The Dhammapada: Verses and Stories

Dhammapada Verses 102 and 103
Kundalakesitheri Vatthu

Yo ca gatha satam bhase
anatthapadasamhita
ekam dhammapadam seyyo
yam sutva upasammati.

Yo sahassam sahassena
sangame manuse jine
ekanca jeyyamattanam
sa ve sangamajuttamo.

Verse 102: Better than the recitation of a hundred verses that are senseless and unconnected with the realization of Nibbana, is the recitation of a single verse of the Teaching (Dhamma), if on hearing it one is calmed.

Verse 103: A man may conquer a million men in battle, but one who conquers himself is, indeed, the greatest of conquerors.


The Story of Theri Kundalakesi

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (102) and (103) of this book, with reference to Theri Kundalakesi.

Kundalakesi was the daughter of a rich man from Rajagaha. She had led a very secluded life; but one day, she happened to see a thief being led out to be killed and she immediately fell in love with him. Her parents had to pay for the freedom of the thief, and they married her off to him. Although she loved her husband very dearly, her husband being a thief, was only attracted to her property and her jewels. One day, he coaxed her to put on all her jewellery and led her to a mountain saying that he wanted to make some offerings to the guardian spirit of the mountain because that guardian spirit had saved his life when he was about to be killed. Kundalakesi went along with her husband, but when they reached their destination, the thief revealed that he intended to kill her and take her jewels. She pleaded with him to take her jewels, but to spare her life, but it was of no avail. She then realized that if she did not get rid of her husband, there would be no way of escape for her. She felt she must be cautious and crafty. So she said to her husband that as they would be together only for a few moments more, she wanted to pay respect to him for the last time. So saying, and going round the man respectfully, she pushed him off the crag, taking him unaware.

After this, she had no desire to return home. She left all her jewellery hanging on a tree, and went on her way, without any idea where she was going. She happened to come to a place of some Paribbajikas (female wandering ascetics) and she herself became a Paribbajikas. The Paribbajikas taught her all their one thousand problems in sophistry; being intelligent she mastered all of them within a short time. Then her teachers told her to go out into the world and if she should find somebody who could answer all her questions, to become a pupil to him. Kundalakesi went throughout the length and breadth of Jambudipa, openly challenging everyone else to compete with her. Accordingly, she came to be known as "Jambukaparibbajika."

On one occasion, she came to Savatthi. Before entering the city for alms-food she made a mound of sand and stuck a branch of eugenia on it, her usual sign of invitation to all others to take up her challenge. Thera Sariputta took up her challenge. Kundalakesi asked him a thousand questions and Thera Sariputta answered them all. When his turn came, he asked her just this, "What is the one? (ekam nama kim)." Kundalakesi could not answer, so she asked Thera Sariputta to teach her the answer to the question. Thera Sariputta replied that she should first become abhikkhuni; so she became a bhikkhuni, by the name of Theri Kundalakesi. Within a few days, she became an arahat.

Soon after this, the bhikkhus asked the Buddha, "Could it be possible for Bhikkhuni Kundalakesi to become an arahat after listening to the Dhamma only a little?" They also added that this lady had fought and won a victory over her husband, who was a thief, before she became a paribbajika.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 102: Better than the recitation of a hundred verses that are senseless and unconnected with the realization of Nibbana, is the recitation of a single verse of the Teaching (Dhamma), if on hearing it one is calmed.

 

Verse 103: A man may conquer a million men in battle, but one who conquers himself is, indeed, the greatest of conquerors.

Dhammapada

Preface

I.Yamakavagga
Verse 001
Verse 002
Verse 003
Verse 005
Verse 006
Verse 007
Verse 009
Verse 011
Verse 013
Verse 015
Verse 016
Verse 017
Verse 018
Verse 019

II.Appamadavagga
Verse 021
Verse 024
Verse 025
Verse 026
Verse 028
Verse 029
Verse 030
Verse 031
Verse 032

III.Cittavagga
Verse 033
Verse 035
Verse 036
Verse 037
Verse 038
Verse 040
Verse 041
Verse 042
Verse 043

IV.Pupphavagga
Verse 044
Verse 046
Verse 047
Verse 048
Verse 049
Verse 050
Verse 051
Verse 053
Verse 054
Verse 056
Verse 057
Verse 058

V.Balavagga
Verse 060
Verse 061
Verse 062
Verse 063
Verse 064
Verse 065
Verse 066
Verse 067
Verse 068
Verse 069
Verse 070
Verse 071
Verse 072
Verse 073
Verse 075

VI.Panditavagga
Verse 076
Verse 077
Verse 078
Verse 079
Verse 080
Verse 081
Verse 082
Verse 083
Verse 084
Verse 085
Verse 087

VII.Arahantavagga
Verse 090
Verse 091
Verse 092
Verse 093
Verse 094
Verse 095
Verse 096
Verse 097
Verse 098
Verse 099

VIII.Sahassavagga
Verse 100
Verse 101
Verse 102
Verse 104
Verse 106
Verse 107
Verse 108
Verse 109
Verse 110
Verse 111
Verse 112
Verse 113
Verse 114
Verse 115

IX.Papavagga
Verse 116
Verse 117
Verse 118
Verse 119
Verse 121
Verse 122
Verse 123
Verse 124
Verse 125
Verse 126
Verse 127
Verse 128

X.Dandavagga
Verse 129
Verse 130
Verse 131
Verse 133
Verse 135
Verse 136
Verse 137
Verse 141
Verse 142
Verse 143
Verse 145

XI.Jaravagga
Verse 146
Verse 147
Verse 148
Verse 149
Verse 150
Verse 151
Verse 152
Verse 153
Verse 155

XII.Attavagga
Verse 157
Verse 158
Verse 159
Verse 160
Verse 161
Verse 162
Verse 163
Verse 164
Verse 165
Verse 166

XIII.Lokavagga
Verse 167
Verse 168
Verse 170
Verse 171
Verse 172
Verse 173
Verse 174
Verse 175
Verse 176
Verse 177
Verse 178

XIV.Buddhavagga
Verse 179
Verse 181
Verse 182
Verse 183
Verse 186
Verse 188
Verse 193
Verse 194
Verse 195

XV.Sukhavagga
Verse 197
Verse 200
Verse 201
Verse 202
Verse 203
Verse 204
Verse 205
Verse 206

XVI.Piyavagga
Verse 209
Verse 212
Verse 213
Verse 214
Verse 215
Verse 216
Verse 217
Verse 218
Verse 219

XVII.Kodhavagga
Verse 221
Verse 222
Verse 223
Verse 224
Verse 225
Verse 226
Verse 227
Verse 231

XVIII.Malavagga
Verse 235
Verse 239
Verse 240
Verse 241
Verse 242
Verse 244
Verse 246
Verse 249
Verse 251
Verse 252
Verse 253
Verse 254

XIX.Dhammatthavagga
Verse 256
Verse 258
Verse 259
Verse 260
Verse 262
Verse 264
Verse 266
Verse 268
Verse 270
Verse 271

XX.Maggavagga
Verse 273
Verse 277
Verse 280
Verse 281
Verse 282
Verse 283
Verse 285
Verse 286
Verse 287
Verse 288

XXI.Pakinnakavagga
Verse 290
Verse 291
Verse 292
Verse 294
Verse 296
Verse 302
Verse 303
Verse 304
Verse 305

XXII.Nirayavagga
Verse 306
Verse 307
Verse 308
Verse 309
Verse 311
Verse 314
Verse 315
Verse 316
Verse 318

XXIII.Nagavagga
Verse 320
Verse 323
Verse 324
Verse 325
Verse 326
Verse 327
Verse 328
Verse 331

XXIV.Tanhavagga
Verse 334
Verse 338
Verse 344
Verse 345
Verse 347
Verse 348
Verse 349
Verse 351
Verse 353
Verse 354
Verse 355
Verse 356

XXV.Bhikkhuvagga
Verse 360
Verse 362
Verse 363
Verse 364
Verse 365
Verse 367
Verse 368
Verse 377
Verse 378
Verse 379
Verse 381
Verse 382

XXVI.Brahmanavagga
Verse 383
Verse 384
Verse 385
Verse 386
Verse 387
Verse 388
Verse 389
Verse 391
Verse 392
Verse 393
Verse 394
Verse 395
Verse 396
Verse 397
Verse 398
Verse 399
Verse 400
Verse 401
Verse 402
Verse 403
Verse 404
Verse 405
Verse 406
Verse 407
Verse 408
Verse 409
Verse 410
Verse 411
Verse 412
Verse 413
Verse 414
Verse 415
*Verse 416
*Verse 416
Verse 417
Verse 418
Verse 419
Verse 421
Verse 422
Verse 423

*These two stories have the same verse.