With DhammikaDhammikasutta

So I have heard.Evaṁ me sutaṁ— At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Then the lay follower Dhammika, together with five hundred lay followers, went up to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and addressed him in verse:Atha kho dhammiko upāsako pañcahi upāsakasatehi saddhiṁ yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami; upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi. Ekamantaṁ nisinno kho dhammiko upāsako bhagavantaṁ gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:

“I ask you, Gotama, whose wisdom is vast:“Pucchāmi taṁ gotama bhūripañña, what does one do to become a good disciple,Kathaṅkaro sāvako sādhu hoti; both one who has left the home,Yo vā agārā anagārameti, and the lay followers staying at home?Agārino vā panupāsakāse.

For you understand the course and destinyTuvañhi lokassa sadevakassa, of the world with all its gods.Gatiṁ pajānāsi parāyaṇañca; There is no equal to you who sees the subtle meaning,Na catthi tulyo nipuṇatthadassī, for you are the Buddha most excellent, they say.Tuvañhi buddhaṁ pavaraṁ vadanti.

Having experienced all knowledge,Sabbaṁ tuvaṁ ñāṇamavecca dhammaṁ, you reveal the teaching out of sympathy for beings.Pakāsesi satte anukampamāno; All-seer, you have cast off the veil,Vivaṭṭacchadosi samantacakkhu, and immaculate, you shine on the whole world.Virocasi vimalo sabbaloke.

The dragon king Erāvaṇa, <j>hearing you called ‘Victor’,Āgañchi te santike nāgarājā, came into your presence.Erāvaṇo nāma jinoti sutvā; He consulted with you then, <j>having heard your words,Sopi tayā mantayitvājjhagamā, left consoled, saying ‘Excellent!’Sādhūti sutvāna patītarūpo.

And King Kuvera Vessavaṇa alsoRājāpi taṁ vessavaṇo kuvero, approached to ask about the teaching.Upeti dhammaṁ paripucchamāno; You also answered him, O attentive one,Tassāpi tvaṁ pucchito brūsi dhīra, and hearing you he too was consoled.So cāpi sutvāna patītarūpo.

Those monastics of other religions given to debate,Ye kecime titthiyā vādasīlā, whether Ājīvakas or Jains,Ājīvakā vā yadi vā nigaṇṭhā; all fail to overtake you in wisdom,Paññāya taṁ nātitaranti sabbe, like a standing man next to a sprinter.Ṭhito vajantaṁ viya sīghagāmiṁ.

Those brahmins given to debate,Ye kecime brāhmaṇā vādasīlā, some of whom are quite senior,Vuddhā cāpi brāhmaṇā santi keci; all end up beholden to you for the meaning,Sabbe tayi atthabaddhā bhavanti, and others too who think themselves debaters.Ye cāpi aññe vādino maññamānā.

So subtle and pleasant is the teachingAyañhi dhammo nipuṇo sukho ca, that is well proclaimed by you, Blessed One.Yoyaṁ tayā bhagavā suppavutto; It’s all we long to hear. So when asked,Tameva sabbepi sussūsamānā, O Best of Buddhas, tell us!Taṁ no vada pucchito buddhaseṭṭha.

All these mendicants have gathered,Sabbepime bhikkhavo sannisinnā, and the layfolk too are here to listen.Upāsakā cāpi tatheva sotuṁ; Let them hear the teaching <j>the immaculate one discovered,Suṇantu dhammaṁ vimalenānubuddhaṁ, like gods listening to the fine words of Vāsava.”Subhāsitaṁ vāsavasseva devā”.

“Listen to me, mendicants, I will educate you“Suṇātha me bhikkhavo sāvayāmi vo, in the cleansing teaching; all bear it in mind.Dhammaṁ dhutaṁ tañca carātha sabbe; A thoughtful person, seeing the meaning,Iriyāpathaṁ pabbajitānulomikaṁ, would adopt the deportment <j>proper to a renunciate.Sevetha naṁ atthadaso mutīmā.

No way would a mendicant go out at the wrong time;No ve vikāle vicareyya bhikkhu, at the right time, they’d walk the village for alms.Gāme ca piṇḍāya careyya kāle; For chains bind one who wanders at the wrong time,Akālacāriñhi sajanti saṅgā, which is why the Buddhas avoid it.Tasmā vikāle na caranti buddhā.

Sights, sounds, tastes, smells, and touches,Rūpā ca saddā ca rasā ca gandhā, which drive beings mad—Phassā ca ye sammadayanti satte; dispel desire for such things,Etesu dhammesu vineyya chandaṁ, and enter for the morning meal at the right time.Kālena so pavise pātarāsaṁ.

After receiving alms for the day,Piṇḍañca bhikkhu samayena laddhā, on returning a mendicant would sit in private alone.Eko paṭikkamma raho nisīde; Inwardly reflective, they’d curb their mindAjjhattacintī na mano bahiddhā, from outside things, keeping themselves collected.Nicchāraye saṅgahitattabhāvo.

Should they converse with a disciple,Sacepi so sallape sāvakena, with anyone else, or with a mendicant,Aññena vā kenaci bhikkhunā vā; they’d bring up only the sublime teaching,Dhammaṁ paṇītaṁ tamudāhareyya, not dividing or blaming.Na pesuṇaṁ nopi parūpavādaṁ.

For some contend in debate,Vādañhi eke paṭiseniyanti, but we praise not those of little wisdom.Na te pasaṁsāma parittapaññe; In place after place they are bound in chains,Tato tato ne pasajanti saṅgā, for they send their mind over there far away.Cittañhi te tattha gamenti dūre.

Alms, a dwelling, a bed and seat,Piṇḍaṁ vihāraṁ sayanāsanañca, and water for rinsing the dust from the cloak—Āpañca saṅghāṭirajūpavāhanaṁ; after hearing the teaching of the Holy One,Sutvāna dhammaṁ sugatena desitaṁ, a disciple of outstanding wisdom would use these after appraisal.Saṅkhāya seve varapaññasāvako.

That’s why, when it comes to alms and lodgings,Tasmā hi piṇḍe sayanāsane ca, and water for rinsing the dust from the cloak,Āpe ca saṅghāṭirajūpavāhane; a mendicant is unsullied in the midst of these things,Etesu dhammesu anūpalitto, like a droplet on a lotus-leaf.Bhikkhu yathā pokkhare vāribindu.

Now I shall tell you the householder’s duty,Gahaṭṭhavattaṁ pana vo vadāmi, doing which one becomes a good disciple.Yathākaro sāvako sādhu hoti; For one burdened with possessions <j>does not get to realizeNa hesa labbhā sapariggahena, the whole of the mendicant’s practice.Phassetuṁ yo kevalo bhikkhudhammo.

They’d not kill any creature, nor have them killed,Pāṇaṁ na hane na ca ghātayeyya, nor grant permission for others to kill.Na cānujaññā hanataṁ paresaṁ; They’ve laid aside violence toward all creaturesSabbesu bhūtesu nidhāya daṇḍaṁ, frail or firm that there are in the world.Ye thāvarā ye ca tasā santi loke.

Next, a disciple would avoid knowinglyTato adinnaṁ parivajjayeyya, taking anything not given at all,Kiñci kvaci sāvako bujjhamāno; they’d not get others to do it, <j>nor grant them permission to steal;Na hāraye harataṁ nānujaññā, they’d avoid <em>all</em> theft.Sabbaṁ adinnaṁ parivajjayeyya.

A sensible person would avoid the unchaste life,Abrahmacariyaṁ parivajjayeyya, like a burning pit of coals.Aṅgārakāsuṁ jalitaṁva viññū; But if unable to remain chaste,Asambhuṇanto pana brahmacariyaṁ, they’d not transgress with another’s partner.Parassa dāraṁ na atikkameyya.

In a council or assembly,Sabhaggato vā parisaggato vā, or one on one, they would not lie.Ekassa veko na musā bhaṇeyya; They’d not get others to lie, <j>nor grant them permission to lie;Na bhāṇaye bhaṇataṁ nānujaññā, they’d avoid <em>all</em> untruths.Sabbaṁ abhūtaṁ parivajjayeyya.

A householder espousing this teachingMajjañca pānaṁ na samācareyya, would not consume liquor or drink.Dhammaṁ imaṁ rocaye yo gahaṭṭho; They’d not get others to drink, <j>nor grant them permission to drink;Na pāyaye pivataṁ nānujaññā, knowing that ends in intoxication.Ummādanantaṁ iti naṁ viditvā.

For drunken fools do bad things,Madā hi pāpāni karonti bālā, and encourage other heedless folk.Kārenti caññepi jane pamatte; Shun this field of demerit,Etaṁ apuññāyatanaṁ vivajjaye, the maddening, deluding frolic of fools.Ummādanaṁ mohanaṁ bālakantaṁ.

You shouldn’t kill living creatures, or steal,Pāṇaṁ na hane na cādinnamādiye, or lie, or drink liquor.Musā na bhāse na ca majjapo siyā; Be chaste, refraining from sex,Abrahmacariyā virameyya methunā, and don’t eat at night, the wrong time.Rattiṁ na bhuñjeyya vikālabhojanaṁ.

Not wearing garlands or applying fragrance,Mālaṁ na dhāre na ca gandhamācare, you should sleep on a low bed, <j>or a mat on the ground.Mañce chamāyaṁ va sayetha santhate; This is the eight-factored sabbath, they say,Etañhi aṭṭhaṅgikamāhuposathaṁ, revealed by the Buddha, who has gone to suffering’s end.Buddhena dukkhantagunā pakāsitaṁ.

Then having rightly undertaken the sabbathTato ca pakkhassupavassuposathaṁ, complete in all its eight factorsCātuddasiṁ pañcadasiñca aṭṭhamiṁ; on the fourteenth, fifteenth, <j>and eighth of the fortnight,Pāṭihāriyapakkhañca pasannamānaso, as well as on the fortnightly special displays,Aṭṭhaṅgupetaṁ susamattarūpaṁ.

at daybreak after the sabbathTato ca pāto upavutthuposatho, a clever person, rejoicing with confident heart,Annena pānena ca bhikkhusaṅghaṁ; would distribute food and drinkPasannacitto anumodamāno, to the mendicant Saṅgha as is fitting.Yathārahaṁ saṁvibhajetha viññū.

One should rightfully support one’s parents,Dhammena mātāpitaro bhareyya, and undertake a legitimate business.Payojaye dhammikaṁ so vaṇijjaṁ; A diligent layperson observing these dutiesEtaṁ gihī vattayamappamatto, ascends to the gods called Self-luminous.”Sayampabhe nāma upeti deve”ti.