own. my The explanatory materialis designed meetwith to
the needs of two sorts of readers: those who want to read

the text asa text,in the context the religious of history

of Buddhism-viewed from the outside-and those

whowantto read text asaguide thepersonal the to conduct of their lives. Although there is no clear line dividing these groups, Introduction aimed the is moreat the second group,andthe HistoricalNotesmoreat the

first. The End NotesandGlossary containmaterialthat

should be of interest asterisk to both. Verses marked with an in the translation are discussed in the End

Notes. Pali terms-as well as Englishterms usedin a

special sense, aseffluent, such enlightened fabrication, one, stress, Unbinding-when appear morethan and they in oneverse, explained theGlossary. are in
In addition to the previoustranslatorsand editors

from whose work I have borrowed, owea special I debt of gratitudeto Jeanne Larsenfor her help in honing downthe language the translation. JohnBullitt, of Also, Charles Hallisey, KarenKing, AndrewOlendzki, Ruth
Stiles,Clark Strand,PaulaTrahan,andJaneYudelman

offered manyhelpfulcomments improved qualthat the ity of thebookasa whole. mistakes remain, Any that of course, myownresponsibility. are
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Metta ForestMonastery

Valley Center, 92082-1409 CA

December,1997

II

INTRODUCTION

The Dhammapada, anthology verses an of attributed to the Buddha, long been has recognized oneof the as masterpieces earlyBuddhistliterature.Only more of recently havescholars realized it is alsooneof the that earlymasterpieces the Indian tradition of kavya, in or
belles lettres.

This translation the Dhammapada an attemptto of is

render verses English a way does the into in that justiceto bothof thetraditions whichthetextbelongs. to Although it is tempting viewthese to traditions distinct, as dealing with form(kavya) content and (Buddhism), ideals the of kavya aimed combining at formandcontent a seaminto less whole. thesame At time,theearly Buddhists adopted andadapted conventions kavya a waythat skillthe of in fully dovetailed with their viewsof how teaching and listening played rolein their pathof practice. hope a My is that the translation presented herewill convey the
same seamlessness and skill.

As an example kavya, Dhammapada a of the has fairly completebody of ethical and aesthetic theory behind for the purpose kavya to instructin the it, of was highest endsof life whilesimultaneously givingdelight. The ethical teaching theDhammapadaexpressed of is in the first pair of verses: mind, throughits actions the
in

(kamma), the chiefarchitect oneshappiness sufis of and

fering both in this life and beyond.The first three chapters elaborate this point,to showthat thereare on two majorways relating thisfact:asa wiseperson, of to who is heedful enough make necessary to to the effort
train his/her own mind to be a skillful architect;and asa
fool, who is heedlessand seesno reason to train the mind. The work as a whole elaborates on this distinction,

showing moredetailboththe pathof thewiseperson in and that of the fool, together with the rewards the of former thedangers thelatter:thepathof thewise and of person leadnot onlyto happiness can withinthe cycle of deathand rebirth, but alsoto total escape into the Deathless, beyond cycle the entirely; pathof the fool the leads onlyto suffering andin thefuture, also not now but to furtherentrapment within the cycle. purpose The of the Dhammapadato make wisepathattractive is the to
the reader so that he/she will follow it-for the dilemma

posited the first pairof verses not onein theimagiby is nary world of fiction; it is the dilemmain which the reader already is placed thefactof being by born. To makethe wisepathattractive, techniques the of poetryare usedto give"savor" (rasa) the message. to AncientIndianaesthetic treatises devoted great a dealof
discussion to the notion of savor and how it could be

conveyed. basictheorywasthis: Artistic composiThe tion expressed of emotion states mindcalled states or of
"bhava." The standard list of basic emotions included

love(delight), humor,grief,anger, energy, disgust, fear,

IV

and astonishment. readeror listenerexposed The to thesepresentations emotiondid not participatein of them directly;rather,he/shesavored them asan aesthetic experience oneremove at from the emotion.Thus,

the savor griefis not grief,but compassion. savor of The of energy not energy is itself,but admiration herofor ism.The savor loveis not lovebut an experience of of sensitivity. savor astonishment a sense the The of is of marvelous. proofof the indirectness theaesthetic The of
experiencewas that someof the basic emotionswere

decidedly unpleasant, the savor theemotion while of was to beenjoyed. Althoughaworkof art mightdepict many emotions, andthus-like a goodmeal-offer manysavors the for reader/listener taste, savor supposed domto one was to inate.Writersmade common a practice announcing of the savor theywere tryingto produce, usually stating in passing theirparticular that savor the highest all. was of The Dhammapada states [354] explicitly that the savor of Dhammais the highestsavor, whichindicates that
that is the basic savor of the work. Classic aesthetic

theorylists the savor Dhamma, justice,asoneof of or

the three basicvarietiesof the heroic savor(the other

twodealwith generosity war):thuswewouldexpect and the majorityof the verses depictenergy, in fact to and theydo, with their exhortations action,strong to verbs, repeated imperatives, frequent of the imagery and use
from battles, races, conquests. and

Dhamma,in the Buddhistsense, impliesmorethan

the "justice" Dhamma aesthetic of in theory* However, the long section the Dhammapada of devoted "The to Judge"-beginning with a definitionof a goodjudge, and continuingwith examples goodjudgmentof
shows that the Buddhistconceptof Dhammahasroom

for theaesthetic meaning thetermaswell of Classictheory also holds that the heroic savor should, especially the endof a piece, at shade the into marvelous. This, in fact, is what happens periodically throughout Dhammapada, especially the end, the and at where verses the express astonishment the amazing at andparadoxical qualities a person of whohasfollowed the path of heedfulness its end,becoming to "pathless" [92-93; 179-180]-totally indescribable, transcending conflicts dualities every and of sort.Thus the predominant emotions that the versesexpressin Pali-and

should also express translation-are energyand in astonishment, asto produce so qualities the heroic of
and marvelous for the reader to savor. This savor is then

what inspires reader followthe path of wisdom, the to

with the resultthat he/shewill reacha directexperience

of thetruehappiness, transcending dualities, all foundat theendof thepath. Classic aesthetic theory a variety rhetorical lists of featuresthat canproduce savor. Examples these from lists that canbe foundin the Dhammapada include: accumulation(padoccaya) [137-140], admonitions (upadista) [47-48, 246-248, al.],ambiguity et. (aksarasamgbata) [97, 294-295],
VI

benedictions (asis) [337],distinctions(visesana) [19-20, 21-

22, 318-319], encouragement (protsahana) 43,46,et.aL], [35, etymology (nirukta) [388], examples (drstanta) expla[30],
nations of causeand effect (hetu) [1-2], illustrations

(udaharana) implications [344], (arthapatti) rhetorical [341], questions (prccha) 62,143, aL],praise [44, et. (gunakirtana) [54'56, 58-59, 92-93, aL],prohibitions et. (pratisedha) [121122,271-272,371,et. aL], and ornamentation (bbusana)

[passim].

Of these,ornamentation is the most complex, including four figures speech ten "qualities." of and The figures speech simile[passim], of are extended metaphor [398], rhyme (including alliteration assonance), and and "lamps"[passim].This last figureis a peculiarity of Pali-a heavily inflected language-that allows, one say, adjective modifytwo different to nouns, oneverbto or functionin two separate sentences. nameof the (The figurederives from the ideathat the two nounsradiate from the oneadjective, the two sentences the or from oneverb.)In English, closest have thisis paralthe we to
lelism combined with ellipsis. An examplefrom the
translation is in verse 7Mara overcomes him

as the wind, a weak tree

-where "overcomes" functions as the verb in both

clauses, though is elided even it fromthesecond. is This

how I have rendered lamps in most of the verses,

although two cases 206]I foundit more in [174, effective to repeat lamp-word. the
VII

The ten "qualities"are more generalattributes of

sound,syntax, sense, and includingsuchattributesas charm,clarity, delicacy, evenness, exaltation, sweetness, andstrength. ancient The textsarenot especially clear on what some thesetermsmeanin practice. of Even wherethey are clear,the terms deal in aspectsof Pali/Sanskrit syntaxnot always applicable English. to What is important,though,is that somequalities are
seenas more suited to a particular savorthan others:

strength exaltation, example, convey taste and for best a

of the heroic and marvelous. Of these characteristics,

strength (ojas) the easiest quantify, it is marked is to for by long compounded words. In the Dhammapada, approximately tenth of the verses one containcompounds areaslongasa wholelineof verse, one that and verse [39] hasthreeof its four linesmadeup of such compounds. the standards laterSanskrit By of verse, this is rathermild, but whencompared verses the with in restof the Pali Canonandotherearlymasterpieces of kavya, Dhammapadaquitestrong. the is The text alsoexplicitly adds the theoryof characto teristics saying "sweetness" just anattribute in that is not of words, of the person but speaking [363]. the person If is a true example the virtueespoused, of his/herwords aresweet. point could generalized cover This be to many of theotherqualities well. as Another point fromclassic aesthetic theory that may berelevant theDhammapadatheprinciple howa to is of literarywork is given unity.Althoughthe text does not
VIII

provide step-by-step a sequential portraitof the pathof wisdom,asa lyric anthology is muchmoreunified it than most Indian examples that genre. of The classic theoryof dramatic construction be playing plot may an indirectrolehere. the onehand,a plot mustexhibit On unity by presentingconflictor dilemma, depicting a and the attainment a goalthroughovercoming conof that flict. This is precisely what unifies Dhammapada: the it begins with the dualitybetween heedless heedful and waysof living, and endswith the final attainmentof total mastery. the other hand,the plot must not On showsmooth,systematic progress; otherwise work the
would turn into a treatise. There must be reversals and

diversions maintain to interest. This principle at work is in the fairlyunsystematic ordering the Dhammapada's of middle sections.Verses dealingwith the beginning stages the patharemixed of together with thosedealing with laterstages even and stages beyond completion the of thepath. One more point is that the idealplot should conbe structed with a sub-plot whicha secondary in character gains his/hergoal, in sodoing and helps maincharacthe ter attainhisor hers. addition theaesthetic In to pleasure offeredby the sub-plot, the ethical lessonis one of humancooperation: people attaintheirgoals working by together. the Dhammapada, same In the dynamic at is work.The main"plot"is that of theperson whomasters theprinciple kamma thepoint of total release of to from kamma the roundof rebirth;the "sub-plot" and depicts

IX

the person whomasters principleof kamma the the to pointofgaining good a rebirthon thehuman heavenly or planes. second The person gains his/hergoal, part,by in being generous respectful thefirstperson and to [106-109, 177], thus enabling first personto practice the the to point of total mastery. return,the first person In gives counsel the second to person howto pursue on his/her goal[76-77, 363], this waythe Dhammapada In depicts theplayof life in awaythat offers potentially two heroic
roles for the reader to choose from, and delineates those

rolesin sucha way that all peoplecanchoose be to heroic, working together theattainment their own for of truewellbeing. Perhaps bestwayto summarize confluence the the of Buddhist kavya and traditions the Dhammapadain in is light of a teaching fromanother earlyBuddhist text,the Samyutta Nikaya(iv*5),on the factors needed attain to one's taste the goalof the Buddhist first of path.Those factors four:associating people integrity, are with of listeningto their teachings, usingappropriate attention to inquireinto the waythoseteachings applyto oneslife, andpracticing line with the teachings a waythat in in does them justice. EarlyBuddhists the traditions used of kavya-concerning savor, rhetoric, structure, figures and of speech-primarily connection the second in with of these factors, orderto make teachings in the appealing to thelistener. However, question savor related the of is to the otherthreefactors well.The words a teaching as of mustbe spoken a person integritywhoembodies by of

their message his/her actionsif their savor to be in is

sweet [158,363]*The listener must reflect on them

appropriately thenput theminto practice theyare and if to have morethana passing, superficial taste. Thusboth the speaker listener and mustactin linewith the words of a teaching it is to bearfruit. This point is reflected if in apairof verses theDhammapada [51-52]: from itself
Justlike a blossom,

brightcolored
but scentless:

a well-spoken word
is fruitless when not carried out.

Justlike a blossom,

brightcolored
& full of scent:

awell-spoken word
is fruitful when well carried out.

Appropriate reflection, first stepalistener the should followin carrying thewell-spoken out word,means contemplating one's life to see dangers following own the of the path of foolishness the need followthe path and to of wisdom. Buddhist The traditionrecognizes emotwo tions asplayinga role in this reflection.The first is samvcga, a strong sense dismay comes realizof that with ing the futility andmeaningless life asit is normally of

XI

lived,together a feeling urgency tryingto find with of in a wayout of the meaningless The second cycle. emotion is pasada, clarityand serenity come the that whenone recognizes teaching a that presents truth of the the dilemma existence at the same of and time pointsthe way out. Onefunction theverses the Dhammapada of in is to provide sense clarity whichis whyverse this of 82 states thewise that growserene hearing Dhamma, on the
and 102 states that the most worthwhile verse is the

meaningful that,on hearing, one brings peace. However, process not stopwith these the does preliminary feelings peace serenity. listener of and The must carrythroughwith the pathof practice the verses that recommend. Although muchof the impetus doingso for comes theemotions samvega pasada from of and sparked by the content the verses, heroicand marvelous of the savor theverses aroleaswell,byinspiring lisof plays the tener to rousewithin him or herselfthe energyand strengththat the path will require.When the path is brought fruition,it brings peace delight the to the and of Deathless [373-374]. iswhere process This the initiated by hearing reading Dhamma or the bears deepest its savor, surpassing others. is thehighest all It sense whichthe in meaningful verses theDhammapada peace. of bring In preparing followingtranslation, havekept the I the above points in mind, motivatedboth by a firm beliefin the truth of the message the Dhammapada, of andby adesire present in acompelling that will to it way
XII

induce reader put it into practice. the to Although trying to stayasclose possible the literalmeaning the as to of text,I've alsotried to convey savor. operating its I'm on theclassic assumption although that, there maybeatension between giving instruction (beingscrupulously accurate) giving delight (providing an enjoyable and taste themental of states thewordsdepict), best that the translation onethat playswith that tension is without submitting totallyto onesideat theexpense theother. of To convey savor the work,I haveaimedat a the of spare styleflexible enough express onlyits domito not nantemotions-energy astonishment-butalsoits and transientemotions,suchashumor,delight,and fear. Althoughthe originalverses conformto metrical rules,
the translations allows are in free verse. This that is the form with that the

requires fewest the deviations from literal accuracy and

for a terse directness conforms

heroicsavor the original. of The freedom have I used in placing words thepage allows on also many thepoetic of effects Pali syntax-especiallythe parallelism of and ellipsis the"lamps"-to shine of through. I have been relatively consistent choosing in English equivalents Pali terms,especially for wherethe terms have technical a meaning. Totalconsistency, although it maybea logical goal, by no means rational espeis a one, ciallyin translating poetry. Anyone is truly bilingual who will appreciate point. Wordsin the originalwere this
chosen for their sound and connotations, as well as their

literal sense, the same so principles-within reasonable

XIII

limits-have

been used in the translation.

Deviations

from the original syntaxarerare,andhavebeenlimited

primarilyto six sorts.The first four arefor the sake of immediacy: occasional of the American use "you"for "one"; occasional of imperatives this!")for optause ("Do tives ("One should do this"); substitutingactivefor passive voice; replacing whodoes and "he this"with "he does this"in manyof the verses defining truebrahthe manin Chapter The remaining deviations 26, two are: making minoradjustments sentence in structure keep to a wordatthe beginning endof averse or whenthisposition seems important(e.g*, 384); 158, and changing the number fromsingular ("thewiseperson") plural("the to wise")whentalking aboutpersonalitytypes,both to streamline language to lightenthegender of the and bias the originalPali,(As mostof the verses originally were
addressed monks,I havefound it impossible elimito to

nate the genderbias entirely,and so apologizefor

whatever remains,) bias In verses whereI sense a particularPaliword or that

phraseis meantto carry multiple meanings, have I explicitly given of those all meanings the English, in even where has meant considerable this a expansion the of verse. (Manyof these verses discussed the notes,) are in
Otherwise, I have tried to make the translation as trans-

parent possible, orderto allowthelight andenergy as in of theoriginal pass to through with minimal distortion. The Dhammapada for centuries used an has been as introductionto the Buddhistpoint of view.However,
XIV

the text is by no means elementary eitherin termsof content style. or Manyof theverses presuppose least at a passing knowledge Buddhist of doctrine; others employ multiplelevels meaning wordplay of and typicalof polishedkavya. this reason, have For I added notes the to translation helpdrawout some theimplications to of of verses mightnot be obvious people arenew that to who to eitherof thetwotraditions the textrepresents, that I hope whatever that delight gainfromthistransyou lation will inspireyou to put the Buddha's wordsinto practice, thatyouwill someday thesavor, just so taste not of thewords, of the Deathless whichtheypoint. but to

xv

i:

PAIRS

Phenomena preceded theheart, are by ruledbytheheart,

made of the heart*

If youspeak act or with acorrupted heart, thensuffering follows youas the wheel of the cart,
the track of the ox

that pullsit. Phenomena preceded the heart, are by ruledbythe heart,

made of the heart.

If youspeak act or with acalm, brightheart, thenhappiness follows you,

like a shadow that never leaves.
1-2*

'He

insulted me, hit me, beat me,

robbed me'

"for those who brood on this,

hostilityisn'tstilled.

'He insulted me, hit me, beat me,

robbed me'-

for those who don't brood on this,

hostility is stilled*
Hostilities aren't stilled

through hostility, regardless.

Hostilities are stilled

through non-hostility: this,anunending truth.

Unlike those who don't realize

that we're on theverge here ofperishing,

those who do:

theirquarrels stilled, are

3-6

Onewhostays focused thebeautiful, on

is unrestrained with the senses,

knowing moderation food, no in apathetic, unenergetic:

Mara overcomes him

as the wind, a weak tree.

Onewhostays focused thefoul, on is restrained regard thesenses, with to knowing moderation food, in full of conviction energy: &
Mara does not overcome him

as the wind, a mountain of rock.

He who, depraved,
devoid of truthfulness

& self-control,

puts on the ochrerobe,

doesn't deserve the ochre robe. But he who is free

of depravity
endowed with truthfulness

& self-control,
well-established

in theprecepts, truly deserves ochre the robe.

9-10

Those whoregard
non-essence as essence

and seeessenceas non-,

don't to theessence, get ranging about wrong in resolves.

But those who know

essence as essence,

and non-essenceas non-,

getto theessence, ranging about rightresolves. in

As rain seeps into
an ill-thatched hut,

sopassion,

theundeveloped mind. As raindoesn't into seep

a well-thatched hut,

sopassion doesnot,

thewell-developed mind.
13-14

Here

hegrieves hegrieves hereafter.

In both worlds

thewrong-doer grieves. Hegrieves, afflicted, he's seeing corruption the

of his deeds.

Here

he rejoices he rejoices hereafter.

In both worlds

themerit-maker rejoices. He rejoices,jubilant, is seeing purity the

of his deeds.

Here

he's tormented he's tormented hereafter.

In both worlds

thewrong-doer's tormented. He'stormented thethought, at I've done wrong/ Having gone abaddestination, to
he's tormented all the more.

Here

hedelights hedelights hereaften

In both worlds

themerit-maker delights. He delights thethought, at

I've made merit,'

Havinggone agooddestination, to hedelights

all the more, 15-18*

If he recites many teachings, but

-heedless man-

doesn't whattheysay, do like acowherd counting cattle the of

others,

hehasno share the contemplative in life.

If he recites next to nothing

but follows the Dhamma

in line with the Dhamma;

abandoning passion,
aversion, delusion; alert, his mind well-released,

not clinging
either here or hereafter:

hehashisshare thecontemplative in life,

19-20

ii:

HEEDFULNESS

Heedfulness:thepathto theDeathless. Heedlessness: pathto death. the

The heedful do not die. The heedless are as if

already dead. Knowing asa truedistinction, this

those wise in heedfulness

rejoice in heedfulness, enjoying range thenoble the of ones. Theenlightened, constantly absorbed jhana, in
persevering,
firm in their effort:

theytouchUnbinding, theunexcelled safety frombondage.

Those with initiative, mindful, clean in action,

acting with dueconsideration,

heedful, restrained,

livingtheDhamma: theirglory
grows. 21-24*

Through initiative,needfulness,
restraint, & self-control,
the wise would make an island no flood

cansubmerge,
25

They'readdicted heedlessness to
-dullards, foolswhile one who is wise cherishes heedfulness

ashishighest wealth,
26

Don'tgivewayto heedlessness
or to intimacy

with sensual delightfor a heedful person, absorbed jhana, in

attains an abundance of ease,
27

When the wiseperson drivesout

heedlessness

with heedfulness,

having climbed hightower the

of discernment, sorrow-free,

heobserves sorrowing the crowd-

astheenlightened man, having scaled

a summit,

thefoolson theground below. Heedful among heedless, the wakeful among those asleep, just asa fasthorse advances, leaving weak the behind:
so the wise.
29

Through heedfulness, won Indra to lordship thegods. over Heedfulnesspraised, is

heedlessness censured-

always.
30

Themonkdelighting heedfulness, in seeing danger heedlessness, in

advanceslike a fire,

burning fetters great small. & Themonkdelighting heedfulness, in seeing danger heedlessness in -incapableof fallingbackstands on theverge right of Unbinding.
31-32

in : THE MIND

Quivering,wavering,

hardto guard,
to hold in check: the mind.

Thesage makes straightit

like a fletcher,
the shaft of an arrow* Like a fish

pulledfrom its homein the water

SCthrown on land:

thismindflips& flaps about

to escape Mara'ssway.
Hard to hold down, nimble,

alighting wherever likes: it

the mind.

Its taming good. is

The mind well-tamed

bringsease.
So hard to see,

sovery, subtle, very alighting wherever likes: it

the mind.

Thewiseshould guard it.

10

The mindprotected
bringsease*

Wandering far, going alone,

bodiless,

lying in a cave:
the mind. Those who restrain it: from Mara's bonds

they'llbefreed.
33-37*

Foraperson unsteady of mind, not knowing Dhamma, true

serenity
set adrift:

discernment doesn't growfull

38

Foraperson unsoddened of mind,

unassaulted awareness,

abandoning & evil, merit

wakeful,

there is

no danger
no fear. 39*

II

Knowingthis body is like a clay jar, securing mind this

like a fort,
attack Mara

with thespear discernment, of thenguardwhat's won withoutsettling there, withoutlaying claim.

40*

All toosoon, body this will lie on theground

cast off, bereft of consciousness,

like a useless scrap

of wood.
41

Whatever enemy an mightdo

to an enemy,

or a foe to a foe,
the ill-directed mind

candoto you
even worse.

Whatever a mother, father

or other kinsman

mightdo for you,

the well-directed mind

cando for you

even better. 42-43*

12

iv:

BLOSSOMS

Who will penetrate earth this

& this realm of death

with all its gods?

Who will ferret out

thewell-taught Dhamma-saying, asthe skillfulflower-arranger

the flower?

The learner-on-the-path will penetrate earth this

& this realm of death

with all its gods.

The learner-on-the-path
will ferret out

thewell-taught Dhamma-saying, astheskillfulflower-arranger

the flower. 44'45*

Knowing body this

is like foam,

realizing nature its

-a miragecutting out
the blossoms of Mara,

yougo where Kingof Death the

cant see*

46

The man immersed in

gathering blossoms,
his heart distracted:

death sweeps awayhim asagreat flood, a village asleep.

The man immersed in

gathering blossoms,
his heart distracted,

insatiable sensual in pleasures:

the End-Maker holds him 47-48*

under sway, his <-"""

As abee-without harming
the blossom, its color,

its fragrancetakes nectar flies its & away: soshould sage the gothrough village, a
49

Focus,

not on the rudenessesof others,

not on whatthey've done

or left undone,

but on whatyou
have & haven't done

yourself.
50

Justlike a blossom,

brightcolored
but scentless:

awell-spoken word
is fruitless when not carried out.

Justlike a blossom,

brightcolored
& full of scent:

awell-spoken word
is fruitful when well carried out,
51-52

Justasfroma heap flowers of many garland strands bemade, can

even so

one born & mortal should do -with what's born & is mortal53*

many skillfulthing, a

No flower's scent

goes against windthe

not sandalwood,

jasmine,
tagara.

Butthescent thegood of does against wind* go the Theperson integrity of

wafts a scent

in every direction. Sandalwood, tagara,

lotus,& jasmine: amongthese scents,
the scent of virtue

is unsurpassed.

Nextto nothing, fragrance this -sandalwood, tagarawhile the scent of the virtuous

waftsto thegods,
supreme.

54-56*

Those consummate in virtue,

dwelling in heedfulness, releasedthrough right knowing:

Mara can't follow their tracks. 57*

16

As in apileof rubbish castbythesideof ahighway alotusmightgrow clean-smelling pleasing heart, the

so in the midst of the rubbish-like,

people run-of-the-mill blind, &

there dazzles with discernment

thedisciple theRightly of
Self-Awakened One.
58-59

v:

FOOLS

Longfor thewakeful thenight. is Longfor theweary, league. a

For fools

unaware of True Dhamma,

samsara

is long.
60

If, in yourcourse, don'tmeet you yourequal, better, your thencontinue course, your firmly,
alone.

There's fellowship fools, no with

61

1 have sons, I have wealth'the fool torments himself. When even he himself

doesn't belong himself, to

how then sons? How wealth?
62

18

A fool with a sense of his foolishness is-at least to that extent-wise. But a fool who thinks himself wise

really deserves becalled to

a fool
63

Even if for a lifetime

thefool stays thewise, with heknows nothing theDhammaof

as the ladle,

thetaste thesoup. of
Even if for a moment,

theperceptive person stays with thewise, he immediately knows Dhammathe asthetongue, thetaste the soup, of
64-65

Fools, their wisdom weak,

are their own enemies

astheygothrough life, doingevil

that bears bitter fruit.
66

Its not good,

thedoing thedeed of
that,
you regret,

once its done,

whose result reap you crying, yourface tears. in Its good, thedoing thedeed of
that, once its done,

youdont regret, whose result reap you gratified, happy heart, at

67-68

As longasevilhasyetto ripen, thefool mistakes for honey. it

But whenthat evil ripens,
the fool falls into

pain,
69

Month

after month

thefoolmighteat onlyatip-of-grass measure food, of

but he wouldn't one sixteenth of those who've fathomed the Dhamma,
70

be worth

20

An evil deed, when done,

doesn't-likeready milkcome right away. out

It follows the fool,

smoldering
like a fire hidden in ashes. 71*

Only for hisruin

does renown come to the fool

It ravages brightfortune his & rips hishead apart.

He would want unwarranted status,

preeminence among monks, authority among monasteries, homage fromlayfamilies. 'Lethouseholdersthose & gone forth
both think that this

was done mealone. by MayI alone determine what's duty,what's a not':

the resolve of a fool

astheygrowhisdesire pride. &

72-74

21

Thepathto material gain

goes one way,

thewayto Unbinding,
another.

Realizing themonk, this,

a discipleto the Awakened One,

should relishofferings, not

should cultivate instead.
75

seclusion

22

vi:

THE WISE

Regard asonewho him

points out
treasure,

the wise one who

seeing faults your rebukes you. Stay with thissortof sage. Fortheonewhostays with a sage thissort, of things better, get
not worse.

Let him admonish, instruct,

deflect you away frompoormanners, To thegood, endearing; he's

to the bad, he's not,
76-77

Don't associate with bad friends. Don't associate with the low. Associate with admirable friends. Associate with the best,
78

23

DrinkingtheDhamma,
refreshed the Dhamma, by onesleeps ease at
with clear awareness & calm. In the Dhamma revealed

bythenoble ones, thewise person always delights,

79*

Irrigatorsguide Fletchers shape Carpenters shape

The wise control

the water. the arrowshaft. the wood.

themselves.
80

As asingle of rock slab won'tbudge thewind, in

so the wise are not moved

bypraise, byblame.
81

Like a deep lake,

clear, unruffled, & calm: so the wise become clear, calm,

onhearing words the Dhamma. of

82

24

Everywhere, truly, those integrity of stand apart. They, good, the don't chatter hopes in of favor gains. or
When touched

nowbypleasure,
now pain,

thewise no sign give of high

or low, 83* One who wouldn'tnot for his own sake nor that of anotherhanker for

wealth,
a son,

a kingdom,
his own fulfillment,

by unrighteous means: heis righteous, rich

in virtue, discernment,
84

Fewarethe people
who reach the Far Shore, These others

simply scurry along

this shore.

But thosewho practice Dhamma in line with the well-taught Dhamma,

will cross over the realm of Death so hard to transcend.

Forsaking practices, dark

thewiseperson

should develop bright, the having gone fromhome

to no-home

in seclusion, hardto enjoy. so There should he wishfor delight, discarding sensualityhe who hasnothing.
He should cleanse himself-wiseof what defiles the mind.

Whosemindsarewell-developed

in thefactors self-awakening, for

who delightin non-clinging,

relinquishing graspingresplendent,
their effluents ended:

they, theworld, in
are Unbound, 85-89*

26

vii:

ARAHANTS

In one who

hasgone full distance, the

is free from sorrow,

is fully released
in all respects,
has abandoned all bonds: no fever is found,
90

The mindfulkeep active, don'tdelight settling in back. Theyrenounce home, every every home, likeswans takingoff froma lake,
91

Not hoarding, having understood food,

their pasture-emptiness

& freedom withoutsign:

their trail,

likethatof birdsthrough space,

can't be traced.

27

Effluents ended,

independent nutriment, of their pasture-emptiness

& freedom withoutsign:

their trail,

likethat ofbirdsthrough space,

can't be traced,
92-93*

He whose senses are steadied like stallions

well-trained thecharioteer, by
his conceit abandoned, free of effluent,
Such: even devas adore him.

Like the earth, he doesn't reactcultured, Such,

like Indra's pillar,

like a lake free of mud. For him -Such-

there's traveling no on,

Calm " his r^ i is 1 " mind,

calmhis speech & his deed:

onewho's released through rightknowing,

pacified,
Such. 94-96*

28

The man

faithless beyond / conviction ungrateful knowing Unmade / the a burglar/ whohassevered connections who's destroyed
his chances / conditions

whoeats vomit: / hasdisgorged expectations:

the ultimate person,
97*

In village wilds, or valley, plateau: thatplace delightful is

where arahants dwell
98

Delightful wilds where crowds the don'tdelight, those frompassion free delight, for they're searching not for sensual pleasures,
99

29

viii:

THOUSANDS

Better

than if there were thousands

of meaningless is words
one

meaningful
word

thaton hearing
bringspeace.
Better

than if there were thousands

of meaningless is verses
one

meaningful
verse

that on hearing brings peace. And betterthanchanting hundreds of meaningless is verses

one

Dhamma-saying thaton hearing

bringspeace.

30

Greater in battle

thanthe manwhowouldconquer
a thousand-thousand men,

is he who would conquer

just onehimself.

Better conquer to yourself

than others.

Whenyou've trained yourself, livingin constant self-control, neither deva gandhabba, a nor
nor a Mara banded with Brahmas,

couldturn thattriumph
back into defeat.
103-105

You could,month month, by

at a cost of thousands,
conduct sacrifices

a hundred times,
or

payasingle moment's homage

to one person, self-cultivated.

Better thanahundred years sacrifices of wouldthatactof homage be.

Youcould,for a hundredyears,
live in a forest

tending fire, a
or

paya single moment's homage

to one person, self-cultivated.

Better thanahundred years sacrifices of wouldthat actof homage be. Everything offered
or sacrificed in the world

for anentire byoneseeking year merit

doesn't come to a fourth.

Betterto payrespect

to those who've gone

the straightway.
106-108*

If you're respectful habit, by constantly honoring worthy, the fourthings increase: longlife,beauty,
happiness, strength.
109

Better thanahundred years

lived without virtue, uncentered, is

oneday livedby avirtuous person absorbed jhana. in

32

Andbetterthana hundred years livedundiscerning, uncentered, is oneday livedby adiscerning person absorbed jhana. in Andbetterthanahundred years livedapathetic unenergetic, & is oneday livedenergetic firm. & And betterthanahundred years livedwithoutseeing
arising& passing away, is

oneday livedseeing
arising& passing away.

And betterthana hundred years livedwithoutseeing

the Deathless state, is

oneday livedseeing
the Deathless state.

Andbetterthanahundred years livedwithoutseeing

the ultimate Dhamma, is

oneday livedseeing
the ultimate Dhamma.
110-115

33

ix : EVIL

Bequickin doing
what's admirable.

Restrain mind your

from what's evil

When you're slow

in making merit, evildelights mind. the

116

If aperson evil, does heshouldn't it again again, do & shouldn't develop penchant it. a for
To accumulate evil

bringspain.

If aperson makes merit, heshould it again again, do Sc should develop penchant it. a for
To accumulate merit brings , . 6 ease,
117-118

34

Even the evil

meet with good fortune aslongastheirevil hasyetto mature.

But when it's matured

that's whentheymeet
with evil

Even good the

meet with bad fortune

aslongastheirgood hasyetto mature.

But when it's matured

that's whentheymeet with goodfortune.

119-120

Don't be heedless of evil

('It won'tcometo me).

A water fills, jar

even with water

falling
With bit

in

drops.
if

evil-even

by
bit,

habituallythe fool fills himself full.

35

Don't be heedless of merit

(It won'tcome me'). to

A water fills, jar

even with water

falling
With bit

in

drops.
if

merit-even

by
bit,

habituallytheenlightened fillshimself one full

Like a merchant with a small but well-laden caravan

-a dangerous road, likeaperson loves who life

-a poison,
one should avoid -evil deeds,
123

If there's no wound on the hand,

that handcanhold poison. Poison wont penetrate

where there's no wound. There's no evil for those who don't do it.
124

Whoever harasses an innocent man,

amanpure, withoutblemish: theevilcomes backto thefool right

like fine dust

thrownagainst wind. the

125

Some are born evildoers

in the human womb, in hell, to heaven,

those thegood on course go

while those without effluent:

totallyunbound*
126*

Not up in the air,

nor in the middle of the sea,

norgoing acleftin the mountains into

-nowhere on earth-

is a spotto be found

where couldstay& escape you

your evil deed. Not up in the air,
nor in the middle of the sea,

nor going acleftin themountains into

-nowhere on earth-

is a spotto be found

where couldstay& not succumb you

to death.
127-128

37

x : THE ROD

All

tremble at the rod,

all are fearful of death.

Drawing parallel the to yourself, neither norgetothers kill kill to

All

tremble at the rod,

all hold their life dean

Drawing parallel the to yourself, neither norgetothers kill. kill to

129-130

Whoever takes a rod

to harmlivingbeings desiring ease, when himself looking ease, he is for

meets with no ease after death. Whoever doesn't take a rod

to harmlivingbeings desiring ease, when himself looking ease, he is for

meets with ease after death.
131-132

Speak harshly no one, to

or the words will be thrown

rightbackatyou. Contentious is painful, talk for yougetstruck rodsin return. by

133

If, like a flattened metalpot

youdon'tresound, you've attained Unbinding; an in youthere's found

no contention.
134

As a cowherd with a rod

drives cows to the field,

soaging death &

drive the life

of livingbeings,
135

Whendoingevildeeds,
the fool is oblivious. The dullard is tormented

by hisowndeeds, asif burned afire. by

136

39

Whoever, with a rod, harasses an innocent man, unarmed,

quicklyfallsinto anyof tenthings: harshpains,devastation, brokenbody,grave a illness, mental derangement, trouble with the government, violentslander, relatives property lost, dissolved, houses
burned down.

At thebreak-up thebody of
this one with no discernment,

reappears in
hell
137-140

Neither nakedness nor matted hair

nor mud nor the refusal of food

norsleeping thebare on ground nordust& dirt norsquatting austerities

cleanses the mortal

who's gone not beyond doubt. If, though adorned, lives tune one in
with the chaste life

-calmed,

tamed, & assured-

having downtherodtoward beings, put all he's a contemplative

a brahman a monk,
141-142

40

Who in the world

is amanconstrained conscience, by
who awakens to censure

like a fine stallion

to the whip?
143*

Like a fine stallion

struck with awhip,

be ardent & chastened.

Through conviction
virtue, persistence,

concentration, judgment, consummate knowledge conduct, in &

mindful,

you'llabandon not-insignificant this pain.

144

Irrigators guide thewater. Fletchers shape thearrowshaft. Carpenters shape thewood. Those goodpractices of control
themselves.
H5

xi:

AGING

Whatlaughter, joy, why when constantly aflame? Enveloped darkness, in don'tyoulookfor alamp?
146

Lookatthebeautified image, aheap festering of wounds, shored up: ill, but theobject of many resolves, where there nothing is lasting sure, or
147

Worn out is thisbody, a nestof diseases, dissolving. This putrid conglomeration isboundto break up,
for life is hemmed in with death*
148

On seeing these bones

discarded

likegourds thefall, in
pigeon-gray:

whatdelight?
149

42

A citymade bones, of plastered with flesh blood, over &

whose hidden treasures are:

pride & contempt,

aging death. &

150

Even royalchariots
well-embellished

getrun down, andsodoes body the succumb oldage, to Butthe Dhamma thegood of doesn't succumb oldage: to thegood thecivilized let know.
151

This unlistening man

matures like an ox.

His muscles develop,

his discernment not. 152*

Through roundof many the birthsI roamed

without reward, without rest,

seeking house-builder. the Painful birth again is

& again.

43

House-builder, seen! you're Youwill not build ahouse again. All yourrafters broken, theridge poledestroyed, gone the Unformed, mind to the hascome theendofcraving, to
153-154*

Neitherlivingthechaste life norgaining wealth theiryouth, in theywaste away oldherons like in a dried-up lake
depleted fish. of

Neitherlivingthechaste life norgaining wealth theiryouth, in theylie around,

misfired from the bow,

sighing oldtimes, over

155-156

44

xii:

SELF

If youholdyourself dear thenguard, guard yourself well Thewise person wouldstayawake nursing himself in anyof thethree watches thenight, of thethree stages life. of
157*
First

he'd settle himself

in what is correct,

onlythen
teach others. He wouldn't stain his name : he is wise*
158

If you'd moldyourself theway teach you others,

then, well-trained,

goahead tame& for,astheysay, what's to tame you hard is yourself

159

45

Your own self is

your own mainstay

for whoelse could yourmainstay be? With youyourself well-trained youobtain mainstay the
hard to obtain.
160

The evil he himself has done

-self-born,

self-created-

grinds downthedullard,
asa diamond,a precious stone.
161

Whenoverspread extreme by vicelikea saltreebyavineyoudo to yourself whatan enemy wouldwish.

162*

They're to doeasy thingsof no good & nouseto yourself* What's truly useful good & is truly harder thanhardto do.
163

46

The teaching those of

who live the Dhamma,

worthyones, noble: whoever maligns it

-a dullard

inspired evilviewby
bears fruit for his own destruction,

likethefruitingof thebamboo.
164*

Evilis done byoneself byoneself onedefiled. is Evilis leftundoneby oneself byoneself onecleansed. is Purity& impurityareones owndoing* No onepurifies another. No otherpurifies one.
,65*

Don'tsacrifice ownwelfare your

for that of another,

no matterhowgreat. Realizing owntruewelfare, your beintentonjust that.

166*

47

xiii:

WORLDS

Don'tassociate lowlyqualities* with

Don't consort with heedlessness.

Don'tassociate wrong with views. Don'tbusyyourself theworld. with

167

Get up!Don'tbeheedless.
Live the Dhamma well One who lives the Dhamma

sleeps ease with

in this world & the next. Live the Dhamma well.

Don'tliveit badly.
One who lives the Dhamma

sleeps ease with

in this world & the next.
168-169

See it

as a bubble,

see it

asa mirage:

onewhoregards worldthisway the theKingof Death doesn't see.

170*

Come, look at this world

all decked out

likea royalchariot, where foolsplunge in,

while those who know

don'tcling,
171

Who once was heedless, but later is not,

brightens world the

like the moon set free from a cloud. His evil-done deed

is replaced skillfulness: with hebrightens world the

like the moon set free from a cloud,
172-173

Blinded this world-

howfewhere clearly! see Justasbirdswho've escaped

from a net are

few, few

arethe people
who make it to heaven.

49

Swans thepathof thesun; fly those with thepower through fly space; theenlightened fromtheworld, flee having defeated armies Mara. the of
175

The person whotells a lie,

whotransgresses onething, in this transcending concern theworldbeyond: for

there's no evil

hemightnot do.

No misers go
to the world of the devas.

Those whodon'tpraise giving

are fools.

Theenlightened express approval giving their for

and so find ease

in theworldbeyond.
177

Sole dominion over the earth,

going heaven, to lordship allworlds: over thefruit of Stream-entry

excels them. 178*

xiv:

AWAKENED

Whose conquest
cant be undone,

whose conquest
no one in the world

can reach;

awakened, pasture his endless,

pathless:

bywhatpathwill youlead astray? him In whomthere's craving no -the sticky ensnarerto lead anywhereverall; him at awakened, pasture his endless,
pathless:

bywhatpathwill youlead astray? him

179-180

They, enlightened, the intentonjhana, delighting stilling in

& renunciation, self-awakened & mindful: even the devas

viewthemwith envy.
181

Hard
Hard Hard

thewinningofa human birth.

the life of mortals. the chance to hear the true Dhamma.

Hard

thearising Awakened of Ones,

182

The non-doing ofanyevil,

theperformanceof what'sskillful,

thecleansing of one's mind: own thisis theteaching

of the Awakened. Patient endurance:

theforemost austerity. Unbinding:

the foremost,

sosaytheAwakened. He whoinjures another is no contemplative.

He who mistreats another,
no monk.

Not disparaging, injuring, not

restraint moderation in line with the Patimokkha, in food,

dwelling in seclusion, commitment to theheightened mind: thisis theteaching

of the Awakened. 183-185*

Not even it rained if goldcoins

would we have our fill

of sensual pleasures.
'Stressful,

theygive little enjoyment'knowing thewise this, one findsno delight even heavenly in sensual pleasures. He is onewhodelights in theending craving, of adisciple theRightly of
Self-Awakened One.
186-187

Theygoto many refuge, a

to mountains & forests,

to park& treeshrines: people threatened danger. with That'snot thesecure refuge, not thesupreme refuge, that's therefuge, not having gone which, to yougainrelease fromallsuffering stress. & Butwhen, having gone
to the Buddha, Dhamma,

& Sangha refuge, for yousee with rightdiscernment

the four noble truths-

53

stress,

the cause of stress,

thetranscending stress, of & thenoble eightfold path, thewayto thestillingof stress: that's secure the refuge, that,thesupreme refuge, thatis therefuge, having gone which, to yougainrelease fromall suffering stress, &
188-192*

It'shardto come by a thoroughbred aman. of It'ssimply true not that he's borneverywhere. Wherever born,anenlightened he's one, thefamilyprospers, is happy.
193

A blessing: thearising Awakened of Ones. A blessing: the teaching trueDhamma. of A blessing: the concord theSangha. of The austerity those concord of in is ablessing.
194

54

If youworship those worthyofworship,

-Awakened Onesor their discipleswho've transcended

complications,
lamentation,

& grief, whoareunendangered,

fearless,
unbound:

there's measure reckoning no for thatyourmerit'sthismuch/

195-196

55

xv:

HAPPY

How veryhappily live, we free fromhostility among those arehostile* who Among hostile people, freefromhostilitywedwell How veryhappily live, we freefrommisery among those aremiserable. who Among miserable people, freefrommisery dwell we Howveryhappily live, we freefrombusyness among those arebusy. who Among busy people, free frombusyness dwell we How very happily live, we wewhohave nothing.
We will feedon rapture

liketheRadiant gods.
197-200

Winninggives birth to hostility. Losing, liesdownin pain. one

The calmed lie down with ease,

having set winning& losing

aside.
2OI

There's firelikepassion, no noloss anger, like nopainliketheaggregates, no ease otherthanpeace. Hunger: foremost the illness. Fabrications: foremost the pain. Foroneknowing truth this asit actually is, Unbinding
is the foremost ease.

Freedom illness: foremost from the goodfortune.

Contentment: the foremost wealth.

Trust:theforemost kinship. Unbinding: foremost the ease.

202-204

Drinkingthenourishment,
the flavor, of seclusion & calm, one is freed from evil, devoid of distress,

57

refreshed with the nourishment

of rapturein the Dhamma,

205

It'sgood see to NobleOnes, Happytheircompany-always. Through seeing not fools constantly, constantly onewouldbehappy. For, livingwith afool, onegrieveslongtime. a
Painful is communion with fools,

aswith anenemyalways,
Happy is communion

with theenlightened, aswith agathering kin. of

So:

theenlightened mandiscerning, learned, enduring, dutiful,noble, intelligent, manofintegrity: a

follow him -one of this sort-

asthe moon,the path

of the zodiac stars,
206-208

xvi:

DEAR ONES

Having applied himself

to what was not his own task,

andnot having applied himself

to what was,

having disregarded goal the to grasp whathehelddear, at

he now envies those

who

keptafterthemselves,
took themselves to task. 209*

Don'tever-regardlessbeconjoined what's with dear

or undear.

It'spainful
not to see what's dear or to see what's not.

Sodon'tmake anything dear,

for it's dreadful to be far from what's dean No bonds are found for those for whom there's neither dear nor undean
2IO2II

59

Fromwhat's is borngrief, dear

from what's dear is born fear. For one freed from what's dear

there's grief no
-so how fear?

Fromwhat's loved borngrief, is

from what's loved is born fear. For one freed from what's loved

there's grief no
-so how fear?

Fromdelight borngrief, is fromdelight bornfean is Foronefreed fromdelight there's grief no

-so how fear?

Fromsensuality borngrief, is fromsensuality bornfean is Foronefreed fromsensuality there's grief no

-so how fear?

Fromcraving borngrief, is fromcraving bornfean is Foronefreed fromcraving

there's grief no
-so I how rear? r ;,
212-216 -

60

One consummate

in virtue SCvision,

judicious, speaking truth, the doinghisowntask:

the world holds him dean
217

If

you've given birth to awish

for what can'tbe expressed,
are suffused with heart,

yourmindnot enmeshed
in sensual passions:

you're to be said in theup-flowing stream.

218*

A manlongabsent
comes home safe from afar.

His kin, his friends,hiscompanions,

delight hisreturn. in Injust thesame way, when you've done good & gone fromthisworld to theworldbeyond, yourgooddeeds receive youas kin, someone dear
come home.
219-220

61

xvii:

ANGER

Abandon anger,
be done with conceit,

getbeyond every fetter.

When for name & form

youhave attachment no -have nothing allat no sufferings, stresses, no invade*

221

Whenanger arises, whoever keeps control firm asif with a racing chariot:
him I call a master charioteer.

Anyone else,
a rein-holderthat's all
222

Conqueranger

with lackof anger; bad,with good; stinginess, generosity; with

a liar, with truth,
223

62

Bytellingthetruth;
by not growingangry;

bygiving, whenasked, no matter howlittle youhave: bythese three things youenter presence devas. the of
224

Gentle sages, constantly restrained body, in goto the unwavering state where, having gone, there's grief, no
225

Those whoalways wakeful, stay training day& by night, by keen Unbinding: on

their effluents come to an end,
226

This has come down from old, Atula,

& notjust fromtoday: theyfind faultwith one

who sits silent,

theyfind faultwith one whospeaksgreat a deal, theyfind faultwith one

who measures his words. There's no one unfaulted in the world.

There never was, will be,

nor at present found is

anyone entirely faulted

or entirelypraised.
227-228

If knowledgeable praise people him, having observed him dayafterday

to be blameless conduct, in intelligent,
endowed with discernment & virtue:

likeaningotofgoldwho's fit to find fault with him?

Even devas praise him. Even Brahma praised. by he's

229-230

Guard against anger erupting body; in in body, restrained. be Havingabandoned bodilymisconduct, liveconducting yourself well in body. Guard against anger erupting speech; in in speech, restrained. be Havingabandoned misconduct, verbal liveconducting yourself well
in speech.
64

Guardagainst anger erupting mind; in

in mind, be restrained.

Having abandoned mental misconduct, liveconducting yourself well

in mind.

Those restrained body in -the enlightenedrestrained speech in mind in SC

-enlightenedare the ones whose restraint is secure. 231-234*

xvin

: IMPURITIES

You are now

likea yellowed lea Already

Yama's minions stand near.

You stand thedoorto departure at but have to provide yet for thejourney. Makeanisland yourself! for Workquickly! wise! Be With impurities blownaway all
unblemished,

you'llreach divinerealm the

of the noble ones.
You are now

right attheendofyourtime.
You are headed

to Yama's presence,

with no place restalong way, to the but have to provide yet for thejourney. Makean island yourself! for Workquickly! wise! Be
66

With impurities blownaway, all

unblemished,

youwon'tagain undergo birth

& aging.
235-238*

Justasa silversmith

stepby
step,

bit by

bit,'

moment

to

moment,

blowsaway impurities the

of molten silver-

so the wise man, his own.

239

Just asrust

-iron's impurityeats veryiron the

from which it is born,
so the deeds

of onewholives slovenly
lead him on to a bad destination.
240*

67

No recitation: ruinous the impurity

of chants, No initiative: of a household.

Indolence: beauty, of Heedlessness: guard. of a In awoman, misconduct animpurity. is In adonor, stinginess. Evil deeds therealimpurities are
in this world & the next.

Moreimpure thanthese impurities is theultimate impurity:

ignorance.

Havingabandoned impurity, this monks, you're impurity-free,

241-243

Life's to live easy

for someone unscrupulous,
cunning asa crow,

corrupt, back-biting,
forward, & brash;

but for someone constantly who's

scrupulous, cautious,
observant, sincere,

pure in hislivelihood,

clean hispursuits, in
it's hard,
244-245

68

Whoever kills, lies, steals,

goes someone wife, to else's

& is addicted to intoxicants,

digshimself up bythe root right here thisworld. in Soknow, goodman, my

that bad deeds are reckless.

Don'tletgreed unrighteousness & oppress with long-term you pain,

246-248

People give
in line with their faith,
in line with conviction.

Whoever flustered gets at food& drinkgiven others, to

attains no concentration

by dayor by night.
But one in whom this is

cut

through

up- rooted wiped out

attains concentration

by dayor by night.
249-250

69

There's firelikepassion, no no seizure anger, like

no snare like delusion,

no riverlikecraving,
251

Its easy see to

the errors of others,
but hard to see your own. You winnow like chaff

the errors of others,

but conceal ownyour likeacheat, unlucky an throw. If youfocus theerrors others, on of constantly finding fault, youreffluents flourish. You're fromtheirending, far
252-253

There's trail in space, no

no outsidecontemplative. People smitten are with complications,

but devoid complication of are theTathagatas, There's trail in space, no

no outsidecontemplative,
no eternal fabrications,

no wavering theAwakened, in
254-255*

70

xix : THE JUDGE To pass judgment hurriedly doesn't mean you're judge. a Thewise considering one, both therightjudgment wrong; & judges others impartiallyunhurriedly, linewith theDhamma, in guarding Dhamma, the guarded Dhamma, by intelligent: he's called judge, a
256-257*

Simply talkinga lot

doesn't mean one is wise. Whoever's secure-

no

hostility,
fear-

is said to be wise.

Simplytalkingalot
doesn't maintain the Dhamma. Whoever

-althoughhe's heard nextto nothingsees Dhamma through body, his

is not heedless of Dhamma: he'sone who maintains the Dhamma. 258-259*

A head grayhairs of
doesn't mean one's an elden

Advanced years, in
one's called an old fool But one in whom there is

truth, restraint,

rectitude, gentleness,
self-control-

he'scalled an elder,

hisimpurities disgorged, enlightened.

260-261

Not bysuave conversation or lotus-like coloring does envious, an miserly cheat become exemplary an man.
But one in whom this is

cut
upj

through
rooted

wiped outL

he's called 1 ' exemplary, hisaversion disgorged, intelligent. t>

262-263

72

A shaven head

doesn't mean contemplative. a The liarobserving duties, no filledwith greed desire: & whatkindof contemplative's he?
But whoever tunes out the dissonance

of hisevilqualities -large or smallin every way

bybringing to consonance: evil

he'scalleda contemplative.
264-265*

Begging others from

doesn't mean one's a monk.

As longasonefollows householders' ways,

one is no monk at all.

But whoever aside puts

both merit & evil and,

livingthechaste life, judiciously goes through world: the

he'scalled a monk.
266-267

73

Not bysilence
does someone confused

& unknowing
turn into a sage.
But whoever-wise,

asif holding scales, the takingtheexcellentrejects deeds: evil heis a sage, that's he's sage. how a Whoever weigh can
both sides of the world: that's how he's called a sage. 268-269*

Not by harming life

does one become noble. One is termed noble

for being gentle to alllivingthings.

270

Monk,
don't on account of

your precepts& practices,

great erudition,
concentration attainments,

secluded dwelling,
74

or thethought, touch 1
the renunciate ease

that run-of-the-mill people

don't know':

ever yourself complacent let get whentheending effluents of

is still unattained.
271-272*

75

xx : THE PATH

Of paths, eightfold best. the is Of truths,thefoursayings. Of qualities, dispassion. Of two-footed beings, theonewith theeyes
to see.

273*

Justthis

is thepath
-there is no other-

to purifyvision.
Follow it,
and that will be Mara's bewilderment.

Following it, youput anend to suffering stress. & I have taught thispath you having known-for yourknowingthe extraction of arrows.

Its for youto strive ardently. Tathagatas simply pointout theway.

Thosewho practice,

absorbed jhana: in
from Mara's bonds

they'llbefreed.
274-276*

Whenyousee with discernment, 'All fabrications inconstant'are yougrowdisenchanted stress. with This is thepath to purity. Whenyousee with discernment, 'All fabrications stressful'are yougrowdisenchanted stress. with This is thepath to purity. Whenyousee with discernment, All phenomenanot-self'are yougrowdisenchanted stress. with This is thepath
to purity.
277-279

At the time for initiative he takes no initiative.

Young, strong, lethargic, but

the resolves of his heart

exhausted,

thelazy, lethargic one loses path the

to discernment.
280

77

Guarded in speech,
well-restrained in mind,

do nothing unskillful in body. Purify

these three courses of action.

Bringto fruition thepaththatseers proclaimed, have

281

Fromstriving comes wisdom;

from not, wisdoms end.

Knowing these courses two

-to development,
decline-

conduct yourself sothat wisdom grow, will

282

Cut down

the forest of desire,

not the forest of trees. From the forest of desire

come danger fear. & Having downthisforest cut

& its underbrush, monks,
be deforested.

Foraslongastheleast
bit of underbrush of a man for women

is not cleared away,

the heart is fixated

likeasuckling calf
on its mother. Crush

yoursense self-allure of likeanautumn lily

in the hand.

Nurtureonlythepathto peace -Unbindingastaught theOneWellGone. by

283-285*

'HereI'll stayfor therains.

Here, for the summer & winter.'

Soimagines fool, the

unaware of obstructions.

That drunk-on-his'sons'&'cattle

man,

all tangled in themind: up death sweeps awayhim asagreat flood, a village asleep.
286-287

79

There are no sons

to giveshelter,
no father,

no family for oneseized the Ender, by no shelter among kin.

Conscious

of thiscompelling reason, thewise man, restrained virtue, by

shouldmakethe path pure

-right awaythatgoes theway Unbinding. all to

288-289*

80

xxi:

MISCELLANY

If, by forsaking
a limited ease,
he would see

an abundance of ease,

the enlightened man

would forsake the limited ease for the sake of the abundant.
290

He wants his own ease

bygiving others dis-ease.

Intertwined in the inter-

action hostility, of fromhostility

he's not set free.
291

In those who

reject whatshould,
& do what shouldn't be done

-heedless, insolent-

effluents grow.

81

But for those who

are well-applied, constantly, to mindfulness immersed thebody; in don't indulge

in what shouldn't be done

& persist
in what should

-mindful,

alert292-293*

effluents come to an end*

Having killedmother father, & twowarriorkings, thekingdom its dependency&

the brahman, untroubled, travels on.

Having killedmother father, & twolearned kings, &, fifth, atigerthe brahman, untroubled, travels on.
294-295*

Theyawaken, always awake: wide

Gotama's disciples

whose mindfulness, day& night, both is constantly immersed

in the Buddha,

82

Theyawaken, always awake: wide Gotama's disciples whose mindfulness, day& night, both
is constantly immersed
in the Dhamma,

Theyawaken, always awake: wide Gotama's disciples whose mindfulness, day& night, both is constantly immersed in theSangha, Theyawaken, always awake: wide
Gotama's disciples

whose mindfulness, day& night, both is constantly immersed in thebody. Theyawaken, always awake: wide
Gotama's disciples

whose hearts delight, bothday& night,

in harmlessness.

Theyawaken, always awake: wide Gotama's disciples whose hearts delight, bothday& night, in developing mind, the
296-301*

Hard is thelifegone forth, hard to delight in.

Hard is the miserable householder's life.

Its painful stay to with dissonant people,

painful to travelthe road. nor pained,
302

So be neither traveler

The man of conviction

endowed with virtue,

glory, wealth: & wherever goes he

he is honored* 303*

Thegoodshine fromafar like thesnowy Himalayas, The baddon'tappear

even when near,

likearrows into the night, shot

304

Sittingalone, resting alone, walking alone,

untiring.

Taming himself, he'd delight alonealone in the forest,

305

84

xxii

: HELL

He goes hell, to
the one who asserts

what didn't takeplace,

as does the one

who,having done, says, didn't/ 1 Both-low-actingpeoplethere become equal: afterdeath, theworldbeyond* in

306

An ochre robe tied 'round their necks,

many with evilqualities

-unrestrained,
in hell Better to eat an iron ball

evil-

rearise, because of their evil acts,

-glowing, aflamethan that, unprincipled&

unrestrained,

youshould the alms thecountry, eat of

307-308

Fourthings befall heedless the man

who lies down with the wife of another:

a wealth of demerit;

a lackofgoodsleep;
third, censure; fourth, hell A wealth of demerit, an evil destination,

& thebriefdelight a of
fearful man with a

fearful woman,

SC kinginflictsaharsh the punishment*

So

no man should lie down with the wife of another,

309-310

Justassharp-bladed grass, if wrongly held, wounds veryhandthatholdsitthe thecontemplative if wrongly life, grasped, drags downto hell you Anyslack act,
or defiled observance,

or fraudulent of chastity life bears great no fruit.

86

If something's bedone, to thenworkatit firmly, for a slack going-forth kicksup all themore dust.
It's better to leave a misdeed undone.

A misdeed burns afterward. you Better agooddeed done that be that,afteryou've done it, won'tmake burn. you
311-314

Like a frontier fortress,

guarded inside out, & guard yourself. Don'tlet themoment by. pass Those whomthemoment past for is grieve, consigned hell. to
315

Ashamed of what's not shameful, not ashamed of what is,

beings adopting wrong views goto abaddestination. Seeing danger where there none, is & no danger where there is, beings adopting wrong views goto abaddestination.

Imaginingerror wherethereis none,

andseeing errorwhere no there is, beings adopting wrong views goto abaddestination. Butknowing erroraserror,
and non-error as non-,

beings adopting rightviews goto agood

destination,
316-319

88

xxin

: ELEPHANTS

I-like anelephant battle, in enduring arrowshotfromabowan

will endure a false accusation,

for themass people of have no principles,

320

The tamed is the one

theytakeinto assemblies.
The tamed is the one

thekingmounts.
The tamed who endures a false accusation

is,among human beings,

the best.
321

Excellent are tamed mules,

tamed thoroughbreds,
tamed horses from Sindh.

Excellent, tamed tuskers,

great elephants.
But even more excellent are those self-tamed.

Fornot bythese mounts couldyougo

to the land unreached,

asthetamed goes one bytaming, well-taming, himself,

322-323

Thetusker, Dhanapalaka, deep rut, is hardto control in

Bound, he won't eat a morsel:
the tusker misses

theelephant wood.
324*

When torpid & over-fed, L

a sleepy-head about lolling likea stouthog,fattened fodder: on

a dullard enters the womb
over &

overagain,
325

Before, mindwentwandering this however pleased, it

wherever it wanted,

bywhatever thatit liked. way Today will holdit aptlyin checkI asonewielding goad, elephant rut, a an in
326

90

Delightin needfulness. Watchover yourownmind. Lift yourself up fromthehard-going way

like a tusker sunk in the mud.
327

If yougaina mature companionafellowtraveler, right-living, enlightenedovercoming dangers all gowith him,gratified,

mindful

If youdon'tgaina mature companiona fellowtraveler, right-living, enlightenedgo alone likea kingrenouncing kingdom, his like theelephant theMatanga in wilds,
his herd.

Goingalone better. is There's companionship afool. no with

Go alone,

doingno evil,atpeace, liketheelephant theMatanga in wilds.

328-330*

A blessing: friends whentheneed arises* A blessing: contentment whatever is. with there Merit at theending lifeis ablessing, of A blessing: the abandoning allsuffering of
& stress.

A blessing theworld: in reverence yourmother. to A blessing: reverence yourfatheraswell to A blessing theworld: in

reverence a contemplative. to

A blessing:

reverence abrahman, for too.

A blessing oldage virtue. into is A blessing: conviction established. A blessing: discernment attained. Thenon-doing evilthings of is ablessing.
331-333

92

xxiv:

CRAVING

Whenaperson heedlessly, lives hiscraving grows a creeping like vine.

He runs now here

& now

there,

asiflooking for fruit: amonkey theforest, in

334

If thissticky, uncouth craving overcomes in theworld, you yoursorrows growlikewild grass

after rain.

If, in theworld,youovercome thisuncouth craving, to escape, hard sorrows off you, roll
like water beads off a lotus,
335-336

To all of yougathered here I say: Goodfortune.

Dig up craving

-as whenseeking medicinal roots, grasswild by theroot.

93

Don'tlet Maracutyoudown
-as a ragingriver,a reedover & over again*
337"

If its root remains

undamagedstrong, &
a tree, even if cut,

will growback* Sotoo if latentcraving

is not rooted out,

thissuffering returns
again
&

again.
338

He whose36 streams,

flowing whatis appealing, strong: to are

the currents-resolvesbased passionon

carryhim,of base views, away. Theyflowevery whichway, streams, the but thesprouted creeper stays
in place.

Now,seeing thecreeper's that arisen, cutthrough root its

with discernment. 339-340*

94

Loosened & oiled

arethejoysofa person. People, bound enticement, by looking ease: for to birth & aging go. they
341*

Encircled craving, with

people hop 'round& around

likea rabbitcaught a snare. in

Tied with fetters & bonds

theygoon to suffering, again again, long. & for Encircled craving, with people 'round& around hop likea rabbitcaught asnare. in
So a monk

should dispel should aspire

for himself.

craving, to dispassion
342-343*

Cleared of the underbrush

but obsessedwith the forest, set free from the forest,

right back theforest runs. to he Come, theperson free see set whorunsrightbackto thesame chains! old
344

95

That's astrong not bond -so saytheenlightenedtheonemade iron,of wood, ofgrass. of or

To be smitten, enthralled,

with jewelsSC ornaments, longingfor children& wives:

that's strong the bond, -so saytheenlightenedonethat's constraining,

elastic,
hard to untie.

But having it, they cut -the enlightened-go forth, freeof longing, abandoning
sensual ease.

Thosesmittenwith passion
fallback

into a self-made stream,

like a spidersnared its web. in

But,having it, cut theenlightened forth, set free longing, of abandoning allsuffering stress. &
345-347*

Gone thebeyond becoming, to of youletgo of infront, letgoof behind, letgoof between.

With ahearteverywhere let-go, youdon'tcome again birth to

& aging.
348*

For a person

forced byhisthinking, on fierce hispassion, in focused beauty, on craving grows themore. all
He's the one

whotightens bond. the Butonewhodelights in the stillingof thinking, always mindful cultivating
a focus on the foul: He's the one

who will make an end,

the one who will cut Mara's bond. 349-350*

Arrived at the finish,

unfrightened, unblemished, free of craving, hascutaway he thearrows becoming. of This physical ishislast. heap Free fromcraving,
ungrasping,

97

astutein expression,

knowing combination soundsthe of

which comes first & which after. He's called a

last-body greatly discerning

great man.
351-352

All-conquering, all-knowing I, am with regard allthings, to unadhering* All-abandoning, released theending craving: in of having knownon myown, fully to whomshould point asmyteacher? I
353:

A gift of Dhamma conquers allgifts;

the taste of Dhamma, all tastes;

adelight Dhamma, in theending craving, of

all delights; all suffering

& stress. 354'

Riches ruin the man

weak in discernment,
but not those who seek

thebeyond.

Through craving riches for

the man weak in discernment ruins as he would himself others,
355

Fields spoiled weeds; are by people, passion. by Sowhat's given those to freeof passion bears great fruit. Fields spoiled weeds; are by people, aversion. by Sowhat's given those to
free of aversion

bears great fruit. Fields spoiled weeds; are by people, delusion. by Sowhat's given those to
free of delusion

bears great fruit. Fields spoiled weeds; are by people, longing. by Sowhat's given those to free longing of bears great fruit.
356-359

99

xxv:

MONKS

Restraint theeye good, with is good restraint theear. is with Restraint thenose good, with is good restraint thetongue. is with Restraint thebodyisgood, with good restraint speech. is with Restraint theheart good, with is good restraint is everywhere, A monkeverywhere restrained is released all suffering stress, from &
360-361*

Hands restrained,
feet restrained

speech restrained, supremely restraineddelighting whatis inward, in

content, centered, alone:

he'swhat they call 7

,

a monk, 362

100

A monkrestrained hisspeaking, in givingcounsel unruffled, declaring messagemeaning: the &

sweet his speech, is
363*

Dhamma dwelling, his Dhamma delight, his amonkpondering Dhamma, calling Dhamma mind, to does fall away not
from true Dhamma,
364

Gains:

don'ttreatyourownwith scorn, don'tgocoveting those others, of

A monk who covets those of others
attains no concentration,

Even hegetsnextto nothing, if he doesn't hisgains treat with scorn. Livingpurely, untiring:
he's the one

that the devas praise,

365-366

101

For whom, in name & form

in every way,
there's no sense of mine,

& whodoesn't grieve

for what's not:

he's deservedly called

a monk,
367

Dwelling kindness,monk in a with faith in theAwakened One's teaching, wouldattainthegoodstate, thepeaceful state: stilling'of-fabrications ease*
368*

Monk, bail out this boat.

It will takeyoulightlywhenbailed. Having through cut passion, aversion, yougofromthere Unbinding, to

369*

Cut through five, letgoof five, & develop above five all, A monkgone fiveattachments past
is said to have crossed the flood. 370*

IO2

Practice jhana, monk,

and don't be heedless.

Don'ttakeyourmindroaming
in sensual strands. Don't swallow-heedlessthe ball of iron aflame.

Don't burn & complain: 'This is pain.'

371

There'snojhana
for one with no discernment,
no discernment

for onewith nojhana. Butonewith bothjhana

& discernment:

he's theverge on of Unbinding.

372

A monkwith his mind at peace,

going an empty into dwelling, clearly seeing Dhamma the aright: hisdelight more is
than human. However it is, however it is he touches

thearising'&'passing aggregates: of hegains rapture joy: &

103

that, for those who know it, is deathless,

the Deathless.
373-374

Herethefirst things for a discerning monk are guarding senses, the

contentment,

restraint in line with the Patimokkha. He should associate with admirable friends.

Livingpurely, untiring, hospitable habit, by

skilled in his conduct,

gaining manifold a joy,

he will put an end

to suffering stress, &

375-376

Shed passion
& aversion, monks-

asajasmine would,
its withered flowers,
377

Calmed body, in
calmed speech, in
well-centered & calm,

having disgorged baitsoftheworld, the

a monk is called

thoroughly
calmed,
378

104

You yourself should reprove yourself, should examine yourself As aself-guarded monk with guarded self, mindful, dwellatease. you
379

Your own self is

your own mainstay.

Your own self is

yourownguide. Therefore should you watch yourselfover

as a trader, a fine steed.
380

A monkwith a manifold joy, with faithin theAwakened One's teaching, wouldattainthegood state, thepeaceful state: stilling-of-fabrications ease.
381*

A young monkwhostrives in theAwakened One's teaching, brightens world the

like the moon set free from a cloud.
382

105

'

"

xxvi:

BRAHMANS

Having striven, brahman,

cut the stream.

Expel sensual passions. Knowing ending fabrications, the of

brahman,

youknowtheUnmade.
383*

Whenthebrahman gone has to thebeyond twothings, of

then all his fetters

goto theirendhe who knows, 384*

Onewhose beyond or riot-beyond or beyond'&'not'beyond

cant be found; unshackled, carefree:
he's what I call a brahman,
385*

106

Sittingsilent, dustless, absorbed jhana, in histaskdone, effluents gone, ultimate attained: goal
he's what I call a brahman,
386

Bydayshines sun; the by night,themoon;

in armor, the warrior;

injhana, brahman. the Butall day& all night, every & every day night,
the Awakened One shines

in splendor,
387

He's called a brahman

for having banished evil, his

a contemplative

for livingin consonance, onegone forth for having forsaken

his own impurities,
388*

107

One should not strike a brahman,

nor should the brahman

let loose with hisanger.

Shame on a brahman's killer. More shame on the brahman

whose angers loose, let

389*

Nothing's betterfor thebrahman

than when the mind is held back

fromwhatis endearing not. &

However his harmful-heartedness wears away, that's how stress

simply comes rest, to

390*

Whoever nowrong does in body,

speech,
heart;

is restrained these in three ways:

he's what I call a brahman,
391

Theperson fromwhom youwouldlearntheDhamma taught theRightly by

Self-Awakened One:

youshould honorhim with respectasa brahman, the flame for a sacrifice,

392*

108

Not by matted hair, by clan, bybirth, or

is one a brahman. Whoever has truth & rectitude:

heis apureone,
he, a brahman.

What'stheuse yourmatted of hair, youdullard? What'stheuseof yourdeerskin cloak? Thetangle's inside you.
You comb the outside, 393-394*

Wearing cast-off rags -his bodylean& linedwith veinsabsorbed jhana, in

alone in the forest: he's what I call a brahman,
395

I don't call one a brahman

for being bornof amother or sprung fromawomb. He's called 'bho-sayer' a if hehasanything all. at Butsomeone nothing, with whoclings no thing: to
he's what I call a brahman, 396*

109

Havingcutevery fetter, hedoesn't ruffled. get Beyond attachment,

unshackled: he's what I call a brahman.
397

Havingcutthestrap thong, &

cord & bridle,

having thrownoff thebar,

awakened: he's what I call a brahman. 398"

He endures-unangeredinsult,assault, imprisonment. Sc His army strength; is hisstrength, forbearance:

he's what I call a brahman.
399

Free fromanger,
duties observed,

principled, no overbearing with pride,

trained,a last-body':
he's what I call a brahman. 400*

no

Like water on a lotus leaf,

a mustardseed on the tip of an awl, he doesn't adhere to sensual pleasures:

he's what I call a brahman,
401

He discerns here, right

for himself, on his own,
his own

ending stress. of
Unshackled, his burden laid down:
he's what I call a brahman. 402*

Wise, profound
in discernment, astute

asto what is the path

& what's not;

hisultimate attained: goal

he's what I call a brahman.
403

in

Uncontaminated

byhouseholders
& houseless ones alike;

livingwith no home,
with next to no wants: he's what I call a brahman*
404

Havingput aside violence

against beings fearful firm, or

he neither kills nor

getsothers kill: to
he's what I call a brahman.
405

Unopposing

among opposition,

unbound unclinging

among armed, the among those cling: who

he's what I call a brahman.

406

His passion, aversion,

conceit, & contempt,

have fallen awaylike a mustard seed

from the tip of an awl:

he's what I call a brahman.
407

112

He wouldsay what's non-grating,

instructive,
true-

abusing one: no
he's what I call a brahman.
408

Here in the world

hetakes nothing not-given -long, short, large, small,

attractive, not: he's what I call a brahman,
409

His longing this for

& for the next world

can't be found;

freefromlonging, unshackled:
he's what I call a brahman,
410

113

His attachments, his homes,

can't be found.

Through knowing, heis unperplexed, hasattained plunge the

into Deathlessness: he's what I call a brahman.

He hasgone beyond attachment here

for both merit & evil-

sorrowless, dustless, pure: &

he's what I call a brahman. 412*

Spotless, likethemoon pure, -limpid & calmhisdelights, becomings, his totallygone:

he's what I call a brahman.
413

114

He hasmade waypast his thishard-going path

-samsara, delusionhas crossed over,

hasgone beyond,
is free from want,

fromperplexity, absorbed jhana, in through no-clinging

Unbound: he's what I call a brahman,
414

Whoever, abandoning sensual passions here, wouldgoforth fromhomehissensual passions, becomings, totallygone:
he's what I call a brahman.

Whoever, abandoning craving here, wouldgo forthfromhomehiscravings, becomings, totallygone:

he's what I call a brahman.
415-416

115

Having behind left

the human bond,

having made way his past

the divine,
from all bonds unshackled: he's what I call a brahman*
417

Having behind left delight displeasure, & cooled, no acquisitionswith aherowhohasconquered

all the world,

every world:
he's what I call a brahman*
418

He knows every in way beings' passing away,

and their re-

arising;
unattached, awakened,

well-gone:
he's what I call a brahman,
419

116

He whose course don'tknow they -devas, gandhabbas;human & beingshis effluents ended, an arahant:
he's what I call a brahman.
420

He whohasnothing
-in front, behind, in between-

theonewith nothing whoclings no thing: to

he's what I call a brahman* 421*

A splendid conqueror, bull, hero, great seerfree from want, awakened, washed:
he's what I call a brahman.
422

He knows

his former lives.

He sees

heavens & states of woe,

hasattained theending birth, of is a sage whohasmastered full-knowing, his mastery totallymastered:

he's what I call a brahman.
423*

117

HISTORICAL NOTES: THE TEXT & THE TRANSLATION

There are many versionsof the Dhammapada now extant: several recensions the PaliDhammapada of from
Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, and Thailand; two

incomplete manuscripts a GandhariDharmapada of foundin centralAsia;and a manuscript a Buddhist of Hybrid-Sanskrit Dharmapada in a library Tibet, found in calledthe PatnaDharmapada because photographs of this manuscript nowkept in Patna, are India.Thereis alsoa Chinese translation the Dharmapada of madein the third centuryC.E. from a Prakrit original,now no longerextant,similarto-but not identical with-the Pali Dhammapada. Partsof a Dharmapada text are included in the Mahavastu, text belongingto the a Lokottaravadin Mahasanghika schoolIn addition, there
are Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Chinese versions of a text

called Udanavarga, the whichis knownin at leastfour recensions, of them containing many versesin all common with the Dhammapada/Dharmapada (Dhp) texts. To further complicate matters,there areJain anthologies contain that verses clearly related some to of those foundin these Buddhist anthologies well. as Despitethe manysimilaritiesamongthesetexts, theycontain enough discrepancieshave to fueled small a

119

scholarly industry. The differentrecensions the Pali of Dhp containsomanyvariantreadings thereisn't that yet-evenaftermore thana century Western of scholarshipon thetopic-a single edition covering all The them discrepancies among Pali andnon-Pali the versions are even greater. Theyarrange verses different in orders, each contains verses foundin the others, among not and the verses different in versions are that related, similarity the in terms imagery messagesometimes tenuous. of or is fairly Fortunately anyone for looking theDhpfor spiritual to guidance, differences the among various the recensionsthough many number-range importance fairly in in from minorto minorin theextreme. Allowingfor a fewobviousscribal errors, noneof themfall outside paleof the whathaslongbeen accepted standard as earlyBuddhist
doctrine as derived from the Pali discourses. For exam-

ple,doesthe milk in verse comeout, or doesit curdle? 71

Is the bond in verse 346 subtle, slack, or elastic?Is the

brahman verse happy, is hepure? all practical in 393 or For purposes, these questions hardlymatter. They become important whenoneis forced takesides choosonly to in ing whichversion translate, even to and thenthe nature of thechoice likethat of aconductor is deciding whichof themany versions a Handel of oratorio perform. to Unfortunately the translator, for though,the scholarly discussions havegrownaroundtheseissues that have tended blowthemall out of proportion, the to to point where they call into question authenticity the of the Dhp as a whole.Because scholars the who have
120

devoted themselvesthis topichave to come with such up contradictory advice thepotential for translator-including the suggestion it's a waste time to translate that of some the verses all-we need sort throughthe of at to discussions see to what, any, if reliable guidance give. they Thosewhohave worked the issues on raised the by variant versions Dhp have, andlarge, of by directed the discussion figuring whichversion theoldest to out is and
most authentic, and which versions are later and more

corrupt.Lacking outside any landmarks against which the versions be sighted, can scholars attempted have to reconstruct whatmusthave been earliest the version by triangulating among textsthemselves. textual the This trigonometry tends relyon assumptions among to from the following three types: i) Assumptions concerning is inherently earlier what an or later formofa verse. These assumptions the leastreliare ableof the three,for they involveno truly objective
criteria. If, for instance, two versions of a verse differ in

that oneis more internally consistent theother,the than consistentversion will seemmore genuineto one
scholar, whereasanother scholar will attribute the con-

sistency latereffortsto "clean theverse. to up" Similarly,

if one version contains a rendition of a verse different

from all other renditions of the same verse, one scholar

will seethat asa signof deviance; another, a signof as theauthenticity mayhave that predated laterstandarda izationamong texts. the Thustheconclusions drawnby
different scholarsbasedon theseassumptionstell us

121

moreaboutthe scholars' presuppositions they do than

about the texts themselves.

2) Assumptions concerning meter theverses questhe of in tion. Oneof thegreat advances recent scholarship in Pali hasbeen rediscovery themetrical the of rulesunderlying earlyPali poetry.As the Buddha himselfis quotedas
saying,"Meter is the structural frameworkof verses."

(S.i.60) Knowledge metricalrules thus helpsthe of editoror translator whichreadings a verse spot of deviate from the structure of a standard meter, and which

onesfollowit. Theoretically obvious the choice would be to adoptthe latterandrejectthe former. practice, In however, issue not soclear-cut. the is EarlyPalipoetry dates froma timeof great metrical experimentation, and sothereis always possibility a particular the that poem wascomposed an experimental in meter that never achieved widespread recognition. Thereis alsothepossibility that-as the poetrywasspontaneous oral-a and
fair amount of metrical license was allowed. This means

that the more"correct" formsof a verse have may been the productsof a later attemptto fit the poetry into
standard molds. Thus the conclusions based on the

assumption standard of meters not astotallyreliable are astheymightseem. 3) Assumptions concerning languagewhich origithe in the nalDhpwas composed. assumptions first These require an extensive knowledge MiddleIndiedialects. scholar of A will assumeparticular a dialect have to been original the language the text,andwill furthermake of assumptions
122

aboutthe typesof translation mistakes mighthave that beencommon whentranslating from that dialectinto
the languages the texts we now have.The textual of

trigonometry based these on assumptions involves often suchcomplicated methods sighting computation of and that it canproduce "original" an version the text that of is just that: veryoriginal,coinciding with noneof the
versions extant. In other words, where the current vari-

antsof averse mightbea,b,andc,the added assumption aboutthe Dhp's originallanguage the ineptitude and of ancient translators copyists and leads the conclusion to
that the verse must have been d. However, for all the

impressive eruditionthat this method involves, even not the mostlearned scholar offeranyproofasto what can the Dhp's originallanguage In fact,aswewill conwas. siderbelow, is possible the Buddha-assuming it that that he wasthe authorof the verses-composed poetry in more thanonelanguage, more and thanoneversion of a particularverse. aswith the first setof assumpSo, tions,themethods triangulation of based anassumed on original language the Dhptell usmore of about indithe vidualscholar's position thantheydo abouttheposition
of the text.

Thus,although scholarship the devoted the differto ent recensions the Dhp hasprovided useful of a service in unearthing manyvariant so readings thetext,none of of the assumptions in tryingto sort throughthose used readings "theoriginal"Dhp have to anydefinite for led conclusions. Their positivesuccess beenlimited has

123

mainlyto offeringfood for academic speculation and educated guesses. On the negative though, have side, they succeeded in accomplishing something totally useless: wholesale a sense distrustfor the earlyBuddhisttexts,and the of poetictextsin particular. the textscontain many If so varying reports, feeling the goes, if their translators and andtransmitters wereso incompetent, cananyof how thembe trusted? This distrustcomes from accepting, unconsciously, assumptions the concerning authorship and authenticity within whichour modern, predominately literate culture operates: onlyoneversion a that of verse couldhave beencomposed its originalauthor, by andthat all otherversions mustbe latercorruptions. In termsof the Dhp, this comes downto assuming that there onlyoneoriginalversion the text,andthat was of it was composed asingle in language. However, these assumptions totally inappropriare atefor analyzing oral culturein whichthe Buddha the taughtand in whichthe verses the Dhp werefirst of anthologized. welook carefully the nature that If at of culture-and in particular clear at statements the from earlyBuddhisttextsconcerning events princithe and plesthat shaped thosetexts-we will seethat it is perfectly natural there that should avariety reports be of aboutthe Buddha's teachings, of which might be all essentially correct. terms theDhp, wecanviewthe In of multiple versions thetext asasign, of faultytransof not mission, of anallegiance their oralorigins. but to

124

Oral prose poetryareverydifferentfrom their and

written counterparts. This factis obvious even our own in
culture. However, we have to make an active effort of the

imagination comprehend expectations to the placed on oral transmission between speakers listeners a and in
culture where there is no written word to fall back on. In

sucha setting, verbal the heritage maintained is totally throughrepetitionandmemorization. speaker A with something to sayhasto repeat oftento different new it audiences-who, theyfeelinspired themessage, if by are expected memorize least essential to at its parts. Because communication face-to-face,speaker particularly is a is prized for an ability to tailor his/her message the to
moment of communication, in terms of the audience's

background from the past,its stateof mind at present, anditshoped-for benefits thefuture. in This puts a double imperative both the speaker on andthelistener. speaker choose The must his/herwords with an eye both to howtheywill affect audience the in the presentand to how they will be memorizedfor
future reference. The listener must be attentive, both to

appreciate immediate the impactof the wordsand to memorize themfor futureuse.Althoughoriginalityin teaching appreciated, onlyoneof a constellation is it is of virtuesexpected a teacher. of Other expected virtues include knowledge common a of culture anabilityto and playwith that knowledge the desired for effect terms in of immediateimpactor memorability. Pali Dhp The (verse itselfmakes point in comparing actof 45) this the

125

teaching, to creating not something totally newout of nothing, but to selecting amongavailable flowersto create pleasing a arrangement rightfor theoccasion. just
Of course, there are situations in an oral culture

whereeither immediateimpact or memorabilityis emphasized the expense the other.In a classroom, at of listening impact sacrificed theneeds listening for is to of for memorization, whereas a theater, emphasis in the is
reversed. All indications show, however, that the Buddha

asa teacher especially was sensitive both aspects to of

oral communication, and that he trained his listeners to

besensitive bothaswell.On theonehand, repetito the tious styleof manyof his recorded teachings seems to have beenaimed hammering at theminto the listeners memory; also,at the endof manyof his discourses, he wouldsummarize mainpointsof the discussion the in
an easy-to-memorizeverse.

On theother hand, there many are reports instances of in whichhislisteners gained immediate Awakening while listening hiswords. to And,there a delightful is section in oneof his discourses Samannaphala (the Suttanta, D.2) satirizing teachers otherreligious the of sects their for inabilityto break away fromthe formulaic mode their of teachings give direct to a answer specific to questions ("Its asif, when asked about mango, were answer a one to with
a breadfruit,"one of the interlocutorscomments,"or, when

asked about breadfruit, answer a mango.") a to with The Buddha, contrast, famous hisabilityto speak in was for directly hislisteners' to needs.
126

This sensitivity bothpresent to impact futureuse and is in linewith twowell-known Buddhist teachings: first, the basic Buddhist principle causality, an acthas of that repercussions in thepresent on into the future; both and second, Buddha's the realization, on in histeaching early career, some hislisteners that of wouldattainAwakening immediately hearing words, on his whereas others would be ableto awaken aftertakinghis words, only contemplating them, puttingtheminto prolonged and practice. A survey the Buddha's of prose discourses recorded in the PaliCanon gives ideaof howthe Buddha an met the double demands placed him asateacher. some on In cases, respond a particular to to situation, wouldforhe mulate entirely an originalteaching. others, would In he simplyrepeat formulaicanswer he kept in store a that for general eitherteachings use: originalwith him, or moretraditionalteachings-sometimes lightly tailored, sometimes not-that fit in with his message. still In others,he would take formulaicbits and pieces, and combine them in a newwayfor the needs hand.A at survey his poetryreveals same of the range material: of originalworks;setpieces-originalor borrowed, occasionally altered linewith the occasion; recyclings in and of oldfragments new in juxtapositions. Thus, althoughthe Buddhainsistedthat all his teachings had the sametaste-that of release-he taughtdifferent variations the theme that tasteto on of differentpeople differentoccasions, line with his on in perception theirshort-andlong-term of needs. reciting In

127

averse aparticular to audience, mightchangeword, he a a line, or an image, fit in with their backgrounds to and
individual needs*

Addingto thispotential variety thefactthat for was the people northern of Indiairr histime spoke number a
of different dialects, each with its own traditions of

poetryandprose. The Pali Cullavagga (v*33*i) records the Buddha insisting his listeners as that memorize his teachings, in a standardized franca, in their not lingua but own dialects* Thereis no wayof knowingwhetherhe himself multi-lingual was enough teach of his stuto all
dents in their own dialects,or expected them to make

the translations themselves* it seems Still, likelythat,as

a well-educated aristocrat of the time, he would have

been fluentin at least or three the mostprevalent two of

dialects. Someof the discourses-suchas D*2i-depict

the Buddhaasan articulate connoisseur poetryand of song, wecanexpect hewouldalsohave so that been sensitiveto the special problems involved the effective in translation poetry-alive,for instance, the factthat of to skilledtranslation requires morethansimplysubstituting equivalent words* The Mahavagga (v*i3*9) reports that the Buddha listened, with appreciation, a monk as fromthe southern country Avantirecited of some his of teachings-apparently the Avanti dialect-in his in presence* Althoughscholars oftenraised have questions aboutwhichlanguage Buddhaspoke, might be the it moreappropriate remain to opento the possibility that he spoke-and couldcompose poetryin-several*This

128

possibility makes question "the"originallanguage the of or "the" original of the Dhpsomewhat text irrelevant, The textssuggest even that duringthe Buddha's lifetime his students made efforts to collect and memorize a

standardized of histeachings body underarubricof nine categories: dialogues, narratives mixed of prose verse, and explanations, verses, spontaneous exclamations, quotations,birth stories, amazing events, question answer and sessions. However, actof collecting memorizing the and waspursuedby only a sub-group amonghis monks, whileothermonks, nuns, laypeople and doubtlessly had their ownindividual memorized stores teachings of they hadheard directly fromtheBuddha indirectly or through thereports theirfriends acquaintances, of and The Buddha theforesight ensure thisless had to that standardized fund of memories be discounted not by latergenerations;the same at time,he established norms so that mistaken reports, deviating from the principles of his teachings, wouldnot be allowed creep the to into accepted body of doctrine.To discourage fabricated reportsof his words,he warned that anyone who put wordsin his mouthwasslandering (A.n.23). him This, however, could in no way preventmistakenreports based honest on misunderstandings. shortlybefore So,
his death, he summarizedthe basic principles of his

teachings: 37Wings to Awakening the (bodbi-pakkkiya dhamma-see note to verse 301)in the general framework of the development virtue,concentration, of and discernment, leading release. to Thenhe announced the

129

general norms whichreports his teachings to by of were

be judged* The Mahaparinibbana Suttanta (D,i6)

quotes assaying: him "Thereis the case where monksays a this:In the Blessed One'spresence I heardthis, in the have
Blessed Onespresence haveI received this*,,Inthe

presence a community of with well-known leading elders,,,In monastery manylearned a with elders who know the tradition,,Jn the presence a of
singleelderwho knowsthe tradition haveI heard

this, in his presence I received This is have this: the Dhamma, this is the Vinaya, this is the
Teachers instruction/ His statement is neither to

be approved scorned. nor Without approvalor

scorn, take careful note of his words and make

themstandagainst discourses tally them the and againstthe Vinaya,If, on makingthem stand against discourses tallying themagainst the and the Vinaya, find thattheydon'tstand you with the discourses tally with the Vinaya, mayconor you
clude: 'This is not the word of the Blessed One;

this monkhasmisunderstood it'-and youshould reject But if,,,they it. stand with the discourses and tally with the Vinaya, mayconclude: you 'This is
the word of the Blessed One; this monk has

understood rightly,'" it Thus,a reportof the Buddha's teachings to be was judged, not on the authority of the reporter or his sources, on theprinciple consistency: it fit in but of did
130

with whatwasalready knownof the doctrine? prinThis ciplewasdesigned ensure nothing oddswith to that at the original wouldbe accepted the standard into canon, but it did openthepossibility teachings linewith that in the Buddha's, not actually yet spoken him, mightfind by their wayin* The earlyredactors the canon of seem to have been alertto this possibility, not overly but worried by it. As theBuddha himself pointed many out times, he did not design create Dhamma, simplyfound or the He it in nature. Anyone whodeveloped pitch of mental the strengths abilities and needed Awakening for coulddiscover same the principles well ThustheDhamma as was by nomeans exclusively his. This attitudewascarriedoverinto the passages of the Vinayathat citefour categories Dhammastateof ments: spoken the Buddha, by spoken his disciples, by spoken seers by (non-Buddhist sages), spoken heavby enlybeings. long asa statement in accordance As was with the basic principles, question whofirst stated the of it did not matter.In an oral culture,wherea saying mightbe associated a person with because authored he it, approved repeated often, inspired byhis/her it, it or it words actions, question authorship not the or the of was overriding concern has since it become literateculin tures. recent The discovery evidence a number of that of teachings associated the Buddha have with may pre-or post-datedhis time would not havefazedthe early Buddhists all,aslongasthose at teachings in accorwere dance theoriginal with principles.

131

Shortly after the Buddha's passingaway, the

Cullavagga reports, disciples to agree a (xi) his met on standardized of histeachings, canon abandoning earthe lier nine-foldclassification organizing material and the into something approaching canon havetoday. the we Thereis clear evidence some thepassagesthe that of in extant canon not dateto thefirst convocation, they do as report incidents took place that afterwards. quesThe tion naturally arises to whetherthereareanyother as lateradditions soobvious. not This question particuis larly relevant with regard textslike the Dhp, whose to organizationdiffers considerably from redactionto redaction, leads and naturally the furtherquestion to of
whether a later addition to the canon can be considered

authentic. Cullavagga The (xi.ui) recounts incident an that sheds on thisissue: light Now at that time,Ven.Purana wandering was on a tour of the Southern Hills with a large community of monks,approximately in all. Then, 500 having stayed longashe likedin the Southern as Hills while the eldermonkswerestandardizing the Dhamma Vinaya, wentto the Bamboo and he Park,the Squirrels' Sanctuary, Rajagaha. in On
arrival, he went to the elder monks and, after

exchanging pleasantries, to oneside. hewas sat As sittingthere, theysaidto him, "Friend Purana, the Dhamma Vinayahave and beenstandardized by
the elders. Switch over to their standardization."

[He replied:] "The Dhammaand Vinayahave

132

been well-standardized the elders. by Still I will

hold simply to what I haveheardand received in the presence the Blessed of One."
In other words, Ven. Parana maintained-and

undoubtedly taughtto his followers-a recordof the Buddha's teachings layoutside standardized that the version,but was nevertheless authentic. wehave As already noted, thereweremonks, nuns,andlaypeople him like even whilethe Buddha alive, there was and wereprobably others him whocontinued like maintaining personal memories the Buddha's of teachings afterthelatter's even death. This storyshows officialearlyBuddhist the attitudetowardsuchdifferingtraditions: each accepted the trustworthiness the others. time passed, of As some of the early communitiesmay havemadean effort to
include these "external" records in the standardized

canon, resulting various in collections prose verse of and passages. range these The of collections wouldhave been determined the materialthat wasavailable or by in, could be effectivelytranslatedinto, eachindividual dialect. Their organization wouldhave depended the on
taste and skill of the individual collectors. Thus, for

instance, findverses thePaliDhpthatdonot exist we in in otherDhps,aswellasverses the Patna Gandhari in and Dhpsthatthe Palitradition assigns theJataka Sutta to or Nipata. alsofind verses oneredaction We in composed of linesscattered among several verses another. any in In
event,the fact that a text wasa later addition to the stan-

dardized canon doesnot necessarily that it wasa mean

133

later invention.Given the ad hoc wayin which the Buddha sometimes taught, and the scattered natureof thecommunities memorized teachings, later who his the additions thecanons simply to may represent earlier traditionsthatescaped standardization relatively until late. When Buddhists began committing their canons to writing,approximately the beginning the common at of era,theybroughta great change the dynamic how to of theirtraditions were maintained. advantages The ofwritten over oral transmission are obvious: the texts are saved them die before

from the vagaries humanlong-term of memory do and

not die out if those who have memorized

teaching others memorize aswell Thedisadvanto them tages writtentransmission, of however, less are obvious but no less Not onlyisthere possibility scribal real. the of
error, but-because transmission is not face-to-face-

there alsobethesuspicionscribal can of error.If a reading seems strange a student, hasno wayof checking to he with the scribe, perhaps several generations distant,to seeif the readingwasindeeda mistake.When confronted with such problems, may"correct" reading he the to fit in with his ideasof what mustbe right, evenin cases wherethe reading correct, its perceived was and strangeness simplya resultof changes the spoken was in dialect of hisownlimitedknowledge imagination. or and The fact that manuscripts otherversions the text of of werealsoavailable comparison suchinstances for in could have scribes homogenize texts, led to the removing

134

unusual variants whenthe variants even themselves may have gone backto theearliest ofthetradition. days These considerationshowtheDhp mayhave of been handed downto the present-andespecially possithe bility that (i) variant recensions might all be authentic, and that (2) agreement among recensions the might be the resultof later homogenization-have determined the wayin whichI haveapproached translation this of thePaliDhp. Unlikesome otherrecent translators,am I treating Pali Dhp asa text with its ownintegritythe just as eachof the alternative traditions has its own integrity-and have tried to homogenize various not the
traditions. Where the different Pali recensions are unan-

imousin their readings, in cases even where reading the seems strange (e.g., 209,259, 71, 346),I have stuckwith the Pali without trying to "rectify" it in light of less unusual readings givenin the othertraditions. Only in
cases where the different Pali redactions are at variance

with oneanother, the variants and seem equally plausible, have I checked the non-Pali texts to see which

variant theysupport. translation is drawnfrom The here threeeditionsof the text: the Pali Text Society (PTS) edition editedby O. von Hiniiber and K.R. Norman (1995); OxfordeditioneditedbyJohn Ross the Carter andMahindaPalihawadana, together with its extensive notes(1987); the RoyalThai edition of the Pali and Canon (1982). PTS The editiongives mostextensive the list of variantreadings among Pali recensions, the but
135

evenit is not complete. The RoyalThai edition, for example, contains preferred 8 variant 49 and readings not given the PTS in version all Passages I have at where differed fromthePTS reading citedin theEndNotes. are Drawing selectively various on recensionsthisway in I cannot guarantee the resulting that reading the Dhp of corresponds exactly theBuddha's to words, to anyone or
text that once existed in ancient India, However, as I

mentioned the beginning this note,all the recenat of sionsagree their basicprinciples, the question in so is immaterial truetestof thereading-andthe resultThe ingtranslation-is if the reader engaged feels enough by the verses put their principles practice finds to into and that theydo indeed to the release the Buddha lead that taught. thefinalanalysis, In nothing really else counts.

136

END NOTES

(Numbers toverses) refer 1-2: The factthat thewordmano paired is here with dhamma wouldseem suggest it is meant its role to that in as"intellect"the sense medium that conveys knowledge of ideas mental or objects possible (two meanings the for
word dhamma).However, the illustrations in the second

sentence each of verse showthat it is actually meant in its roleasthemental factorresponsible thequalityof for
one's actions(as in mano-kamma), factor of will and the

intention, shaping onlymental not events, alsophysibut calreality(onthispoint,see S.xxxv.145), following Thus,
a Thai tradition, I have rendered it here as "heart,"

The images these in verses carefully are chosen. The cart,representing suffering, aburden theoxpulling is on it, andthe weightof its wheels obliterates ox's the track. Theshadow, representing happiness,no weight the is on bodyat all. All Pali recensions this verse of givethe reading, manomaya made the heart,whileall other recenof sions the reading give manojavaimpelled theheart, by
7-8: Focused on the foul: A meditative exercisein

focusing the foul aspects the bodyso asto help on of undercut andattachment the body(see lust for M,ii9), A,in,i6 gives standard a definition restraint for with the
137

senses: "Andhow does monkguardthe doorsto his a

sense faculties? There is the case where a monk, on

seeing formwith the eye, a does grasp anytheme not at or particulars which-if he wereto dwellwithout by restraintover the faculty of the eye-evil, unskillful qualities suchasgreed distress or mightassail him. He practices restraint. guards faculty theeye. with He the of He achieves restraint with regard the facultyof the to eye, (Similarly with the ear,nose, tongue, body& intellect,)This is howa monkguards doors his sense the to
faculties,"

11-12: Wrongresolves mental = resolves sensualfor ity, ill will, or harmfulness. Right resolves mental = resolves freedom sensuality, freedom for from for fromill
will, and for harmlessness,

17-18: "Destination"

in these two verses and

throughout text means destination death, the ones after 21: The Deathless Unbinding = (nibbana/nirvana), whichgives release thecycle death rebirth, from of and 22: "The range the nobleones": of the four of Any stages Awakening, well asthe total Unbinding of as to whichtheylead. The four stages (i) stream-entry, are: at
whichoneabandons first threemental the fetters tying one

to the roundof rebirth:self-identity views, uncertainty, andgrasping precepts practices; once-returning, at and (2) atwhichpassion, aversion, delusion further and are weakened; non-returning, whichsensual (3) at passion and irritationareabandoned; (4) arahantship, which and at

138

the final fivefettersareabandoned: passion form; for passion formless for phenomena, conceit, restlessness, andignorance* otherreferences the "range the For to of
noble ones,"see92-93and 179-180*

37: "Lying in a cave":According to the Dhp Commentary (hereafter referredto as DhpA), "cave" heremeans physical the heart,aswell asthe four great properties-earth (solidity), water (liquidity), fire (heat),and wind (motion)-that makeup the body. Sn.iv.2 compares bodyto acave. also the 39: According DhpA,"unsoddened to mind"means oneinto whichthe rainof passion doesn't penetrate (see
13-14);"unassaulted awareness"means a mind not

assaulted anger. by "Beyond merit & evil":The arahant is beyond merit andevilin that he/she noneof the has mentaldefilements-passion, aversion, delusionor
that would lead to evil actions, and none of the attachments that would cause his/her actions to bear

kammic fruit of anysort,good bad. or 40: "Without settlingthere, without layingclaim": twomeanings thewordanivesano. of 42: A.vii.6o illustrates point with seven this ways that a personharms him/herselfwhenangry, bringing on results an enemy that wouldwish:He/shebecomes ugly,sleeps badly, mistakes profit for lossand lossfor profit, loseswealth, loseshis/her reputation, loses friends,and actsin sucha way that-after deathhe/she reappears abadrebirth. in

139

44-45* "Dhamma-saying": is a translation This for the term dhammapada. ferret out the well-taught To Dhamma-saying means select appropriate to the maxim to applyto a particular situation, the same that a in way flower-arranger chooses right flower, the froma heap of available flowers 53),to fit into a particular (see spotin the arrangement, learner-on-the-path":person "The A whohasattained of the first three the four stages any of of Awakening note22). (see 48: According DhpA, the End-maker death. to is Accordingto anotherancientcommentary, Endthe
maker is Mara*

53: The last line of the Pali here can be read in two

ways,either"even manya skillful thing shouldbe so, doneby oneborn & mortal"or "even manya skillful so, thing shouldbe donewith what's born & mortal"The first readingtakesthe phrase jatenamaccena, & born mortal, as being analogous the flower-arranger to implicit in the image. second The takes asanalogous it to theheap flowers of explicitly mentioned. thissense, In "what'sborn & is mortal" would denoteone'sbody,
wealth, and talents*

54-56:Tagara a shrubthat, in powdered = form,is used aperfume. as A.m.79explains howthescent the of a virtuous person against windandwaftsto the goes the devas, saying thosehumanandcelestial by that beings who knowof the goodcharacter a virtuousperson of will broadcast good one's name all directions. in

140

57'"Rightknowing": knowledge full Awakening. the of 71: "Doesn't-like readymilk-come out right away": Palirecensions thisverse the verbmucAll of give cati-"to come out" or "tobe released"-whereas DhpA agrees the Sanskrit with recensions reading verb in the
as if it were mucchati/murckati, "to curdle." The former

reading makes moresense, in terms theimage both of of the poem-which contrastscoming with staying out hidden-andwith the plain fact that freshmilk doesn't curdleright away. Chinese The translation Dhp supof portsthis reading, do two of threescholarly as editions of thePatna Dhp. 79: "Drinking the Dhamma,refreshedby the Dhamma":two meanings the word, dhammapiti. of "Clear calm": meanings vipasannena. ... two of 83: "Standapart":reading cajanti with DhpA and many Asianeditions. 86: The syntax this verse of yieldsthe bestsense if we takeparam meaning as "across," not as"the far and
shore."

89: Factors self-awakening for = mindfiilness, analysis of qualities, persistence, rapture, serenity, concentration, andequanimity. 92-93:"Havingunderstood .... independent food of nutriment": first question theNovice's The in Questions (Khp 4) is "Whatis one?" answer: animals The "All subsiston nutriment." concept food andnutriment The of hererefers the mostbasicwayof understanding to the
141

causal principlethat playssuch a centralrole in the Buddha's teaching. S,xn,64pointsout, "Thereare As these nutriments theestablishing beings four for of who have takenbirth or for the support those search of in of a placeto be born. Which four?Physical nutriment, gross refined; or contact the second, as consciousness the third, andintellectual intention fourth" Thepresent the verses makethe point that the arahanthas so fully understood process physical mental the of and causality that he/sheis totally independent it, and thus will of never birth again. take Such person a cannot comprebe hendedby any of the forms of understanding that
operate within the causal realm.

94: "Such (tadin)": adjective to describe an used one whohasattained goalof Buddhist the practice, indicating that the persons stateis indefinable not subject but to change influences anysort."Rightknowing": or of the knowledge full Awakening. of 95: Indra's pillar = a postsetup at the gate a city. of According DhpA, therewasan ancientcustomof to worshipping this post with flowers and offerings, although those whowanted showtheir disrespect to for
this customwould urinateand defecate the post. In on eithercase, post did not react, the

97: This verse a series puns. negative is of The meaningsof the punsareon the left sideof the slashes; the positive meanings, theright.Thenegative on meanings are soextremely negative theywere that probably intended to shock their listeners. scholar suggested the One has that
142

lastword-uttamaporiso, ultimateperson-should the alsobe readasa pun, with the negative meaning, "the extreme audacity," that wouldweaken shock of but the
value of the verse*

100: According DhpA, the wordsabassam to in this and the following verses means the thousands" "by ratherthan"athousand" same The principle wouldalso seem hold for satam-"by the hundreds" to ratherthan
"a hundred"-in 102,

108: "Doesn't come a fourth":DhpA: The merit to produced all sacrificial by offerings given theworldin in the course a yeardoesn't of equal even fourthof the one meritmade paying by homage to onewhohasgone once thestraight to Unbinding, way
121-122: wont cometo me')":The Thai edition "(It

reads line asna mattam this agamissati"[Thinking]it won't amount to much "

126: Heaven and hell, in the Buddhist view of the

cosmos, not eternalstates. are One maybe rebornon

one of the various levels of heaven or hell as the result of

one's kamma the humanplane, thenleave on and that levelwhen particular that store kamma of wears out. 143: Sometranslators proposed the verb have that apabodheti, translated as "awakens" here should be changed appam to bodheti, think little of" This, how"to ever, against sense theverse of arecurrent goes the of and image the Canon, the better-bred horse, in that the the
more sensitive is evento the idea of the whip, to say it

nothing thewhipitself See, example, of for

The question raised this verse answered S.i.iS: in is in

Those restrained conscience by

are rare-

those go through who life always mihdfuL Havingreached end the of suffering stress, & theygo through whatis uneven evenly; gothrough whatis out-of-tune
in tune*

152: Muscles: This is a translation of the Pali man-

sani,whichis usuallyrendered this verse "flesh," in as However, because Paliword is in the plural form, the "muscles" seems accurate-and more more thepoint. to I53'I54: DhpA:These verses theBuddha's were first utterance after his full Awakening. somereason, For they are not reportedin any of the other canonical accounts theevents of following theAwakening. on DhpA: "House"= selfhood; house-builder crav= ing. "House" may also refer to the nine abodes of beings-the seven stationsof consciousness two and spheres Khp 4 and0.15). (see
The word anibbisam 153can be read either as the in

negative gerund nibbisati of ("earning, gaining reward") a or asthe negative gerundof nivisati, alteredto fit the meter, meaning "coming a rest, to settled, situated." Both readings makesense the context the verse, the in of so
144

word is probablyintendedto havea doublemeaning:

without reward, without rest,

157: "Thethree watches thenight": istheliteral of this meaning theverse, DhpA shows theimage of but that of stayingup to nursesomeone the night is meantto in standfor beingwakefulandattentivethroughout the threestages life:youth,middleage, old age. of and The point here that it is never early too lateto wake is too or up andbeginnurturingthegoodqualities mind that of will leadto one's benefit. thispoint,see true On A,m,5i52, where the Buddha counsels two old brahmans,

nearing endof theirlifespan, begin the to practicing generosity along with restraint thought, in word,anddeed, 162: DhpA completes imageof the poemby the saying one's bringsaboutone's that vice owndownfall, just asa maluvacreeper ultimatelybringsabout the downfall thetreeit overspreads. note42, of See 164:A bamboo plantbears onlyonce, then fruit and
dies soon after,

165: "No one purifiesanother. other purifies No one,"Theseare the two meanings the one phrase, of nanno annam visodhaye. 166: A,iv,95listsfour typesof people descending in
order: those devoted to their own true welfare as well as

that of others, those devoted to their own true welfare but not that of others, those devoted to the true welfare
of others but not their own, and those devoted neither to their own true welfare nor that of others. S.XLVII.IQ

makes point thatif oneis truly devoted one's the to own

welfare, others automatically benefit, thesame in way

that an acrobat maintaining his/herownbalance helps his/herpartner balanced well stay as
170: Sn,v.i5 reports a conversationbetween the

Buddha the brahman and Mogharaja apoint simiwith

lar to that of this verse:

Mogharaja:
How does one view the world so as not to be seen

byDeaths king?
The Buddha:

Viewtheworld,Mogharaja,
as empty-

always mindful to have removed view any

about self

This wayoneis above beyond & death.

This is how one views the world so as not to be seen

by Death's king,
176: This verseis also found at Iti*25, wherethe con-

text makes clearthemeaning ckam of dhammam,"this or onething":theprinciple truthfulness. of 178:Thefruit of Stream Entryis the firstof thefour

stages Awakening note22).A person has of (see who

146

attained Stream Entry-entry into thestream flows that inevitably to Unbinding-is destinedto attain full Awakening within at mostseven lifetimes, never falling
below the human state in the interim,

183-185: These verses a summary a talk called are of

the Ovada Patimokkha, which the Buddha is said to

havedelivered an assembly 1,250 to of arahants the in first yearafterhis Awakening, Verse is traditionally 183 viewed expressing heart the Buddha's as the of teachings. 191: The noble eightfold path: right view,right resolve, speech, action, right right right livelihood, right effort,right mindfulness, concentration, right 195-196: Complicationspapanca. = Alternative translationsof this termwouldbe proliferation, elaboration, exaggeration. term is usedboth in philosophical The
contexts-in connection with troubles and conflict-

and in artistic contexts, in connection with excessive

detailandelaboration, states: M,i8 "Dependent eye on & forms, eye-consciousness Themeeting thethree arises. of is contact. With contact a requisite as condition, there is feeling. What one feels, apperceives one (labels the in mind).What oneapperceives, thinksabout.What one one thinks about,onecomplicates. Based what a on personcomplicates, apperceptions categories the & of complication assail him/herwith regard past, to present, & futureforms cognizable theeye, via [Similarly with the othersenses,] Now,with regard thecause to whereby the apperceptions categories complication & of assail a person: thereis nothingthereto relish,welcome, if or
147

remain fastened thenthatis theendof theunderlying to, tendencies passion, irritation,to views, uncerto to to tainty, to conceit, to passionfor becoming,& to ignorance. That is the endof takingup rods& bladed weapons, arguments, of quarrels, disputes, accusations, divisive tale-bearing, false & speech. is where That these evil,unskillful things cease withoutremainder," 209: This verse playswith the various meanings of yoga(task, striving, application,meditation) and a related term,anuyunjati (keeping something, after taking someone task). place the Palireading to In of attanuyoginam, "those whokept afterthemselves," PatnaDhp the reads atthanuyoginam, who kept after/remained "those devoted thegoal," to 218: "The up-flowingstream": DhpA: the attainment of non-returning, third of the four stages the of Awakening note22\ (see 231-233:Bodily misconduct= killing, stealing, engaging illicit sex. in Verbal misconduct lies,divisive = speech, harsh speech, chatter. idle Mentalmisconduct = covetousness, wrong ill will, views, 235:Yama thegodof the underworld, = Yamas minionsor underlings werebelieved appear a person to to just prior to themoment death, of 236:Impurities, blemishes passion, = aversion, delusion, and their variouspermutations, includingenvy, miserliness, hypocrisy, boastfulness. and

148

240: "Onewholives slovenly": DhpA makes As clear, thisrefers onewhouses requisites food,clothing, to the of
shelter, and medicine without the wisdom that comes

with reflecting theirproper The Palitermhere on use. is atidhonacarin, a compound around word dhona, built the whichmeans clean pure.The ati- in the compound or couldmean "overly," yielding, overly thus "one scrupulous in hisbehavior," it canalsomean but "transgressing," thus, "transgressing against what is clean"= "slovenly" The latter readingfits betterwith the imageof rust asa deficiency theiron resulting in fromcarelessness.
254-255:"No outsidecontemplative": true conNo

templative, defined a person as whohasattained of any the four stages Awakening, of exists outside the pracof ticeof the Buddha's teachings note22).In D.i6,the (see Buddha quoted teaching final student: any is as his "In doctrine& discipline where nobleeightfold the path is not found, no contemplative the first...second... of
third...fourth order [stream-winner, once-returner, non-

returner, arahant]is found.But in anydoctrine& or discipline where nobleeightfold the pathis found,contemplatives the first...second...third...fourth are of order found. Thenoble eightfold pathis foundin thisdoctrine & discipline, right heretherearecontemplatives and of the first...second...third...fourth Other teachings order. areemptyof knowledgeable contemplatives. if the And monks dwellrightly, worldwill not beemptyof arathis hants." thenoble (On eightfold path,see note191.)
On "complication," note195-196. see

149

256-257* sense theverse, The of confirmed DhpA, by suggests the Pali worddhammattho that means "judge." This,in fact,is thetheme tyingtogether verses this the in chapter. duty of ajudgeis to correctly The determine attba, word that denotes a both "meaning" "judgand ment," these senses the wordbeingconnected two of by the fact that thejudgemustinterpretthe meanings of wordsused rulesandprinciples see in to howtheycorrectly apply theparticulars a case thathecanpass to of so a correctverdict. The remaining verses this chapter in giveexamples interpreting in anappropriate of attha way 259: "Sees Dhamma throughhis body":The more
common expression in the Pali Canon is to touch

Dhamma throughor with the body(phusati phassati, or he touches, ratherthanpassati, sees). Sanskrit he The recensions the PatnaDhp all supportthe reading, and
"he would touch," but all Pali recensions are unanimous

in thereading, sees" "he Some scholars regard latter this reading a corruption theverse; personally it a as of I find more strikingimage thecommon than expression, 265: This verse playswith a numberof nounsand verbs related the adjective to sama, whichmeans "even," "equal," pitch," "in tune"Throughout "on or ancient cultures, terminology music used describe the of was to the moral qualityof people acts. and Discordant intervals or poorly-tuned musical instruments weremetaphors for
evil; harmonious intervals and well-tuned instruments,

for good.Thus in Pali,samana, contemplative, or also means personwho is in tune with the principlesof a
150

Tightness truth inherent nature. and in Hereandin 388, I've attempted givea hint of theseimplications to by associating word"contemplative" "consonance" the with
268-269: This versecontainsthe Buddhist refutation

of the ideathat "those knowdon'tspeak, who those who speak don'tknow" For anotherrefutationof the same idea, D.I2.In Vedic see times, sage a (muni) a person was who took a vowof silence (mona) wassupposed and to gain specialknowledgeas a result. The Buddhists adoptedthe term muni, redefined to showhow but it true knowledge attained howit expressed was and itself in the sage's actions. a fuller portrait of the ideal For Buddhist sage, A.m.23 Sn.i.i2. see and
271-272: This versehas what seemsto be a rare construction, in which na + instrumental nouns + a verb in

the aoristtense gives forceof a prohibitive the ("Don't, on account x, do y"). "The renunciate that runof ease of-the-millpeople don'tknow," according DhpA, is to thestate non-returning, third of thefour stages of the of Awakening note22).Because (see non-returners still are attached subtle to states becoming thelevel form of on of andformlessness, DhpA drives homethe message that evennon-returners shouldnot be complacent paraby phrasing passage A.I (203 theThai edition;at a from in the endof Chapterxix in the PTS edition)that reads,
"Just as even a small amount of excrement is foul-

smelling, the same I do not praise in way even small a amount becoming, even muchasa fingersnap." of not as

273: The four truths: stress,its cause,its cessation,

and the path to its cessation (which is identicalto the

eightfold path).See note191. 275:"I have taught thispath":reading you akkhato vo maya maggo the Thai edition,a reading with supported by the Patna Dhp, "Having known-for yourknowing": two ways interpreting of whatis apparentlyplayon the a Paliword,annaya, whichcanbe eitherbe the gerund of ajanati thedative anna. theextraction arrows or of On of
asa metaphor the practice, ML63 M,105, for see and

285:Although firstwordin thisverse, the ucchinda, literally means "crush," "destroy," "annihilate," found I have no previous English translation renders accordingly. that it Mosttranslate as"cutout" or "uproot," it whichweakens theimage. theroleplayed self-allure leading On by in the
heart to becomefixated on others,seeA,vn,48,
288: Ender = death,

293:Mindfulness immersed thebody= thepractice in of focusing thebodyatall times on simply a phenomeas non in andof itself,asa wayof developing meditative absorption (jhana) removing sense attraction and any of to, distress or identification thebody, over, with M.119 the lists following practices instances mindfulness as of immersed in the body:mindfulness breathing, of awarenessthe of four postures the body (standing, of sitting, walking, lying down),alertness all the actionsof the body, to analysis thebodyinto its 32parts, of analysis it into its of four properties (earth, water, wind),andcontemplafire, tion of thebody's inevitable decomposition death. after
152

294* This verse the onefollowing useterms and it with ambiguous meaningsto shock the listener. According DhpA,mother= craving; to father= conceit; twowarriorkings= views eternalism onehasan of (that identity remaining constant throughall time) and of annihilationism one's (that consciousness is totallyannihilatedat death);kingdom= the twelvesense spheres (the senses sight,hearing, of smell,taste,feeling, and ideation, together with their respective objects); dependency passions thesense = for spheres, 295: DhpA:two learned kings= views eternalism of and annihilationism; tiger = the pathwhere tiger a the goes food,i.e.,the hindrance uncertainty, else for of or all five hindrances (sensual desire, will, torpor & ill lethargy,restlessness anxiety,and uncertainty). & However, Sanskritliterature, in "tiger"is a term for a powerful eminent and man; that is whatis meant if here, thetermmaystand anger. for
299: See note 293.

301:"Developing mind"in terms the37Wings the of to Awakening: fourframes reference the of (ardent, mindful alertness body,feelings, to mind states, mental and qualities andof themselves), fourrightexertions in the (to abandon avoid unskillful and evil, mental qualities, to and fosterandstrengthen skillfulmental qualities), four the bases power of (concentration on desire, based persistence, intentness, discrimination), fivestrengths five and the and faculties (conviction, persistence, mindfulness, concentration,anddiscernment), seven the factors self-awakening for
153

(see 89),andthenoble note eightfold (see path note191). For a full treatment of this topic, seeTheWings to Awakening (DhammaDana Publications, 1996),
303: DhpA: Wealth = both materialwealthandthe

seven formsof noblewealth(ariya-dhana): conviction,

virtue, conscience,concern (for the results of evil

actions), erudition, generosity, discernment. 324: DhpA:Dhanapalaka a noble was elephant captured for the king of Kasi. Although given palatial
quarters with the finestfood, he showed interest,but no

thoughtonlyof the sorrow motherfelt, alone the his in

elephant wood,separated from herson,

329-330: DhpA:The bull elephant named Matanga, reflectingon the inconveniences living in a herd of crowded with she-elephants youngelephants-he and was pushed around hewentinto theriver, to drink as had muddied water, to eatleaves others already had that had nibbled, etc.-decided he wouldfind more that pleasure in livingalone. story His parallels of theelephant that the Buddha in theParileyyaka met Forest (Mv.x.4.6-7). 337:This verse provides Buddhist a twistto thetypical benedictions found in worksof kavya. Insteadof expressingwish that the listeners a meetwith wealth, fame, status, otherworldlyforms good or of fortune, this verse describes highest the goodfortune, whichcanbe accomplished throughone's only ownskillful kamma: the uprooting craving the resulting of and stateof total
freedom from the round of death and rebirth. A similar

154

twist on the themeof good fortune is found in the Mangala Sutta(Khp.5, Sn.n.4), whichteaches the that bestprotective charm to develop is skillfulkamma, ultimatelydeveloping mind to the point whereit is the untouched thevagaries theworld. by of
339: 36 streams= three forms of desirefor eachof the

internal external and sense spheres note294)-3 x 2x (see 6 = 36. According onesub-commentary, three to the formsof desire desires are focused the present, on past, andfuture. According another, arecraving sento they for suality, craving becoming, craving no-becoming. for and for 340: "Every whichway":Reading sabbadbi the with Thai andBurmese editions. The creeper, according to DhpA, is craving, which sends thoughtsout to wrap around objects, its whileit itselfstays rooted themind. in 341:This verse contains impliedsimile: terms an the "loosened oiled," & here applied joys,were to commonly
used to describe smooth bowel movements.

343: For the variousmeanings that attano-"for

himself"-can
"slack"-does

havein this verse,seenote 402.

not fit in this verse, but all the Pali

346: "Elastic": The usual translation for sithilam-

recensions unanimous this reading,so I have are on chosen nearsynonym does. a that The Patna Dhp renders this term as "subtle," whereas the Tibetan

commentary the Udanavarga to explains line asa the whole asmeaning "hard for the slackto untie."Both alternatives sense, maybeattempts "correct" make but to

155

a termthat couldwell have originally meant 'elastic/' a meaning gotlostwith thepassage time, that of 348: DhpA: In front = the aggregates the past; of behind= the aggregatesthe future;in between the of = aggregates present. alsonote385. of the See
350: "A focus on the foul": A meditative exercisein

focusingon the foul parts of the body so asto help undercut andattachment thebodySee lust for note7-8. 352:'Astutein expression, knowing combination the
of sounds-which comes first & which after": Some ara-

hants, addition theirabilityto overcome of their in to all

defilements, are also endowed with four forms of acumen

(patisambhida), of whichis acumen one with regard to expression (nirutti-patisambhida), i.e.,a totalmastery linof guistic expression. talent particular have This in must been ofinterest theanthologist(s) put together Dhp. to who the "Last-body": Because arahant not be reborn, an will thispresent bodyis his/herlast. 353:According M.26andMv.i.6.7, of thefirst to one peoplethe Buddhamet after his Awakening an was ascetic who commented the clarity of his faculties on andasked who his teacher This verse part of was. was
the Buddha's response.
354: This versecontainsseveralterms relatedto aes-

thetics. Bothdhamma (justice) dana and (gift/generosity) are sub-typesof the heroic rasa, savor.(Seethe or Introduction.) third sub-type the heroic-yuddha The of (warfare)-is suggested the verb"conquer," by which
156

occurs four timesin the Pali.Rati(delight/love) the is

emotion(bhava) corresponds the sensitive In that to rasa.

effect, verse saying thehighest the is that forms rasa of and emotion those are related Dhamma; highest to the expressionoftheheroic Dhamma is in theending craving. rasa of
360-361: See note 7-8.

363: "Counsel": the contextof Indian literary In theory, is the meaning thewordmania, this of whichcan alsomean "chant." literarycontext The seems be the to properonehere. 368: "Stilling-of-fabrications thetrue ease ease": and freedom experienced all fiveaggregates stilled. when are 369: DhpA:The boat= one's personhood own (attabhava, body-mind the complex); waterthat needs the to be bailedout = wrongthoughts (imbued with passion,
aversion, delusion). or

370: DhpA:Cut through = thefivelowerfetters five that tie the mind to the roundof rebirth(self-identity
views,uncertainty, grasping precepts practices, at & sen-

sualpassion, irritation);let go of five= the fivehigher fetters (passion form,passion formless for for phenomena,conceit, restlessness,ignorance); & develop = five the fivefaculties (conviction, persistence, mindfulness,
concentration, discernment); attachments passion, five =
aversion, delusion, conceit, views. 381: See note 368.

157

383: This verse,addressed a member of the brahto

man caste,is one of the few in Dhp where the word

brahman usedin its ordinary is sense, indicating as caste

membership,and not in its specialBuddhist sense as

indicating arahant. an 384: DhpA: two things = tranquility meditation andinsightmeditation* 385:DhpA:This verse refers a person hasno to who
senseof "I" or "mine," either for the senses("not-

beyond") their objects or ("beyond"). passage The may

also refer to the sense of total limitlessness that makes

theexperience Unbinding of totallyineffable, reflected as in thefollowing conversation (Sn.v.6):

Upasiva:
He who has reached the end:

Does he not exist,

or is hefor eternity fromdis-ease? free Please, declare to me sage, this asthisphenomenon been has knownbyyou.
The Buddha: One who has reached the end has no criterion

bywhichanyone wouldsay thatit doesn't exist for him.

Whenall phenomena done are away with, allmeans speaking done of are away with aswelL
388: Stains= the impuritieslisted in note 236,On
"consonance,"seenote 265,

389: The word "anger" hereis added from DhpA, whichinterprets "lettingloose" the actof retaliatthe as ing with anger against one's assailant. Sometranslators read"brahman" the subjectnot only of the second as
line, but also the first: "A brahman should/would not

strikea brahman However, reading unlikely, " this is for

a brahman(in this context,an arahant)would not strike

anyone all If a brahman at retaliates anger being with to struck,that is a signthat he is not a truebrahman: thus moreshame him for havingassumed statusnot on a truly his*On the topicof howto react violentattack, to
see M.2i and M .

390: "What's endearing not":In thephrase & manaso piyehi, piyehi be read can straight it is,as"endearing," as or asan elided formof apiyehi, endearing" former "not The reading morestraightforward, giventhe reference is but
to "harmful-heartedness" in the next line, the latter read-

ingserves tie the stanza to together. is alsoconsistent It with thefactthatDhpA takes verse bea continuathis to tion of 389. Giventhe wayin whichkavya cultivated a tastefor ambiguities multipleinterpretations, and both readings have may been intended. 392: "Brahmin" is used its ordinary here in sense, as indicating castemembership, not in its special and Buddhist sense indicating arahant, as an 393:"He is apureone": reading suci 50 with the Thai edition,a reading supported the Chinese by translation of theDhp.

159

394' In Indiaof the Buddha's matted day hair,etc, were regarded visible as signs spiritual of status* 396: "Bho-sayer"-Brahmins addressed othersas "bho" a wayof indicating as their (thebrahmans') superior caste* he hasanything" "If (reading cewith the sa Burmese edition)= if he/she claimto anything lays as
his/her own*

398:DhpA: strap= hatred; thong= craving; = cord 62 forms of wrong view (listed in the Brahmajala Suttanta,D*i); bridle = latent tendencies (sensuality, becoming, anger, conceit, views, uncertainty, ignorance)* 400: "With no overbearing pride":readinganussadam theThai andBurmese with editions* "Last-body":
see note 352*

402:"For himself, hisown, ownending stress": on his of threedifferent ways that the oneword attano functions
in this verse*

411: According to DhpA, "attachments/homes (alayaf = cravings* "Knowing":the knowledge full of

Awakening (anna).
412: See note 39* 421: See note 348*

423: The formsof mastery listedin thisverse correspondto the three knowledges that comprisedthe Buddha's Awakening:knowledge previouslives, of knowledge howbeings of passawayandarerebornin thevarious levels being, knowledge theending of and of of theeffluents maintain process birth* that the of

160

GLOSSARY

Aggregate (khandha): Any oneof the fivebases for clingingto a sense self:form (physical of phenomena, including the body), feelings,perceptions(mental labels), thought-fabrications, consciousness. Arahant: A "worthyone"or "pureone;"a person
whose mind is free of defilement rebirth. and thus is not destined for further A title for the Buddha and the

highest of hisnoble level disciples. Becoming (bhava):States being develop of that first in the mind and allowfor birth on anyof threelevels: the levelof sensuality, levelof form,andthe levelof the
formlessness.

Brahma:An inhabitant the highest, of non-sensual

levels of heaven.

Brahman:The Brahmans India have of longmaintained they, their birth,areworthyof thehighest that by respect.Buddhistsborrowedthe term "brahman" to applyto arahants showthat respect earned by to is not birth, race, caste, by spiritual or but attainment through following right pathof practice. the Mostof theverses in the Dhammapada thewordbrahman this special use in sense; thoseusingthe word in its ordinary sense are
indicated in the notes.

161

Deva: Literally, "shining one." inhabitant the An of heavenly realms,

Dhamma: (1) Event;a phenomenon and of itself; in

(2) mentalquality;(3) doctrine, teaching; nibbana. (4)

Sanskrit form: Dharma.

Effluent (asava): One of four qualities--sensuality, views, becoming, ignorance-that"flowout" of the and
mind rebirth. and create the flood of the round of death and

Enlightened (dhira): Throughout translaone this

tion I have rendered buddhaas "Awakened," and dhira as

"enlightened." JanGonda As pointsout in his book,The Vision theVedic the worddhira used Vedic of Poets, was in and Buddhist poetry to meana personwho has the heightened powers mental of visionneeded perceive to the "light" of the underlying principles the cosmos, of together with the expertise implement to thoseprinciplesin the affairsof life and to revealthem to others.A

person enlightened this sense alsobe awakened, in may but is not necessarily so. Fabrication(sankhara):Sankhara literallymeans "putting together/' and carriesconnotations jerryof rigged artificiality. is applied physical to mental It to and processes,wellasto theproducts those as of processes. In some contexts functions thefourthof thefiveaggreit as gates-thought-fabrications; in others, covers five. it all
Gandhabba: Celestial musician,a member of one of
the lower deva realms.

162

Heart (manas): The mind in its role as will and

intention.

Indra: King of the devasin the Heavenof the Thirty-three. Jhana:Meditative absorption. state strong A of concentration, devoidof sensuality unskillfulthoughts, or focused a single on physical sensation mentalnotion or whichis then expanded fill the wholerange one's to of awareness. Jhanais synonymous right concentrawith tion, the eighthfactorin the nobleeightfold path (see
note 191).

Kamma: Intentionalact,bearing fruit in termsof states becoming birth. Sanskrit of and form:karma. Mara: The personification evil,temptation, of and
death.

Patimokkha: Basiccodeof monastic discipline, composed 227 of rules monks 311 nuns. for and for Samsara:Transmigration; "wandering-on"; the the
round of death and rebirth.

Sangha: On the conventional (sammati) this level,

term denotes the communities of Buddhist monks and

nuns; the ideal(ariya) on level, denotes it those followers of the Buddha, or ordained, lay who haveattainedat least stream-entry note22). (see
Stress(dukkha): Alternativetranslations dukkha for

includesuffering, burdensomeness, andpain.Howeverdespite unfortunate the connotations haspickedup it

163

from programsin "stress-management" "stressand reduction"-theEnglish wordstress, its basic in meaning asthe reaction strainon the bodyor mind,hasthe to advantage covering of muchthe same range the Pali as worddukkha. applies to physical mental It both and phenomena, ranging fromtheintense stress acute of anguish
or pain to the innateburdensomeness eventhe most of

subtlementalor physical fabrications. alsohasthe It advantage beinguniversally of recognized something as directlyexperienced all life,andis at the same in timea usefultool for cuttingthroughthe spiritualpride that keeps people attached especially to refinedor sophisticatedformsof suffering: onceall suffering, matter no how nobleor refined,is recognized beingnothing as morethanstress, mind canabandon pridethat the the keeps attached that suffering, so gainrelease it to and fromit. Still, in some theverses theDhammapada, of of stress seems weak convey meaning, in those too to the so verseshave I rendered dukkha pain, as suffering,suffering or
& stress.

Tathagata: Literally, whohas "one become authentic (tatha-agata)," who is reallygone(tatha-gata)" or "one an epithet usedin ancientIndia for a personwho has attained highest the religious goal In Buddhism, usuit ally denotes Buddha, the althoughoccasionally also it denotes of hisarahant any disciples, Unbinding (nibbana):Because nibbana usedto is denote only the Buddhist not goal,but alsothe extinguishing a fire,it is usually of rendered "extinguishing" as
164

or, even worse, "extinction" However, studyof ancient a Indianviewsof the workings fire (see Mind Like of The FireUnbound) reveals people the Buddha's that of time felt that a fire,in goingout, did not go out of existence but was simplyfreed fromits agitation, entrapment, and
attachment to its fueL Thus, when applied to the

Buddhist goal, primaryconnotation nibbanaone the of is of release, along with cooling peace, and Sanskrit form:
nirvana.

165

ABBREVIATIONS

A D

Anguttara Nikaya DighaNikaya

Dhp Dhammapada/Dharmapada DhpA Dhammapada Commentary

Iti Itivuttaka

Khp

Khuddakapatha

Majjhima Nikaya

Mv Mahavagga PTS PaliTextSociety S

Sn

Samyutta Nikaya
Sutta Nipata

166

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Brough, John, ed. The GandhariDharmapada. London: OxfordUniversity Press, 1962.

Carter, JohnRossandMahindaPalihawadana, trans.

anded.The Dhammapada. York:OxfordUniversity New

Press, 1987

Cone,Margaret. "PatnaDharmapada, Part I: Text,"

inJournal the Text of Pali Society, 1989:101-217. xm, Dhammajoti, BhikkhuKualaLumpur, trans, ed. and TheChinese Version Dharmapada. of Kelaniya, Lanka: Sri Postgraduate Institute PaliandBuddhist of Studies, 1995. Gonda, TheVision theVedic The Hague: Jan. of Poets.
Mouton, 1963. von Hiniiber, O., and K.R. Norman, eds. Dhamma-

pada. Oxford: The PaliTextSociety, 1995. Norman, K.R., trans. The Wordof theDoctrine. Oxford: ThePaliTextSociety, 1997. Warder, A.K. Indian Kavya Literature, i and n, vols.
2nd rev.eds.Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1989and 1990.

In addition to the above works, I have also consulted

manyprevious Englishtranslations renderings and of the Dhammapada, complete incomplete, and including
167

thoseby Ven.AnandaMaitreya,Babbitt,Beyer, Ven. Buddharakkhita,Byrom, Cleary,Kaviratna, Vens.

Khantipalo and Susanna, Mascaro,Ven, Narada,Ven,

Piyadassi, Radhakrishnan, Wannapok, well as and as Thai translations Plengvithaya Wannapok. by and In
addition, I have consulted translations of the Udana-

varga-again,complete incomplete-by Sparham and and Strong*I havealsodrawn from the RoyalThai Edition of the Pali Canon,published Mahamakut by Rajavidalaya Bangkok, Press, 1982*

168

THE DHAMMA PUBLICATION

DANA FUND

is dedicated bringing long-standing to a Buddhist traditionto America making by high-quality books Buddhist on teachings
available for free distribution.

For further information, write:

THE BARRE DHAMMA CENTER DANA FOR PUBLICATION BUDDHIST FUND STUDIES

149 LOCKWOOD BARRE, MA

ROAD USA

OIOO5

Dhamma Publications
"

Dana

Barre
Massachusetts