2.14. To Dhammika: the Pure Hearkeners’ Conduct

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Atha kho dhammiko upāsako pañcahi upāsakasatehi saddhiṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho dhammiko upāsako bhagavantaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

“Pucchāmi taṁ gotama bhūripañña,

Kathaṅkaro sāvako sādhu hoti;

Yo vā agārā anagārameti,

Agārino vā panupāsakāse.

Tuvañhi lokassa sadevakassa,

Gatiṁ pajānāsi parāyaṇañca;

Na catthi tulyo nipuṇatthadassī,

Tuvañhi buddhaṁ pavaraṁ vadanti.

Sabbaṁ tuvaṁ ñāṇamavecca dhammaṁ,

Pakāsesi satte anukampamāno;

Vivaṭṭacchadosi samantacakkhu,

Virocasi vimalo sabbaloke.

Āgañchi te santike nāgarājā,

Erāvaṇo nāma jinoti sutvā;

Sopi tayā mantayitvājjhagamā,

Sādhūti sutvāna patītarūpo.

Rājāpi taṁ vessavaṇo kuvero,

Upeti dhammaṁ paripucchamāno;

Tassāpi tvaṁ pucchito brūsi dhīra,

So cāpi sutvāna patītarūpo.

Ye kecime titthiyā vādasīlā,

Ājīvakā vā yadi vā nigaṇṭhā;

Paññāya taṁ nātitaranti sabbe,

Ṭhito vajantaṁ viya sīghagāmiṁ.

Ye kecime brāhmaṇā vādasīlā,

Vuddhā cāpi brāhmaṇā santi keci;

Sabbe tayi atthabaddhā bhavanti,

Ye cāpi aññe vādino maññamānā.

Ayañhi dhammo nipuṇo sukho ca,

Yoyaṁ tayā bhagavā suppavutto;

Tameva sabbepi sussūsamānā,

Taṁ no vada pucchito buddhaseṭṭha.

Sabbepime bhikkhavo sannisinnā,

Upāsakā cāpi tatheva sotuṁ;

Suṇantu dhammaṁ vimalenānubuddhaṁ,

Subhāsitaṁ vāsavasseva devā”.

“Suṇātha me bhikkhavo sāvayāmi vo,

Dhammaṁ dhutaṁ tañca carātha sabbe;

Iriyāpathaṁ pabbajitānulomikaṁ,

Sevetha naṁ atthadaso mutīmā.

No ve vikāle vicareyya bhikkhu,

Gāme ca piṇḍāya careyya kāle;

Akālacāriñhi sajanti saṅgā,

Tasmā vikāle na caranti buddhā.

Rūpā ca saddā ca rasā ca gandhā,

Phassā ca ye sammadayanti satte;

Etesu dhammesu vineyya chandaṁ,

Kālena so pavise pātarāsaṁ.

Piṇḍañca bhikkhu samayena laddhā,

Eko paṭikkamma raho nisīde;

Ajjhattacintī na mano bahiddhā,

Nicchāraye saṅgahitattabhāvo.

Sacepi so sallape sāvakena,

Aññena vā kenaci bhikkhunā vā;

Dhammaṁ paṇītaṁ tamudāhareyya,

Na pesuṇaṁ nopi parūpavādaṁ.

Vādañhi eke paṭiseniyanti,

Na te pasaṁsāma parittapaññe;

Tato tato ne pasajanti saṅgā,

Cittañhi te tattha gamenti dūre.

Piṇḍaṁ vihāraṁ sayanāsanañca,

Āpañca saṅghāṭirajūpavāhanaṁ;

Sutvāna dhammaṁ sugatena desitaṁ,

Saṅkhāya seve varapaññasāvako.

Tasmā hi piṇḍe sayanāsane ca,

Āpe ca saṅghāṭirajūpavāhane;

Etesu dhammesu anūpalitto,

Bhikkhu yathā pokkhare vāribindu.

Gahaṭṭhavattaṁ pana vo vadāmi,

Yathākaro sāvako sādhu hoti;

Na hesa labbhā sapariggahena,

Phassetuṁ yo kevalo bhikkhudhammo.

Pāṇaṁ na hane na ca ghātayeyya,

Na cānujaññā hanataṁ paresaṁ;

Sabbesu bhūtesu nidhāya daṇḍaṁ,

Ye thāvarā ye ca tasā santi loke.

Tato adinnaṁ parivajjayeyya,

Kiñci kvaci sāvako bujjhamāno;

Na hāraye harataṁ nānujaññā,

Sabbaṁ adinnaṁ parivajjayeyya.

Abrahmacariyaṁ parivajjayeyya,

Aṅgārakāsuṁ jalitaṁva viññū;

Asambhuṇanto pana brahmacariyaṁ,

Parassa dāraṁ na atikkameyya.

Sabhaggato vā parisaggato vā,

Ekassa veko na musā bhaṇeyya;

Na bhāṇaye bhaṇataṁ nānujaññā,

Sabbaṁ abhūtaṁ parivajjayeyya.

Majjañca pānaṁ na samācareyya,

Dhammaṁ imaṁ rocaye yo gahaṭṭho;

Na pāyaye pivataṁ nānujaññā,

Ummādanantaṁ iti naṁ viditvā.

Madā hi pāpāni karonti bālā,

Kārenti caññepi jane pamatte;

Etaṁ apuññāyatanaṁ vivajjaye,

Ummādanaṁ mohanaṁ bālakantaṁ.

Pāṇaṁ na hane na cādinnamādiye,

Musā na bhāse na ca majjapo siyā;

Abrahmacariyā virameyya methunā,

Rattiṁ na bhuñjeyya vikālabhojanaṁ.

Mālaṁ na dhāre na ca gandhamācare,

Mañce chamāyaṁ va sayetha santhate;

Etañhi aṭṭhaṅgikamāhuposathaṁ,

Buddhena dukkhantagunā pakāsitaṁ.

Tato ca pakkhassupavassuposathaṁ,

Cātuddasiṁ pañcadasiñca aṭṭhamiṁ;

Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca pasannamānaso,

Aṭṭhaṅgupetaṁ susamattarūpaṁ.

Tato ca pāto upavutthuposatho,

Annena pānena ca bhikkhusaṅghaṁ;

Pasannacitto anumodamāno,

Yathārahaṁ saṁvibhajetha viññū.

Dhammena mātāpitaro bhareyya,

Payojaye dhammikaṁ so vaṇijjaṁ;

Etaṁ gihī vattayamappamatto,

Sayampabhe nāma upeti deve”ti.

Dhammikasuttaṁ cuddasamaṁ.

Cūḷavaggo dutiyo.

Tassuddānaṁ

Ratanāmagandho hiri ca,

maṅgalaṁ sūcilomena;

Dhammacariyañca brāhmaṇo,

nāvā kiṁsīlamuṭṭhānaṁ.

Rāhulo puna kappo ca,

paribbājaniyaṁ tathā;

Dhammikañca viduno āhu,

cūḷavagganti cuddasāti.

SC 1Thus have I heard:

SC 2At one time the Lord dwelt at Sāvatthī, in the Jeta Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. There the upāsaka Dhammika accompanied by five hundred upasakas went up to the Radiant One and sat to one side. Having done so and saluted the Radiant One, the upasaka Dhammika addressed him with verses.

SC 3SC Verse 379Dhammika
I ask of Gotama—one profoundly wise:
Behaving in which way a hearkener is good—
whether from home to homelessness gone
or upasakas living the householder’s life.

SC 4SC Verse 380The birthplaces of this world together with devas
and final Release, you clearly understand,
none compare with you in seeing this profundity
for, as they say, you are Buddha supreme.

SC 5SC Verse 381All knowledge is yours, you have perfectly revealed
Dharma, out of your compassion for beings all,
remover of the veil, one with the All-round Eye
and stainless do you illuminate the world.

SC 6SC Verse 382Then came to your presence a nāga renowned,
Erāvaṇa by name, having heard you were a conqueror,
he had secluded talk with you and then attained—
“Sādhu” he exclaimed, and departed, pleased.

SC 7SC Verse 383Then were there kings, Vessavaṇa, Kuvera,
who came to ask questions on Dharma from you,
so you, O Wise One, being asked then replied,
and they being pleased departed from there.

SC 8SC Verse 384These theorist sectarians used to dispute—
Ājīvakas and Nigaṇṭhas, all of that kind—
unable in wisdom they go not beyond you,
as a man standing still passes not one running swiftly.

SC 9SC Verse 385Then there are Brahmins who’re used to dispute—
even old Brahmins are found among them;
or other disputants proud of themselves:
all, for the meaning, depend on you.

SC 10SC Verse 386This Dharma indeed is blissful, profound,
by you well-proclaimed, O Radiant One,
so wishing to listen are all of us here,
now when we asked, speak to us, Buddha the best.

SC 11SC Verse 387So let all these bhikkhus well-seated here,
upāsakas too, who likewise wish to listen,
listen to the dharma by the stainless won,
as devas to Vāsava’s well-spoken words.

SC 12SC Verse 388Buddha
Listen, O bhikkhus, I give you chance to hear—
to the Dharma that’s strict—all of you remember it,
let the intelligent seeing the benefit
practise the deportment of one who’s left home.

SC 13SC Verse 389A bhikkhu in the times proscribed should wander not
but seek for alms timely going round a town;
who goes at times proscribed, temptations do tempt,
so the awakened go not within the wrong time.

SC 14SC Verse 390Sights with sounds and tastes, smells and touches too—
all these with which beings are completely drunk,
for all of these dharmas let go desire,
and at the right time walk for the morning meal.

SC 15SC Verse 391A bhikkhu with timely almsfood gained
returns by himself, then seated alone,
contemplative within, not distracted without,
not externalizing, since oneself’s restrained.

SC 16SC Verse 392Should he with other hearkeners converse,
with bhikkhus, or anyone else at all,
of the Dharma let him speak refined,
not utter slander or another’s blame.

SC 17SC Verse 393Some, disputatious, offer warfare with words,
but we do not praise them, those of little wit,
bound by attachment to talking this and that,
so certainly they send their minds far away.

SC 18SC Verse 394The truly wise disciple having listened to the Dharma
pointed out by the Well-farer, should carefully use
food-offerings, a sitting and a sleeping place,
with water for washing the principal robes.

SC 19SC Verse 395Let a bhikkhu, therefore, with almsfood and hut
for sitting and sleeping, for his robes washing,
be unsullied, quite unattached,
as water-drop spreads not upon a lotus-leaf.

SC 20SC Verse 396Now I shall tell you the household’s rule,
by practising which one’s a good hearkener,
for by one with possessions it cannot be got—
that dharma complete by a bhikkhu attained.

SC 21SC Verse 397Kill not any beings nor cause them to be killed,
and do not approve of them having been killed,
put by the rod for all that lives—
whether they are weak, or strong in the world.

SC 22SC Verse 398What is “ungiven”—anything, anywhere,
that’s known to be others’, its theft one should avoid.
Neither order things taken,
nor others’ removal approve—
all of this “ungiven” let the hearkener avoid.

SC 23SC Verse 399Let the intelligent person live a celibate life,
as one would avoid a pit of glowing coals;
but being unable to live the celibate life,
go not beyond the bounds with others’ partners.

SC 24SC Verse 400In government assembly, or artisans’ guild,
or one to another, speak not what is false,
not others compel, nor approve of their lies,
all kinds of untruthfulness you should avoid.

SC 25SC Verse 401Whatever householder this Dharma approves,
in maddening drink should never indulge,
nor make others drink, nor approve if they do,
knowing it leads to a mind that’s disturbed.

SC 26SC Verse 402Fools do many evils because they are drunk,
while causing other people to be negligent.
This basis of demerit should be avoided,
but fools are delighted, confused with mind upset.

SC 27SC Verse 403Kill not any being, what’s not given do not take,
neither be a liar nor addicted to drink,
and, let go of sex and the non-celibate life,
in the “wrong-time” for food, eat not in the night.

SC 28SC Verse 404Neither necklaces display nor perfumes employ,
use the ground as a bed or sleep upon a mat:
these are the uposatha eight-factored vows
made known by the Buddha gone to dukkha’s end.

SC 29SC Verse 405With devotion at heart the uposathas kept,
completely perfected in its eight parts,
on the fourteenth, the fifteenth, and the eighth days,
as well the days special in the moon’s half months.

SC 30SC Verse 406Let that one intelligent with devoted heart,
having kept uposatha, early next morning,
distribute food and drink—whatever’s suitable—
to the bhikkhusaṅgha, rejoicing in this act.

SC 31SC Verse 407Support mother and father according to Dharma,
do business as merchant to honesty adhering,
diligently practising this householder’s rule—
then to the self-radiant devas one will arrive.