The Dhammapada: Verses and Stories

Dhammapada Verses 368 to 376
Sambahulabhikkhu Vatthu

Mettavihari yo bhikkhu
pasanno buddhasasane
adhigacche padam santam
sankharupasamam sukham.

Sinca bhikkhu imam navam
sitta te lahumessati
chetva raganca dosanca
tato nibbanamehisi.

Panca1 chinde panca2 jahe
panca
3 cuttari bhavaye
pancasangatigo
4 bhikkhu
"oghatinno" ti vuccati.

Jhaya bhikkhu ma pamado
ma te kamagune ramessu cittam
ma lohagulam gili pamatto
ma kandi "dukkhamidan" ti dayhamano.

Natthi jhanam apannassa
panna natthi ajhayato
yamhi jhananca panna ca
sa ve nibbanasantike.

Sunnagaram pavitthassa
santacittassa bhikkhuno
amanusi rati hoti
samma dhammam vipassato.

Yato yato sammasati
khandhanam udayabbayam
labhati pitipamojjam
amatam tam vijanatam.

Tatrayamadi bhavati
idha pannassa bhikkhuno
indriyagutti santutthi
patimokkhe ca samvaro.

Mitte bhajassu kalyane
suddhajive atandite
patisantharavutyassa
acarakusalo siya
tato pamojjabahulo
5
dukkhassantam karissati.

Verse 368: The bhikkhu who lives exercising loving-kindness and is devoted to the Teaching of the Buddha will realize Nibbana — the Tranquil, the Unconditioned, the Blissful.

Verse 369: O bhikkhu, bale out the water (of wrong thoughts) from this boat (your body); when empty it will sail swiftly; having cut off passion and ill will you will realize Nibbana.

Verse 370: Cut off the five (the lower five fetters) give up the five (the upper five fetters); and develop the five (controlling faculties). The bhikkhu who has freed himself of the five bonds (passion, ill will, ignorance, pride and wrong view) is called "One who has crossed the flood (of samsara)."

Verse 371: O Bhikkhu, mediate, and do not be unmindful; do not let your mind rejoice in sensual pleasures. Do not be unmindful and swallow the (hot) lump of iron; as you burn (in niraya) do not cry, "This, indeed, is suffering."

Verse 372: There can be no concentration in one who lacks wisdom; there can be no wisdom in one who lacks concentration. He who has concentration as well as wisdom is, indeed, close to Nibbana.

Verse 373: The bhikkhu who goes into seclusion (to meditate), whose mind is tranquil, who clearly perceives the Dhamma, experiences the joy which transcends that of (ordinary) men.

Verse 374: Every time he clearly comprehends the arising and the perishing of the khandhas, he finds joy and rapture. That, to the wise, is the way to Nibbana (the Deathless).

Verse 375: For a wise bhikkhu in this Teaching, this is the beginning (of the practice leading to Nibbana): control of the senses, contentment, and restraint according to the Fundamental Precepts.

Verse 376: Associate with good friends, who are energetic and whose livelihood is pure; let him be amiable and be correct in his conduct. Then, (frequently) feeling much joy he will make an end of dukkha (of the round of rebirths).


1. The lower five fetters (Orambhagiya samyojana) are: ego belief (sakkayaditthi); doubt (vicikkiccha); wrong views of morality and practices (silabbataparamasa); sensual desire (kamaraga) and ill will (byapada). These can be got rid of by the first, second and third Maggas.

2. The upper five fetters (Uddhambhagiya samyojana) are: craving for fine material existences (rupa raga); craving for non-material existences (arupa raga); pride (mana); restlessness (uddhacca) and ignorance (avijja). These five can be got rid of by arahatship.

3. The five controlling faculties (Pancindriya) are: faith (saddha); diligence (viriya); mindfulness (sati); concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (panna).

4. The five sangas are: passion, ill will, ignorance, pride and wrong views.

5. pamojjabahulo: lit., much joy; according to the Commentary, in this context, frequently feeling joy.


The Story of a Great Many Bhikkhus

While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verses (368) to (376) of this book, with reference to nine hundred bhikkhus.

Once there was a very rich lady in the town of Kuraraghara, about one hundred and twenty yojanas from Savatthi. She had a son who had become a bhikkhu; his name was Sona. On one occasion, Bhikkhu Sona passed through his home town. On his return from the Jetavana monastery his mother met him and organized a grand charity in his honour. Having heard that Bhikkhu Sona could expound the Dhamma very well she also requested him to expound the Dhamma to her and other people of the home town. Bhikkhu Sona complied with her request. So a pavilion was built and a meeting was organized for Bhikkhu Sona to give a discourse. There was a large gathering at the pavilion; the mother of the bhikkhu also went to listen to the Dhamma expounded by her son. She took all the members of her household with her leaving only a maid to look after the house.

While the lady was away, some thieves broke into the house. Their leader, however, went to the pavilion where the mistress of the house was, sat down near her and kept an eye on her. His intention was to get rid of her should she return home early on learning about the theft at her house. The maid seeing the thieves breaking into the house went to report the matter to her mistress, but the lady only said, "Let the thieves take all my money, I don't care; but do not come and disturb me while I am listening to the Dhamma. You'd better go back." So the maid went home.

There the girl saw the thieves breaking into the room where her mistress kept all her silverware. Again she went to the pavilion where her mistress was and reported to her that the thieves were taking away her silverware, but she was given the same answer as before. So she had to go back to the house. There she saw the thieves breaking into the room where her mistress kept her gold and she reported the matter to her mistress. This time, her mistress shouted at her, "O dear! Let the thieves take whatever they wish to take; why do you have to come and worry me again when I am listening to a discourse on the Dhamma? Why did you not go back when I told you to? Don't you dare come near me again and say things about the theft or the thieves."

The leader of the gang of thieves who was close at hand heard everything the lady had said and he was extremely surprised. Her words also kept him thinking, "If we take away the property of this wise and noble person, we will surely be punished; we might even be struck by lightning and our heads broken into many pieces." The leader got alarmed over this possibility and he hurried back to the house of the lady and made his followers return all the things they had taken. He then took all his followers to where the mistress of the house was; she was still at the pavilion, listening attentively to the Dhamma.

Thera Sona finished his exposition on the Dhamma with the crack of dawn and came down from the dais from where he had expounded the Dhamma. The leader of the thieves approached the rich, noble lady, paid respect to her and revealed his identity to her. He also related to her how they had plundered her house and also that they had returned all her property on hearing her words to her maid, who reported the theft to her during the night. Then, the leader and all the thieves asked the lady to forgive them for having wronged her. Then, they asked Thera Sona to admit them to the Order of bhikkhus. After the admission, each one of the nine hundred bhikkhus took a subject of meditation from Thera Sona and went to the nearby forest to practise meditation in seclusion.

From a distance of one hundred and twenty yojanas, the Buddha saw those bhikkhus and sent forth his radiance to them so that he seemed to be sitting in their midst.

Then noticing their individual dispositions, the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 368: The bhikkhu who lives exercising loving-kindness and is devoted to the Teaching of the Buddha will realize Nibbana — the Tranquil, the Unconditioned, the Blissful.
Verse 369: O bhikkhu, bale out the water (of wrong thoughts) from this boat (your body); when empty it will sail swiftly; having cut off passion and ill will you will realize Nibbana.
Verse 370: Cut off the five (the lower five fetters) give up the five (the upper five fetters); and develop the five (controlling faculties). The bhikkhu who has freed himself of the five bonds (passion, ill will, ignorance, pride and wrong view) is called "One who has crossed the flood (of samsara)."
Verse 371: O Bhikkhu, mediate, and do not be unmindful; do not let your mind rejoice in sensual pleasures. Do not be unmindful and swallow the (hot) lump of iron; as you burn (in niraya) do not cry, "This, indeed, is suffering."
Verse 372: There can be no concentration in one who lacks wisdom; there can be no wisdom in one who lacks concentration. He who has concentration as well as wisdom is, indeed, close to Nibbana.
Verse 373: The bhikkhu who goes into seclusion (to meditate), whose mind is tranquil, who clearly perceives the Dhamma, experiences the joy which transcends that of (ordinary) men.
Verse 374: Every time he clearly comprehends the arising and the perishing of the khandhas, he finds joy and rapture. That, to the wise, is the way to Nibbana (the Deathless).
Verse 375: For a wise bhikkhu in this Teaching, this is the beginning (of the practice leading to Nibbana): control of the senses, contentment, and restraint according to the Fundamental Precepts.
Verse 376: Associate with good friends, who are energetic and whose livelihood is pure; let him be amiable and be correct in his conduct. Then, (frequently) feeling much joy he will make an end of dukkha (of the round of rebirths).

At the end of each verse, one hundred out of the nine hundred bhikkhus attained arahatship.

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.