Patna Dhamma Verses
Patna Dhammapadaṁ
Tahnavarggaḥ
9: The Chapter about Craving
137. Manujassa pramattacāriṇo
tahnā vaddhati mālutā iva,
sā prāplavate hurāhuraṁ
phalam eṣī va vanamhi vānnaro.
137. For a human who lives life heedlessly
craving increases like a clinging creeper,
he rushes from one place to another
like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest.
138. Yaṁ cesā sahate jammī tahnā loke duraccayā,
śokā tassa pravaddhanti
ovaṭṭhā beruṇā iva.
138. That one who is overcome by these low cravings in the world,
which are difficult to get past,
for him griefs increase
like grass that has been rained upon.
139. Yo cetāṁ sahate jammiṁ
tahnāṁ loke duraccayāṁ,
śokā tassa vivaṭṭanti
udabindū va pukkhare.
139. Whoever overcomes this low craving in the world,
which is difficult to get past,
griefs roll from him
like a drop of water on a lotus.
140. Taṁ vo vademi: “Bhadraṁ vo yāvant-ittha samāgatā”,
tahnāṁ samūlāṁ khaṇatha,
uṣīrātthī va beruṇiṁ,
tahnāya khatamūlāya
nāsti śokā, kato bhayaṁ?
140. This I say to you: “Good luck to as many as have assembled here”,
dig up the root of craving,
like one seeking the root digs up grass,
for one who has cut off the root of craving
there are no griefs, how is there fear?
141. Tahnabitiyo puruṣo
drīgham addhāna’ saṁsari,
etthabhāvaññathābhāvaṁ,
tattha tattha punappuno.
141. A man with craving as companion
has a long time in births-and-deaths,
in this existence or another existence,
here and there, again and again.
142. Etam ādīnavaṁ nyāttā,
tahnā dukkhassa sambhavaṁ,
vītatahno anādāno,
sato bhikkhū parivraje.
142. Having understood the danger,
that craving is the origination of suffering,
free from craving, without attachment,
the monastic should wander mindfully.
143-144. Na taṁ dḍhaṁ bandhanam āhu dhīrā,
yad āyasaṁ dārujaṁ babbajaṁ vā,
sārattarattā maṇikuṇḍalesu
putresu dāresu ca yā apekhā –
etaṁ dḍhaṁ bandhanam āhu dhīrā,
ohārimaṁ sukhumaṁ, dupramuñcaṁ,
etap-pi chettāna vrajanti santo
anapekhino, sabbadukhaṁ prahāya.
143-144. That bondage is not so strong say the wise,
that is made of iron or wood or reeds,
impassioned and excited they seek out
jewels and earrings and children and wives –
that bondage is strong say the wise,
dragging down, subtle, hard to get free from,
having cut this down the good go peacefully
seeking nothing, abandoning all suffering.
145-146. Na kāhāpaṇavāsena ttrettī kāmesu vijjati,
“Appāssādā dukhā kāmā,”
iti viññāya paṇḍito,
api divvesu kāmesu ratiṁ so nādhigacchati.
Tahnakkhayarato hoti Sammasambuddhasāvako.
145-146. Not through a rain of coins is satisfaction found for sense desires,
the wise one knowing:
“Sense pleasures have little joy, much suffering,”
does not find delight even in heavenly pleasures.
The disciple of the Perfect Sambuddha delights in craving’s destruction.
147. Vītatahno anādāno,
niruttīpadakovido,
akkharāṇāṁ sannipātena,
ñāyyā pūrvvāparāṇi so,
sa ve antimaśārīro
mahāprañño ti vuccati.
147. Without craving, without attachment,
skilled in words and their explanation,
knowing how syllables are arranged,
which come before and which after,
the one in his final body
is said to be one of great wisdom.
148. Saritāni sinehitāni ca
somanassāni bhavanti jantuno,
ye sātasitā sukheṣiṇo,
te ve jātijaropagā narā.
148. There are flowing streams
of affection and mental happinesses for a person,
pleasure-dependent they seek happiness,
those people undergo birth and old age.
149. Tahnāya purekkhaṭā prajā
parisappanti śaśo va bādhito,
te sañjotanasaṅgasaṅgasattā,
gabbham upenti punappuno ciraṁ pi.
149. People surrounded by craving crawl round like a hare in a trap,
they are attached and clinging to fetters, Presuming here that
they come back again and again to the womb for a long time.
150. Muñca pure, muñca pacchato,
majjhe muñca, bhavassa pāragū,
sabbattha vimuttamānaso,
na puno jātijarām upehisi.
150. Be free of the past, be free of the future,
be free of the present, after crossing over all existence,
with mind liberated in every way,
you will not return to birth and old age.
151. Yo nivvanadho vanā tu mutto,
vanamutto vanam eva dhāvati,
taṁ puggalam etha paśśatha,
mutto bandhanam eva dhāvati.
151. The one who is free from desires, who is free in the forest,
though free from the forest, runs back to the forest,
come here and look at that person,
though free, he runs back to bondage.
152. Ttriṇadoṣāṇi khettrāṇi,
rāgadoṣā ayaṁ prajā,
tassā hi vītarāgesu
dinnaṁ hoti mahapphalaṁ.
152. Fields are ruined by grassy weeds,
these people are ruined by passion,
therefore there is great fruit
for that given to those without passion.
153. Ttriṇadoṣāṇi khettrāṇi,
doṣadoṣā ayaṁ prajā,
tassā hi vītadoṣesu
dinnaṁ hoti mahapphalaṁ.
153. Fields are ruined by grassy weeds,
these people are ruined by hatred,
therefore there is great fruit
for that given to those without hatred.
154. Ttriṇadoṣāṇi khettrāṇi,
mohadoṣā ayaṁ prajā,
tassā hi vītamohesu
dinnaṁ hoti mahapphalaṁ.
154. Fields are ruined by grassy weeds,
these people are ruined by delusion,
therefore there is great fruit
for that given to those without delusion.
155. Ramaṇīyaṁ vatāraṇṇaṁ yamhiṁ na ramate jano,
vītarāgāttha raṁsanti,
nāññe kāmagaveṣiṇo.
155. The delightful wilderness wherein the people do not delight,
those without passion delight therein,
but not those who seek sense pleasures.
156. Yathā pi mūle anupadrute dḍhe
chinno pi rukkho, punar-īva jāyati,
em eva tahnānuśaye anūhate
nivvattate dukkham idaṁ punappuno.
156. Just as when the root remains firm and undamaged
though the tree was cut down, it springs up again,
so when the tendency to craving is not rooted out
this suffering appears again and again.
Tahnavarggaḥ
The Chapter about Craving