Dhammapada: A Translation€¦ · Many other English translations are already available–the fingers of at least five people would be needed to count them–so I suppose that a new

DhammapadaATrans lat i on

WITHANINTRODUCTION&NOTES

by

ThanissaroBhikkhu

(GeoffreyDeGraff)

2

COPYRIGHT 2014THANISSARO BHIKKHU

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Abbreviations

AN AnguttaraNikaya

DN DighaNikaya

Dhp Dhammapada/Dharmapada

DhpA DhammapadaCommentary

Iti Itivuttaka

Khp Khuddakapatha

MN MajjhimaNikaya

Mv Mahavagga

PTS PaliTextSociety

SN SamyuttaNikaya

Sn SuttaNipata

4

Preface

AnothertranslationoftheDhammapada.

ManyotherEnglishtranslationsarealreadyavailable–thefingersofatleastfivepeoplewouldbeneededtocountthem–soIsupposethatanewtranslationhastobejustified,toprovethatit’snot“just”anotherone.Indoingso,though,I’drathernotcriticizetheeffortsofearliertranslators,forIowethemagreatdeal.Instead,I’llaskyoutoreadtheIntroductionandHistoricalNotes,togainanideaofwhatisdistinctiveabouttheapproachIhavetaken,andthetranslationitself,whichIhopewillstandonitsownmerits.TheoriginalimpulseformakingthetranslationcamefrommyconvictionthatthetextdeservedtobeofferedfreelyasagiftofDhamma.AsIknewofnoexistingtranslationsavailableasgifts,Imademyown.

Theexplanatorymaterialisdesignedtomeetwiththeneedsoftwosortsofreaders:thosewhowanttoreadthetextasatext,inthecontextofthereligioushistoryofBuddhism–viewedfromtheoutside–andthosewhowanttoreadthetextasaguidetothepersonalconductoftheirlives.Althoughthereisnoclearlinedividingthesegroups,theIntroductionisaimedmoreatthesecondgroup,andtheHistoricalNotesmoreatthefirst.TheEndNotesandGlossarycontainmaterialthatshouldbeofinteresttoboth.VersesmarkedwithanasteriskinthetranslationarediscussedintheEndNotes.Paliterms–aswellasEnglishtermsusedinaspecialsense,suchaseffluent,enlightenedone,fabrication,stress,andUnbinding–whentheyappearinmorethanoneverse,areexplainedintheGlossary.

InadditiontotheprevioustranslatorsandeditorsfromwhoseworkIhaveborrowed,IoweaspecialdebtofgratitudetoJeanneLarsenforherhelpinhoningdownthelanguageofthetranslation.Also,JohnBullitt,GilFronsdal,CharlesHallisey,KarenKing,AndrewOlendzki,RuthStiles,ClarkStrand,PaulaTrahan,andJaneYudelmanofferedmanyhelpfulcommentsthatimprovedthequalityofthebookasawhole.Anymistakesthatremain,ofcourse,aremyownresponsibility.

ThanissaroBhikkhu(GeoffreyDeGraff)

Me t t a F o r e s t M o n a s t e r y

Va l l e y C e n t e r , C A 9 2 0 8 2 - 1 4 0 9

D e c e m b e r , 1 9 9 7

5

Introduction

TheDhammapada,ananthologyofversesattributedtotheBuddha,haslongbeenrecognizedasoneofthemasterpiecesofearlyBuddhistliterature.OnlymorerecentlyhavescholarsrealizedthatitisalsooneoftheearlymasterpiecesintheIndiantraditionofkavya,orbelleslettres.

ThistranslationoftheDhammapadaisanattempttorendertheversesintoEnglishinawaythatdoesjusticetobothofthetraditionstowhichthetextbelongs.Althoughitistemptingtoviewthesetraditionsasdistinct,dealingwithform(kavya)andcontent(Buddhism),theidealsofkavyaaimedatcombiningformandcontentintoaseamlesswhole.Atthesametime,theearlyBuddhistsadoptedandadaptedtheconventionsofkavyainawaythatskillfullydovetailedwiththeirviewsofhowteachingandlisteningplayedaroleintheirpathofpractice.Myhopeisthatthetranslationpresentedherewillconveythesameseamlessnessandskill.

Asanexampleofkavya,theDhammapadahasafairlycompletebodyofethicalandaesthetictheorybehindit,forthepurposeofkavyawastoinstructinthehighestendsoflifewhilesimultaneouslygivingdelight.TheethicalteachingoftheDhammapadaisexpressedinthefirstpairofverses:themind,throughitsactions(kamma),isthechiefarchitectofone’shappinessandsufferingbothinthislifeandbeyond.Thefirstthreechapterselaborateonthispoint,toshowthattherearetwomajorwaysofrelatingtothisfact:asawiseperson,whoisheedfulenoughtomakethenecessaryefforttotrainhis/herownmindtobeaskillfularchitect;andasafool,whoisheedlessandseesnoreasontotrainthemind.

Theworkasawholeelaboratesonthisdistinction,showinginmoredetailboththepathofthewisepersonandthatofthefool,togetherwiththerewardsoftheformerandthedangersofthelatter:thepathofthewisepersoncanleadnotonlytohappinesswithinthecycleofdeathandrebirth,butalsotototalescapeintotheDeathless,beyondthecycleentirely;thepathofthefoolleadsnotonlytosufferingnowandinthefuture,butalsotofurtherentrapmentwithinthecycle.ThepurposeoftheDhammapadaistomakethewisepathattractivetothereadersothathe/shewillfollowit–forthedilemmapositedbythefirstpairofversesisnotoneintheimaginaryworldoffiction;itisthedilemmainwhichthereaderisalreadyplacedbythefactofbeingborn.

Tomakethewisepathattractive,thetechniquesofpoetryareusedtogive“savor”6

Tomakethewisepathattractive,thetechniquesofpoetryareusedtogive“savor”(rasa)tothemessage.AncientIndianaesthetictreatisesdevotedagreatdealofdiscussiontothenotionofsavorandhowitcouldbeconveyed.Thebasictheorywasthis:Artisticcompositionexpressedstatesofemotionorstatesofmindcalled“bhava.”Thestandardlistofbasicemotionsincludedlove(delight),humor,grief,anger,energy,fear,disgust,andastonishment.Thereaderorlistenerexposedtothesepresentationsofemotiondidnotparticipateinthemdirectly;rather,he/shesavoredthemasanaestheticexperienceatoneremovefromtheemotion.Thus,thesavorofgriefisnotgrief,butcompassion.Thesavorofenergyisnotenergyitself,butadmirationforheroism.Thesavorofloveisnotlovebutanexperienceofsensitivity.Thesavorofastonishmentisasenseofthemarvelous.Theproofoftheindirectnessoftheaestheticexperiencewasthatsomeofthebasicemotionsweredecidedlyunpleasant,whilethesavoroftheemotionwastobeenjoyed.

Althoughaworkofartmightdepictmanyemotions,andthus–likeagoodmeal–offermanysavorsforthereader/listenertotaste,onesavorwassupposedtodominate.Writersmadeacommonpracticeofannouncingthesavortheyweretryingtoproduce,usuallystatinginpassingthattheirparticularsavorwasthehighestofall.TheDhammapada[354]statesexplicitlythatthesavorofDhammaisthehighestsavor,whichindicatesthatthatisthebasicsavorofthework.ClassicaesthetictheoryliststhesavorofDhamma,orjustice,asoneofthethreebasicvarietiesoftheheroicsavor(theothertwodealwithgenerosityandwar):thuswewouldexpectthemajorityoftheversestodepictenergy,andinfacttheydo,withtheirexhortationstoaction,strongverbs,repeatedimperatives,andfrequentuseoftheimageryfrombattles,races,andconquests.

Dhamma,intheBuddhistsense,impliesmorethanthe“justice”ofDhammainaesthetictheory.However,thelongsectionoftheDhammapadadevotedto“TheJudge”–beginningwithadefinitionofagoodjudge,andcontinuingwithexamplesofgoodjudgment–showsthattheBuddhistconceptofDhammahasroomfortheaestheticmeaningofthetermaswell.

Classictheoryalsoholdsthattheheroicsavorshould,especiallyattheendofapiece,shadeintothemarvelous.This,infact,iswhathappensperiodicallythroughouttheDhammapada,andespeciallyattheend,wheretheversesexpressastonishmentattheamazingandparadoxicalqualitiesofapersonwhohasfollowedthepathofheedfulnesstoitsend,becoming“pathless”[92-93;179-180]–totallyindescribable,transcendingconflictsanddualitiesofeverysort.ThusthepredominantemotionsthattheversesexpressinPali–andshouldalsoexpressintranslation–areenergyandastonishment,soastoproducequalitiesoftheheroicandmarvelousforthereadertosavor.Thissavoristhenwhatinspiresthereadertofollowthepathofwisdom,withtheresultthathe/shewillreachadirectexperienceofthetruehappiness,transcendingalldualities,foundattheendofthepath.

7

Classicaesthetictheorylistsavarietyofrhetoricalfeaturesthatcanproducesavor.ExamplesfromtheseliststhatcanbefoundintheDhammapadainclude:accumulation(padoccaya)[137-140],admonitions(upadista)[47-48,246-248,et.al.],ambiguity(aksarasamghata)[97,294-295],benedictions(asis)[337],distinctions(visesana)[19-20,21-22,318-319],encouragement(protsahana)[35,43,46,et.al.],etymology(nirukta)[388],examples(drstanta)[30],explanationsofcauseandeffect(hetu)[1-2],illustrations(udaharana)[344],implications(arthapatti)[341],rhetoricalquestions(prccha)[44,62,143,et.al.],praise(gunakirtana)[54-56,58-59,92-93,et.al.],prohibitions(pratisedha)[121-122,271-272,371,et.al.],andornamentation(bhusana)[passim].

Ofthese,ornamentationisthemostcomplex,includingfourfiguresofspeechandten“qualities.”Thefiguresofspeecharesimile[passim],extendedmetaphor[398],rhyme(includingalliterationandassonance),and“lamps”[passim].ThislastfigureisapeculiarityofPali–aheavilyinflectedlanguage–thatallows,say,oneadjectivetomodifytwodifferentnouns,oroneverbtofunctionintwoseparatesentences.(Thenameofthefigurederivesfromtheideathatthetwonounsradiatefromtheoneadjective,orthetwosentencesfromtheoneverb.)InEnglish,theclosestwehavetothisisparallelismcombinedwithellipsis.Anexamplefromthetranslationisinverse7–

Maraovercomeshimasthewind,aweaktree

–where“overcomes”functionsastheverbinbothclauses,eventhoughitiselidedfromthesecond.ThisishowIhaverenderedlampsinmostoftheverses,althoughintwocases[174,206]Ifounditmoreeffectivetorepeatthelamp-word.

Theten“qualities”aremoregeneralattributesofsound,syntax,andsense,includingsuchattributesascharm,clarity,delicacy,evenness,exaltation,sweetness,andstrength.Theancienttextsarenotespeciallyclearonwhatsomeofthesetermsmeaninpractice.Evenwheretheyareclear,thetermsdealinaspectsofPali/SanskritsyntaxnotalwaysapplicabletoEnglish.Whatisimportant,though,isthatsomequalitiesareseenasmoresuitedtoaparticularsavorthanothers:strengthandexaltation,forexample,bestconveyatasteoftheheroicandmarvelous.Ofthesecharacteristics,strength(ojas)istheeasiesttoquantify,foritismarkedbylongcompoundedwords.IntheDhammapada,approximatelyonetenthoftheversescontaincompoundsthatareaslongasawholelineofverse,andoneverse[39]hasthreeofitsfourlinesmadeupofsuchcompounds.BythestandardsoflaterSanskritverse,thisisrathermild,butwhencomparedwithversesintherestofthePaliCanonandotherearlymasterpiecesofkavya,theDhammapadaisquitestrong.

Thetextalsoexplicitlyaddstothetheoryofcharacteristicsinsayingthat8

Thetextalsoexplicitlyaddstothetheoryofcharacteristicsinsayingthat“sweetness”isnotjustanattributeofwords,butofthepersonspeaking[363].Ifthepersonisatrueexampleofthevirtueespoused,his/herwordsaresweet.Thispointcouldbegeneralizedtocovermanyoftheotherqualitiesaswell.

AnotherpointfromclassicaesthetictheorythatmayberelevanttotheDhammapadaistheprincipleofhowaliteraryworkisgivenunity.Althoughthetextdoesnotprovideastep-by-stepsequentialportraitofthepathofwisdom,asalyricanthologyitismuchmoreunifiedthanmostIndianexamplesofthatgenre.Theclassictheoryofdramaticplotconstructionmaybeplayinganindirectrolehere.Ontheonehand,aplotmustexhibitunitybypresentingaconflictordilemma,anddepictingtheattainmentofagoalthroughovercomingthatconflict.ThisispreciselywhatunifiestheDhammapada:itbeginswiththedualitybetweenheedlessandheedfulwaysofliving,andendswiththefinalattainmentoftotalmastery.Ontheotherhand,theplotmustnotshowsmooth,systematicprogress;otherwisetheworkwouldturnintoatreatise.Theremustbereversalsanddiversionstomaintaininterest.ThisprincipleisatworkinthefairlyunsystematicorderingoftheDhammapada’smiddlesections.Versesdealingwiththebeginningstagesofthepatharemixedtogetherwiththosedealingwithlaterstagesandevenstagesbeyondthecompletionofthepath.

Onemorepointisthattheidealplotshouldbeconstructedwithasub-plotinwhichasecondarycharactergainshis/hergoal,andinsodoinghelpsthemaincharacterattainhisorhers.Inadditiontotheaestheticpleasureofferedbythesub-plot,theethicallessonisoneofhumancooperation:peopleattaintheirgoalsbyworkingtogether.IntheDhammapada,thesamedynamicisatwork.Themain“plot”isthatofthepersonwhomasterstheprincipleofkammatothepointoftotalreleasefromkammaandtheroundofrebirth;the“sub-plot”depictsthepersonwhomasterstheprincipleofkammatothepointofgainingagoodrebirthonthehumanorheavenlyplanes.Thesecondpersongainshis/hergoal,inpart,bybeinggenerousandrespectfultothefirstperson[106-109,177],thusenablingthefirstpersontopracticetothepointoftotalmastery.Inreturn,thefirstpersongivescounseltothesecondpersononhowtopursuehis/hergoal[76-77,363].InthiswaytheDhammapadadepictstheplayoflifeinawaythatofferstwopotentiallyheroicrolesforthereadertochoosefrom,anddelineatesthoserolesinsuchawaythatallpeoplecanchoosetobeheroic,workingtogetherfortheattainmentoftheirowntruewellbeing.

PerhapsthebestwaytosummarizetheconfluenceofBuddhistandkavyatraditionsintheDhammapadaisinlightofateachingfromanotherearlyBuddhisttext,theSamyuttaNikaya(SN55:5),onthefactorsneededtoattainone’sfirsttasteofthegoaloftheBuddhistpath.Thosefactorsarefour:associatingwithpeopleofintegrity,listeningtotheirteachings,usingappropriateattentiontoinquireintothewaythoseteachingsapplytoone’slife,andpracticinginlinewiththeteachingsinawaythatdoesthemjustice.EarlyBuddhistsusedthetraditionsofkavya–concerningsavor,rhetoric,

9

structure,andfiguresofspeech–primarilyinconnectionwiththesecondofthesefactors,inordertomaketheteachingsappealingtothelistener.However,thequestionofsavorisrelatedtotheotherthreefactorsaswell.Thewordsofateachingmustbespokenbyapersonofintegritywhoembodiestheirmessageinhis/heractionsiftheirsavoristobesweet[158,363].Thelistenermustreflectonthemappropriatelyandthenputthemintopracticeiftheyaretohavemorethanapassing,superficialtaste.Thusboththespeakerandlistenermustactinlinewiththewordsofateachingifitistobearfruit.ThispointisreflectedinapairofversesfromtheDhammapadaitself[51-52]:

Justlikeablossom,brightcolored

butscentless:awell-spokenword

isfruitlesswhennotcarriedout.Justlikeablossom,brightcolored

&fullofscent:awell-spokenword

isfruitfulwhenwellcarriedout.

Appropriatereflection,thefirststepalistenershouldfollowincarryingoutthewell-spokenword,meanscontemplatingone’sownlifetoseethedangersoffollowingthepathoffoolishnessandtheneedtofollowthepathofwisdom.TheBuddhisttraditionrecognizestwoemotionsasplayingaroleinthisreflection.Thefirstissamvega,astrongsenseofdismaythatcomeswithrealizingthefutilityandmeaninglessoflifeasitisnormallylived,togetherwithafeelingofurgencyintryingtofindawayoutofthemeaninglesscycle.Thesecondemotionispasada,theclarityandserenitythatcomewhenonerecognizesateachingthatpresentsthetruthofthedilemmaofexistenceandatthesametimepointsthewayout.OnefunctionoftheversesintheDhammapadaistoprovidethissenseofclarity,whichiswhyverse82statesthatthewisegrowsereneonhearingtheDhamma,and102statesthatthemostworthwhileverseisthemeaningfulonethat,onhearing,bringspeace.

However,theprocessdoesnotstopwiththesepreliminaryfeelingsofpeaceandserenity.Thelistenermustcarrythroughwiththepathofpracticethattheversesrecommend.Althoughmuchoftheimpetusfordoingsocomesfromtheemotionsofsamvegaandpasadasparkedbythecontentoftheverses,theheroicandmarveloussavoroftheversesplaysaroleaswell,byinspiringthelistenertorousewithinhimorherselftheenergyandstrengththatthepathwillrequire.Whenthepathisbroughtto

10

fruition,itbringsthepeaceanddelightoftheDeathless[373-374].ThisiswheretheprocessinitiatedbyhearingorreadingtheDhammabearsitsdeepestsavor,surpassingallothers.ItisthehighestsenseinwhichthemeaningfulversesoftheDhammapadabringpeace.

* * *

Inpreparingthefollowingtranslation,Ihavekepttheabovepointsinmind,motivatedbothbyafirmbeliefinthetruthofthemessageoftheDhammapada,andbyadesiretopresentitinacompellingwaythatwillinducethereadertoputitintopractice.Althoughtryingtostayascloseaspossibletotheliteralmeaningofthetext,I’vealsotriedtoconveyitssavor.I’moperatingontheclassicassumptionthat,althoughtheremaybeatensionbetweengivinginstruction(beingscrupulouslyaccurate)andgivingdelight(providinganenjoyabletasteofthementalstatesthatthewordsdepict),thebesttranslationisonethatplayswiththattensionwithoutsubmittingtotallytoonesideattheexpenseoftheother.

Toconveythesavorofthework,Ihaveaimedatasparestyleflexibleenoughtoexpressnotonlyitsdominantemotions–energyandastonishment–butalsoitstransientemotions,suchashumor,delight,andfear.Althoughtheoriginalversesconformtometricalrules,thetranslationsareinfreeverse.Thisistheformthatrequiresthefewestdeviationsfromliteralaccuracyandallowsforatersedirectnessthatconformswiththeheroicsavoroftheoriginal.ThefreedomIhaveusedinplacingwordsonthepagealsoallowsmanyofthepoeticeffectsofPalisyntax–especiallytheparallelismandellipsisofthe“lamps”–toshinethrough.

IhavebeenrelativelyconsistentinchoosingEnglishequivalentsforPaliterms,especiallywherethetermshaveatechnicalmeaning.Totalconsistency,althoughitmaybealogicalgoal,isbynomeansarationalone,especiallyintranslatingpoetry.Anyonewhoistrulybilingualwillappreciatethispoint.Wordsintheoriginalwerechosenfortheirsoundandconnotations,aswellastheirliteralsense,sothesameprinciples–withinreasonablelimits–havebeenusedinthetranslation.Deviationsfromtheoriginalsyntaxarerare,andhavebeenlimitedprimarilytosixsorts.Thefirstfourareforthesakeofimmediacy:occasionaluseoftheAmerican“you”for“one”;occasionaluseofimperatives(“Dothis!”)foroptatives(“Oneshoulddothis”);substitutingactiveforpassivevoice;andreplacing“hewhodoesthis”with“hedoesthis”inmanyoftheversesdefiningthetruebrahmaninChapter26.Theremainingtwodeviationsare:makingminoradjustmentsinsentencestructuretokeepawordatthebeginningorendofaversewhenthispositionseemsimportant(e.g.,158,384);andchangingthenumberfromsingular(“thewiseperson”)toplural(“thewise”)whentalkingaboutpersonalitytypes,bothtostreamlinethelanguageandtolightenthegenderbiasoftheoriginal

11

Pali.(Asmostoftheverseswereoriginallyaddressedtomonks,Ihavefounditimpossibletoeliminatethegenderbiasentirely,andsoapologizeforwhateverbiasremains.)

InverseswhereIsensethataparticularPaliwordorphraseismeanttocarrymultiplemeanings,IhaveexplicitlygivenallofthosemeaningsintheEnglish,evenwherethishasmeantaconsiderableexpansionoftheverse.(Manyoftheseversesarediscussedinthenotes.)Otherwise,Ihavetriedtomakethetranslationastransparentaspossible,inordertoallowthelightandenergyoftheoriginaltopassthroughwithminimaldistortion.

TheDhammapadahasforcenturiesbeenusedasanintroductiontotheBuddhistpointofview.However,thetextisbynomeanselementary,eitherintermsofcontentorstyle.ManyoftheversespresupposeatleastapassingknowledgeofBuddhistdoctrine;othersemploymultiplelevelsofmeaningandwordplaytypicalofpolishedkavya.Forthisreason,Ihaveaddednotestothetranslationtohelpdrawoutsomeoftheimplicationsofversesthatmightnotbeobvioustopeoplewhoarenewtoeitherofthetwotraditionsthatthetextrepresents.

IhopethatwhateverdelightyougainfromthistranslationwillinspireyoutoputtheBuddha’swordsintopractice,sothatyouwillsomedaytastethesavor,notjustofthewords,butoftheDeathlesstowhichtheypoint.

12

I:Pairs

Phenomenaareprecededbytheheart,ruledbytheheart,madeoftheheart.

Ifyouspeakoractwithacorruptedheart,thensufferingfollowsyou–asthewheelofthecart,

thetrackoftheoxthatpullsit.

Phenomenaareprecededbytheheart,ruledbytheheart,madeoftheheart.

Ifyouspeakoractwithacalm,brightheart,thenhappinessfollowsyou,likeashadow

thatneverleaves.1-2*

‘Heinsultedme,hitme,

beatme,robbedme’

–forthosewhobroodonthis,hostilityisn’tstilled.

Heinsultedme,hitme,beatme,robbedme’–forthosewhodon’tbroodonthis,

13

hostilityisstilled.

Hostilitiesaren’tstilledthroughhostility,regardless.

Hostilitiesarestilledthroughnon-hostility:

this,anunendingtruth.

Unlikethosewhodon’trealizethatwe’rehereontheverge

ofperishing,thosewhodo:

theirquarrelsarestilled.3-6

Onewhostaysfocusedonthebeautiful,isunrestrainedwiththesenses,knowingnomoderationinfood,apathetic,unenergetic:

Maraovercomeshimasthewind,aweaktree.

Onewhostaysfocusedonthefoul,isrestrainedwithregardtothesenses,knowingmoderationinfood,fullofconviction&energy:

Maradoesnotovercomehimasthewind,amountainofrock.

7-8*

Hewho,depraved,devoid

oftruthfulness&self-control,

putsontheochrerobe,doesn’tdeservetheochrerobe.

Buthewhoisfreeofdepravity

endowed

14

withtruthfulness&self-control,

well-establishedintheprecepts,

trulydeservestheochrerobe.9-10

Thosewhoregardnon-essenceasessenceandseeessenceasnon-,don’tgettotheessence,

rangingaboutinwrongresolves.

Butthosewhoknowessenceasessence,andnon-essenceasnon-,gettotheessence,

rangingaboutinrightresolves.11-12*

Asrainseepsintoanill-thatchedhut,sopassion,

theundevelopedmind.

Asraindoesn’tseepintoawell-thatchedhut,sopassiondoesnot,

thewell-developedmind.13-14

Herehegrieveshegrieves

hereafter.Inbothworldsthewrong-doergrieves.Hegrieves,he’safflicted,seeingthecorruption

ofhisdeeds.

Here

15

herejoicesherejoices

hereafter.Inbothworldsthemerit-makerrejoices.Herejoices,isjubilant,seeingthepurity

ofhisdeeds.

Herehe’stormentedhe’stormented

hereafter.Inbothworldsthewrong-doer’stormented.He’stormentedatthethought,

‘I’vedonewrong.’Havinggonetoabaddestination,he’stormented

allthemore.

Herehedelightshedelights

hereafter.Inbothworldsthemerit-makerdelights.Hedelightsatthethought,

‘I’vemademerit.’Havinggonetoagooddestination,hedelights

allthemore.15-18*

Ifherecitesmanyteachings,but–heedlessman–

doesn’tdowhattheysay,likeacowherdcountingthecattleof

others,hehasnoshareinthecontemplativelife.

Ifherecitesnexttonothing

16

butfollowstheDhammainlinewiththeDhamma;

abandoningpassion,aversion,delusion;

alert,hismindwellreleased,

notclingingeitherhereorhereafter:

hehashisshareinthecontemplativelife.19-20

17

II:Heedfulness

Heedfulness:thepathtotheDeathless.

Heedlessness:thepathtodeath.

Theheedfuldonotdie.Theheedlessareasif

alreadydead.

Knowingthisasatruedistinction,thosewise

inheedfulnessrejoice

inheedfulness,enjoyingtherangeofthenobleones.

Theenlightened,constantlyabsorbedinjhana,persevering,firmintheireffort:

theytouchUnbinding,theunexcelledrest

fromtheyoke.

Thosewithinitiative,mindful,cleaninaction,

actingwithdueconsideration,heedful,restrained,

livingtheDhamma:theirglorygrows.

21-24*

Throughinitiative,heedfulness,

18

restraint,&self-control,thewisewouldmake

anislandnofloodcansubmerge.25

They’readdictedtoheedlessness–dullards,fools–whileonewhoiswisecherishesheedfulnessashishighestwealth.26

Don’tgivewaytoheedlessnessortointimacywithsensualdelight–

foraheedfulperson,absorbedinjhana,attainsanabundanceofease.27

Whenthewisepersondrivesoutheedlessnesswithheedfulness,

havingclimbedthehightowerofdiscernment,

sorrow-free,heobservesthesorrowingcrowd–astheenlightenedman,havingscaled

asummit,thefoolsonthegroundbelow.28

Heedfulamongtheheedless,wakefulamongthoseasleep,justasafasthorseadvances,leavingtheweakbehind:

sothewise.29

19

Throughheedfulness,Indrawontolordshipoverthedevas.Heedfulnessispraised,heedlessnesscensured–

always.30

Themonkdelightinginheedfulness,seeingdangerinheedlessness,advanceslikeafire,burningfetters

great&small.

Themonkdelightinginheedfulness,seeingdangerinheedlessness–incapableoffallingback–standsrightontheverge

ofUnbinding.31-32

20

III:TheMind

Quivering,wavering,hardtoguard,toholdincheck:

themind.Thesagemakesitstraight–likeafletcher,theshaftofanarrow.

Likeafishpulledfromitshomeinthewater&thrownonland:thismindflips&flapsabout

toescapeMara’ssway.

Hardtoholddown,nimble,

alightingwhereveritlikes:themind.

Itstamingisgood.Themindwell-tamed

bringsease.

Sohardtosee,sovery,verysubtle,alightingwhereveritlikes:

themind.Thewiseshouldguardit.Themindprotected

bringsease.

Wanderingfar,goingalone,bodiless,lyinginacave:

21

themind.Thosewhorestrainit:

fromMara’sbondsthey’llbefreed.

33-37*

Forapersonofunsteadymind,notknowingtrueDhamma,

serenitysetadrift:

discernmentdoesn’tgrowfull.38

Forapersonofunsoddenedmind,unassaultedawareness,

abandoningmerit&evil,wakeful,

thereisnodangernofear.

39*

Knowingthisbodyislikeaclayjar,

securingthismindlikeafort,

attackMarawiththespearofdiscernment,

thenguardwhat’swonwithoutsettlingthere,withoutlayingclaim.

40*

Alltoosoon,thisbodywilllieontheground

castoff,bereftofconsciousness,likeauselessscrap

ofwood.41

Whateveranenemymightdo

22

toanenemy,orafoetoafoe,theill-directedmindcandotoyou

evenworse.

Whateveramother,fatherorotherkinsmanmightdoforyou,thewell-directedmindcandoforyou

evenbetter.42-43*

23

IV:Blossoms

Whowillpenetratethisearth&thisrealmofdeathwithallitsgods?Whowillferretoutthewell-taughtDhamma-saying,astheskillfulflower-arranger

theflower?

Thelearner-on-the-pathwillpenetratethisearth&thisrealmofdeathwithallitsgods.Thelearner-on-the-pathwillferretoutthewell-taughtDhamma-saying,astheskillfulflower-arranger

theflower.44-45*

Knowingthisbodyislikefoam,realizingitsnature

–amirage–cuttingouttheblossomsofMara,yougowheretheKingofDeath

can’tsee.46

Themanimmersedingatheringblossoms,hisheartdistracted:deathsweepshimaway–

asagreatflood,

24

avillageasleep.

Themanimmersedingatheringblossoms,hisheartdistracted,insatiableinsensualpleasures:theEnd-Makerholdshimunderhissway.47-48*

Asabee–withoutharmingtheblossom,itscolor,itsfragrance–

takesitsnectar&fliesaway:soshouldthesagegothroughavillage.49

Focus,notontherudenessesofothers,notonwhatthey’vedone

orleftundone,butonwhatyouhave&haven’tdone

yourself.50


butscentless:awell-spokenword

isfruitlesswhennotcarriedout.


&fullofscent:awell-spokenword

isfruitfulwhenwellcarriedout.51-52

25

Justasfromaheapofflowersmanygarlandstrandscanbemade,

evensooneborn&mortal

shoulddo–withwhat’sborn&ismortal–

manyaskillfulthing.53*

Noflower’sscentgoesagainstthewind–

notsandalwood,jasmine,tagara.

Butthescentofthegooddoesgoagainstthewind.Thepersonofintegritywaftsascentineverydirection.

Sandalwood,tagara,lotus,&jasmine:

amongthesescents,thescentofvirtueisunsurpassed.

Nexttonothing,thisscent–sandalwood,tagara–whilethescentofvirtuousconductwaftstothedevas,

supreme.54-56*

Thoseconsummateinvirtue,dwelling

inheedfulness,released

throughrightknowing:Maracan’tfollowtheirtracks.57*

Asinapileofrubbish

26

castbythesideofahighwayalotusmightgrowclean-smellingpleasingtheheart,

sointhemidstoftherubbish-like,peoplerun-of-the-mill&blind,

theredazzleswithdiscernmentthediscipleoftheRightlySelf-AwakenedOne.

58-59

27

V:Fools

Longforthewakefulisthenight.Longfortheweary,aleague.ForfoolsunawareofTrueDhamma,

samsaraislong.60

If,inyourcourse,youdon’tmeetyourequal,yourbetter,thencontinueyourcourse,

firmly,alone.

There’snofellowshipwithfools.61

‘Ihavesons,Ihavewealth’–thefooltormentshimself.Whenevenhehimselfdoesn’tbelongtohimself,

howthensons?Howwealth?

62

Afoolwithasenseofhisfoolishnessis–atleasttothatextent–wise.Butafoolwhothinkshimselfwisereallydeservestobecalled

afool.63

Evenifforalifetimethefoolstayswiththewise,heknowsnothingoftheDhamma–

28

astheladle,thetasteofthesoup.

Evenifforamoment,theperceptivepersonstayswiththewise,heimmediatelyknowstheDhamma–

asthetongue,thetasteofthesoup.

64-65

Fools,theirwisdomweak,aretheirownenemiesastheygothroughlife,doingevilthatbears

bitterfruit.66

It’snotgood,thedoingofthedeedthat,onceit’sdone,youregret,whoseresultyoureapcrying,yourfaceintears.

It’sgood,thedoingofthedeedthat,onceit’sdone,youdon’tregret,whoseresultyoureapgratified,

happyatheart.67-68

Aslongasevilhasyettoripen,thefoolmistakesitforhoney.Butwhenthatevilripens,thefoolfallsinto

pain.69

Monthaftermonththefoolmighteat

29

onlyatip-of-grassmeasureoffood,buthewouldn’tbeworth

onesixteenthofthosewho’vefathomedtheDhamma.70

Anevildeed,whendone,doesn’t–likereadymilk–comeoutrightaway.Itfollowsthefool,

smolderinglikeafirehiddeninashes.71*

Onlyforhisruindoesrenowncometothefool.Itravageshisbrightfortune&ripshisheadapart.

Hewouldwantunwarrantedstatus,preeminenceamongmonks,authority

amongmonasteries,homage

fromlayfamilies.

‘Lethouseholders&thosegoneforthboththinkthatthiswasdonebymealone.MayIalonedeterminewhat’saduty,what’snot’:

theresolveofafoolastheygrow–

hisdesire&pride.72-74

Thepathtomaterialgaingoesoneway,

thewaytoUnbinding,another.

30

Realizingthis,themonk,adiscipletotheAwakenedOne,shouldnotrelishofferings,shouldcultivateseclusion

instead.75

31

VI:TheWise

Regardhimasonewhopointsouttreasure,

thewiseonewhoseeingyourfaults

rebukesyou.Staywiththissortofsage.Fortheonewhostayswithasageofthissort,

thingsgetbetter,notworse.

Lethimadmonish,instruct,deflectyou

awayfrompoormanners.Tothegood,he’sendearing;tothebad,he’snot.76-77

Don’tassociatewithbadfriends.Don’tassociatewiththelow.Associatewithadmirablefriends.Associatewiththebest.78

DrinkingtheDhamma,refreshedbytheDhamma,onesleepsateasewithclearawareness&calm.IntheDhammarevealedbythenobleones,thewiseperson

alwaysdelights.79*

32

Irrigatorsguidethewater.

Fletchersshapethearrowshaft.

Carpentersshapethewood.

Thewisecontrolthemselves.

80

Asasingleslabofrockwon’tbudgeinthewind,sothewisearenotmoved

bypraise,byblame.

81

Likeadeeplake,clear,unruffled,&calm:sothewisebecomeclear,

calm,onhearingwordsoftheDhamma.82

Everywhere,truly,thoseofintegrity

standapart.They,thegood,don’tchatterinhopesoffavororgains.Whentouched

nowbypleasure,nowpain,

thewisegivenosignofhighorlow.

83*

Onewhowouldn’t–notforhisownsakenorthatofanother–hankerfor

33

wealth,ason,akingdom,hisownfulfillment,

byunrighteousmeans:heis

righteous,richinvirtue,discernment.

84

FewarethepeoplewhoreachtheFarShore.

Theseotherssimplyscurryalongthisshore.

ButthosewhopracticeDhammainlinewiththewell-taughtDhamma,willcrossovertherealmofDeathsohardtotranscend.

Forsakingdarkpractices,thewiseperson

shoulddevelopthebright,havinggonefromhome

tono-homeinseclusion,sohardtoenjoy.

Thereheshouldwishfordelight,discardingsensuality–

hewhohasnothing.Heshouldcleansehimself–wise–ofwhatdefilesthemind.

Whosemindsarewell-developedinthefactorsforself-awakening,whodelightinnon-clinging,relinquishinggrasping–

resplendent,theireffluentsended:they,intheworld,

34

areUnbound.85-89*

35

VII:Arahants

Inonewhohasgonethefulldistance,isfreefromsorrow,iseverywhere

fullyreleased,hasabandonedallbonds:

nofeverisfound.90

Themindfulkeepactive,don’tdelightinsettlingback.Theyrenounceeveryhome,

everyhome,likeswanstakingofffromalake.91

Nothoarding,havingcomprehendedfood,theirpasture–emptiness&freedomwithoutsign:

theircourse,likethatofbirdsthroughspace,

can’tbetraced.

Effluentsended,independentofnutriment,theirpasture–emptiness&freedomwithoutsign:

theirtrail,likethatofbirdsthroughspace,

can’tbetraced.92-93*

Hewhosesensesaresteadied

36

likestallionswell-trainedbythecharioteer,hisconceitabandoned,

freeofeffluent,Such:

evendevasadorehim.

Liketheearth,hedoesn’treact–cultured,Such,

likeIndra’spillar,likealakefreeofmud.Forhim

–Such–there’snotravelingon.

Calmishismind,calmhisspeech

&hisdeed:onewho’sreleasedthroughrightknowing,

pacified,Such.

94-96*

Themanfaithless/beyondconvictionungrateful/knowingtheUnmadeaburglar/whohasseveredconnections

who’sdestroyedhischances/conditionswhoeatsvomit:/hasdisgorgedexpectations:

theultimateperson.97*

Invillageorwilds,valley,plateau:thatplaceisdelightfulwherearahantsdwell.98

Delightfulwildswherethecrowdsdon’tdelight,

37

thosefreefrompassiondelight,

forthey’renotsearchingforsensualpleasures.99

38

VIII:Thousands

Betterthaniftherewerethousandsofmeaninglesswordsis

onemeaningfulword

thatonhearingbringspeace.

Betterthaniftherewerethousandsofmeaninglessversesis

onemeaningfullineofverse

thatonhearingbringspeace.

Andbetterthanchantinghundredsofmeaninglessversesis

oneDhamma-saying

thatonhearingbringspeace.100-102*

Greaterinbattlethanthemanwhowouldconquerathousand-thousandmen,ishewhowouldconquerjustone–

himself.

Bettertoconqueryourself

39

thanothers.

Whenyou’vetrainedyourself,livinginconstantself-control,neitheradevanorgandhabba,noraMarabandedwithBrahmas,couldturnthattriumphbackintodefeat.103-105

Youcould,monthbymonth,atacostofthousands,

conductsacrificesahundredtimes,

orpayasinglemoment’shomage

tooneperson,self-cultivated.

Betterthanahundredyearsofsacrificeswouldthatactofhomagebe.

Youcould,forahundredyears,liveinaforest

tendingafire,or

payasinglemoment’shomagetooneperson,self-cultivated.

Betterthanahundredyearsofsacrificeswouldthatactofhomagebe.

Everythingofferedorsacrificedintheworldforanentireyearbyoneseekingmeritdoesn’tcometoafourth.

Bettertopayrespecttothosewho’vegonethestraightway.

106-108*

Ifyou’rerespectfulbyhabit,constantlyhonoringtheworthy,

40

fourthingsincrease:longlife,beauty,happiness,strength.

109

Betterthanahundredyearslivedwithoutvirtue,uncentered,is

onedaylivedbyavirtuouspersonabsorbedinjhana.

Andbetterthanahundredyearslivedundiscerning,uncentered,is

onedaylivedbyadiscerningpersonabsorbedinjhana.

Andbetterthanahundredyearslivedapathetic&unenergetic,is

onedaylivedenergetic&firm.

Andbetterthanahundredyearslivedwithoutseeingarising&passingaway,is

onedaylivedseeingarising&passingaway.

AndbetterthanahundredyearslivedwithoutseeingtheDeathlessstate,is

onedaylivedseeingtheDeathlessstate.

AndbetterthanahundredyearslivedwithoutseeingtheultimateDhamma,is

onedaylivedseeingtheultimateDhamma.

41

110-115

42

IX:Evil

Bequickindoingwhat’sadmirable.Restrainyourmindfromwhat’sevil.Whenyou’reslowinmakingmerit,evildelightsthemind.116

Ifapersondoesevil,heshouldn’tdoitagain&again,shouldn’tdevelopapenchantforit.Toaccumulateevil

bringspain.

Ifapersonmakesmerit,heshoulddoitagain&again,shoulddevelopapenchantforit.Toaccumulatemerit

bringsease.117-118

Eventheevilmeetwithgoodfortuneaslongastheirevilhasyettomature.Butwhenit’smaturedthat’swhentheymeet

withevil.

Eventhegoodmeetwithbadfortuneaslongastheirgoodhasyettomature.

43

Butwhenit’smaturedthat’swhentheymeet

withgoodfortune.119-120

Don’tunderestimateevil(‘Itwon’tamounttomuch’).Awaterjarfills,evenwithwaterfallingindrops.Withevil–evenif

bitby

bit,habitually–

thefoolfillshimselffull.

Don’tunderestimatemerit(‘Itwon’tamounttomuch’).Awaterjarfills,evenwithwaterfallingindrops.Withmerit–evenif

bitby

bit,habitually–

theenlightenedonefillshimselffull.121-122*

Likeamerchantwithasmallbutwell-ladencaravan

–adangerousroad,likeapersonwholoveslife

–apoison,oneshouldavoid

–evildeeds.123

Ifthere’snowoundonthehand,thathandcanholdpoison.Poisonwon’tpenetrate

44

wherethere’snowound.There’snoevil

forthosewhodon’tdoit.124

Whoeverharassesaninnocentman,

amanpure,withoutblemish:theevilcomesrightbacktothefoollikefinedust

thrownagainstthewind.125

Someareborninthehumanwomb,

evildoersinhell,

thoseonthegoodcoursegotoheaven,

whilethosewithouteffluent:totallyunbound.

126*

Notupintheair,norinthemiddleofthesea,norgoingintoacleftinthemountains

–nowhereonearth–isaspottobefoundwhereyoucouldstay&escape

yourevildeed.

Notupintheair,norinthemiddleofthesea,norgoingintoacleftinthemountains

–nowhereonearth–isaspottobefoundwhereyoucouldstay&notsuccumb

todeath.127-128

45

X:TheRod

Alltrembleattherod,

allarefearfulofdeath.Drawingtheparallelto

yourself,neitherkillnorgetotherstokill.

Alltrembleattherod,

allholdtheirlifedear.Drawingtheparallelto

yourself,neitherkillnorgetotherstokill.129-130

Whoevertakesarodtoharmlivingbeingsdesiringease,whenhehimselfislookingforease,meetswithnoeaseafterdeath.

Whoeverdoesn’ttakearodtoharmlivingbeingsdesiringease,whenhehimselfislookingforease,meetswitheaseafterdeath.131-132

Speakharshlytonoone,orthewordswillbethrown

rightbackatyou.Contentioustalkispainful,foryougetstruckbyrodsinreturn.

46

If,likeaflattenedmetalpotyoudon’tresound,you’veattainedanUnbinding;inyouthere’sfoundnocontention.133-134

Asacowherdwitharoddrivescowstothefield,soaging&deathdrivethelifeoflivingbeings.135

Whendoingevildeeds,thefoolisoblivious.Thedullardistormentedbyhisowndeeds,asifburnedbyafire.136

Whoever,witharod,harassesaninnocentman,unarmed,quicklyfallsintoanyoftenthings:

harshpains,devastation,abrokenbody,graveillness,mentalderangement,troublewiththegovernment,violentslander,relativeslost,propertydissolved,housesburneddown.

Atthebreak-upofthebodythisonewithnodiscernment,reappearsinhell.137-140

Neithernakednessnormattedhairnormudnortherefusaloffoodnorsleepingonthebaregroundnordust&dirtnorsquattingausteritiescleansesthemortalwho’snotgonebeyonddoubt.

47

If,thoughadorned,onelivesintunewiththechastelife–calmed,tamed,&assured–havingputdowntherodtowardallbeings,he’sacontemplative

abrahmanamonk.

141-142

Whointheworldisamanconstrainedbyconscience,whoawakenstocensurelikeafinestalliontothewhip?143*

Likeafinestallionstruckwithawhip,beardent&chastened.Throughconviction

virtue,persistence,concentration,judgment,

consummateinknowledge&conduct,mindful,

you’llabandonthisnot-insignificantpain.144

Irrigatorsguidethewater.

Fletchersshapethearrowshaft.

Carpentersshapethewood.

Thoseofgoodpracticescontrolthemselves.

145

48

XI:Aging

Whatlaughter,whyjoy,whenconstantlyaflame?

Envelopedindarkness,don’tyoulookforalamp?146

Lookatthebeautifiedimage,aheapoffesteringwounds,shoredup:ill,buttheobject

ofmanyresolves,wherethereisnothing

lastingorsure.147

Wornoutisthisbody,anestofdiseases,dissolving.Thisputridconglomerationisboundtobreakup,forlifeishemmedinwithdeath.148

Onseeingthesebonesdiscarded

likegourdsinthefall,pigeon-gray:

whatdelight?149

Acitymadeofbones,plasteredoverwithflesh&blood,whosehiddentreasuresare:

pride&contempt,aging&death.

150

49

Evenroyalchariotswell-embellishedgetrundown,andsodoesthebodysuccumbtooldage.ButtheDhammaofthegooddoesn’tsuccumbtooldage:thegoodletthecivilizedknow.151

Thisunlisteningmanmatureslikeanox.Hismusclesdevelop,hisdiscernmentnot.152*

ThroughtheroundofmanybirthsIroamedwithoutreward,withoutrest,

seekingthehouse-builder.Painfulisbirthagain

&again.

House-builder,you’reseen!Youwillnotbuildahouseagain.Allyourraftersbroken,theridgepoledismantled,immersedindismantling,themindhasattainedtotheendofcraving.153-154*

Neitherlivingthechastelifenorgainingwealthintheiryouth,theywasteawaylikeoldheronsinadried-uplakedepletedoffish.

Neitherlivingthechastelifenorgainingwealthintheiryouth,theyliearound,misfiredfromthebow,sighingoveroldtimes.

50

155-156

51

XII:Self

Ifyouholdyourselfdearthenguard,guardyourselfwell.Thewisepersonwouldstayawake

nursinghimselfinanyofthethreewatchesofthenight,

thethreestagesoflife.157*

Firsthe’dsettlehimselfinwhatiscorrect,

onlythenteachothers.Hewouldn’tstainhisname

:heiswise.158

Ifyou’dmoldyourselfthewayyouteachothers,then,well-trained,goahead&tame–

for,astheysay,what’shardtotameisyou

yourself.159

Yourownselfisyourownmainstay,forwhoelsecouldyourmainstaybe?Withyouyourselfwell-trainedyouobtainthemainstayhardtoobtain.160

52

Theevilhehimselfhasdone–self-born,self-created–grindsdownthedullard,asadiamond,apreciousstone.161

Whenoverspreadbyextremevice–likeasaltreebyavine–youdotoyourselfwhatanenemywouldwish.162*

They’reeasytodo–thingsofnogood&nousetoyourself.What’strulyuseful&goodistrulyharderthanhardtodo.163

TheteachingofthosewholivetheDhamma,worthyones,noble:whoevermalignsit

–adullard,inspiredbyevilview–

bearsfruitforhisowndestruction,likethefruitingofthebamboo.164*

Evilisdonebyoneself,byoneselfisonedefiled.

Evilisleftundonebyoneself,byoneselfisonecleansed.

Purity&impurityareone’sowndoing.Noonepurifiesanother.Nootherpurifiesone.

165*

Don’tsacrificeyourownwelfareforthatofanother,nomatterhowgreat.

53

Realizingyourowntruewelfare,beintentonjustthat.166*

54

XIII:Worlds

Don’tassociatewithlowlyqualities.Don’tconsortwithheedlessness.Don’tassociatewithwrongviews.Don’tbusyyourselfwiththeworld.167

Getup!Don’tbeheedless.LivetheDhammawell.OnewholivestheDhamma

sleepswitheaseinthisworld&thenext.

LivetheDhammawell.Don’tliveitbadly.OnewholivestheDhamma

sleepswitheaseinthisworld&thenext.168-169

Seeitasabubble,seeitasamirage:onewhoregardstheworldthiswaytheKingofDeathdoesn’tsee.170*

Comelookatthisworldalldeckedoutlikearoyalchariot,wherefoolsplungein,whilethosewhoknow

don’tcling.171

Whooncewasheedless,

55

butlaterisnot,brightenstheworldlikethemoonsetfreefromacloud.

Hisevil-donedeedisreplacedwithskillfulness:

hebrightenstheworldlikethemoonsetfreefromacloud.

172-173

Blindedthisworld–howfewhereseeclearly!Justasbirdswho’veescaped

fromanetarefew,few

arethepeoplewhomakeittoheaven.174

Swansflythepathofthesun;thosewiththepowerflythroughspace;theenlightenedfleefromtheworld,havingdefeatedthearmiesofMara.175

Thepersonwhotellsalie,whotransgressesinthisonething,transcendingconcernfortheworldbeyond:

there’snoevilhemightnotdo.

176*

Nomisersgototheworldofthedevas.Thosewhodon’tpraisegiving

arefools.Theenlightenedexpresstheirapprovalforgiving

andsofindeaseintheworldbeyond.

177

56

Soledominionovertheearth,goingtoheaven,lordshipoverallworlds:

thefruitofstreamentryexcelsthem.

178*

57

XIV:Awakened

Whoseconquestcan’tbeundone,whoseconquestnooneintheworld

canreach;awakened,hispastureendless,

pathless:bywhatpathwillyouleadhimastray?

Inwhomthere’snocraving–thestickyensnarer–toleadhimanywhereveratall;awakened,hispastureendless,

pathless:bywhatpathwillyouleadhimastray?179-180

They,theenlightened,intentonjhana,delightinginstilling&renunciation,self-awakened&mindful:

eventhedevasviewthemwithenvy.

181

Hardthewinningofahumanbirth.Hardthelifeofmortals.HardthechancetohearthetrueDhamma.HardthearisingofAwakenedOnes.182

Thenon-doingofanyevil,

theperformanceofwhat’sskillful,

thecleansing

58

ofone’sownmind:thisistheteachingoftheAwakened.

Patientendurance:theforemostausterity.

Unbinding:theforemost,sosaytheAwakened.

Hewhoinjuresanotherisnocontemplative.Hewhomistreatsanother,

nomonk.

Notdisparaging,notinjuring,restraint

inlinewiththePatimokkha,moderation

infood,dwellinginseclusion,commitmenttotheheightenedmind:

thisistheteachingoftheAwakened.

183-185*

Notevenifitrainedgoldcoinswouldwehaveourfillofsensualpleasures.

‘Stressful,theygivelittleenjoyment’–

knowingthis,thewiseonefindsnodelight

eveninheavenlysensualpleasures.

Heisonewhodelightsintheendingofcraving,adiscipleoftheRightlySelf-AwakenedOne.

186-187

Theygotomanyarefuge,

59

tomountains&forests,topark&treeshrines:

peoplethreatenedwithdanger.That’snotthesecurerefuge,

notthesupremerefuge,that’snottherefuge,havinggonetowhich,

yougainreleasefromallsuffering&stress.

Butwhen,havinggonetotheBuddha,Dhamma,&Sanghaforrefuge,youseewithrightdiscernmentthefournobletruths–

stress,thecauseofstress,

thetranscendingofstress,&thenobleeightfoldpath,thewaytothestillingofstress:that’sthesecurerefuge,that,thesupremerefuge,thatistherefuge,havinggonetowhich,

yougainreleasefromallsuffering&stress.

188-192*

It’shardtocomebyathoroughbredofaman.

It’ssimplynottruethathe’sborneverywhere.

Whereverhe’sborn,anenlightenedone,thefamilyprospers,

ishappy.193

Ablessing:thearisingofAwakenedOnes.Ablessing:theteachingoftrueDhamma.Ablessing:theconcordoftheSangha.Theausterityofthoseinconcord

isablessing.

60

194

Ifyouworshipthoseworthyofworship,–AwakenedOnesortheirdisciples–who’vetranscended

objectification,crossedover

lamentation&grief,

whoareunendangered,fearless,unbound:

there’snomeasureforreckoningthatyourmerit’s‘thismuch.’195-196*

61

XV:Happy

Howveryhappilywelive,freefromhostilityamongthosewhoarehostile.Amonghostilepeople,freefromhostilitywedwell.

Howveryhappilywelive,freefrommiseryamongthosewhoaremiserable.Amongmiserablepeople,freefrommiserywedwell.

Howveryhappilywelive,freefrombusynessamongthosewhoarebusy.Amongbusypeople,freefrombusynesswedwell.

Howveryhappilywelive,wewhohavenothing.WewillfeedonraptureliketheRadiantgods.197-200

Winninggivesbirthtohostility.Losing,oneliesdowninpain.Thecalmedliedownwithease,

havingsetwinning&losing

aside.201

There’snofirelikepassion,nolosslikeanger,

62

nopainliketheaggregates,noeaseotherthanpeace.

Hunger:theforemostillness.Fabrications:theforemostpain.Foroneknowingthistruthasitactuallyis,

Unbindingistheforemostease.

Freedomfromillness:theforemostgoodfortune.Contentment:theforemostwealth.Trust:theforemostkinship.Unbinding:theforemostease.202-204

Drinkingthenourishment,theflavor,

ofseclusion&calm,oneisfreedfromevil,devoid

ofdistress,refreshedwiththenourishmentofraptureintheDhamma.205

It’sgoodtoseeNobleOnes.Happytheircompany–always.Throughnotseeingfoolsconstantly,constantly

onewouldbehappy.

For,livingwithafool,onegrievesalongtime.Painfuliscommunionwithfools,aswithanenemy–

always.Happyiscommunionwiththeenlightened,aswithagatheringofkin.

So:theenlightenedman–

63

discerning,learned,enduring,dutiful,noble,intelligent,amanofintegrity:

followhim–oneofthissort–asthemoon,thepathofthezodiacstars.

206-208

64

XVI:DearOnes

Havingappliedhimselftowhatwasnothisowntask,andnothavingappliedhimselftowhatwas,havingdisregardedthegoaltograspatwhathehelddear,henowenviesthosewho

keptafterthemselves,tookthemselves

totask.209*

Don’tever–regardless–beconjoinedwithwhat’sdear

orundear.It’spainfulnottoseewhat’sdearortoseewhat’snot.

Sodon’tmakeanythingdear,forit’sdreadfultobefarfromwhat’sdear.Nobondsarefoundforthoseforwhomthere’sneitherdearnorundear.210-211

Fromwhat’sdearisborngrief,fromwhat’sdearisbornfear.Foronefreedfromwhat’sdearthere’snogrief

–sohowfear?

65

Fromwhat’slovedisborngrief,fromwhat’slovedisbornfear.Foronefreedfromwhat’slovedthere’snogrief

–sohowfear?

Fromdelightisborngrief,fromdelightisbornfear.Foronefreedfromdelightthere’snogrief

–sohowfear?

Fromsensualityisborngrief,fromsensualityisbornfear.Foronefreedfromsensualitythere’snogrief

–sohowfear?

Fromcravingisborngrief,fromcravingisbornfear.Foronefreedfromcravingthere’snogrief

–sohowfear?212-216

Oneconsummateinvirtue&vision,judicious,speakingthetruth,doinghisowntask:

theworldholdshimdear.217

Ifyou’vegivenbirthtoawish

forwhatcan’tbeexpressed,aresuffusedwithheart,yourmindnotenmeshedinsensualpassions:

you’resaidtobeintheup-flowingstream.

218*

66

Amanlongabsentcomeshomesafefromafar.Hiskin,hisfriends,hiscompanions,delightinhisreturn.

Injustthesameway,whenyou’vedonegood&gonefromthisworld

totheworldbeyond,yourgooddeedsreceiveyou–askin,someonedear

comehome.219-220

67

XVII:Anger

Abandonanger,bedonewithconceit,getbeyondeveryfetter.Whenforname&formyouhavenoattachment–havenothingatall–nosufferings,nostresses,invade.221

Whenangerarises,whoeverkeepsfirmcontrolasifwitharacingchariot:himIcallamastercharioteer.

Anyoneelse,arein-holder–that’sall.

222

Conquerangerwithlackofanger;

badwithgood;stinginesswithagift;aliarwithtruth.223

Bytellingthetruth;bynotgrowingangry;bygiving,whenasked,nomatterhowlittleyouhave:bythesethreethingsyouenterthepresenceofdevas.224

68

Gentlesages,constantlyrestrainedinbody,gototheunwaveringstatewhere,havinggone,there’snogrief.225

Thosewhoalwaysstaywakeful,trainingbyday&bynight,keenonUnbinding:theireffluentscometoanend.226

Thishascomedownfromold,Atula,&notjustfromtoday:theyfindfaultwithone

whositssilent,theyfindfaultwithone

whospeaksagreatdeal,theyfindfaultwithone

whomeasureshiswords.There’snooneunfaultedintheworld.

Thereneverwas,willbe,

noratpresentisfoundanyoneentirelyfaultedorentirelypraised.227-228

Ifknowledgeablepeoplepraisehim,havingobservedhim

dayafterdaytobeblamelessinconduct,intelligent,endowedwithdiscernment&virtue:likeaningotofgold–who’sfittofindfaultwithhim?

Evendevaspraisehim.EvenbyBrahmahe’spraised.

229-230

Guardagainstanger

69

eruptinginbody;inbody,berestrained.Havingabandonedbodilymisconduct,liveconductingyourselfwell

inbody.

Guardagainstangereruptinginspeech;inspeech,berestrained.Havingabandonedverbalmisconduct,liveconductingyourselfwell

inspeech.

Guardagainstangereruptinginmind;inmind,berestrained.Havingabandonedmentalmisconduct,liveconductingyourselfwell

inmind.

Thoserestrainedinbody–theenlightened–

restrainedinspeech&inmind–enlightened–

aretheoneswhoserestraintissecure.231-234*

70

XVIII:Impurities

Youarenowlikeayellowedleaf.

AlreadyYama’sminionsstandnear.Youstandatthedoortodeparturebuthaveyettoprovideforthejourney.

Makeanislandforyourself!Workquickly!Bewise!Withimpuritiesallblownaway,

unblemished,you’llreachthedivinerealmofthenobleones.

Youarenowrightattheendofyourtime.

YouareheadedtoYama’spresence,withnoplacetorestalongtheway,buthaveyettoprovideforthejourney.

Makeanislandforyourself!Workquickly!Bewise!Withimpuritiesallblownaway,

unblemished,youwon’tagainundergobirth

&aging.235-238*

Justasasilversmithstepbystep,

71

bitbybit,

momenttomoment,

blowsawaytheimpuritiesofmoltensilver–sothewiseman,hisown.239

Justasrust–iron’simpurity–eatstheveryironfromwhichitisborn,

sothedeedsofonewholivesslovenly

leadhimontoabaddestination.240*

Norecitation:theruinousimpurityofchants.

Noinitiative:ofahousehold.Indolence:ofbeauty.Heedlessness:ofaguard.

Inawoman,misconductisanimpurity.Inadonor,stinginess.Evildeedsaretherealimpuritiesinthisworld&thenext.

Moreimpurethantheseimpuritiesistheultimateimpurity:

ignorance.Havingabandonedthisimpurity,monks,you’reimpurity-free.241-243

Life’seasytoliveforsomeoneunscrupulous,

cunningasacrow,corrupt,back-biting,forward,&brash;

72

butforsomeonewho’sconstantlyscrupulous,cautious,observant,sincere,pureinhislivelihood,cleaninhispursuits,

it’shard.244-245

Whoeverkills,lies,steals,goestosomeoneelse’swife,&isaddictedtointoxicants,

digshimselfupbytheroot

righthereinthisworld.

Soknow,mygoodman,thatbaddeedsarereckless.Don’tletgreed&unrighteousnessoppressyouwithlong-termpain.246-248

Peoplegiveinlinewiththeirfaith,inlinewithconviction.Whoevergetsflusteredatfood&drinkgiventoothers,attainsnoconcentrationbydayorbynight.

Butoneinwhomthisiscutthroughup-rootedwipedout–

attainsconcentrationbydayorbynight.249-250

There’snofirelikepassion,noseizurelikeanger,nosnarelikedelusion,noriverlikecraving.251

73

It’seasytoseetheerrorsofothers,buthardtoseeyourown.Youwinnowlikechafftheerrorsofothers,butconcealyourown–likeacheat,anunluckythrow.

Ifyoufocusontheerrorsofothers,constantlyfindingfault,youreffluentsflourish.You’refarfromtheirending.252-253

There’snotrailinspace,nooutsidecontemplative.Peoplearesmittenwithobjectification,butdevoidofobjectificationaretheTathagatas.

There’snotrailinspace,nooutsidecontemplative,noeternalfabrications,nowaveringintheAwakened.254-255*

74

XIX:TheJudge

Topassjudgmenthurriedlydoesn’tmeanyou’reajudge.Thewiseone,weighingboththerightjudgment&wrong,judgesothersimpartially–unhurriedly,inlinewiththeDhamma,

guardingtheDhamma,guardedbyDhamma,intelligent:

he’scalledajudge.256-257*

Simplytalkingalotdoesn’tmeanoneiswise.Whoever’ssecure–

nohostility,fear–

issaidtobewise.

Simplytalkingalotdoesn’tmaintaintheDhamma.Whoever–althoughhe’sheardnexttonothing–

seesDhammathroughhisbody,isnotheedlessofDhamma:

he’sonewhomaintainstheDhamma.258-259*

Aheadofgrayhairsdoesn’tmeanone’sanelder.Advancedinyears,one’scalledanoldfool.

75

Butoneinwhomthereistruth,restraint,rectitude,gentleness,self-control–

he’scalledanelder,hisimpuritiesdisgorged,

enlightened.260-261

Notbysuaveconversationorlotus-likecoloringdoesanenvious,miserlycheatbecomeanexemplaryman.

Butoneinwhomthisiscutthroughup-rootedwipedout–

he’scalledexemplary,hisaversiondisgorged,

intelligent.262-263

Ashavenheaddoesn’tmeanacontemplative.Theliarobservingnoduties,filledwithgreed&desire:whatkindofcontemplative’she?

Butwhoevertunesoutthedissonanceofhisevilqualities–largeorsmall–ineverywaybybringingeviltoconsonance:

he’scalledacontemplative.264-265*

Beggingfromothersdoesn’tmeanone’samonk.Aslongasonefollowshouseholders’ways,

76

oneisnomonkatall.

Butwhoeverputsasidebothmerit&eviland,livingthechastelife,

judiciouslygoesthroughtheworld:he’scalledamonk.

266-267

Notbysilencedoessomeoneconfused

&unknowingturnintoasage.

Butwhoever–wise,asifholdingthescales,

takingtheexcellent–rejectsevildeeds:

heisasage,that’showhe’sasage.Whoevercanweighbothsidesoftheworld:

that’showhe’scalledasage.

268-269*

Notbyharminglifedoesonebecomenoble.Oneistermed

nobleforbeing

gentletoalllivingthings.270

Monk,don’tonaccountof

yourhabits&practices,greaterudition,concentrationattainments,

77

secludeddwelling,orthethought,‘Itouchtherenunciateeasethatrun-of-the-millpeopledon’tknow’:

everletyourselfgetcomplacentwhentheendingofeffluentsisstillunattained.

271-272*

78

XX:ThePath

Ofpaths,theeightfoldisbest.Oftruths,thefoursayings.Ofqualities,dispassion.Oftwo-footedbeings,

theonewiththeeyestosee.

273*

Justthisisthepath

–thereisnoother–topurifyvision.

Followit,andthatwillbeMara’s

bewilderment.

Followingit,youputanendtosuffering&stress.Ihavetaughtyouthispathhavingknown

–foryourknowing–theextractionofarrows.

It’sforyoutostriveardently.

Tathagatassimplypointouttheway.Thosewhopractice,absorbedinjhana:

fromMara’sbondsthey’llbefreed.

274-276*

79

Whenyouseewithdiscernment,‘Allfabricationsareinconstant’–yougrowdisenchantedwithstress.

Thisisthepathtopurity.

Whenyouseewithdiscernment,‘Allfabricationsarestressful’–yougrowdisenchantedwithstress.


Whenyouseewithdiscernment,‘Allphenomenaarenot-self’–yougrowdisenchantedwithstress.


277-279

Atthetimeforinitiativehetakesnoinitiative.Young,strong,butlethargic,theresolvesofhisheart

exhausted,thelazy,lethargiconelosesthepathtodiscernment.280

Guardedinspeech,

well-restrainedinmind,

youshoulddonothingunskillfulinbody.

Purifythesethreecoursesofaction.

Bringtofruitionthepaththatseershaveproclaimed.281

Fromstrivingcomeswisdom;

80

fromnot,wisdom’send.Knowingthesetwocourses–to

development,decline–

conductyourselfsothatwisdomwillgrow.282

Cutdowntheforestofdesire,nottheforestoftrees.Fromtheforestofdesirecomedanger&fear.Havingcutdownthisforest&itsunderbrush,monks,

bedeforested.

Foraslongastheleastbitofunderbrushofamanforwomenisnotclearedaway,theheartisfixated

likeasucklingcalfonitsmother.

Crushyoursenseofself-allure

likeanautumnlilyinthehand.

Nurtureonlythepathtopeace–Unbinding–

astaughtbytheOneWellGone.283-285*

‘HereI’llstayfortherains.Here,forthesummer&winter.’Soimaginesthefool,unawareofobstructions.

Thatdrunk-on-his-sons-&-cattleman,alltangledupinthemind:

81

deathsweepshimaway–asagreatflood,avillageasleep.

Therearenosons

togiveshelter,nofather,nofamily

foroneseizedbytheEnder,noshelteramongkin.

Realizingthisforceofreasoning,thewiseman,restrainedbyvirtue,shouldmakethepathpure

–rightaway–thatgoesallthewaytoUnbinding.286-289*

82

XXI:Miscellany

If,byforsakingalimitedease,hewouldseeanabundanceofease,theenlightenedmanwouldforsakethelimitedeaseforthesakeoftheabundant.290

Hewantshisowneasebygivingothersdis-ease.Intertwinedintheinter-actionofhostility,fromhostilityhe’snotsetfree.291

Inthosewhorejectwhatshould,&dowhatshouldn’tbedone–heedless,insolent–effluentsgrow.

Butforthosewhoarewell-applied,constantly,tomindfulnessimmersedinthebody;don’tindulgeinwhatshouldn’tbedone;&persistinwhatshould–mindful,alert–effluentscometoanend.

83

292-293*

Havingkilledmother&father,twowarriorkings,thekingdom&itsdependency–thebrahman,untroubled,travelson.

Havingkilledmother&father,twolearnedkings,&,fifth,atiger–thebrahman,untroubled,travelson.294-295*

Theyawaken,alwayswideawake:Gotama’sdisciples

whosemindfulness,bothday&night,isconstantlyimmersed

intheBuddha.



intheDhamma.



intheSangha.



inthebody.


whoseheartsdelight,bothday&night,inharmlessness.

Theyawaken,alwayswideawake:

84

Gotama’sdiscipleswhoseheartsdelight,bothday&night,

indevelopingthemind.296-301*

Hardisthelifegoneforth,hardtodelightin.

Hardisthemiserablehouseholder’slife.

It’spainfultostaywithdissonantpeople,painfultotraveltheroad.

Sobeneithertravelernorpained.

302

Themanofconvictionendowedwithvirtue,glory,&wealth:whereverhegoesheishonored.303*

ThegoodshinefromafarlikethesnowyHimalayas.Thebaddon’tappearevenwhennear,likearrowsshotintothenight.304

Sittingalone,restingalone,walkingalone,untiring.Taminghimself,he’ddelightalone–

aloneintheforest.305

85

XXII:Hell

Hegoestohell,theonewhoassertswhatdidn’ttakeplace,asdoestheonewho,havingdone,says,‘Ididn’t.’Both–low-actingpeople–therebecomeequal:afterdeath,intheworldbeyond.306

Anochrerobetied’roundtheirnecks,manywithevilqualities–unrestrained,evil–rearise,becauseoftheirevilacts,

inhell.

Bettertoeatanironball–glowing,aflame–thanthat,unprincipled&

unrestrained,youshouldeatthealmsofthecountry.307-308

Fourthingsbefalltheheedlessmanwholiesdownwiththewifeofanother:awealthofdemerit;alackofgoodsleep;third,censure;fourth,hell.

Awealthofdemerit,anevildestination,&thebriefdelightofa

fearfulmanwitha

86

fearfulwoman,&thekinginflictsaharshpunishment.

Sonomanshouldliedownwiththewifeofanother.309-310

Justassharp-bladedgrass,ifwronglyheld,woundstheveryhandthatholdsit–thecontemplativelife,ifwronglygrasped,dragsyoudowntohell.

Anyslackact,ordefiledobservance,orfraudulentlifeofchastitybearsnogreatfruit.

Ifsomething’stobedone,thenworkatitfirmly,foraslackgoing-forthkicksupallthemoredust.

It’sbettertoleaveamisdeedundone.

Amisdeedburnsyouafterward.Betterthatagooddeedbedonethat,afteryou’vedoneit,won’tmakeyouburn.311-314

Likeafrontierfortress,guardedinside&out,

guardyourself.Don’tletthemomentpassby.Thoseforwhomthemomentispastgrieve,consignedtohell.315

Ashamedofwhat’snotshameful,notashamedofwhatis,beingsadoptingwrongviews

87

gotoabaddestination.

Seeingdangerwherethereisnone,&nodangerwherethereis,beingsadoptingwrongviewsgotoabaddestination.

Imaginingerrorwherethereisnone,andnoerrorwherethereis,beingsadoptingwrongviewsgotoabaddestination.

Butknowingerroraserror,andnon-errorasnon-,beingsadoptingrightviews

gotoagooddestination.

316-319

88

XXIII:Elephants

I–likeanelephantinbattle,enduringanarrowshotfromabow–willendureafalseaccusation,forthemassofpeoplehavenoprinciples.320

Thetamedistheonetheytakeintoassemblies.Thetamedistheonethekingmounts.Thetamedwhoenduresafalseaccusationis,amonghumanbeings,

thebest.321

Excellentaretamedmules,tamedthoroughbreds,tamedhorsesfromSindh.

Excellent,tamedtuskers,greatelephants.

Butevenmoreexcellentarethoseself-tamed.

Fornotbythesemountscouldyougotothelandunreached,asthetamedonegoesbytaming,well-taming,himself.322-323

Thetusker,Dhanapalaka,deepinrut,ishardtocontrol.Bound,hewon’teatamorsel:

89

thetuskermissestheelephantwood.324*

Whentorpid&over-fed,asleepy-headlollingaboutlikeastouthog,fattenedonfodder:adullardentersthewomb

over&overagain.

325

Before,thismindwentwanderinghoweveritpleased,whereveritwanted,bywhateverwaythatitliked.

TodayIwillholditaptlyincheck–asonewieldingagoad,anelephantinrut.326

Delightinheedfulness.Watchoveryourownmind.Liftyourselfupfromthehard-goingway,likeatuskersunkinthemud.327

Ifyougainamaturecompanion–afellowtraveler,right-living,enlightened–overcomingalldangers

gowithhim,gratified,mindful.

Ifyoudon’tgainamaturecompanion–afellowtraveler,right-living,enlightened–goalonelikeakingrenouncinghiskingdom,liketheelephantintheMatangawilds,hisherd.

Goingaloneisbetter.There’snocompanionshipwithafool.

90

Goalone,doingnoevil,atpeace,liketheelephantintheMatangawilds.328-330*

Ablessing:friendswhentheneedarises.Ablessing:contentmentwithwhateverthereis.Meritattheendingoflifeisablessing.Ablessing:theabandoningofallsuffering

&stress.

Ablessingintheworld:reverencetoyourmother.Ablessing:reverencetoyourfatheraswell.Ablessingintheworld:reverencetoacontemplative.Ablessing:reverenceforabrahman,too.

Ablessingintooldageisvirtue.Ablessing:convictionestablished.Ablessing:discernmentattained.Thenon-doingofevilthingsis

ablessing.331-333

91

XXIV:Craving

Whenapersonlivesheedlessly,hiscravinggrowslikeacreepingvine.Herunsnowhere

&nowthere,asiflookingforfruit:

amonkeyintheforest.334

Ifthissticky,uncouthcravingovercomesyouintheworld,yoursorrowsgrowlikewildgrass

afterrain.

If,intheworld,youovercomethisuncouthcraving,hardtoescape,sorrowsrolloffyou,

likewaterbeadsoffalotus.

335-336

ToallofyougatheredhereIsay:Goodfortune.

Digupcraving–aswhenseekingmedicinalroots,wildgrass–

bytheroot.Don’tletMaracutyoudown–asaragingriver,areed–over&overagain.337*

Ifitsrootremainsundamaged&strong,atree,evenifcut,willgrowback.

92

Sotooifcraving-obsessionisnotrootedout,thissufferingreturns

again&again.

338

Hewhose36streams,flowingtowhatisappealing,arestrong:thecurrents–resolvesbasedonpassion–carryhim,ofbaseviews,away.

Theyfloweverywhichway,thestreams,butthesproutedcreeperstays

inplace.Now,seeingthatthecreeper’sarisen,cutthroughitsrootwithdiscernment.339-340*

Loosened&oiledarethejoysofaperson.People,boundbyenticement,lookingforease:tobirth&agingtheygo.341*

Encircledwithcraving,peoplehopround&aroundlikearabbitcaughtinasnare.Tiedwithfetters&bondstheygoontosuffering,again&again,forlong.

Encircledwithcraving,peoplehopround&aroundlikearabbitcaughtinasnare.

Soamonkshoulddispelcraving,shouldaspiretodispassion

forhimself.

93

342-343*

Clearedoftheunderbrushbutobsessedwiththeforest,setfreefromtheforest,rightbacktotheforestheruns.Come,seethepersonsetfreewhorunsrightbacktothesameoldchains!344

That’snotastrongbond–sosaytheenlightened–theonemadeofiron,ofwood,orofgrass.Tobesmitten,enthralled,

withjewels&ornaments,longingforchildren&wives:

that’sthestrongbond,–sosaytheenlightened–onethat’sconstraining,

elastic,hardtountie.

Buthavingcutit,they–theenlightened–goforth,freeoflonging,abandoning

sensualease.

Thosesmittenwithpassionfallback

intoaself-madestream,likeaspidersnaredinitsweb.But,havingcutit,theenlightenedsetforth,freeoflonging,abandoning

allsuffering&stress.345-347*

Gonetothebeyondofbecoming,youletgoofinfront,letgoofbehind,letgoofbetween.

Withahearteverywherelet-go,youdon’tcomeagaintobirth

94

&aging.348*

Forapersonforcedonbyhisthinking,fierceinhispassion,focusedonbeauty,

cravinggrowsallthemore.He’stheone

whotightensthebond.

Butonewhodelightsinthestillingofthinking,

alwaysmindfulcultivating

afocusonthefoul:He’stheone

whowillmakeanend,theonewhowillcutMara’sbond.349-350*

Arrivedatthefinish,unfrightened,unblemished,freeofcraving,hehascutawaythearrowsofbecoming.Thisphysicalheapishislast.

Freefromcraving,ungrasping,astuteinexpression,knowingthecombinationofsounds–whichcomesfirst&whichafter.He’scalleda

last-bodygreatlydiscerninggreatman.

351-352*

All-conquering,all-knowingamI,withregardtoallthings,

95

unadhering.All-abandoning,releasedintheendingofcraving:havingfullyknownonmyown,towhomshouldIpointasmyteacher?353*

AgiftofDhammaconquersallgifts;

thetasteofDhamma,alltastes;

adelightinDhamma,alldelights;

theendingofcraving,allsuffering&stress.

354*

Richesruinthemanweakindiscernment,butnotthosewhoseek

thebeyond.Throughcravingforrichesthemanweakindiscernment

ruinshimselfashewouldothers.355

Fieldsarespoiledbyweeds;people,bypassion.Sowhat’sgiventothosefreeofpassion

bearsgreatfruit.

Fieldsarespoiledbyweeds;people,byaversion.Sowhat’sgiventothosefreeofaversion

bearsgreatfruit.

Fieldsarespoiledbyweeds;people,bydelusion.

96

Sowhat’sgiventothosefreeofdelusion

bearsgreatfruit.

Fieldsarespoiledbyweeds;people,bylonging.Sowhat’sgiventothosefreeoflonging

bearsgreatfruit.356-359

97

XXV:Monks

Restraintwiththeeyeisgood,goodisrestraintwiththeear.Restraintwiththenoseisgood,goodisrestraintwiththetongue.Restraintwiththebodyisgood,goodisrestraintwithspeech.Restraintwiththeheartisgood,goodisrestrainteverywhere.Amonkeverywhererestrainedisreleasedfromallsuffering&stress.360-361*

Handsrestrained,feetrestrainedspeechrestrained,

supremelyrestrained–delightinginwhatisinward,content,centered,alone:he’swhattheycall

amonk.362

Amonkrestrainedinhisspeaking,givingcounselunruffled,declaringthemessage&meaning:

sweetishisspeech.363*

Dhammahisdwelling,Dhammahisdelight,amonkponderingDhamma,

callingDhammatomind,doesnotfallawayfromtrueDhamma.

98

364

Gains:don’ttreatyourownwithscorn,don’tgocovetingthoseofothers.Amonkwhocovetsthoseofothers

attainsnoconcentration.

Evenifhegetsnexttonothing,hedoesn’ttreathisgainswithscorn.Livingpurely,untiring:

he’stheonethatthedevaspraise.

365-366

Forwhom,inname&formineveryway,

there’snosenseofmine,&whodoesn’tgrieveforwhat’snot:he’sdeservedlycalled

amonk.367

Dwellinginkindness,amonkwithfaithintheAwakenedOne’steaching,wouldattainthegoodstate,

thepeacefulstate:stilling-of-fabricationsease.368*

Monk,bailoutthisboat.Itwilltakeyoulightlywhenbailed.Havingcutthroughpassion,aversion,yougofromtheretoUnbinding.369*

Cutthroughfive,letgooffive,&developfiveaboveall.Amonkgonepastfiveattachments

99

issaidtohavecrossedtheflood.370*

Practicejhana,monk,anddon’tbeheedless.Don’ttakeyourmindroaminginsensualstrands.Don’tswallow–heedless–theballofironaflame.Don’tburn&complain:‘Thisispain.’371

There’snojhana

foronewithnodiscernment,nodiscernment

foronewithnojhana.

Butonewithbothjhana&discernment:

he’sonthevergeofUnbinding.

372

Amonkwithhismindatpeace,goingintoanemptydwelling,clearlyseeingtheDhammaaright:

hisdelightismorethanhuman.

Howeveritis,howeveritishetouchesthearising-&-passingofaggregates:hegainsrapture&joy:

that,forthosewhoknowit,isdeathless,theDeathless.

373-374

Herethefirstthings

100

foradiscerningmonkare

guardingthesenses,contentment,restraintinlinewiththePatimokkha.

Heshouldassociatewithadmirablefriends.

Livingpurely,untiring,hospitablebyhabit,skilledinhisconduct,gainingamanifoldjoy,

hewillputanendtosuffering&stress.375-376

Shedpassion&aversion,monks–asajasminewould,itswitheredflowers.377

Calmedinbody,calmedinspeech,well-centered&calm,havingdisgorgedthebaitsoftheworld,amonkiscalled

thoroughlycalmed.

378

Youyourselfshouldreproveyourself,shouldexamineyourself.

Asaself-guardedmonkwithguardedself,mindful,youdwellatease.379

Yourownselfisyourownmainstay.Yourownselfisyourownguide.

101

Thereforeyoushouldwatchoveryourself–asatrader,afinesteed.380

Amonkwithamanifoldjoy,withfaithintheAwakenedOne’steaching,wouldattainthegoodstate,

thepeacefulstate:stilling-of-fabricationsease.381*

AyoungmonkwhostrivesintheAwakenedOne’steaching,

brightenstheworldlikethemoonsetfreefromacloud.382

102

XXVI:Brahmans

Havingstriven,brahman,cutthestream.Expelsensualpassions.

Knowingtheendingoffabrications,brahman,

youknowtheUnmade.383*

Whenthebrahmanhasgonetothebeyondoftwothings,thenallhisfettersgototheirend–

hewhoknows.384*

Onewhosebeyondornot-beyondorbeyond-&-not-beyondcan’tbefound;unshackled,carefree:

he’swhatIcallabrahman.

385*

Sittingsilent,dustless,absorbedinjhana,histaskdone,effluentsgone,ultimategoalattained:


386

Bydayshinesthesun;bynight,themoon;

103

inarmor,thewarrior;injhana,thebrahman.Butallday&allnight,everyday&everynight,theAwakenedOneshines

insplendor.387

He’scalledabrahmanforhavingbanishedhisevil,

acontemplativeforlivinginconsonance,

onegoneforthforhavingforsakenhisownimpurities.

388*

Oneshouldnotstrikeabrahman,norshouldthebrahmanletloosewithhisanger.Shameonabrahman’skiller.Moreshameonthebrahman

whoseanger’sletloose.389*

Nothing’sbetterforthebrahmanthanwhenthemindisheldbackfromwhatisendearing&not.Howeverhisharmful-heartedness

wearsaway,that’showstresssimplycomestorest.390*

Whoeverdoesnowronginbody,speech,heart,

isrestrainedinthesethreeways:he’swhatIcallabrahman.

391

104

ThepersonfromwhomyouwouldlearntheDhammataughtbytheRightlySelf-AwakenedOne:youshouldhonorhimwithrespect–asabrahman,theflameforasacrifice.392*

Notbymattedhair,byclan,orbybirth,isoneabrahman.Whoeverhastruth&rectitude:

heisapureone,he,abrahman.

What’stheuseofyourmattedhair,youdullard?

What’stheuseofyourdeerskincloak?Thetangle’sinsideyou.Youcombtheoutside.393-394*

Wearingcast-offrags–hisbodylean&linedwithveins–absorbedinjhana,aloneintheforest:


395

Idon’tcalloneabrahmanforbeingbornofamotherorsprungfromawomb.He’scalleda‘bho-sayer’ifhehasanythingatall.Butsomeonewithnothing,whoclingstonothing:


396*

105

Havingcuteveryfetter,hedoesn’tgetruffled.Beyondattachment,unshackled:


397

Havingcutthestrap&thong,cord&bridle,

havingthrownoffthebar,awakened:he’swhatIcallabrahman.

398*

Heendures–unangered–insult,assault,&imprisonment.Hisarmyisstrength;hisstrength,forbearance:


399

Freefromanger,dutiesobserved,principled,withnooverbearingpride,trained,a‘last-body’:


400*

Likewateronalotusleaf,amustardseedonthetipofanawl,

hedoesn’tadheretosensualpleasures:he’swhatIcallabrahman.

401

Hediscernsrighthere,forhimself,onhisown,

106

hisownendingofstress.

Unshackled,hisburdenlaiddown:he’swhatIcallabrahman.

402*

Wise,profoundindiscernment,astuteastowhatisthepath&what’snot;hisultimategoalattained:


403

Uncontaminatedbyhouseholders&houselessonesalike;livingwithnohome,withnexttonowants:


404

Havingputasideviolenceagainstbeingsfearfulorfirm,heneitherkillsnorgetsotherstokill:


405

Unopposingamongopposition,unbound

amongthearmed,unclinging

amongthosewhocling:he’swhatIcallabrahman.406

107

Hispassion,aversion,conceit,&contempt,havefallenaway–likeamustardseedfromthetipofanawl:


407

Hewouldsaywhat’snon-grating,

instructive,true–

abusingnoone:he’swhatIcallabrahman.

408

Hereintheworldhetakesnothingnot-given–long,short,

large,small,attractive,not:


409

Hislongingforthis&forthenextworldcan’tbefound;freefromlonging,unshackled:


410

Hisattachments,hishomes,

can’tbefound.He,throughknowing,isunperplexed,hasgainedafootingintheDeathless:

108


411*

Hehasgonebeyondattachmenthereforbothmerit&evil–sorrowless,dustless,&pure:


412*

Spotless,pure,likethemoon–limpid&calm–

hisdelights,hisbecomings,totallygone:


413

Hehasmadehiswaypastthishard-goingpath–samsara,delusion–hascrossedover,hasgonebeyond,isfreefromwant,

fromperplexity,absorbedinjhana,throughno-clingingUnbound:


414

Whoever,abandoningsensualpassionshere,wouldgoforthfromhome–hissensualpassions,becomings,

totallygone:he’swhatIcallabrahman.

Whoever,abandoningcravinghere,

109

wouldgoforthfromhome–hiscravings,becomings,

totallygone:he’swhatIcallabrahman.

415-416

Havingleftbehindthehumanbond,

havingmadehiswaypastthedivine,

fromallbondsunshackled:he’swhatIcallabrahman.

417

Havingleftbehinddelight&displeasure,cooled,withnoacquisitions–aherowhohasconquered

alltheworld,everyworld:


418

Heknowsineverywaybeings’passingaway,andtheirre-arising;unattached,awakened,well-gone:


419

Hewhosecoursetheydon’tknow–devas,gandhabbas,&humanbeings–hiseffluentsended,anarahant:


420

110

Hewhohasnothing–infront,behind,inbetween–theonewithnothingwhoclingstonothing:


421*

Asplendidbull,conqueror,hero,greatseer–

freefromwant,awakened,washed:


422

Heknowshisformerlives.

Heseesheavens&statesofwoe,

hasattainedtheendingofbirth,

isasagewhohasmasteredfull-knowing,hismasterytotallymastered:


423*

111

HistoricalNotes:

TheText&theTranslation

TherearemanyversionsoftheDhammapadanowextant:severalrecensionsofthePaliDhammapadafromBurma,Cambodia,Laos,SriLanka,andThailand;twoincompletemanuscriptsofaGandhariDharmapadafoundincentralAsia;andamanuscriptofaBuddhistHybrid-SanskritDharmapadafoundinalibraryinTibet,calledthePatnaDharmapadabecausephotographsofthismanuscriptarenowkeptinPatna,India.ThereisalsoaChinesetranslationoftheDharmapadamadeinthethirdcenturyC.E.fromaPrakritoriginal,nownolongerextant,similarto–butnotidenticalwith–thePaliDhammapada.PartsofaDharmapadatextareincludedintheMahavastu,atextbelongingtotheLokottaravadinMahasanghikaschool.Inaddition,thereareSanskrit,Tibetan,andChineseversionsofatextcalledtheUdanavarga,whichisknowninatleastfourrecensions,allofthemcontainingmanyversesincommonwiththeDhammapada/Dharmapada(Dhp)texts.Tofurthercomplicatematters,thereareJainanthologiesthatcontainversesclearlyrelatedtosomeofthosefoundintheseBuddhistanthologiesaswell.

Despitethemanysimilaritiesamongthesetexts,theycontainenoughdiscrepanciestohavefueledasmallscholarlyindustry.ThedifferentrecensionsofthePaliDhpcontainsomanyvariantreadingsthatthereisn’tyet–evenaftermorethanacenturyofWesternscholarshiponthetopic–asingleeditioncoveringthemall.ThediscrepanciesamongthePaliandnon-Paliversionsareevengreater.Theyarrangeversesindifferentorders,eachcontainsversesnotfoundintheothers,andamongtheversesindifferentversionsthatarerelated,thesimilarityintermsofimageryormessageissometimesfairlytenuous.

FortunatelyforanyonelookingtotheDhpforspiritualguidance,thedifferencesamongthevariousrecensions–thoughmanyinnumber–rangeinimportancefromfairlyminortominorintheextreme.Allowingforafewobviousscribalerrors,noneofthemfalloutsidethepaleofwhathaslongbeenacceptedasstandardearlyBuddhistdoctrineasderivedfromthePalidiscourses.Forexample,doesthemilkinverse71comeoutordoesitcurdle?Isthebondinverse346subtle,slack,orelastic?Isthebrahmaninverse393happyorishepure?Forallpracticalpurposes,thesequestions

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hardlymatter.Theybecomeimportantonlywhenoneisforcedtotakesidesinchoosingwhichversiontotranslate,andeventhenthenatureofthechoiceislikethatofaconductordecidingwhichofthemanyversionsofaHandeloratoriotoperform.

Unfortunatelyforthetranslator,though,thescholarlydiscussionsthathavegrownaroundtheseissueshavetendedtoblowthemalloutofproportion,tothepointwheretheycallintoquestiontheauthenticityoftheDhpasawhole.Becausethescholarswhohavedevotedthemselvestothistopichavecomeupwithsuchcontradictoryadviceforthepotentialtranslator–includingthesuggestionthatit’sawasteoftimetotranslatesomeoftheversesatall–weneedtosortthroughthediscussionstoseewhat,ifany,reliableguidancetheygive.

ThosewhohaveworkedontheissuesraisedbythevariantversionsofDhphave,byandlarge,directedthediscussiontofiguringoutwhichversionistheoldestandmostauthentic,andwhichversionsarelaterandmorecorrupt.Lackinganyoutsidelandmarksagainstwhichtheversionscanbesighted,scholarshaveattemptedtoreconstructwhatmusthavebeentheearliestversionbytriangulatingamongthetextsthemselves.Thistextualtrigonometrytendstorelyonassumptionsfromamongthefollowingthreetypes:

1)Assumptionsconcerningwhatisinherentlyanearlierorlaterformofaverse.Theseassumptionsaretheleastreliableofthethree,fortheyinvolvenotrulyobjectivecriteria.If,forinstance,twoversionsofaversedifferinthatoneismoreinternallyconsistentthantheother,theconsistentversionwillseemmoregenuinetoonescholar,whereasanotherscholarwillattributetheconsistencytolatereffortsto“cleanup”theverse.Similarly,ifoneversioncontainsarenditionofaversedifferentfromallotherrenditionsofthesameverse,onescholarwillseethatasasignofdeviance;another,asasignoftheauthenticitythatmayhavepredatedalaterstandardizationamongthetexts.Thustheconclusionsdrawnbydifferentscholarsbasedontheseassumptionstellusmoreaboutthescholars’presuppositionsthantheydoaboutthetextsthemselves.

2)Assumptionsconcerningthemeteroftheversesinquestion.OneofthegreatadvancesinrecentPalischolarshiphasbeentherediscoveryofthemetricalrulesunderlyingearlyPalipoetry.AstheBuddhahimselfisquotedassaying,“Meteristhestructuralframeworkofverses.”(SN1:60)Knowledgeofmetricalrulesthushelpstheeditorortranslatorspotwhichreadingsofaversedeviatefromthestructureofastandardmeter,andwhichonesfollowit.Theoretically,theobviouschoicewouldbetoadoptthelatterandrejecttheformer.Inpractice,however,theissueisnotsoclear-cut.EarlyPalipoetrydatesfromatimeofgreatmetricalexperimentation,andsothereisalwaysthepossibilitythataparticularpoemwascomposedinanexperimentalmeterthatneverachievedwidespreadrecognition.Thereisalsothepossibilitythat–asthepoetrywasspontaneousandoral–afairamountofmetricallicensewasallowed.This

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meansthatthemore“correct”formsofaversemayhavebeentheproductsofalaterattempttofitthepoetryintostandardmolds.Thustheconclusionsbasedontheassumptionofstandardmetersarenotastotallyreliableastheymightseem.

3)AssumptionsconcerningthelanguageinwhichtheoriginalDhpwasfirstcomposed.TheseassumptionsrequireanextensiveknowledgeofMiddleIndicdialects.Ascholarwillassumeaparticulardialecttohavebeentheoriginallanguageofthetext,andwillfurthermakeassumptionsaboutthetypesoftranslationmistakesthatmighthavebeencommonwhentranslatingfromthatdialectintothelanguagesofthetextswenowhave.Thetextualtrigonometrybasedontheseassumptionsofteninvolvessuchcomplicatedmethodsofsightingandcomputationthatitcanproducean“original”versionofthetextthatisjustthat:veryoriginal,coincidingwithnoneoftheversionsextant.Inotherwords,wherethecurrentvariantsofaversemightbea,b,andc,theaddedassumptionabouttheDhp’soriginallanguageandtheineptitudeofancienttranslatorsandcopyistsleadstotheconclusionthattheversemusthavebeend.However,foralltheimpressiveeruditionthatthismethodinvolves,noteventhemostlearnedscholarcanofferanyproofastowhattheDhp’soriginallanguagewas.Infact,aswewillconsiderbelow,itispossiblethattheBuddha–assumingthathewastheauthoroftheverses–composedpoetryinmorethanonelanguage,andmorethanoneversionofaparticularverse.So,aswiththefirstsetofassumptions,themethodsoftriangulationbasedonanassumedoriginallanguageoftheDhptellusmoreabouttheindividualscholar’spositionthantheydoaboutthepositionofthetext.

Thus,althoughthescholarshipdevotedtothedifferentrecensionsoftheDhphasprovidedausefulserviceinunearthingsomanyvariantreadingsofthetext,noneoftheassumptionsusedintryingtosortthroughthosereadingsfor“theoriginal”Dhphaveledtoanydefiniteconclusions.Theirpositivesuccesshasbeenlimitedmainlytoofferingfoodforacademicspeculationandeducatedguesses.

Onthenegativeside,though,theyhavesucceededinaccomplishingsomethingtotallyuseless:awholesalesenseofdistrustfortheearlyBuddhisttexts,andthepoetictextsinparticular.Ifthetextscontainsomanyvaryingreports,thefeelinggoes,andiftheirtranslatorsandtransmittersweresoincompetent,howcananyofthembetrusted?Thisdistrustcomesfromaccepting,unconsciously,theassumptionsconcerningauthorshipandauthenticitywithinwhichourmodern,predominatelyliteratecultureoperates:thatonlyoneversionofaversecouldhavebeencomposedbyitsoriginalauthor,andthatallotherversionsmustbelatercorruptions.IntermsoftheDhp,thiscomesdowntoassumingthattherewasonlyoneoriginalversionofthetext,andthatitwascomposedinasinglelanguage.

However,theseassumptionsaretotallyinappropriateforanalyzingtheoralcultureinwhichtheBuddhataughtandinwhichtheversesoftheDhpwerefirstanthologized.Ifwelookcarefullyatthenatureofthatculture–andinparticularatclearstatementsfromtheearlyBuddhisttextsconcerningtheeventsandprinciplesthatshapedthose

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texts–wewillseethatitisperfectlynaturalthatthereshouldbeavarietyofreportsabouttheBuddha’steachings,allofwhichmightbeessentiallycorrect.IntermsoftheDhp,wecanviewthemultipleversionsofthetextasasign,notoffaultytransmission,butofanallegiancetotheiroralorigins.

Oralproseandpoetryareverydifferentfromtheirwrittencounterparts.Thisfactisobviouseveninourownculture.However,wehavetomakeanactiveeffortoftheimaginationtocomprehendtheexpectationsplacedonoraltransmissionbetweenspeakersandlistenersinaculturewherethereisnowrittenwordtofallbackon.Insuchasetting,theverbalheritageismaintainedtotallythroughrepetitionandmemorization.Aspeakerwithsomethingnewtosayhastorepeatitoftentodifferentaudiences–who,iftheyfeelinspiredbythemessage,areexpectedtomemorizeatleastitsessentialparts.Becausecommunicationisface-to-face,aspeakerisparticularlyprizedforanabilitytotailorhis/hermessagetothemomentofcommunication,intermsoftheaudience’sbackgroundfromthepast,itsstateofmindatpresent,anditshoped-forbenefitsinthefuture.

Thisputsadoubleimperativeonboththespeakerandthelistener.Thespeakermustchoosehis/herwordswithaneyebothtohowtheywillaffecttheaudienceinthepresentandtohowtheywillbememorizedforfuturereference.Thelistenermustbeattentive,bothtoappreciatetheimmediateimpactofthewordsandtomemorizethemforfutureuse.Althoughoriginalityinteachingisappreciated,itisonlyoneofaconstellationofvirtuesexpectedofateacher.Otherexpectedvirtuesincludeaknowledgeofcommoncultureandanabilitytoplaywiththatknowledgeforthedesiredeffectintermsofimmediateimpactormemorability.ThePaliDhp(verse45)itselfmakesthispointincomparingtheactofteaching,nottocreatingsomethingtotallynewoutofnothing,buttoselectingamongavailableflowerstocreateapleasingarrangementjustrightfortheoccasion.

Ofcourse,therearesituationsinanoralculturewhereeitherimmediateimpactormemorabilityisemphasizedattheexpenseoftheother.Inaclassroom,listeningforimpactissacrificedtotheneedsoflisteningformemorization,whereasinatheater,theemphasisisreversed.Allindicationsshow,however,thattheBuddhaasateacherwasespeciallysensitivetobothaspectsoforalcommunication,andthathetrainedhislistenerstobesensitivetobothaswell.Ontheonehand,therepetitiousstyleofmanyofhisrecordedteachingsseemstohavebeenaimedathammeringthemintothelistener’smemory;also,attheendofmanyofhisdiscourses,hewouldsummarizethemainpointsofthediscussioninaneasy-to-memorizeverse.

Ontheotherhand,therearemanyreportsofinstancesinwhichhislistenersgainedimmediateAwakeningwhilelisteningtohiswords.And,thereisadelightfulsectioninoneofhisdiscourses(theSamaññaphalaSuttanta,DN2)satirizingtheteachersofotherreligioussectsfortheirinabilitytobreakawayfromtheformulaicmodeoftheirteachingstogiveadirectanswertospecificquestions(“It’sasif,whenaskedabouta

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mango,oneweretoanswerwithabreadfruit,”oneoftheinterlocutorscomments,“or,whenaskedaboutabreadfruit,toanswerwithamango.”)TheBuddha,incontrast,wasfamousforhisabilitytospeakdirectlytohislisteners’needs.

Thissensitivitytobothpresentimpactandfutureuseisinlinewithtwowell-knownBuddhistteachings:first,thebasicBuddhistprincipleofcausality,thatanacthasrepercussionsbothinthepresentandonintothefuture;second,theBuddha’srealization,earlyoninhisteachingcareer,thatsomeofhislistenerswouldattainAwakeningimmediatelyonhearinghiswords,whereasotherswouldbeabletoawakenonlyaftertakinghiswords,contemplatingthem,andputtingthemintoprolongedpractice.

AsurveyoftheBuddha’sprosediscoursesrecordedinthePaliCanongivesanideaofhowtheBuddhametthedoubledemandsplacedonhimasateacher.Insomecases,torespondtoaparticularsituation,hewouldformulateanentirelyoriginalteaching.Inothers,hewouldsimplyrepeataformulaicanswerthathekeptinstoreforgeneraluse:eitherteachingsoriginalwithhim,ormoretraditionalteachings–sometimeslightlytailored,sometimesnot–thatfitinwithhismessage.Instillothers,hewouldtakeformulaicbitsandpieces,andcombinetheminanewwayfortheneedsathand.Asurveyofhispoetryrevealsthesamerangeofmaterial:originalworks;setpieces–originalorborrowed,occasionallyalteredinlinewiththeoccasion;andrecyclingsofoldfragmentsinnewjuxtapositions.

Thus,althoughtheBuddhainsistedthatallhisteachingshadthesametaste–thatofrelease–hetaughtdifferentvariationsonthethemeofthattastetodifferentpeopleondifferentoccasions,inlinewithhisperceptionoftheirshort-andlong-termneeds.Inrecitingaversetoaparticularaudience,hemightchangeaword,aline,oranimage,tofitinwiththeirbackgroundsandindividualneeds.

AddingtothispotentialforvarietywasthefactthatthepeopleofnorthernIndiainhistimespokeanumberofdifferentdialects,eachwithitsowntraditionsofpoetryandprose.ThePaliCullavagga(V.33.1)recordstheBuddhaasinsistingthathislistenersmemorizehisteachings,notinastandardizedlinguafranca,butintheirowndialects.Thereisnowayofknowingwhetherhehimselfwasmulti-lingualenoughtoteachallofhisstudentsintheirowndialects,orexpectedthemtomakethetranslationsthemselves.Still,itseemslikelythat,asawell-educatedaristocratofthetime,hewouldhavebeenfluentinatleasttwoorthreeofthemostprevalentdialects.Someofthediscourses–suchasDN21–depicttheBuddhaasanarticulateconnoisseurofpoetryandsong,sowecanexpectthathewouldalsohavebeensensitivetothespecialproblemsinvolvedintheeffectivetranslationofpoetry–alive,forinstance,tothefactthatskilledtranslationrequiresmorethansimplysubstitutingequivalentwords.TheMahavagga(V.13.9)reportsthattheBuddhalistened,withappreciation,asamonkfromthesoutherncountryofAvantirecitedsomeofhisteachings–apparentlyintheAvantidialect–inhispresence.Althoughscholarshaveoftenraisedquestionsaboutwhichlanguagethe

116

Buddhaspoke,itmightbemoreappropriatetoremainopentothepossibilitythathespoke–andcouldcomposepoetryin–several.Thispossibilitymakesthequestionof“the”originallanguageor“the”originaltextoftheDhpsomewhatirrelevant.

ThetextssuggestthatevenduringtheBuddha’slifetimehisstudentsmadeeffortstocollectandmemorizeastandardizedbodyofhisteachingsunderarubricofninecategories:dialogues,narrativesofmixedproseandverse,explanations,verses,spontaneousexclamations,quotations,birthstories,amazingevents,questionandanswersessions.However,theactofcollectingandmemorizingwaspursuedbyonlyasub-groupamonghismonks,whileothermonks,nuns,andlaypeopledoubtlesslyhadtheirownindividualmemorizedstoresofteachingstheyhadhearddirectlyfromtheBuddhaorindirectlythroughthereportsoftheirfriendsandacquaintances.

TheBuddhahadtheforesighttoensurethatthislessstandardizedfundofmemoriesnotbediscountedbylatergenerations;atthesametime,heestablishednormssothatmistakenreports,deviatingfromtheprinciplesofhisteachings,wouldnotbeallowedtocreepintotheacceptedbodyofdoctrine.Todiscouragefabricatedreportsofhiswords,hewarnedthatanyonewhoputwordsinhismouthwasslanderinghim(AN2:23).This,however,couldinnowaypreventmistakenreportsbasedonhonestmisunderstandings.So,shortlybeforehisdeath,hesummarizedthebasicprinciplesofhisteachings:the37WingstoAwakening(bodhi-pakkhiyadhamma–seethenotetoverse301)inthegeneralframeworkofthedevelopmentofvirtue,concentration,anddiscernment,leadingtorelease.Thenheannouncedthegeneralnormsbywhichreportsofhisteachingsweretobejudged.TheMahaparinibbanaSuttanta(DN16)quoteshimassaying:

“Thereisthecasewhereamonksaysthis:‘IntheBlessedOne’spresencehaveIheardthis,intheBlessedOne’spresencehaveIreceivedthis...Inthepresenceofacommunitywithwell-knownleadingelders...Inamonasterywithmanylearnedelderswhoknowthetradition...InthepresenceofasingleelderwhoknowsthetraditionhaveIheardthis,inhispresencehaveIreceivedthis:ThisistheDhamma,thisistheVinaya,thisistheTeacher’sinstruction.’Hisstatementisneithertobeapprovednorscorned.Withoutapprovalorscorn,takecarefulnoteofhiswordsandmakethemstandagainstthediscoursesandtallythemagainsttheVinaya.If,onmakingthemstandagainstthediscoursesandtallyingthemagainsttheVinaya,youfindthattheydon’tstandwiththediscoursesortallywiththeVinaya,youmayconclude:‘ThisisnotthewordoftheBlessedOne;thismonkhasmisunderstoodit’–andyoushouldrejectit.Butif...theystandwiththediscoursesandtallywiththeVinaya,youmayconclude:‘ThisisthewordoftheBlessedOne;thismonkhasunderstooditrightly.’”

Thus,areportoftheBuddha’steachingswastobejudged,notontheauthorityof117

Thus,areportoftheBuddha’steachingswastobejudged,notontheauthorityofthereporterorhissources,butontheprincipleofconsistency:diditfitinwithwhatwasalreadyknownofthedoctrine?Thisprinciplewasdesignedtoensurethatnothingatoddswiththeoriginalwouldbeacceptedintothestandardcanon,butitdidopenthepossibilitythatteachingsinlinewiththeBuddha’s,yetnotactuallyspokenbyhim,mightfindtheirwayin.Theearlyredactorsofthecanonseemtohavebeenalerttothispossibility,butnotoverlyworriedbyit.AstheBuddhahimselfpointedoutmanytimes,hedidnotdesignorcreatetheDhamma.Hesimplyfounditinnature.AnyonewhodevelopedthepitchofmentalstrengthsandabilitiesneededforAwakeningcoulddiscoverthesameprinciplesaswell.ThustheDhammawasbynomeansexclusivelyhis.

ThisattitudewascarriedoverintothepassagesoftheVinayathatcitefourcategoriesofDhammastatements:spokenbytheBuddha,spokenbyhisdisciples,spokenbyseers(non-Buddhistsages),spokenbyheavenlybeings.Aslongasastatementwasinaccordancewiththebasicprinciples,thequestionofwhofirststateditdidnotmatter.Inanoralculture,whereasayingmightbeassociatedwithapersonbecauseheauthoredit,approvedit,repeateditoften,orinspireditbyhis/herwordsoractions,thequestionofauthorshipwasnottheoverridingconcernithassincebecomeinliteratecultures.TherecentdiscoveryofevidencethatanumberofteachingsassociatedwiththeBuddhamayhavepre-orpost-datedhistimewouldnothavefazedtheearlyBuddhistsatall,aslongasthoseteachingswereinaccordancewiththeoriginalprinciples.

ShortlyaftertheBuddha’spassingaway,theCullavagga(XI)reports,hisdisciplesmettoagreeonastandardizedcanonofhisteachings,abandoningtheearliernine-foldclassificationandorganizingthematerialintosomethingapproachingthecanonwehavetoday.Thereisclearevidencethatsomeofthepassagesintheextantcanondonotdatetothefirstconvocation,astheyreportincidentsthattookplaceafterwards.Thequestionnaturallyarisesastowhetherthereareanyotherlateradditionsnotsoobvious.ThisquestionisparticularlyrelevantwithregardtotextsliketheDhp,whoseorganizationdiffersconsiderablyfromredactiontoredaction,andleadsnaturallytothefurtherquestionofwhetheralateradditiontothecanoncanbeconsideredauthentic.TheCullavagga(XI.1.11)recountsanincidentthatshedslightonthisissue:

Nowatthattime,Ven.PuranawaswanderingonatouroftheSouthernHillswithalargecommunityofmonks,approximately500inall.Then,havingstayedaslongashelikedintheSouthernHillswhiletheeldermonkswerestandardizingtheDhammaandVinaya,hewenttotheBambooPark,theSquirrels’Sanctuary,inRajagaha.Onarrival,hewenttotheeldermonksand,afterexchangingpleasantries,sattooneside.Ashewassittingthere,theysaidtohim,“FriendPurana,theDhammaandVinayahavebeenstandardizedbythe

118

elders.Switchovertotheirstandardization.”[Hereplied:]“TheDhammaandVinayahavebeenwell-standardizedbytheelders.Still,IwillholdsimplytowhatIhaveheardandreceivedintheBlessedOne’spresence.”

Inotherwords,Ven.Puranamaintained–andundoubtedlytaughttohisfollowers–arecordoftheBuddha’steachingsthatlayoutsidethestandardizedversion,butwasneverthelessauthentic.Aswehavealreadynoted,thereweremonks,nuns,andlaypeoplelikehimevenwhiletheBuddhawasalive,andtherewereprobablyotherslikehimwhocontinuedmaintainingpersonalmemoriesoftheBuddha’steachingsevenafterthelatter’sdeath.

ThisstoryshowstheofficialearlyBuddhistattitudetowardsuchdifferingtraditions:eachacceptedthetrustworthinessoftheothers.Astimepassed,someoftheearlycommunitiesmayhavemadeanefforttoincludethese“external”recordsinthestandardizedcanon,resultinginvariouscollectionsofproseandversepassages.Therangeofthesecollectionswouldhavebeendeterminedbythematerialthatwasavailablein,orcouldbeeffectivelytranslatedinto,eachindividualdialect.Theirorganizationwouldhavedependedonthetasteandskilloftheindividualcollectors.Thus,forinstance,wefindversesinthePaliDhpthatdonotexistinotherDhps,aswellasversesinthePatnaandGandhariDhpsthatthePalitraditionassignstotheJatakaorSuttaNipata.Wealsofindversesinoneredactioncomposedoflinesscatteredamongseveralversesinanother.Inanyevent,thefactthatatextwasalateradditiontothestandardizedcanondoesnotnecessarilymeanthatitwasalaterinvention.GiventheadhocwayinwhichtheBuddhasometimestaught,andthescatterednatureofthecommunitieswhomemorizedhisteachings,thelateradditionstothecanonsmaysimplyrepresentearliertraditionsthatescapedstandardizationuntilrelativelylate.

WhenBuddhistsbegancommittingtheircanonstowriting,approximatelyatthebeginningofthecommonera,theybroughtagreatchangetothedynamicofhowtheirtraditionsweremaintained.Theadvantagesofwrittenoveroraltransmissionareobvious:thetextsaresavedfromthevagariesofhumanlong-termmemoryanddonotdieoutifthosewhohavememorizedthemdiebeforeteachingotherstomemorizethemaswell.Thedisadvantagesofwrittentransmission,however,arelessobviousbutnolessreal.Notonlyistherethepossibilityofscribalerror,but–becausetransmissionisnotface-to-face–therecanalsobethesuspicionofscribalerror.Ifareadingseemsstrangetoastudent,hehasnowayofcheckingwiththescribe,perhapsseveralgenerationsdistant,toseeifthereadingwasindeedamistake.Whenconfrontedwithsuchproblems,hemay“correct”thereadingtofitinwithhisideasofwhatmustberight,evenincaseswherethereadingwascorrect,anditsperceivedstrangenesswassimplyaresultofchangesinthespokendialectorofhisownlimitedknowledgeandimagination.Thefactthatmanuscriptsofotherversionsofthetextwerealsoavailable

119

forcomparisoninsuchinstancescouldhaveledscribestohomogenizethetexts,removingunusualvariantsevenwhenthevariantsthemselvesmayhavegonebacktotheearliestdaysofthetradition.

TheseconsiderationsofhowtheDhpmayhavebeenhandeddowntothepresent–andespeciallythepossibilitythat(1)variantrecensionsmightallbeauthentic,andthat(2)agreementamongtherecensionsmightbetheresultoflaterhomogenization–havedeterminedthewayinwhichIhaveapproachedthistranslationofthePaliDhp.Unlikesomeotherrecenttranslators,IamtreatingthePaliDhpasatextwithitsownintegrity–justaseachofthealternativetraditionshasitsownintegrity–andhavenottriedtohomogenizethevarioustraditions.WherethedifferentPalirecensionsareunanimousintheirreadings,evenincaseswherethereadingseemsstrange(e.g.,71,209,259,346),IhavestuckwiththePaliwithouttryingto“rectify”itinlightoflessunusualreadingsgivenintheothertraditions.OnlyincaseswherethedifferentPaliredactionsareatvariancewithoneanother,andthevariantsseemequallyplausible,haveIcheckedthenon-Palitextstoseewhichvarianttheysupport.Thetranslationhereisdrawnfromthreeeditionsofthetext:thePaliTextSociety(PTS)editioneditedbyO.vonHinüberandK.R.Norman(1995);theOxfordeditioneditedbyJohnRossCarterandMahindaPalihawadana,togetherwithitsextensivenotes(1987);andtheRoyalThaieditionofthePaliCanon(1982).TheptseditiongivesthemostextensivelistofvariantreadingsamongthePalirecensions,butevenitisnotcomplete.TheRoyalThaiedition,forexample,contains49preferredand8variantreadingsnotgiveninthePTSversionatall.PassageswhereIhavedifferedfromthePTSreadingarecitedintheEndNotes.

Drawingselectivelyonvariousrecensionsinthisway,IcannotguaranteethattheresultingreadingoftheDhpcorrespondsexactlytotheBuddha’swords,ortoanyonetextthatonceexistedinancientIndia.However,asImentionedatthebeginningofthisnote,alltherecensionsagreeintheirbasicprinciples,sothequestionisimmaterial.Thetruetestofthereading–andtheresultingtranslation–isifthereaderfeelsengagedenoughbytheversestoputtheirprinciplesintopracticeandfindsthattheydoindeedleadtothereleasethattheBuddhataught.Inthefinalanalysis,nothingelsereallycounts.

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EndNotes

(Numbersreferandlinktoverses)

1-2:Thefactthatthewordmanoispairedherewithdhammawouldseemtosuggestthatitismeantinitsroleas“intellect,”thesensemediumthatconveysknowledgeofideasormentalobjects(twopossiblemeaningsfortheword“dhamma”).However,theillustrationsinthesecondsentenceofeachverseshowthatitisactuallymeantinitsroleasthementalfactorresponsibleforthequalityofone’sactions(asinmano-kamma),thefactorofwillandintention,shapingnotonlymentaleventsbutalsophysicalreality(onthispoint,seeSN35:145).Thus,followingaThaitradition,Ihaverenderedithereas“heart.”

Theimagesintheseversesarecarefullychosen.Thecart,representingsuffering,isaburdenontheoxpullingit,andtheweightofitswheelsobliteratestheox’strack.Theshadow,representinghappiness,isnoweightonthebodyatall.

AllPalirecensionsofthisversegivethereading,manomaya=madeoftheheart,whileallotherrecensionsgivethereadingmanojava=impelledbytheheart.

7-8:Focusedonthefoul:Ameditativeexerciseinfocusingonthefoulaspectsofthebodysoastohelpundercutlustandattachmentforthebody(seeMN119).AN3:16givesastandarddefinitionforrestraintwiththesenses:“Andhowdoesamonkguardthedoorstohissensefaculties?Thereisthecasewhereamonk,onseeingaformwiththeeye,doesnotgraspatanythemeorparticularsbywhich–ifheweretodwellwithoutrestraintoverthefacultyoftheeye–evil,unskillfulqualitiessuchasgreedordistressmightassailhim.Hepracticeswithrestraint.Heguardsthefacultyoftheeye.Heachievesrestraintwithregardtothefacultyoftheeye.(Similarlywiththeear,nose,tongue,body&intellect.)Thisishowamonkguardsthedoorstohissensefaculties.”

11-12:Wrongresolves=mentalresolvesforsensuality,illwill,orharmfulness.Rightresolves=mentalresolvesforfreedomfromsensuality,forfreedomfromillwill,andforharmlessness.

17-18:“Destination”inthesetwoversesandthroughoutthetextmeansone’sdestinationafterdeath.

21:TheDeathless=Unbinding(nibbana/nirvana),whichgivesreleasefromthecycleofdeathandrebirth.

22:“Therangeofthenobleones”:AnyofthefourstagesofAwakening,aswellas121

22:“Therangeofthenobleones”:AnyofthefourstagesofAwakening,aswellasthetotalUnbindingtowhichtheylead.Thefourstagesare:(1)stream-entry,atwhichoneabandonsthefirstthreementalfetterstyingonetotheroundofrebirth:self-identityviews,uncertainty,andgraspingathabitsandpractices;(2)once-returning,atwhichpassion,aversion,anddelusionarefurtherweakened;(3)non-returning,atwhichsensualpassionandirritationareabandoned;and(4)arahantship,atwhichthefinalfivefettersareabandoned:passionforform,passionforformlessphenomena,conceit,restlessness,andignorance.Forotherreferencestothe“rangeofthenobleones,”see92-93and179-180.

37:“Lyinginacave”:AccordingtotheDhpCommentary(hereafterreferredtoasDhpA),“cave”heremeansthephysicalheart,aswellasthefourgreatproperties–earth(solidity),water(liquidity),fire(heat),andwind(motion)–thatmakeupthebody.Sn4:2alsocomparesthebodytoacave.

39:AccordingtoDhpA,“unsoddenedmind”meansoneintowhichtherainofpassiondoesn’tpenetrate(see13-14);“unassaultedawareness”meansamindnotassaultedbyanger.“Beyondmerit&evil”:Thearahantisbeyondmeritandevilinthathe/shehasnoneofthementaldefilements–passion,aversion,ordelusion–thatwouldleadtoevilactions,andnoneoftheattachmentsthatwouldcausehis/heractionstobearkammicfruitofanysort,goodorbad.

40:“Withoutsettlingthere,withoutlayingclaim”:twomeaningsofthewordanivesano.

42:AN7:60illustratesthispointwithsevenwaysthatapersonharmshim/herselfwhenangry,bringingonresultsthatanenemywouldwish:He/shebecomesugly,sleepsbadly,mistakesprofitforlossandlossforprofit,loseswealth,loseshis/herreputation,losesfriends,andactsinsuchawaythat–afterdeath–he/shereappearsinabadrebirth.

44-45:“Dhamma-saying”:Thisisatranslationforthetermdhammapada.Toferretoutthewell-taughtDhamma-sayingmeanstoselecttheappropriatemaximtoapplytoaparticularsituation,inthesamewaythataflower-arrangerchoosestherightflower,fromaheapofavailableflowers(see53),tofitintoaparticularspotinthearrangement.“Thelearner-on-the-path”:ApersonwhohasattainedanyofthefirstthreeofthefourstagesofAwakening(seenote22).

48:AccordingtoDhpA,theEnd-makerisdeath.Accordingtoanotherancientcommentary,theEnd-makerisMara.

53:ThelastlineofthePaliherecanbereadintwoways,either“evenso,manyaskillfulthingshouldbedonebyoneborn&mortal”or“evenso,manyaskillfulthingshouldbedonewithwhat’sborn&mortal.”Thefirstreadingtakesthephrasejatenamaccena,born&mortal,asbeinganalogoustotheflower-arrangerimplicitintheimage.Thesecondtakesitasanalogoustotheheapofflowersexplicitlymentioned.Inthissense,“what’sborn&ismortal”woulddenoteone’sbody,wealth,andtalents.

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54-56:Tagara=ashrubthat,inpowderedform,isusedasaperfume.AN3:79explainsthehowthescentofavirtuouspersongoesagainstthewindandwaftstothedevas,bysayingthatthosehumanandcelestialbeingswhoknowofthegoodcharacterofavirtuouspersonwillbroadcastone’sgoodnameinalldirections.

57:“Rightknowing”:theknowledgeoffullAwakening.

71:“Doesn’t–likereadymilk–comeoutrightaway”:AllPalirecensionsofthisversegivetheverbmuccati–“tocomeout”or“tobereleased”–whereasDhpAagreeswiththeSanskritrecensionsinreadingtheverbasifitweremucchati/murchati,“tocurdle.”Theformerreadingmakesmoresense,bothintermsoftheimageofthepoem–whichcontrastscomingoutwithstayinghidden–andwiththeplainfactthatfreshmilkdoesn’tcurdlerightaway.TheChinesetranslationofDhpsupportsthisreading,asdotwoofthreescholarlyeditionsofthePatnaDhp.

79:“DrinkingtheDhamma,refreshedbytheDhamma”:twomeaningsoftheword,dhammapiti.“Clear…calm”:twomeaningsofvipasannena.

83:“Standapart”:readingcajantiwithDhpAandmanyAsianeditions.

86:Thesyntaxofthisverseyieldsthebestsenseifwetakeparamasmeaning“across,”andnotas“thefarshore.”

89:Factorsforself-awakening=mindfulness,analysisofqualities,persistence,rapture,serenity,concentration,andequanimity.

92-93:“Havingunderstoodfood….independentofnutriment”:ThefirstquestionintheNovice’sQuestions(Khp4)is“Whatisone?”Theanswer:“Allanimalssubsistonnutriment.”TheconceptoffoodandnutrimentherereferstothemostbasicwayofunderstandingthecausalprinciplethatplayssuchacentralroleintheBuddha’steaching.AsSN12:64pointsout,“Therearethesefournutrimentsfortheestablishingofbeingswhohavetakenbirthorforthesupportofthoseinsearchofaplacetobeborn.Whichfour?Physicalnutriment,grossorrefined;contactasthesecond,consciousnessthethird,andintellectualintentionthefourth.”Thepresentversesmakethepointthatthearahanthassofullyunderstoodtheprocessofphysicalandmentalcausalitythathe/sheistotallyindependentofit,andthuswillnevertakebirthagain.Suchapersoncannotbecomprehendedbyanyoftheformsofunderstandingthatoperatewithinthecausalrealm.

94:“Such(tadin)”:anadjectiveusedtodescribeonewhohasattainedthegoalofBuddhistpractice,indicatingthattheperson’sstateisindefinablebutnotsubjecttochangeorinfluencesofanysort.“Rightknowing”:theknowledgeoffullAwakening.

95:Indra’spillar=apostsetupatthegateofacity.AccordingtoDhpA,therewasanancientcustomofworshippingthispostwithflowersandofferings,althoughthosewhowantedtoshowtheirdisrespectforthiscustomwouldurinateanddefecateonthepost.Ineithercase,thepostdidnotreact.

97:Thisverseisaseriesofpuns.Thenegativemeaningsofthepunsareontheleft123

97:Thisverseisaseriesofpuns.Thenegativemeaningsofthepunsareontheleftsideoftheslashes;thepositivemeanings,ontheright.Thenegativemeaningsaresoextremelynegativethattheywereprobablyintendedtoshocktheirlisteners.Onescholarhassuggestedthatthelastword–uttamaporiso,theultimateperson–shouldalsobereadasapun,withthenegativemeaning,“theextremeofaudacity,”butthatwouldweakentheshockvalueoftheverse.

100:AccordingtoDhpA,thewordsahassaminthisandthefollowingversesmeans“bythethousands”ratherthan“athousand.”Thesameprinciplewouldalsoseemtoholdforsatam–“bythehundreds”ratherthan“ahundred”–in102.

108:“Doesn’tcometoafourth”:DhpA:Themeritproducedbyallsacrificialofferingsgivenintheworldinthecourseofayeardoesn’tequalevenonefourthofthemeritmadebypayinghomageoncetoonewhohasgonethestraightwaytoUnbinding.

121-122:“(‘Itwon’tamounttomuch’)”:readingnamattamagamissatiwiththeThaiedition.Othereditionsread,namantamagamissati,“Itwon’tcometome.”

126:Heavenandhell,intheBuddhistviewofthecosmos,arenoteternalstates.Onemayberebornononeofthevariouslevelsofheavenorhellastheresultofone’skammaonthehumanplane,andthenleavethatlevelwhenthatparticularstoreofkammawearsout.

143:Sometranslatorshaveproposedthattheverbapabodheti,heretranslatedas“awakens”shouldbechangedtoappambodheti,“tothinklittleof.”This,however,goesagainstthesenseoftheverseandofarecurrentimageintheCanon,thatthebetter-bredthehorse,themoresensitiveitiseventotheideaofthewhip,tosaynothingofthewhipitself.See,forexample,AN4:113.

ThequestionraisedinthisverseisansweredinSN1:18:

Thoserestrainedbyconsciencearerare–

thosewhogothroughlifealwaysmindful.

Havingreachedtheendofsuffering&stress,

theygothroughwhatisunevenevenly;

gothroughwhatisout-of-tuneintune.

152:Muscles:ThisisatranslationofthePalimansani,whichisusuallyrenderedinthisverseas“flesh.”However,becausethePaliwordisinthepluralform,“muscles”seemsmoreaccurate–andmoretothepoint.

153-154:DhpA:TheseversesweretheBuddha’sfirstutteranceafterhisfull124

153-154:DhpA:TheseversesweretheBuddha’sfirstutteranceafterhisfullAwakening.Forsomereason,theyarenotreportedinanyoftheothercanonicalaccountsoftheeventsfollowingontheAwakening.

DhpA:“House”=selfhood;house-builder=craving.“House”mayalsorefertothenineabodesofbeings–thesevenstationsofconsciousnessandtwospheres(seeKhp4andDN15).

Thewordanibbisamin153canbereadeitherasthenegativegerundofnibbisati(“earning,gainingareward”)orasthenegativegerundofnivisati,alteredtofitthemeter,meaning“comingtoarest,settled,situated.”Bothreadingsmakesenseinthecontextoftheverse,sothewordisprobablyintendedtohaveadoublemeaning:withoutreward,withoutrest.

157:“Thethreewatchesofthenight”:thisistheliteralmeaningoftheverse,butDhpAshowsthattheimageofstayinguptonursesomeoneinthenightismeanttostandforbeingwakefulandattentivethroughoutthethreestagesoflife:youth,middleage,andoldage.Thepointhereisthatitisnevertooearlyortoolatetowakeupandbeginnurturingthegoodqualitiesofmindthatwillleadtoone’struebenefit.Onthispoint,seeAN3:51-52,wheretheBuddhacounselstwooldbrahmans,nearingtheendoftheirlifespan,tobeginpracticinggenerosityalongwithrestraintinthought,word,anddeed.

162:DhpAcompletestheimageofthepoembysayingthatone’svicebringsaboutone’sowndownfall,justasamaluvacreeperultimatelybringsaboutthedownfallofthetreeitoverspreads.Seenote42.

164:Abambooplantbearsfruitonlyonceandthendiessoonafter.

165:“Noonepurifiesanother.Nootherpurifiesone.”Thesearethetwomeaningsoftheonephrase,naññoaññamvisodhaye.

166:AN4:95listsfourtypesofpeopleindescendingorder:thosedevotedtotheirowntruewelfareaswellasthatofothers,thosedevotedtotheirowntruewelfarebutnotthatofothers,thosedevotedtothetruewelfareofothersbutnottheirown,andthosedevotedneithertotheirowntruewelfarenorthatofothers.SN47:19makesthepointthatifoneistrulydevotedtoone’sownwelfare,othersautomaticallybenefit,inthesamewaythatanacrobatmaintaininghis/herownbalancehelpshis/herpartnerstaybalancedaswell.

170:Sn5:15reportsaconversationbetweentheBuddhaandthebrahmanMogharajawithapointsimilartothatofthisverse:

Mogharaja:Howdoesoneviewtheworldsoasnottobeseen

byDeath’sking?

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TheBuddha:Viewtheworld,Mogharaja,

asempty–alwaysmindfultohaveremovedanyview

aboutself.Thiswayoneisabove&beyonddeath.Thisishowoneviewstheworldsoasnottobeseen

byDeath’sking.

176:ThisverseisalsofoundatIti25,wherethecontextmakesclearthemeaningofekamdhammam,or“thisonething”:theprincipleoftruthfulness.

178:ThefruitofstreamentryisthefirstofthefourstagesofAwakening(seenote22).Apersonwhohasattainedstreamentry–entryintothestreamthatflowsinevitablytoUnbinding–isdestinedtoattainfullAwakeningwithinatmostsevenlifetimes,neverfallingbelowthehumanstateintheinterim.

183-185:TheseversesareasummaryofatalkcalledtheOvadaPatimokkha,whichtheBuddhaissaidtohavedeliveredtoanassemblyof1,250arahantsinthefirstyearafterhisAwakening.Verse183istraditionallyviewedasexpressingtheheartoftheBuddha’steachings.

191:Thenobleeightfoldpath:rightview,rightresolve,rightspeech,rightaction,rightlivelihood,righteffort,rightmindfulness,rightconcentration.

195-196:Objectification=papañca.Alternativetranslationsofthistermwouldbeproliferation,elaboration,exaggeration,complication.Thetermisusedbothinphilosophicalcontexts–inconnectionwithtroublesandconflict–andinartisticcontexts,inconnectionwiththewayinwhichanartisticthemeisobjectifiedandelaborated.Sn4:14statesthattheclassificationsofobjectificationbeginwiththeperceptionbywhichoneobjectifiesoneself–“Iamthinker”–andthenspreadtoobjectifytherestofexperiencearoundtheissuescausedbythatperception.MN18explainshowthisleadstoconflict:“Dependentoneye&forms,eye-consciousnessarises.Themeetingofthethreeiscontact.Withcontactasarequisitecondition,thereisfeeling.Whatonefeels,oneperceives[labelsinthemind].Whatoneperceives,onethinksabout.Whatonethinksabout,oneobjectifies.Basedonwhatapersonobjectifies,theperceptions&categoriesofobjectificationassailhim/herwithregardtopast,present,&futureformscognizableviatheeye.[Similarlywiththeothersenses.]….Now,withregardtothecausewherebytheperceptions&categoriesofobjectificationassailaperson:ifthereisnothingtheretorelish,welcome,orremainfastenedto,thenthatistheendofobsessionwithpassion,irritation,views,uncertainty,conceit,passionforbecoming,&ignorance.

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Thatistheendoftakinguprods&bladedweapons,ofarguments,quarrels,disputes,accusations,divisivetale-bearing,&falsespeech.Thatiswheretheseevil,unskillfulactionsceasewithoutremainder.”

209:Thisverseplayswiththevariousmeaningsofyoga(task,striving,application,meditation)andarelatedterm,anuyuñjati(keepingaftersomething,takingsomeonetotask).InplaceofthePalireadingattanuyoginam,“thosewhokeptafterthemselves,”thePatnaDhpreadsatthanuyoginam,“thosewhokeptafter/remaineddevotedtothegoal.”

218:“Theup-flowingstream”:DhpA:theattainmentofnon-returning,thethirdofthefourstagesofAwakening(seenote22).

219-220:ThePaliintheseversesrepeatstheword“comes”threetimes,toemphasizetheideathatiftheresultsofmeritoriousactionsawaitoneafterdeath,one’sgoingtothenextworldismorelikeahomecoming.

231-233:Bodilymisconduct=killing,stealing,engaginginillicitsex.Verbalmisconduct=lies,divisivespeech,harshspeech,idlechatter.Mentalmisconduct=covetousness,illwill,wrongviews.

235:Yama=thegodoftheunderworld.Yama’sminionsorunderlingswerebelievedtoappeartoapersonjustpriortothemomentofdeath.

236:Impurities,blemishes=passion,aversion,delusion,andtheirvariouspermutations,includingenvy,miserliness,hypocrisy,andboastfulness.

240:“Onewholivesslovenly”:AsDhpAmakesclear,thisreferstoonewhousestherequisitesoffood,clothing,shelter,andmedicinewithoutthewisdomthatcomeswithreflectingontheirproperuse.ThePalitermhereisatidhonacarin,acompoundbuiltaroundtheworddhona,whichmeanscleanorpure.Theati-inthecompoundcouldmean“overly,”thusyielding,“oneoverlyscrupulousinhisbehavior,”butitcanalsomean“transgressing,”thus,“transgressingagainstwhatisclean”=“slovenly.”Thelatterreadingfitsbetterwiththeimageofrustasadeficiencyintheironresultingfromcarelessness.

254-255:“Nooutsidecontemplative”:Notruecontemplative,definedasapersonwhohasattainedanyofthefourstagesofAwakening,existsoutsideofthepracticeoftheBuddha’steachings(seenote22).InDN16,theBuddhaisquotedasteachinghisfinalstudent:“Inanydoctrine&disciplinewherethenobleeightfoldpathisnotfound,nocontemplativeofthefirst…second…third…fourthorder[stream-winner,once-returner,non-returner,orarahant]isfound.Butinanydoctrine&disciplinewherethenobleeightfoldpathisfound,contemplativesofthefirst…second…third…fourthorderarefound.Thenobleeightfoldpathisfoundinthisdoctrine&discipline,andrightheretherearecontemplativesofthefirst…second…third…fourthorder.Otherteachingsareemptyofknowledgeablecontemplatives.Andifthemonksdwellrightly,thisworldwillnotbeemptyofarahants.”(Onthenobleeightfoldpath,seenote191.)

On“objectification,”seenote195-196.

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256-257:Thesenseoftheverse,confirmedbyDhpA,suggeststhatthePaliworddhammatthomeans“judge.”This,infact,isthethemetyingtogethertheversesinthischapter.Thedutyofajudgeistocorrectlydetermineattha,awordthatdenotesboth“meaning”and“judgment,”thesetwosensesofthewordbeingconnectedbythefactthatthejudgemustinterpretthemeaningsofwordsusedinrulesandprinciplestoseehowtheycorrectlyapplytotheparticularsofacasesothathecanpassacorrectverdict.Theremainingversesinthischaptergiveexamplesofinterpretingatthainanappropriateway.

259:“SeesDhammathroughhisbody”:ThemorecommonexpressioninthePaliCanon(e.g.,inAN6:46andAN9:45)istotouchDhammathroughorwiththebody(phusatiorphassati,“hetouches,”ratherthanpassati,“hesees”).TheSanskritrecensionsandthePatnaDhpallsupportthereading,“hewouldtouch,”butallPalirecensionsareunanimousinthereading,“hesees.”Somescholarsregardthislatterreadingasacorruptionoftheverse;Ipersonallyfinditamorestrikingimagethanthecommonexpression.

265:Thisverseplayswithanumberofnounsandverbsrelatedtotheadjectivesama,whichmeans“even,”“equal,”“onpitch,”or“intune.”Throughoutancientcultures,theterminologyofmusicwasusedtodescribethemoralqualityofpeopleandacts.Discordantintervalsorpoorly-tunedmusicalinstrumentsweremetaphorsforevil;harmoniousintervalsandwell-tunedinstruments,forgood.ThusinPali,samana,orcontemplative,alsomeansapersonwhoisintunewiththeprinciplesofrightnessandtruthinherentinnature.Hereandin388,I’veattemptedtogiveahintoftheseimplicationsbyassociatingtheword“contemplative”with“consonance.”

268-269:ThisversecontainstheBuddhistrefutationoftheideathat“thosewhoknowdon’tspeak,thosewhospeakdon’tknow.”Foranotherrefutationofthesameidea,seeDN12.InVedictimes,asage(muni)wasapersonwhotookavowofsilence(mona)andwassupposedtogainspecialknowledgeasaresult.TheBuddhistsadoptedthetermmuni,butredefinedittoshowhowtrueknowledgewasattainedandhowitexpresseditselfinthesage’sactions.ForafullerportraitoftheidealBuddhistsage,seeAN3:23andSn1:12.

271-272:Thisversehaswhatseemstobearareconstruction,inwhichna+instrumentalnouns+averbintheaoristtensegivestheforceofaprohibitive(“Don’t,onaccountofx,doy”).“Therenunciateeasethatrun-of-the-millpeopledon’tknow,”accordingtoDhpA,isthestateofnon-returning,thethirdofthefourstagesofAwakening(seenote22).Becausenon-returnersarestillattachedtosubtlestatesofbecomingonthelevelofformandformlessness,DhpAdriveshomethemessagethatevennon-returnersshouldnotbecomplacentbyparaphrasingapassagefromAN1(202intheThaiedition;attheendofChapter19inthePTSedition)thatreads,“Justasevenasmallamountofexcrementisfoul-smelling,inthesamewayIdonotpraiseevenasmallamountofbecoming,evenfortheextentofafingersnap.”

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273:Thefourtruths:stress,itscause,itscessation,andthepathtoitscessation(whichisidenticaltotheeightfoldpath).Seenote191.

275:“Ihavetaughtyouthispath”:readingakkhatovomayamaggowiththeThaiedition,areadingsupportedbythePatnaDhp.“Havingknown–foryourknowing”:twowaysofinterpretingwhatisapparentlyaplayonthePaliword,aññaya,whichcanbeeitherbethegerundofajanatiorthedativeofañña.Ontheextractionofarrowsasametaphorforthepractice,seeMN63andMN105.

285:Althoughthefirstwordinthisverse,ucchinda,literallymeans“crush,”“destroy,”“annihilate,”IhavefoundnopreviousEnglishtranslationthatrendersitaccordingly.Mosttranslateitas“cutout”or“uproot,”whichweakenstheimage.Ontheroleplayedbyself-allureinleadingthehearttobecomefixatedonothers,seeAN7:48.

288:Ender=death.

293:Mindfulnessimmersedinthebody=thepracticeoffocusingonthebodyatalltimessimplyasaphenomenoninandofitself,asawayofdevelopingmeditativeabsorption(jhana)andremovinganysenseofattractionto,distressover,oridentificationwiththebody.MN119liststhefollowingpracticesasinstancesofmindfulnessimmersedinthebody:mindfulnessofbreathing,awarenessofthefourposturesofthebody(standing,sitting,walking,lyingdown),alertnesstoalltheactionsofthebody,analysisofthebodyintoits32parts,analysisofitintoitsfourproperties(earth,water,fire,wind),andcontemplationofthebody’sinevitabledecompositionafterdeath.

294:Thisverseandtheonefollowingitusetermswithambiguousmeaningstoshockthelistener.AccordingtoDhpA,mother=craving;father=conceit;twowarriorkings=viewsofeternalism(thatonehasanidentityremainingconstantthroughalltime)andofannihilationism(thatoneistotallyannihilatedatdeath);kingdom=thetwelvesensespheres(thesensesofsight,hearing,smell,taste,feeling,andideation,togetherwiththeirrespectiveobjects);dependency=passionsforthesensespheres.

295:DhpA:twolearnedkings=viewsofeternalismandannihilationism;atiger=thepathwherethetigergoesforfood,i.e.,thehindranceofuncertainty,orelseallfivehindrances(sensualdesire,illwill,torpor&lethargy,restlessness&anxiety,anduncertainty).However,inSanskritliterature,“tiger”isatermforapowerfulandeminentman;ifthatiswhatismeanthere,thetermmaystandforanger.

299:Seenote293.

301:“Developingthemind”intermsofthe37WingstoAwakening:thefourframesofreference(ardent,mindfulalertnesstobody,feelings,mindstates,andmentalqualitiesinandofthemselves),thefourrightexertions(toabandonandavoidevil,unskillfulmentalqualities,andtofosterandstrengthenskillfulmentalqualities),thefourbasesofpower(concentrationbasedondesire,persistence,intentness,and

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discrimination),thefivestrengthsandfivefaculties(conviction,persistence,mindfulness,concentration,anddiscernment),thesevenfactorsforself-awakening(seenote89),andthenobleeightfoldpath(seenote191).Forafulltreatmentofthistopic,seeTheWingstoAwakening(DhammaDanaPublications,1996).

303:DhpA:Wealth=bothmaterialwealthandthesevenformsofnoblewealth(ariya-dhana):conviction,virtue,shame,compunction(atthethoughtofdoingevil),erudition,generosity,discernment.

324:DhpA:DhanapalakawasanobleelephantcapturedforthekingofKasi.Althoughgivenpalatialquarterswiththefinestfood,heshowednointerest,butthoughtonlyofthesorrowhismotherfelt,aloneintheelephantwood,separatedfromherson.

329-330:DhpA:ThebullelephantnamedMatanga,reflectingontheinconveniencesoflivinginaherdcrowdedwithshe-elephantsandyoungelephants–hewaspushedaroundashewentintotheriver,hadtodrinkmuddiedwater,hadtoeatleavesthatothershadalreadynibbled,etc.–decidedthathewouldfindmorepleasureinlivingalone.HisstoryparallelsthatoftheelephantinAN9:40andelephanttheBuddhametintheParileyyakaForest(Mv.X.4.6-7).

337:ThisverseprovidesaBuddhisttwisttothetypicalbenedictionsfoundinworksofkavya.Insteadofexpressingawishthatthelistenersmeetwithwealth,fame,status,orotherworldlyformsofgoodfortune,itdescribesthehighestgoodfortune,whichcanbeaccomplishedonlythroughone’sownskillfulkamma:theuprootingofcravingandtheresultingstateoftotalfreedomfromtheroundofdeathandrebirth.AsimilartwistonthethemeofgoodfortuneisfoundintheMangalaSutta(Khp5,Sn2:4),whichteachesthatthebestprotectivecharmistodevelopskillfulkamma,ultimatelydevelopingthemindtothepointwhereitisuntouchedbythevagariesoftheworld.

339:36streams=threeformsofdesireforeachoftheinternalandexternalsensespheres(seenote294)–3x2x6=36.Accordingtoonesub-commentary,thethreeformsofdesirearedesiresfocusedonthepast,present,andfuture.Accordingtoanother,theyarecravingforsensuality,forbecoming,andfornon-becoming.

340:“Everywhichway”:ReadingsabbadhiwiththeThaiandBurmeseeditions.Thecreeper,accordingtoDhpA,iscraving,whichsendsthoughtsouttowraparounditsobjects,whileititselfstaysrootedinthemind.

341:Thisversecontainsanimpliedsimile:theterms“loosened&oiled,”hereappliedtojoys,werecommonlyusedtodescribesmoothbowelmovements.

343:Forthevariousmeaningsthatattano–“forhimself”–canhaveinthisverse,seenote402.

346:“Elastic”:Theusualtranslationforsithilam–“slack”–doesnotfitinthisverse,butallthePalirecensionsareunanimousonthisreading,soIhavechosenanearsynonymthatdoes.ThePatnaDhprendersthistermas“subtle,”whereastheTibetan

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commentarytotheUdanavargaexplainsthelineasawholeasmeaning“hardfortheslacktountie.”Bothalternativesmakesense,butmaybeattemptsto“correct”atermthatcouldwellhaveoriginallymeant“elastic,”ameaningthatgotlostwiththepassageoftime.

348:DhpA:Infront=theaggregatesofthepast;behind=theaggregatesofthefuture;inbetween=theaggregatesofthepresent.seealsonote385.

350:“Afocusonthefoul”:Ameditativeexerciseinfocusingonthefoulpartsofthebodysoastohelpundercutlustandattachmentforthebody.Seenote7-8.

352:“Astuteinexpression,knowingthecombinationofsounds–whichcomesfirst&whichafter”:Somearahants,inadditiontotheirabilitytoovercomealloftheirdefilements,arealsoendowedwithfourformsofacumen(patisambhida),oneofwhichisacumenwithregardtoexpression(nirutti-patisambhida),i.e.,atotalmasteryoflinguisticexpression.Thistalentinparticularmusthavebeenofinteresttotheanthologist(s)whoputtogethertheDhp.

“Last-body”:Becauseanarahantwillnotbereborn,thispresentbodyishis/herlast.

353:AccordingtoMN26andMv.I.6.7,oneofthefirstpeopletheBuddhametafterhisAwakeningwasanasceticwhocommentedontheclarityofhisfacultiesandaskedwhohisteacherwas.ThisversewaspartoftheBuddha’sresponse.

354:Thisversecontainsseveraltermsrelatedtoaesthetics.Bothdhamma(justice)anddana(gift/generosity)aresub-typesoftheheroicrasa,orsavor.(SeetheIntroduction.)Thethirdsub-typeoftheheroic–yuddha(warfare)–issuggestedbytheverb“conquer,”whichoccursfourtimesinthePali.Rati(delight/love)istheemotion(bhava)thatcorrespondstothesensitiverasa.Ineffect,theverseissayingthatthehighestformsofrasaandemotionarethoserelatedtoDhamma;thehighestexpressionoftheheroicDhammarasaisintheendingofcraving.

360-361:Seenote7-8.

363:“Counsel”:InthecontextofIndianliterarytheory,thisisthemeaningofthewordmanta,whichcanalsomean“chant.”Theliterarycontextseemstobetheproperonehere.

368:“Stilling-of-fabricationsease”:thetrueeaseandfreedomexperiencedwhenallfiveaggregatesarestilled.

369:DhpA:Theboat=one’sownpersonhood(atta-bhava,thebody-mindcomplex);thewaterthatneedstobebailedout=wrongthoughts(imbuedwithpassion,aversion,ordelusion).

370:DhpA:Cutthroughfive=thefivelowerfettersthattiethemindtotheroundofrebirth(self-identityviews,uncertainty,graspingathabits&practices,sensualpassion,irritation);letgooffive=thefivehigherfetters(passionforform,passionfor

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formlessphenomena,conceit,restlessness,ignorance);developfive=thefivefaculties(conviction,persistence,mindfulness,concentration,discernment);fiveattachments=passion,aversion,delusion,conceit,views.

381:Seenote368.

383:Thisverse,addressedtoamemberofthebrahmancaste,isoneofthefewinDhpwherethewordbrahmanisusedinitsordinarysense,asindicatingcastemembership,andnotinitsspecialBuddhistsenseasindicatinganarahant.

384:DhpA:twothings=tranquilitymeditationandinsightmeditation.

385:DhpA:Thisversereferstoapersonwhohasnosenseof“I”or“mine,”eitherforthesenses(“not-beyond”)ortheirobjects(“beyond”).ThepassagemayalsorefertothesenseoftotallimitlessnessthatmakestheexperienceofUnbindingtotallyineffable,asreflectedinthefollowingconversation(Sn5:6):

Upasiva:Hewhohasreachedtheend:

Doeshenotexist,orisheforeternityfreefromdis-ease?

Please,sage,declarethistomeasthisphenomenonhasbeenknownbyyou.

TheBuddha:Onewhohasreachedtheendhasnocriterionbywhichanyonewouldsaythat–

itdoesn’texistforhim.Whenallphenomenaaredoneawaywith,allmeansofspeakingaredoneawaywithaswell.

388:Stains=theimpuritieslistedinnote236.On“consonance,”seenote265.

389:Theword“anger”hereisaddedfromDhpA,whichinterpretsthe“lettingloose”astheactofretaliatingwithangeragainstone’sassailant.Sometranslatorsread“brahman”asthesubjectnotonlyofthesecondline,butalsothefirst:“Abrahmanshould/wouldnotstrikeabrahman.”However,thisreadingisunlikely,forabrahman(inthiscontext,anarahant)wouldnotstrikeanyoneatall.Ifabrahmanretaliateswithangertobeingstruck,thatisasignthatheisnotatruebrahman:thusmoreshameonhimforhavingassumedastatusnottrulyhis.Onthetopicofhowtoreacttoviolentattack,seeMN21andMN145.

390:“What’sendearing&not”:Inthephrasemanasopiyehi,piyehicanbereadstraightasitis,as“endearing,”orasanelidedformofapiyehi,“notendearing.”Theformerreadingismorestraightforward,butgiventhereferenceto“harmful-heartedness”inthenextline,thelatterreadingservestotiethestanzatogether.Itis

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alsoconsistentwiththefactthatDhpAtakesthisversetobeacontinuationof389.Giventhewayinwhichkavyacultivatedatasteforambiguitiesandmultipleinterpretations,bothreadingsmayhavebeenintended.

392:“Brahman”hereisusedinitsordinarysense,asindicatingcastemembership,andnotinitsspecialBuddhistsenseasindicatinganarahant.

393:“Heisapureone”:readingsosuciwiththeThaiedition,areadingsupportedbytheChinesetranslationoftheDhp.

394:InIndiaoftheBuddha’sday,mattedhair,etc.,wereregardedasvisiblesignsofspiritualstatus.

396:“Bho-sayer”–Brahmansaddressedothersas“bho”asawayofindicatingtheir(thebrahmans’)superiorcaste.“Ifhehasanything”(readingsacewiththeBurmeseedition)=ifhe/shelaysclaimtoanythingashis/herown.

398:DhpA:strap=resentment;thong=craving;cord=62formsofwrongview(listedintheBrahmajalaSuttanta,DN1);bridle=obsessions(sensuality,becoming,anger,conceit,views,uncertainty,ignorance).

400:“Withnooverbearingpride”:readinganussadamwiththeThaiandBurmeseeditions.“Last-body”:seenote352.

402:“Forhimself,onhisown,hisownendingofstress”:threedifferentwaysthattheonewordattanofunctionsinthisverse.

411:AccordingtoDhpA,“attachments/homes(alaya)”=cravings.“Knowing”:theknowledgeoffullAwakening(añña).“Hehasgainedafooting”:Theimageherederivesfromastandardanalogycomparingthepracticetotheactofcrossingariver.AccordingtoAN7:15,thepointwherethemeditatorgainsfootingontheriverbottom,butbeforegettinguponthebank,correspondstothethirdstageofawakening,theattainmentofnon-return.Toreachthefourthstage,becominganarahant,istogobeyondtheriverandstandonfirmground.

412:Seenote39.

421:Seenote348.

423:TheformsofmasterylistedinthisversecorrespondtothethreeknowledgesthatcomprisedtheBuddha’sAwakening:knowledgeofpreviouslives,knowledgeofhowbeingspassawayandarereborninthevariouslevelsofbeing,andknowledgeoftheendingoftheeffluentsthatmaintaintheprocessofbirth.

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Glossary

Aggregate(khandha):Anyoneofthefivebasesforclingingtoasenseofself:form(physicalphenomena,includingthebody),feelings,perceptions(mentallabels),thought-fabrications,consciousness.Sanskritform:Skandha.

Arahant:A“worthyone”or“pureone;”apersonwhosemindisfreeofdefilementandthusisnotdestinedforfurtherrebirth.AtitlefortheBuddhaandthehighestlevelofhisnobledisciples.

Becoming(bhava):Statesofbeingthatdevelopfirstinthemindandallowforbirthonanyofthreelevels:thelevelofsensuality,thelevelofform,andthelevelofformlessness.

Brahma:Aninhabitantofthehighest,non-sensuallevelsofheaven.

Brahman:TheBrahmansofIndiahavelongmaintainedthatthey,bytheirbirth,areworthyofthehighestrespect.Buddhistsborrowedtheterm“brahman”toapplytoarahantstoshowthatrespectisearnednotbybirth,race,orcaste,butbyspiritualattainmentthroughfollowingtherightpathofpractice.MostoftheversesintheDhammapadausethewordbrahmaninthisspecialsense;thoseusingthewordinitsordinarysenseareindicatedinthenotes.

Deva:Literally,“shiningone.”Aninhabitantoftheheavenlyrealms.

Dhamma:(1)Event;aphenomenoninandofitself;(2)mentalquality;(3)doctrine,teaching;(4)nibbana.Sanskritform:Dharma.

Effluent(asava):Oneoffourqualities–sensuality,views,becoming,andignorance–that“flowout”ofthemindandcreatethefloodoftheroundofdeathandrebirth.

Enlightenedone(dhira):ThroughoutthistranslationIhaverenderedbuddhaas“Awakened,”anddhiraas“enlightened.”AsJanGondapointsoutinhisbook,TheVisionoftheVedicPoets,theworddhirawasusedinVedicandBuddhistpoetrytomeanapersonwhohastheheightenedpowersofmentalvisionneededtoperceivethe“light”oftheunderlyingprinciplesofthecosmos,togetherwiththeexpertisetoimplementthoseprinciplesintheaffairsoflifeandtorevealthemtoothers.Apersonenlightenedinthissensemayalsobeawakened,butisnotnecessarilyso.

Fabrication(sankhara):Sankharaliterallymeans“puttingtogether,”andcarries134

Fabrication(sankhara):Sankharaliterallymeans“puttingtogether,”andcarriesconnotationsofjerry-riggedartificiality.Itisappliedtophysicalandtomentalprocesses,aswellastotheproductsofthoseprocesses.Insomecontextsitfunctionsasthefourthofthefiveaggregates–thought-fabrications;inothers,itcoversallfive.

Gandhabba:Celestialmusician,amemberofoneofthelowerdevarealms.

Heart(manas):Themindinitsroleaswillandintention.

Indra:KingofthedevasintheHeavenoftheThirty-three.

Jhana:Meditativeabsorption.Astateofstrongconcentration,devoidofsensualityorunskillfulthoughts,focusedonasinglephysicalsensationormentalnotionthatisthenexpandedtofillthewholerangeofone’sawareness.Jhanaissynonymouswithrightconcentration,theeighthfactorinthenobleeightfoldpath(seenote191).

Kamma:Intentionalact,bearingfruitintermsofstatesofbecomingandbirth.Sanskritform:Karma.

Mara:Thepersonificationofevil,temptation,anddeath.

Patimokkha:Basiccodeofmonasticdiscipline,composedof227rulesformonksand311fornuns.

Samsara:Transmigration;the“wandering-on”;theroundofdeathandrebirth.

Sangha:Ontheconventional(sammati)level,thistermdenotesthecommunitiesofBuddhistmonksandnuns;ontheideal(ariya)level,itdenotesthosefollowersoftheBuddha,layorordained,whohaveattainedatleaststream-entry(seenote22).

Stress(dukkha):Alternativetranslationsfordukkhaincludesuffering,burdensomeness,andpain.However–despitetheunfortunateconnotationsithaspickedupfromprogramsin“stress-management”and“stress-reduction”–theEnglishwordstress,initsbasicmeaningasthereactiontostrainonthebodyormind,hastheadvantageofcoveringmuchthesamerangeasthePaliworddukkha.Itappliesbothtophysicalandmentalphenomena,rangingfromtheintensestressofacuteanguishorpaintotheinnateburdensomenessofeventhesubtlestmentalorphysicalfabrications.Italsohastheadvantageofbeinguniversallyrecognizedassomethingdirectlyexperiencedinalllife,andisatthesametimeausefultoolforcuttingthroughthespiritualpridethatkeepspeopleattachedtoespeciallyrefinedorsophisticatedformsofsuffering:onceallsuffering,nomatterhownobleorrefined,isrecognizedasbeingnothingmorethanstress,themindcanabandonthepridethatkeepsitattachedtothatsuffering,andsogainreleasefromit.Still,insomeoftheversesoftheDhammapada,stressseemstooweaktoconveythemeaning,sointhoseversesIhaverendereddukkhaaspain,suffering,orsuffering&stress.

Tathagata:Literally,“onewhohasbecomeauthentic(tatha-agata),”or“onewhois135

Tathagata:Literally,“onewhohasbecomeauthentic(tatha-agata),”or“onewhoisreallygone(tatha-gata),”anepithetusedinancientIndiaforapersonwhohasattainedthehighestreligiousgoal.InBuddhism,itusuallydenotestheBuddha,althoughoccasionallyitalsodenotesanyofhisarahantdisciples.

Unbinding(nibbana):BecausenibbanaisusedtodenotenotonlytheBuddhistgoal,butalsotheextinguishingofafire,itisusuallyrenderedas“extinguishing”or,evenworse,“extinction.”However,astudyofancientIndianviewsoftheworkingsoffire(seeTheMindLikeFireUnbound)revealsthatpeopleoftheBuddha’stimefeltthatafire,ingoingout,didnotgooutofexistencebutwassimplyfreedfromitsagitation,entrapment,andattachmenttoitsfuel.Thus,whenappliedtotheBuddhistgoal,theprimaryconnotationofnibbanaisoneofrelease,alongwithcoolingandpeace.Sanskritform:Nirvana.

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Bibliography

Brough,John,ed.TheGandhariDharmapada.London:OxfordUniversityPress,1962.

Carter,JohnRossandMahindaPalihawadana,trans.anded.TheDhammapada.NewYork:Oxford

UniversityPress,1987.

Cone,Margaret.“PatnaDharmapada,PartI:Text,”inJournalofthePaliTextSociety,xiii,1989:

101-217.

Dhammajoti,BhikkhuKualaLumpur,trans.anded.TheChineseVersionofDharmapada.Kelaniya,

SriLanka:PostgraduateInstituteofPaliandBuddhistStudies,1995.

Gonda,Jan.TheVisionoftheVedicPoets.TheHague:Mouton,1963.

vonHinüber,O.,andK.R.Norman,eds.Dhammapada.Oxford:ThePaliTextSociety,1995.

Norman,K.R.,trans.TheWordoftheDoctrine.Oxford:ThePaliTextSociety,1997.

Warder,A.K.IndianKavyaLiterature,vols.iandii,2ndrev.eds.Delhi:MotilalBanarsidass,1989

and1990.

Inadditiontotheaboveworks,IhavealsoconsultedmanypreviousEnglishtranslationsand

renderingsoftheDhammapada,completeandincomplete,includingthosebyVen.Ananda

Maitreya,Babbitt,Beyer,Ven.Buddharakkhita,Byrom,Cleary,Fronsdal,Kaviratna,Vens.

KhantipaloandSusañña,Mascaro,Ven.Narada,Ven.Piyadassi,Radhakrishnan,andWannapok,as

wellasThaitranslationsbyPlengvithayaandWannapok.Inaddition,Ihaveconsultedtranslations

oftheUdanavarga–again,completeandincomplete–bySparhamandStrong.Ihavealsodrawn

fromtheRoyalThaiEditionofthePaliCanon,publishedbyMahamakutRajavidalayaPress,

Bangkok,1982.

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TableofContents

Titlepage 2Copyright 3Abbreviations 4Preface 5Introduction 6I:Pairs 13II:Heedfulness 18III:TheMind 21IV:Blossoms 24V:Fools 28VI:TheWise 32VII:Arahants 36VIII:Thousands 39IX:Evil 43X:TheRod 46XI:Aging 49XII:Self 52XIII:Worlds 55XIV:Awakened 58XV:Happy 62XVI:DearOnes 65XVII:Anger 68XVIII:Impurities 71XIX:TheJudge 75XX:ThePath 79XXI:Miscellany 83

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XXII:Hell 86XXIII:Elephants 89XXIV:Craving 92XXV:Monks 98XXVI:Brahmans 103HistoricalNotes:TheText&theTranslation 112EndNotes 121Glossary 134Bibliography 137

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Documents

Dhammapada: A Translation€¦ · Many other English translations are already available–the fingers of at least five people would be needed to count them–so I suppose that a new