Patna Dhammapada - 9: The Chapter about Craving

Manujassa pramattacāriṇo
For a human who lives life heedlessly

tahnā vaddhati mālutā iva,
craving increases like a clinging creeper,

sā prāplavate hurāhuraṁ
he rushes from one place to another

phalam eṣī va vanamhi vānnaro.
like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest.

Manujassa pamattacārino
For a human who lives life heedlessly

taṇhā vaḍḍhati māluvā viya,
craving increases like a clinging creeper,

so palavatī hurāhuraṁ
he rushes from one place to another

phalam-icchaṁ va vanasmi’ vānaro.
like a monkey desiring fruit in the forest.

Yaṁ cesā sahate jammī tahnā loke duraccayā,
That one who is overcome by these low cravings in the world, which are difficult to get past,

śokā tassa pravaddhanti ovaṭṭhā beruṇā iva.
for him griefs increase like grass that has been rained upon.

Yo cetāṁ sahate jammiṁ tahnāṁ loke duraccayāṁ,
Whoever overcomes this low craving in the world, which is difficult to get past,

śokā tassa vivaṭṭanti udabindū va pukkhare.
griefs roll from him like a drop of water on a lotus.

Taṁ vo vademi: “Bhadraṁ vo yāvant-ittha samāgatā”,
This I say to you: “Good luck to as many as have assembled here”,

tahnāṁ samūlāṁ khaṇatha, uṣīrātthī va beruṇiṁ,
dig up the root of craving, like one seeking the root (digs up) grass,

tahnāya khatamūlāya nāsti śokā, kato bhayaṁ?
for one who has cut off the root of craving there are no griefs, how is there fear?

Taṁ vo vadāmi: “Bhaddaṁ vo yāvantettha samāgatā”,
This I say to you: “Good luck to as many as have assembled here”,

taṇhāya mūlaṁ khaṇatha, usīrattho va bīraṇaṁ,
dig up the root of craving, like one seeking the root (digs up) grass,

mā vo naḷaṁ va soto va Māro bhañji punappunaṁ.
do not let Māra push you down again like a stream (pushes down) the reed.

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Taṇhāya jāyatī soko, taṇhāya jāyatī bhayaṁ,
From craving there arises grief, from craving there arises fear,

taṇhāya vippamuttassa natthi soko, kuto bhayaṁ?
for one who is free from craving there is no grief, how is there fear?

Tahnabitiyo puruṣo drīgham addhāna’ saṁsari,
A man with craving as companion has a long time in births-and-deaths,

etthabhāvaññathābhāvaṁ, tattha tattha punappuno.
in this existence or another existence, here and there, again and again.

Etam ādīnavaṁ nyāttā, tahnā dukkhassa sambhavaṁ,
Having understood the danger, that craving is the origination of suffering,

vītatahno anādāno, sato bhikkhū parivraje.
free from craving, without attachment, the monastic should wander mindfully.

Na taṁ dḍhaṁ bandhanam āhu dhīrā,
That bondage is not so strong say the wise,

yad āyasaṁ dārujaṁ babbajaṁ vā,
that is made of iron or wood or reeds,

sārattarattā maṇikuṇḍalesu
* impassioned and excited they seek out

putresu dāresu ca yā apekhā –
jewels and earrings and children and wives –

etaṁ dḍhaṁ bandhanam āhu dhīrā,
that bondage is strong say the wise,

ohārimaṁ sukhumaṁ, dupramuñcaṁ,
dragging down, subtle, hard to get free from,

etap-pi chettāna vrajanti santo Santo is singular while the verb vrajanti is plural. Cone doesn’t discuss this reading for some reason; maybe it is a mistake for santā?
having cut this down the good go peacefully

anapekhino, sabbadukhaṁ prahāya.
seeking nothing, abandoning all suffering.

Na taṁ daḷhaṁ bandhanam-āhu dhīrā,
That bondage is not so strong say the wise,

yad-āyasaṁ dārujaṁ pabbajañ-ca,
that is made of iron or wood or reeds,

sārattarattā maṇikuṇḍalesu
* impassioned and excited they seek out

puttesu dāresu ca yā apekhā –
jewels and earrings and children and wives –

etaṁ daḷhaṁ bandhanam-āhu dhīrā,
that bondage is strong say the wise,

ohārinaṁ sithilaṁ, duppamuñcaṁ,
dragging down the lax, hard to get free from,

etam-pi chetvāna, paribbajanti
having cut this down, they wander about

anapekkhino, kāmasukhaṁ pahāya.
seeking nothing, abandoning the happiness in pleasure.

Na kāhāpaṇavāsena ttrettī kāmesu vijjati,
Not through a rain of coins is satisfaction found for sense desires,

“Appāssādā dukhā kāmā,” iti viññāya paṇḍito,
the wise one knowing: “Sense pleasures have little joy, (much) suffering,”

api divvesu kāmesu ratiṁ so nādhigacchati.
does not find delight even in heavenly pleasures.

Tahnakkhayarato hoti Sammasambuddhasāvako.
The disciple of the Perfect Sambuddha delights in craving’s destruction.

Na kahāpaṇavassena titti kāmesu vijjati,
Not through a rain of coins is satisfaction found for sense desires,

“Appassādā dukhā kāmā,” iti viññāya paṇḍito,
the wise one knowing: “Sense pleasures have little joy, (much) suffering,”

api dibbesu kāmesu ratiṁ so nādhigacchati.
does not find delight even in heavenly pleasures.

Taṇhakkhayarato hoti Sammāsambuddhasāvako.
The disciple of the Perfect Sambuddha delights in craving’s destruction.

Vītatahno anādāno, niruttīpadakovido,
Without craving, without attachment, skilled in words and their explanation,

akkharāṇāṁ sannipātena, ñāyyā pūrvvāparāṇi so,
knowing how syllables are arranged, which come before and which after,

sa ve antimaśārīro mahāprañño ti vuccati.
the one in his final body is said to be one of great wisdom.

Vītataṇho anādāno, niruttipadakovido,
Without craving, without attachment, skilled in words and their explanation,

akkharānaṁ sannipātaṁ, jaññā pubbaparāni ca,
knowing how syllables are arranged, which come before and which after,

sa ve antimasārīro mahāpañño mahāpuriso ti vuccati.
the one in his final body is said to be a great person, one of great wisdom.

Saritāni sinehitāni ca
* There are flowing streams of affection and

somanassāni bhavanti jantuno,
mental happinesses for a person,

ye sātasitā sukheṣiṇo,
pleasure-dependent they seek happiness,

te ve jātijaropagā narā.
those people undergo birth and old age.

Saritāni sinehitāni ca
* There are flowing streams of affection and

somanassāni bhavanti jantuno,
mental happinesses for a person,

te sātasitā sukhesino,
pleasure-dependent they seek happiness,

te ve jātijarūpagā narā.
those people undergo birth and old age.

Tahnāya purekkhaṭā prajā
People surrounded by craving

parisappanti śaśo va bādhito,
crawl round like a hare in a trap,

te sañjotanasaṅgasaṅgasattā,
they are attached and clinging to fetters, Presuming here that saṁjotana = saṁyojana.

gabbham upenti punappuno ciraṁ pi.
they come back again and again to the womb for a long time.

Tasiṇāya purakkhatā pajā
People surrounded by craving

parisappanti saso va bādhito,
crawl round like a hare in a trap,

saṁyojanasaṅgasattakā
attached and clinging to fetters

dukkham-upenti punappunaṁ cirāya.
they come back again and again to suffering for a long time.

Muñca pure, muñca pacchato,
Be free of the past, be free of the future,

majjhe muñca, bhavassa pāragū,
be free of the present, after crossing over (all) existence,

sabbattha vimuttamānaso,
with mind liberated in every way,

na puno jātijarām upehisi.
you will not return to birth and old age.

Muñca pure, muñca pacchato,
Be free of the past, be free of the future,

majjhe muñca, bhavassa pāragū,
be free of the present, after crossing over (all) existence,

sabbattha vimuttamānaso,
with mind liberated in every way,

na punaṁ jātijaraṁ upehisi.
you will not return to birth and old age.

Yo nivvanadho vanā tu mutto,
The one who is free from desires, who is free in the forest,

vanamutto vanam eva dhāvati,
(though) free from the forest, runs back to the forest,

taṁ puggalam etha paśśatha,
come here and look at that person,

mutto bandhanam eva dhāvati.
(though) free, he runs back to bondage.

Yo nibbanatho vanādhimutto,
The one who is free from desires, who is intent on the forest,

vanamutto vanam-eva dhāvati,
(though) free from the forest, runs back to the forest,

taṁ puggalam-etha passatha,
come here and look at that person,

mutto bandhanam-eva dhāvati.
(though) free, he runs back to bondage.

Ttriṇadoṣāṇi khettrāṇi, rāgadoṣā ayaṁ prajā,
Fields are ruined by grassy weeds, these people are ruined by passion,

tassā hi vītarāgesu dinnaṁ hoti mahapphalaṁ.
therefore there is great fruit for that given to those without passion.

Ttriṇadoṣāṇi khettrāṇi, doṣadoṣā ayaṁ prajā,
Fields are ruined by grassy weeds, these people are ruined by hatred,

tassā hi vītadoṣesu dinnaṁ hoti mahapphalaṁ.
therefore there is great fruit for that given to those without hatred.

Ttriṇadoṣāṇi khettrāṇi, mohadoṣā ayaṁ prajā,
Fields are ruined by grassy weeds, these people are ruined by delusion,

tassā hi vītamohesu dinnaṁ hoti mahapphalaṁ.
therefore there is great fruit for that given to those without delusion.

Ramaṇīyaṁ vatāraṇṇaṁ yamhiṁ na ramate jano,
The delightful wilderness wherein the people do not delight,

vītarāgāttha raṁsanti, nāññe kāmagaveṣiṇo.
those without passion delight therein, (but) not those who seek sense pleasures.

Yathā pi mūle anupadrute dḍhe
Just as when the root remains firm and undamaged

chinno pi rukkho, punar-īva jāyati,
though the tree was cut down, it springs up again,

em eva tahnānuśaye anūhate
so when the tendency to craving is not rooted out

nivvattate dukkham idaṁ punappuno.
this suffering appears again and again.

Yathā pi mūle anupaddave daḷhe
Just as when the root remains firm and untroubled

chinno pi rukkho, punar-eva rūhati,
though the tree was cut down, it grows again,

evam-pi taṇhānusaye anūhate
so when the tendency to craving is not rooted out

nibbattatī dukkham-idaṁ punappunaṁ.
this suffering appears again and again.