Renouncing a small good for the greater

The Bodhisatta’s son in a previous life met some Paccekabuddhas, attained Awakening and later died; when his father found out he honoured his grave; through the power of that merit, when in this life he became the Buddha, he received similar great honours; he taught the monastics with this verse.

290. Mattāsukhapariccāgā, passe ce vipulaṁ sukhaṁ,
caje mattāsukhaṁ dhīro, sampassaṁ vipulaṁ sukhaṁ.

If, by renouncing a small good,
he might see a good that is large,
the wise should renounce that small good,
seeing the good that is larger.

No happiness through hatred

A young girl stole a hen’s eggs, and the hen, when reborn killed the girl’s offspring; through their hateful connection they were reborn together and destroyed each other’s children in five hundred existences; when the Buddha met them he taught them with this verse, and their hatreds were appeased.

291. Paradukkhūpadānena attano sukham-icchati,
verasaṁsaggasaṁsaṭṭho, verā so na parimuccati.

One who desires happiness for oneself
by causing suffering for another,
being associated thus with hatred,
is not fully released from that hatred.

What is to be done

The monks of Bhaddiya were very keen on decorating their shoes, and wearing shoes of many different and fancy kinds; when the monks reported this matter to the Buddha he laid down rules about footwear, and then taught them with these verses.

292. Yaṁ hi kiccaṁ tad-apaviddhaṁ, akiccaṁ pana kayirati,
unnalānaṁ pamattānaṁ, tesaṁ vaḍḍhanti āsavā.

That to be done is rejected,
what is not to be done is done,
for the insolent, the heedless,
their pollutants only increase.

293. Yesañ-ca susamāraddhā niccaṁ kāyagatā sati
akiccaṁ te na sevanti, kicce sātaccakārino,
satānaṁ sampajānānaṁ, atthaṁ gacchanti āsavā.

But those who always properly
undertake body-mindfulness
don’t practice what’s not to be done,
persisting in what’s to be done,
for the mindful, fully aware,
the pollutants are laid to rest.

The true brahmin

When Ven. Lakuṇṭaka Bhaddiya was passing by, the Buddha spoke a cryptic saying to the effect that this monk had killed both mother and father; the monks were astonished, but the Buddha was speaking metaphorically.

294. Mātaraṁ pitaraṁ hantvā, rājāno dve ca khattiye,
raṭṭhaṁ sānucaraṁ hantvā, anīgho yāti brāhmaṇo.

Destroying mother and father,
and two noble kings, destroying
a kingdom and its followers,
the brahmin proceeds untroubled.

(Commentarial interpretation:
Destroying craving and conceit,
and the two: eternalism
and annhilationism,
destroying passionate delight
in the twelve sense spheres, one without
pollutants proceeds untroubled.)

295. Mātaraṁ pitaraṁ hantvā, rājāno dve ca sotthiye,
veyyagghapañcamaṁ hantvā, anīgho yāti brāhmaṇo.

Destroying mother and father,
and two prosp’rous kings, destroying
a vicious tiger as the fifth,
the brahmin proceeds untroubled.

(Commentarial interpretation:
Destroying craving and conceit,
and the two: eternalism
and annhilationism,
destroying the five hindrances
having doubt as fifth, one without
pollutants proceeds untroubled.)

Gotama’s disciples awaken well

A youth became very practised at the recollection of the Buddha, so when he was attacked by spirits he called out ‘Homage to the Buddha’, which forced the spirits to serve him; when the King found out he asked the Buddha if only this recollection was an effective protection, and the Buddha taught these six types of meditation.

296. Suppabuddhaṁ pabujjhanti sadā Gotamasāvakā,
yesaṁ divā ca ratto ca niccaṁ Buddhagatā sati.

Gotama’s disciples always
awake to a good wakening,
those who day and night constantly
have mindfulness of the Buddha.

297. Suppabuddhaṁ pabujjhanti sadā Gotamasāvakā,
yesaṁ divā ca ratto ca niccaṁ Dhammagatā sati.

Gotama’s disciples always
awake to a good wakening,
those who day and night constantly
have mindfulness of the Dhamma.

298. Suppabuddhaṁ pabujjhanti sadā Gotamasāvakā,
yesaṁ divā ca ratto ca niccaṁ Saṅghagatā sati.

Gotama’s disciples always
awake to a good wakening,
those who day and night constantly
have mindfulness of the Saṅgha.

299. Suppabuddhaṁ pabujjhanti sadā Gotamasāvakā,
yesaṁ divā ca ratto ca niccaṁ kāyagatā sati.

Gotama’s disciples always
awake to a good wakening,
those who day and night constantly
have mindfulness of the body.

300. Suppabuddhaṁ pabujjhanti sadā Gotamasāvakā,
yesaṁ divā ca ratto ca ahiṁsāya rato mano.

Gotama’s disciples always
awake to a good wakening,
those who day and night have a mind
that delights in non-violence.

301. Suppabuddhaṁ pabujjhanti sadā Gotamasāvakā
yesaṁ divā ca ratto ca bhāvanāya rato mano.

Gotama’s disciples always
awake to a good wakening,
those who day and night have a mind
that delights in cultivation.

The suffering in births and deaths

A Vajjian prince ordained, but hearing music and festivities coming from Vesāli, he was dissatisfied and asked: ‘Who is worse off than we monastics?’ The Buddha taught him the various kinds of suffering there are in births and deaths with these verses.

302. Duppabbajjaṁ durabhiramaṁ, durāvāsā gharā dukhā,
dukkhosamānasaṁvāso, dukkhānupatitaddhagū,
tasmā na caddhagū siyā, na ca dukkhānupatito siyā.

The going-forth is hard, it is
hard to find real delight therein,
but it is also hard to dwell
in households that are suffering,
always dwelling together with
those different is suffering,
travellers in the round of births
are affected by suffering,
therefore don’t be a traveller
don’t be oppressed by suffering.

The faithful are held in esteem

After being taught by Ven. Sāriputta, Citta the Householder attained the second stage of Awakening, and determined to go and see the Buddha; he arranged a great caravan and provided for all who wished to accompany him; he emptied his carts on the way, but upon leaving, the residents filled them with jewels; the Buddha reflected on what had happened with this verse.

303. Saddho sīlena sampanno yasobhogasamappito,
yaṁ yaṁ padesaṁ bhajati, tattha tattheva pūjito.

The faithful one who is endowed
with virtue, and has wealth and fame,
whatever place he resorts to,
right there and then he is worshipped.

The good are seen from far

Cullā Subhaddā, the daughter of Anāthapiṇḍika, was married into a far-away family who supported the naked ascetics; but through modesty she refused to serve them, and spoke to her mother-in-law about the Buddha and the Saṅgha; asked to invite him for a meal she went to a mountain top and threw flowers into the air; the Buddha, knowing her intention, accepted the invitation and, when questioned how he knew of the invitation, spoke this verse.

304. Dūre santo pakāsenti, himavanto va pabbato,
asantettha na dissanti, rattiṁ khittā yathā sarā.

The good are visible from far,
like a mountain covered in snow,
but the wicked are not seen here,
just like arrows shot in the night.

Hermits delight in the forest

Ven. Ekavihārī was a forest dwelling monk who lived alone in every way, when the monastics reported his way of life to the Buddha, he praised the elder in this verse.

305. Ekāsanaṁ ekaseyyaṁ, eko caram-atandito,
eko damayam-attānaṁ vanante ramito siyā.

Sitting alone, lying alone,
walking alone and diligent,
the solitary one who trains himself
will delight in the edge of a forest.

Pakiṇṇakavaggo Ekavīsatimo
The Miscellaneous Chapter, the Twenty-First