Buddha 8
THE PATH OF THE BUDDHA'S TEACHING
Dhammapada, Khuddaka Nikâya
14. The Buddha
179] He whose conquest can not be conquered again,
into whose conquest no one in this world can enter,
on what path* can you lead him away, *pada
who is awakened*, omniscient, pathless? *buddha
180] He whom no desire* can lead astray *tanha
with its snares and poisons,
on what path can you lead him away,
who is awakened, omniscient, pathless?
181] Even the gods envy those wise beings,
who engage in contemplation,
who are enlightened and mindful,
who delight in the peace of emancipation. . . .
184] The avoiding of all evil,
the perfecting of good deeds,
the purifying of the mind,
this is the teaching of the awakened buddhas.
185] Long-suffering patience is the supreme austerity*, *tapo
the buddhas declare, and nirvâna the supreme good;
he who oppresses is not an anchorite*, *pabbajito
he who causes grief is not an ascetic*. *samano
185] Not reviling, not injuring,
practising restraint under the rule*, *pâtimokkhe
being moderate in eating,
dwelling in solitude,
concentrating on higher thought,
this is the teaching of the awakened buddhas.
186] There is no satisfying of lusts*, *kâma
even by a shower of gold pieces;
lusts give fleeting pleasure and then pain,
and whoever knows that is a wise man*. *pandito
187] Even in celestial pleasures
he finds no delight;
the disciple* who is fully awakened *sâvako
delights only in the destruction of all cravings*. *tanha
188] People driven by fear
go to a place of refuge*, *sarana
to mountains and to forests,
to sacred trees and shrines.
189] But that is not a safe refuge,
that is not the ultimate* refuge; *uttama best
after having gone to that refuge
a person is not delivered from all pains*. *dukkha
190] Whover takes refuge in
the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha,
sees with clear understanding
the four noble truths.
191] Suffering*, the origin of suffering, *dukkha
the cessation of suffering,
and the noble eightfold path
leading to the cessation of suffering.
192] That is a safe refuge,
that is the ultimate refuge;
after having gone to that refuge
a person is delivered from all pains....
194] Blessed* is the birth of the Buddha, *sukho
blessed is the teaching of the true Dhamma,
blessed is concord in the Sangha,
blessed is the fervour* of those who live in concord. *tapo
195] Whoever pays homage to those worthy of homage,
whether the buddhas or their disciples,
who have overcome the host of evils,
and have crossed the flood of sorrow;
196] whoever pays homage to those
who have found deliverance,
and are free from fear,
his merit can by no means be measured.
20. The Way
275] By taking this path
you will end your suffering;
this way is the one I proclaimed
when I perceived how to extract arrows*. *salla, Skt shalya, arrow, thorn
276] You yourself must make the effort,
the tathâgatas are only teachers*; *pointing to the way
those who venture meditatively onto the path
are released from the bondage of Mâra.
277] All things are impermanent*; *anicchâ, transitory
when one realizes this insightfully
one is heedless of suffering;
this is the way of purity.
278] All things are painful*; *dukkhâ
when one realizes this insightfully
one is heedless of suffering;
this is the way of purity.
279] All phenomena* are unreal**, *dhamma **anattâ non-self
when one realizes this insightfully
one is heedless of suffering;
this is the way of purity. . . .
283] Cut down the forest of desires, not merely a tree,
because danger comes out of the forest;
having cut down the forest and desire,
mendicants, you attain freedom.
284] As long as lustful desire, however small,
of a man for women, is not controlled,
so long is his mind bonded in attachment,
like a sucking calf to its mother.
285] Pluck out the love of self,
as you would an autumn lotus with your hand;
cherish instead the way of peace,
the nibbâna pointed out by the Sugata*. *'well gone', one who has fared well
NOTES
These are a few samples of the 423 verses and 26 chapters of the Dhammapada (the path of doctrine, or virtue, or religion), found in the Khuddaka Nikâya of the Sutta Pitaka. The selections presented here are ones that speak of the way (Pâli magga, Sanskrit marga), to purity and serenity, to nibbâna (nirvâna).
For the Pali text and a complete translation, see S. Radhakrishnan, The Dhammapada (Oxford 1950); and there is an English translation by Max Müller in Sacred books of the East, vol. 10 (Oxford 1881).
THE RHINOCEROS DISCOURSE
Sutta Nipâta, Khuddaka Nikâya
NOTES
The Rhinoceros Discourse (Khaggavisâna Sutta) is found in the Uragavagga in the Sutta Nipâta in the Khuddaka Nikâya. The Pali text of the forty-one stanzas is available, with translation, in Lord Chalmers, Buddha’s Teachings, being the Sutta Nipâta or Discourse-Collection, Harvard Oriental Series, Vol.37 (Cambridge, Mass., 1932), 10-21. Other translations are by C.F. Horne, in The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the East, vol.10, extracts reprinted in Lucien Stryk, World of the Buddha, 219-223; E.M. Hare, in Woven Cadences of Early Buddhists (1944), extracts reprinted in E. Conze, Buddhist Scriptures, 79-82. One tradition says that this text refers to the pratyeka-buddha (one who has attained enlightenment without a teacher, but is unable or unwilling to teach others). Be that as it may, the aloofness and solitude recommended here could also be for monks in training: they must avoid attachments which would be hindrances to attaining nirvâna.