dhammapada18

Chapter 18

MALA VAGGA (Impurities or Traits)

Contents

1 The fate of a butcher and his son
2 A brahmin attends to the needs of holy men
3 A monk who was born as an insect - Tissa
4 The monk who made false claims - Laludayi
5 A man whose wife committed adultery
6 The monk who practised medicine - Cula Sari
7 It is not easy to observe precepts
8 The envious are not at peace - Tissa
9 The inattentive lay-disciples
10 The rich man - Mendaka
11 The fault-finding monk - Ujjhana Sanni
12 The wandering ascetic - Subhadda

XVIII:1 DEATH IS NEAR TO YOU

Pandupalaso’ va’ dani’ si - yama purisa’ pi ca tam upatthita
Uyyoga mukhe ca titthasi - patheyyam pi ca te na vijjati.

You are now like a withered leaf; the messengers of death are near you; you are about to set out on a long journey; (yet) you have no provisions (for the journey).

XVIII:1 STRIVE HARD

So karohi dipam attano - khippam vayama pandito bhava
Niddhanta malo anangano - dibbam ariya bhumim ehisi.

Make an island unto yourself. Strive quickly; become wise. Having removed impurities and being free from moral defilement, you shall enter the abodes of the Ariyas.¹

XVIII:1 LIFE COMES TO AN END

Upanita vayo va’dani’ si - sampayato’si yamassa santike
Vaso’ pi ca te natthi antara - patheyyam pi ca te na vijjati.

Your life has come to an end now. To the presence of death you are setting out. You cannot stop on the way; (yet) you have no provisions (for the journey).

XVIII:1 BE PASSIONLESS

So karohi dipam attano - khippam vayama pandito bhava
Niddhanta malo anangano - na puna jatijaram upehisi.

Make an island unto yourself. Strive without delay; become wise. Having removed impurities and being free from moral defilement, you will no longer be subject to rebirth and decay.

XVIII:1 The fate of a butcher and his son

Once, there was a man in Savatthi, who had been a butcher for many years. He also loved eating beef and everyday he insisted on having meat curry with his meals. One day, he kept aside some meat to be cooked for the family, before going out to have his bath in the river. While he was away a friend persuaded his wife to sell the meat and therefore there was no meat curry for the butcher that day. When he discovered this he became very angry and he went to the back of his house, promptly cut off the tongue of an ox, had it baked, and sat down for his meal.

While eating, the butcher tried to take a bite of the ox tongue, but he bit off his own tongue instead. Now, the ox and the butcher were in the same plight. The butcher was in great pain and agony, and blood flowed profusely from his mouth. He had to face a terrible death and was reborn in a miserable state.

The butcher’s wife was very frightened and she advised her son to go far away lest this evil should become a curse and befall him too. So the son went to Taxila. At Taxila, the youth became a goldsmith. Later, he married the daughter of his master and a few children were born to them. When their sons came of age he returned to settle down in Savatthi. The sons were devout followers of the Buddha.

They were concerned for their father, for he had not done any meritorious deeds in his present existence. So one day, they invited the Buddha and the bhikkhus to their house for alms food. After the meal they said to the Buddha, ‘Venerable Sir, we are making this offering to you today on behalf of our father. Kindly give a discourse to help him to realise the Dhamma.’ So the Buddha admonished the man, ‘You are getting old. Your body is like a withered leaf. You have to prepare for your future life. Be wise and develop your devotion and spiritual way of life.’

Perceiving the fleeting nature of worldly life and reflecting mindfully on the admonition given by the Enlightened One, the old man attained the first stage of Sainthood.

Note:

1. Namely, the Pure Abodes (Suddhavasa).

XVIII:2 PURIFY YOURSELF GRADUALLY

Anupubbena medhavi - thoka thokam khane khane
Kammaro rajatass’ eva - niddhame malam attano.

By degrees, little by little, from time to time, a wise person should remove his own impurities, as a smith removes (the dross of) silver.

XVIII:2 A brahmin attends to the needs of holy men

Once, a brahmin saw a group of bhikkhus rearranging their robes as they were preparing to enter the city for alms food. He noticed that the robes of some of the bhikkhus touched the ground and got wet because of dew on the grass, so he cleared their path of grass. The next day, he found that as the robes of the bhikkhus touched bare ground, the robes got dirty. So, he covered the path with sand. Then again, he observed that the bhikkhus would sweat when the sun was hot and that they got wet when it was raining. So finally, he built a shelter for the bhikkhus at the place where they gathered before entering the city for alms food.

When the building was finished, he invited the Buddha and the bhikkhus for alms food. The brahmin explained how he had performed this meritorious deed step by step. The Buddha replied, ‘O Brahmin! The wise perform their acts of merits little by little, and gradually and constantly they remove the impurities of the mind.’

XVIII:3 ONE’S EVIL RUINS ONESELF

Ayasa’ va malam samuttthitam - tadutthaya tam’eva khadati
Etam atidhona carinam - saka kammani nayanti duggatim.

Just as rust is formed from iron, and corrodes the iron from which it is formed, so also, his own deeds lead the transgressor¹ to a lower plane of existence.

XVIII:3 A monk who was born as an insect (Tissa)

Once there was a monk in Savatthi named Tissa. One day, he received a set of fine robes and was very pleased. He wanted to wear them the next day, but he died that very night, and because he was unduly attached to the fine set of robes, he was reborn as an insect and lived within the folds of the robes. As there was no one to inherit his belongings, it was decided that the other monks should share this particular set of robes.

When the monks were preparing to share it out among themselves, the insect was very much agitated and cried out, ‘They are destroying my robes!’ The Buddha,on hearing his cry by means of his supernormal powers of hearing, advised the bhikkhus to dispose of the robes only at the end of seven days. On the eighth day, the robes that belonged to Tissa were shared out by the bhikkhus.

Later, the Buddha explained the reasons for his admonition. ‘Tissa was attached to this particular set of robes at the time of his death and so he was reborn as an insect for a few days and stayed in the folds of the robes. When you all were preparing to share out the robes, Tissa the insect was very much in agony and was running about to and from in the folds of the robes. If you had taken the robes at that time, Tissa the insect would have felt very bitter against you and he would have had to be born in a suffering state.

Now, however, he has been reborn in a happy state due to his previous kamma and that is why I have allowed you to take the robes. Indeed bhikkhus, attachment is very dangerous; as rust corrodes iron from which it is formed, so also, attachment destroys one and sends one to lower forms of existence. A bhikkhu should not indulge too much in the use of the four requisites or be attached to them because attachment will delay the process of mental purification.’

Note:

1.Atidhonacari = the bhikkhu who lives without reflecting on the necessaries of life. While using the four requisites, namely, robes, food, medicines and lodging, a bhikkhu is expected to reflect on their special usefulness and loathsomeness. If he does not, he transgresses a minor rule by not using them properly. Dhona means the four necessaries.

XVIII:4 CAUSES OF STAIN

Asajjhaya mala manta - anutthana mala ghara
Malam vannassa kosajjam - pamado rakkhato rnalam.

Texts not repeated are often soon forgotten;¹ the house neglected soon decays; sloth is a blemish on beauty; heedlessness is a blemish on the watchman.

XVIII:4 The monk who made false claims (Laludayi)

In Savatthi, people always praised the discourses given by Venerable Sariputta and Maha Moggallana, the two Chief Disciples of the Buddha. On one occasion, Laludayi, on hearing their praises, remarked that the people would also praise him if they were to listen to his discourses. So the people invited Laludayi to deliver a discourse. He went up to the platform but he could not preach the Dhamma. So he requested another bhikkhu to speak first and that he would take the next turn. In this way, he put off having to speak three times.

The devotees lost their patience and reprimanded him, ‘You big fool! When we praised the two Chief Disciples you were vainly boasting that you could preach like them. Why don’t you preach now?’ So Laludayi left the congregation in shame.

When the Buddha was told about the incident, he said, ‘Laludayi has learned very little of the Dhamma; he does not recite the religious texts regularly; he has not memorised anything. Whatever little he has learned gets rusty by not being recited.’

Note:

1. Manta mean religious doctrines, arts and sciences. Non-recitation of the scriptures and non-practice of the arts tend to make one forget them.

XVIII:5 TAINTS ARE EVIL THINGS

Mal’ itthiya duccaritam - maccheram dadato malam
Mala ve papaka dhamma - asmim loke paramhi ca.

Misconduct is the taint of a woman. Stinginess is the taint of a donor. Taints, indeed, are all evil things both in this world and in the next.

XVIII:5 IGNORANCE IS THE GREATEST TAINT

Tato mala malataram - avijja paramam malam
Etam malam pahatvana - nimmala hotha bhikkhavo.

A worse taint than these is ignorance, the greatest taint. Abandoning this taint, be taintless, O Bhikkhus!

XVIII:5 A man whose wife committed adultery

A man’s wife committed adultery. On account of his wife’s misbehaviour, he felt ashamed and avoided all his friends. He also kept away from the Buddha. However, after some time, he went to pay his respects to the Enlightened One. On learning the reason for his absence, the Buddha said, ‘My disciple, those women who have no moral shame are just like a river, or a road, or liquor shop, a rest house, or a water-pot stand at the roadside. They associate with all sorts of people. Indeed, a loose woman who indulges in sexual misconduct is bound to face ruin.’

XVIII:6 IT IS EASY TO LEAD A SHAMELESS LIFE

Sujivam ahirikena - kakasurena dhamsina
Pakkhandina pagabbhena - samkilitthena jivitam.

Easy is the life of a man who is shameless, bold like a crow, a fault finder, insolent, impudent and corrupt.

XVIII:6 IT IS HARD TO LEAD A MODEST LIFE

Hirimata ca dujjivam - niccam suci gavesina
Alinen’ appagabbhena - suddhajivena passata.

Hard is the life of a modest one who ever seeks purity, is detached, humble, clean in life, and reflective.

XVIII:6 The monk who practised medicine (Cula Sari)

One day, Cula Sari, a physician-monk, was returning to his dwelling place after ministering to a patient. On his way he met Venerable Sariputta and related to him how he had gone to treat a patient and how he had accepted some delicious food as payment for his services. He requested him to accept some of the food. Sariputta kept silent and continued on his way. He did not accept the food because Cula Sari had not observed the precept of abstaining from practising medicine for personal gain.

When informed of the matter, the Buddha said, ‘Bhikkhus! A bhikkhu who is shameless, is coarse in thought, word and deed, he is arrogant like a crow. He will find a comfortable living by unlawful means. On the other hand, life for a bhikkhu who has a sense of moral shame is not easy.’

XVIII:7 HE WHO DOES NOT OBSERVE THE
FIVE PRECEPTS RUINS HIMSELF

Yo panam atipateti - musavadan ca bhasati
Loke adinnam adiyati - paradaran ca gacchati.

Surameraya panan ca - yo naro anuyunjati
Idh’ evam eso lokasmim - mulam khanati attano.

He who destroys life, tells lies, takes what is not given, commits adultery, and is addicted to intoxicating drinks, digs in his own roots even in this very life.

XVIII:7 BE NOT AVARICIOUS AND DO NO WRONG

Evam bho purisa janahi - papa dhamma asannata
Ma tam lobho adhammo ca - ciram dukkhaya randhayum.

Know this, O good man, that evil things are difficult to control. Let not greed and wickedness drag you to suffering for a long time.

XVIII:7 It is not easy to observe precepts

On one occasion five lay-disciples were observing the precepts at the Jetavana monastery. Each of them was only observing one of the five moral precepts (sila). Each observed a particular precept and claimed that that particular precept was the most difficult. As there were disagreements and arguments, they reported their differences to the Buddha, who admonished them, ‘You should not consider any individual precept as being easy or unimportant. The observance of the precepts will lead to your weal and happiness. Do not think lightly of any of the precepts; none of them is easy to observe.’

XVIII:8 THE ENVIOUS ARE NOT AT PEACE

Dadati ve yatha saddham - yatha pasadanam jano
Tattha yo manku bhavati - paresam pana bhojane
Na so diva va rattim va - samadhim adhigacchati.

People give according to their faith and as they are pleased. Whoever therein is envious of others’ food and drink, gains no peace either by day or by night.

XVIII:8 The envious are not at peace (Tissa)

Tissa, a young novice, had a very bad habit of disparaging other people’s good deeds. He even criticised the gifts given by such renowned donors like Anatha Pindika and Visakha. Besides, he boasted that his relatives were very rich and were like a well where anyone could come for water. Hearing him boast thus, other bhikkhus were very sceptical and they decided to find out the truth.

Some young bhikkhus went to his village to investigate. They found out that Tissa’s relatives were all poor and that all this time Tissa had only been boasting. When the Buddha was told about this, he said ‘A bhikkhu who is unhappy with others receiving gifts and offerings can never attain Insight.’

XVIII:9 THERE IS NO RIVER LIKE CRAVING

Natthi raga samo aggi - natthi dosa samo gaho
Natthi moha samam jalam - natthi tanhasama nadi.

There is no fire like lust, no grip like hate, no net like delusion, no river like craving.

XVIII:9 The inattentive lay-disciples

On one occasion, five lay-disciples were present while the Buddha was expounding the Dhamma at the Jetavana monastery. One of them was asleep while sitting, the second was scratching the earth with his fingers, the third was trying to shake a tree, the fourth was looking up at the sky. The fifth was the only one who was respectfully and attentively listening to the Buddha.

Venerable Ananda, who saw the different kinds of behaviour of the five disciples commented, ‘Venerable Sir! While you were expounding the Dhamma only one out of those five people were listening attentively’. Then Ananda described the different attitudes of the other four to the Buddha and asked why they were behaving thus.

The Buddha then explained that these people could not get rid of their old habits. In their past existences, the first one was a snake. As a snake usually coils itself up and goes to sleep, so also this man had gone to sleep while listening to the Dhamma. The one who was scratching the earth with his hand had been a subterranean creature. The one who was shaking the tree had been a monkey. The one who was gazing up at the sky had been an astrologer and the one who was listening attentively to the Dhamma had been a learned brahmin.

The Buddha then said, ‘Ananda, you must remember that one must be attentive to be able to understand the Dhamma and that there are many people who cannot understand the Dhamma.’

Ananda then asked, ‘Venerable Sir, what are the things that prevent people from being able to realise the Dhamma?’ The Buddha replied, ‘Ananda, passion (raga), ill will (dosa) and ignorance (moha) are the three things that prevent people from realising the Dhamma. There is no fire like the fire of lust. Passion burns always and without any break.’

XVIII:10 EASY TO SEE ARE OTHERS’ FAULTS

Sudassam vajjam annesam - attano pana duddasam
Paresam hi so vajjani - opunati yatha bhusam
Attano pana chadeti - kalim’ va kitava satho.

Easily seen are others’ faults, hard indeed to see are one’s own. Like chaff one winnows others’ faults, but one’s own (faults) one hides, as a crafty fowler conceals himself¹ by camouflage.²

XVIII: 10 The rich man (Mendaka)

Once, during his tour of the Anga and Uttara regions, the Buddha went to the town of Bhaddiya. He saw in his vision that the time was ripe for Mendaka, his wife, his son, his daughter-in-law, his granddaughter and his servant to attain Sotapatti. Mendaka was an extremely rich man. He had found a large number of life-sized golden statues of goats in his backyard. For this reason, he was known as Mendaka (a goat), the rich man.

Mendaka and his family, on hearing that the Buddha was coming to Bhaddiya, went to pay homage to him. After hearing the discourse given by the Buddha, the whole family attained the first stage of Sainthood. Mendaka then related how, on his way, some ascetics had spoken ill of the Enlightened One and had tried to dissuade him from coming to see him. The Buddha replied, ‘My disciple, it is natural for people not to see one’s own faults, and to exaggerate other people’s faults and failings.’

The Buddha then revealed the past existences of Mendaka. In one of his former existences he had donated a monastery and a congregation hall to Vipassi Buddha. Then, in yet another of his past existences, he was a rich man in Benares. At that time there was a famine throughout the region. One day, he offered the only food he had left as almsfood to a Paccekabuddha. As a result of this offering, his cooking pot was later found to be miraculously filled up with rice.

Notes:

1.Kalim = attabhava = body.
2.Kitava = kitavaya = by means of sham branches etc.

XVIII:11 DEFILEMENTS MULTIPLY IN THOSE
WHO SEEK OTHERS’ FAULTS

Para vajjanupassissa - niccam ujjahana sannino
Asava tassa vaddhanti - ara so asavakkhaya.

He who sees others’ faults, and is ever irritable, the corruption of such a one grow.
He is far from the destruction of corruptions.¹

XVIII: 11 The fault-finding monk (Ujjhana Sanni)

Venerable Ujjhana Sanni was always finding fault and speaking ill of others. The matter was reported to the Buddha who said, ‘Bhikkhus, if someone finds fault with another so as to teach him good ways, it is not an act of evil and is therefore not blameable. But, if someone is always finding fault with others and speaking ill of them just out of spite and malice, he will not attain concentration and mental absorption (jhana). He will not be able to understand the Dhamma, and moral defilements (asavas) will increase in him.’

Note;

1. Namely, the Fruit of Arahanthood. There are four kinds of defilements or corruptions (Asavas), namely, sensual pleasures (kama), becoming (bhava), false views (ditthi), and ignorance (avijja). The first asava is attachment to Sense Sphere, the second is attachment to the Realms of Form and the Formless Realms.

XVIII:12 THERE ARE NO AGGREGATES WHICH ARE ETERNAL

Akase padam natthi - samano natthi bahire
Papancabbirata paja - nippapanca tathagata.

In the sky there is no track. Outside¹ there is no Saint.² Mankind delights in obstacles.³ The Tathagatas⁴ are free from obstacles.

XVIII:12 THERE ARE NO SAINTS OUTSIDE THE DHAMMA

Akase padarn natthi - samano natthi bahire
Sankhara sassata natthi - natthi buddhanam injitam.

In the sky there is no track. Outside there is no Saint. There are no conditioned things⁵ that are eternal. There is no instability⁶ in the Buddhas.

XVIII:12 The wandering ascetic (Subhadda)

Subhadda the wandering ascetic was staying at Kusinara when he heard that the Parinibbana of Gotama Buddha would take place that night. He had already put three questions that were troubling him to other religious leaders, but their answers did not satisfy him. He had not yet asked Gotama Buddha, and he felt that only the Enlightened One could answer his questions. He hurried to the Buddha, but Venerable Ananda tried to persuade him not to go any further.

However, the Enlightened One overheard their conversation and consented to see Subhadda, who then asked the three questions:

1.Are there tracks in the sky?

2.Are there any Ariya bhikkhus (samanas) outside the Teaching of the Buddha?

3.Is there any conditioned thing (sankhara) that is permanent?

The Buddha replied in the negative to all the three questions.

Notes:

1.Outside the Dispensation (sasana) of the Buddha.

2.Here samana refers to Saints who have realized the four Paths and four Fruits. They are the Ariya Saints who have attained Nibbana.

3.Impediments such as craving, pride, etc.

4.An epithet of the Buddha. Literally, it means ‘who thus hath come’.

5.Sankhara means the five aggregates conditioned by causes.

6.There is no single impediment such as craving, pride and so on, by means of which the Buddhas regard the conditioned things as eternal.