Dhammapada · Chapter 3 of 26 · verses 33 to 43
The restless mind, well tamed, brings happiness.
Cittavagga
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In this chapter the Buddha describes the mind as restless, quick, subtle and hard to guard, flitting wherever it likes. The wise straighten it as an arrow maker straightens an arrow, and a tamed, guarded mind is said to bring happiness. The chapter reminds the reader that the body is fragile and will soon lie on the earth like a discarded log. It closes by teaching that a wrongly directed mind does more harm than an enemy, and a rightly directed mind more good than one's own parents.
The mindMeditationSelf-masteryImpermanence
The commentary tells that the monk Meghiya, while attending the Buddha, saw a lovely mango grove and longed to meditate there.
The Buddha asked him to wait until another monk arrived, but Meghiya insisted and went to the grove alone.
In the grove his mind was overrun by thoughts of desire, ill will and harm, and he could not settle.
He returned to the Buddha, who explained that the mind is restless and must be straightened, as verse 33 teaches.
Phandanaṁ capalaṁ cittaṁ,dūrakkhaṁ dunnivārayaṁ;Ujuṁ karoti medhāvī,usukārova tejanaṁ.
फन्दनं चपलं चित्तं,दूरक्खं दुन्निवारयं ।उजुं करोति मेधावी,उसुकारोव तेजनं ॥
The mind quivers and quakes, hard to guard, hard to curb. The discerning straighten it out, like a fletcher an arrow.
Vārijova thale khitto,okamokataubbhato;Pariphandatidaṁ cittaṁ,māradheyyaṁ pahātave.
वारिजोव थले खित्तो,ओकमोकतउब्भतो ।परिफन्दतिदं चित्तं,मारधेय्यं पहातवे ॥
Like a fish pulled from the sea and cast upon the shore, this mind flounders about, trying to throw off Māra’s dominion.
Dunniggahassa lahuno,yatthakāmanipātino;Cittassa damatho sādhu,cittaṁ dantaṁ sukhāvahaṁ.
दुन्निग्गहस्स लहुनो,यत्थकामनिपातिनो ।चित्तस्स दमथो साधु,चित्तं दन्तं सुखावहं ॥
Hard to hold back, flighty, alighting where it will; it’s good to tame the mind; a tamed mind leads to bliss.
Sududdasaṁ sunipuṇaṁ,yatthakāmanipātinaṁ;Cittaṁ rakkhetha medhāvī,cittaṁ guttaṁ sukhāvahaṁ.
सुदुद्दसं सुनिपुणं,यत्थकामनिपातिनं ।चित्तं रक्खेथ मेधावी,चित्तं गुत्तं सुखावहं ॥
So hard to see, so subtle, alighting where it will; the discerning protect the mind, a guarded mind leads to bliss.
Dūraṅgamaṁ ekacaraṁ,asarīraṁ guhāsayaṁ;Ye cittaṁ saṁyamissanti,mokkhanti mārabandhanā.
दूरङ्गमं एकचरं,असरीरं गुहासयं ।ये चित्तं संयमिस्सन्ति,मोक्खन्ति मारबन्धना ॥
The mind travels far, wandering alone; incorporeal, it lies hidden in the heart. Those who will restrain the mind are freed from Māra’s bonds.
Anavaṭṭhitacittassa,saddhammaṁ avijānato;Pariplavapasādassa,paññā na paripūrati.
अनवट्ठितचित्तस्स,सद्धम्मं अविजानतो ।परिप्लवपसादस्स,पञ्ञा न परिपूरति ॥
Those of unsteady mind, who don’t understand the true teaching, and whose confidence wavers, do not perfect their wisdom.
Anavassutacittassa,ananvāhatacetaso;Puññapāpapahīnassa,natthi jāgarato bhayaṁ.
अनवस्सुतचित्तस्स,अनन्वाहतचेतसो ।पुञ्ञपापपहीनस्स,नत्थि जागरतो भयं ॥
One whose mind is not festering, whose heart is undamaged, who’s given up right and wrong, alert, has nothing to fear.
Kumbhūpamaṁ kāyamimaṁ viditvā,Nagarūpamaṁ cittamidaṁ ṭhapetvā;Yodhetha māraṁ paññāvudhena,Jitañca rakkhe anivesano siyā.
कुम्भूपमं कायमिमं विदित्वा,नगरूपमं चित्तमिदं ठपेत्वा ।योधेथ मारं पञ्ञावुधेन,जितञ्च रक्खे अनिवेसनो सिया ॥
Knowing this body breaks like a pot, and fortifying the mind like a citadel, attack Māra with the sword of wisdom, guard your conquest, and never settle.
Aciraṁ vatayaṁ kāyo,pathaviṁ adhisessati;Chuddho apetaviññāṇo,niratthaṁva kaliṅgaraṁ.
अचिरं वतयं कायो,पथविं अधिसेस्सति ।छुद्धो अपेतविञ्ञाणो,निरत्थंव कलिङ्गरं ॥
All too soon this body will lie upon the earth, bereft of consciousness, tossed aside like a worthless log.
Diso disaṁ yaṁ taṁ kayirā,verī vā pana verinaṁ;Micchāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ,pāpiyo naṁ tato kare.
दिसो दिसं यं तं कयिरा,वेरी वा पन वेरिनं ।मिच्छापणिहितं चित्तं,पापियो नं ततो करे ॥
A wrongly directed mind would do you more harm than a hater to the hated, or an enemy to their foe.
Na taṁ mātā pitā kayirā,aññe vāpi ca ñātakā;Sammāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ,seyyaso naṁ tato kare.Cittavaggo tatiyo.
न तं माता पिता कयिरा,अञ्ञे वापि च ञातका ।सम्मापणिहितं चित्तं,सेय्यसो नं ततो करे ॥चित्तवग्गो ततियो ॥
A rightly directed mind would do you more good than your mother or father or any other relative.
In verse 33, the wise straighten the mind like whom?
Verse 34 compares the struggling mind to what?
According to verse 37, where does the mind lie hidden?
In verse 40, the body is said to be fragile like what?
What does verse 41 say the body will soon be like?
Verse 43 says a rightly directed mind does more good than whom?
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Pali (Mahāsaṅgīti edition) and English by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0) from SuttaCentral. Hindi and Marathi meanings, summaries and stories: IndiaDigital, awaiting review by a Buddhist scholar.
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