Dhammapada Commentary - Naga Vagga

Dhammapada Commentary ( Dhammapada Atthakatha )

Edited by
Bhikkhu Pesala


23 — Nāga Vagga
The Tusker
Many People Are Immoral
1. Ahaṃ nāgo’va saṅgāme, cāpāto patitaṃ saraṃ
Ativākyaṃ titikkhissaṃ, dussīlo hi bahujjano.320
2. Dantaṃ nayanti samitiṃ, dantaṃ rājābhirūhati
Danto seṭṭho manussesu, yo’tivākyaṃ titikkhati.321
3. Varam assatarā dantā, ājānīyā ca sindhavā
Kuñjarā ca mahānāgā, attadanto tato varaṃ.322
1. As an elephant in the battlefield withstands the arrows shot from a bow,
even so will I endure abuse; truly most people are undisciplined.
2. They lead the trained (horses or elephants) to an assembly. The king
mounts the trained animal. Best among men are the trained who endure
abuse.
3. Excellent are trained mules, so are thoroughbred horses of Sindh and
noble tusked elephants; but far better is he who has trained himself.
The Buddha’s Self Control
Māgaṇḍiyā, who bore a grudge against the Buddha,
1 became one of the chief
queens of King Udena. She hired some slaves to abuse the Buddha. When he
entered the city for alms they shouted, “You are a robber, a fool, an idiot, a
camel, an ox, a donkey, a denizen of hell, a beast. You have no hope of salvation,
you are destined for hell.” The Elder Ānanda, unable to endure such abuse,
suggested to the Buddha that he leave the place and go to another city, but the
Buddha advised him to practise patience and compared himself to an elephant
who had entered the battlefield prepared to endure all attacks.

1
See the Story of Sāmāvatī, Appamāda Vagga, and the Daughter of Māra, Buddha Vagga.


Self-control Leads to the Goal
4. Na hi etehi yānehi, gaccheyya agataṃ disaṃ
Yathā’ttanā sudantena, danto dantena gacchati.323
4. Surely never by those vehicles would one go to the untrodden land
(nibbāna) as does one who is controlled through his subdued and well-
trained self.
The Elephant-trainer Monk
A monk who had been an elephant-trainer was watching an elephant-trainer
failing to control the animal. He suggested to another monk that if he prodding
the elephant in a particular place it would soon be tamed. The elephant-trainer
overheard, adopted the suggestion, and succeeded. When this matter was
reported to the Buddha, he admonished the monk that he could not reach that
destination not reached before by riding elephants. He should train himself to
reach his ultimate goal.
An Elephant Longs for the Forest
5. Dhanapāla1 nāma kuñjaro,
kaṭukabhedano2 dunnivārayo
Baddho kabalaṃ na bhuñjati,
sumarati nāgavanassa kuñjaro.324
5. The uncontrollable, captive tusker named Dhanapālaka, with pungent
juice flowing, eats no morsel; the tusker calls to mind the elephant
forest.
The Elderly Brahmin’s Story
An old Brahmin who had eight lakhs3 of wealth gave one lakh to each of his
four sons when they married. When his wife died, his sons consulted and decided
that if their father remarried the remaining wealth would be divided among the
children of his new wife, and they would lose it, so they would take good care of
him in turns. Thus he was persuaded to give the remaining four lakhs to his four
sons, and went to stay with his eldest son. After a while, the wife of the eldest son

1
Dhanapālako
2
kaṭukappabhedano
3
One lakh = 100,000.


insulted asked him if he didn’t know the way to the house of his second son.
Enraged, the Brahmin left the house and went to the house of his second son.
Again, after some time he was made unwelcome, and went to the house of the
third son, and then the fourth son, and finally became a homeless wanderer. One
day he went to see the Buddha, who taught him a verse to recite when the
Brahmin’s assembled.
At their birth I rejoiced, having wished for it.
Urged by their wives they drove me out like a pig by a dog.
Wicked and two-faced they say to me, "Dear father, father dear."
Ogres in the guise of sons, they forsake me in old age.
When a horse grows old, he is deprived of food.
Likewise, the father of fools, begs his food from door to door.
Better this staff for me than disobedient sons.
The staff at least wards against wild dogs and oxen.
When I stumble into a hole in the darkness,
With the aid of this staff I recover my footing.
1
The Brahmins were outraged, and the sons had to beg forgiveness and
promise to care for their father properly to avoid a death sentence. When later
invited to the eldest son’s house for alms, the Buddha related the Mātuposaka
Nāgarāja Jātaka.
2
At one time there was an elephant Dhanapāla who cared for his blind
mother. When captured and imprisoned in the king’s elephant-stable he refused
to eat even when offered the choicest food. Having identified himself with the
elephant Dhanapāla showing his former powerful wish to fulfil his duty to his
mother, the Buddha concluded with the above verse. On listening to the
discourse, the audience shed floods of tears, and the Brahmin, his sons, and their
wives attained Stream-winning.

1
S.i.176.
2
Jā 455.


Be Moderate in Eating
6. Middhī yadā hoti mahagghaso ca,
niddāyitā samparivattasāyī
Mahāvarāho’va nivāpapuṭṭho,
punappunaṃ gabbham upeti mando.325
6. The stupid one, when he is torpid, gluttonous, sleepy, rolls about lying
like a great hog nourished on pig-wash, goes to rebirth again and again.
King Kosala’s Diet
Due to overeating, King Kosala had to experience great discomfort. As
advised by the Buddha he became moderate in eating and improved in health.
Having reduced his daily food intake and enjoying good health again, he offered
the incomparable almsgiving to the Buddha and the Saṅgha for seven days.
Control Your Thoughts
7. Idaṃ pure cittam acāri cārikaṃ,
yena’icchakaṃ yatthakāmaṃ yathāsukhaṃ
Tadajj’ahaṃ niggahessāmi yoniso,
hatthippabhinnaṃ viya aṅkusaggaho.326
7. Formerly the mind wandered wherever it liked, following its pleasure
and desire. Today I keep it in check with attentiveness, as a mahout
controls an elephant in rut.
Sāmaṇera Sānu’s Story
The novice Sānu, who had led the holy life diligently since the age of seven,
wished to leave the Saṅgha when he came of age. When he told his mother, she
warned him of the suffering of household life, asking him to wait until after the
meal. A Yakkhiṇī, who had been his mother in a previous life, gained great
benefits when Sānu shared merits of reciting the suttas. Fearing that she would
lose her status if he disrobed, she possessed the novice and made him throw a fit.
When he came round and was told what had happened he realised the advantages
of the holy life, and asked for the higher ordination. The Buddha uttered the
above verse to admonish him.


Avoid the Evil Way
8. Appamādaratā hotha, sacittam anurakkhatha
Duggā uddharath’attānaṃ, paṅke sanno’va1 kuñjaro.327
8. Take delight in heedfulness. Guard your mind well.
Draw yourselves out of evil ways as an elephant sunk in mud.
The Elephant Pāveyyaka
The elderly elephant Pāveyyaka got stuck in the mud. The mahout made it
ready as if for battle and battle drums were beaten. The elephant exerted itself
and extricated itself from the mud. This matter was reported to the Buddha and
he advised the monks to exert themselves as did the elephant stuck in mud.
Associate with the Wise or Stay Alone
9. Sace labetha nipakaṃ sahāyaṃ,
saddhiṃ caraṃ sādhuvihāridhīraṃ
Abhibhuyya sabbāni parissayāni,
careyya ten’attamano satīmā.328
10. No ce labetha nipakaṃ sahāyaṃ,
saddhiṃ caraṃ sādhuvihāridhīraṃ
Rājā’va raṭṭhaṃ vijitaṃ pahāya,
eko care mātaṅgaraññ’eva nāgo.329
11. Ekassa caritaṃ seyyo,
natthi bāle sahāyatā
Eko care na ca pāpāni kayirā,
appossukko mātaṅgaraññ’eva nāgo.330
9. If you get a prudent companion (who is fit) to live with you, who
behaves well and is wise, you should live with him joyfully and mindfully,
overcoming all dangers.
10. If you do not get a prudent companion who (is fit) to live with you, who
behaves well and is wise, then like a king who leaves a conquered
kingdom, you should live alone as an elephant does in the elephant
forest.

1
satto’va


11. It is better to live alone. There is no fellowship with the foolish.
Live alone doing no evil, care-free, like an elephant in the forest.
The Pālileyyaka Forest
At one time the Buddha was dwelling alone in the Pālileyyaka forest,
attended only by an elephant. At the end of the Rains Retreat the Elder Ānanda
came to see him with five hundred monks, but asked them to wait at some
distance while he approached alone. As he approached, the elephant rushed to
attack him, but the Buddha called the elephant back. Commenting on his solitary
life, the Buddha uttered the above verses.
The Causes of Bliss
12. Atthamhi jātamhi sukhā sahāyā,
tuṭṭhī sukhā yā itarītarena
Puññaṃ sukhaṃ jīvitasaṅkhayamhi,
sabbassa dukkhassa sukhaṃ pahānaṃ.331
13. Sukhā matteyyatā loke, atho petteyyatā sukhā
Sukhā sāmaññatā loke, atho brahmaññatā sukhā.332
14. Sukhaṃ yāva jarā sīlaṃ, sukhā saddhā patiṭṭhitā
Sukho paññāya paṭilābho, pāpānaṃ akaraṇaṃ sukhaṃ.333
12. It is pleasing to have friends when need arises. It is good to be content
with little. Merit is a blessing when life is at an end. Blissful is the
shunning of all ill.
13. Happy in this world is ministering to mother. Ministering to father too is
blissful. Ministering to those gone forth is a pleasure. Blissful too is
ministering to Perfected Ones.
14. Virtue maintained until old age is blissful. Pleasing is steadfast
confidence. Blissful is the attainment of wisdom. It is good to do no evil.
Māra Invites the Buddha to Become A King
At one time, reflecting on how kings punished and persecuted their subjects,
the Buddha was moved to compassion and thought, “Is it not possible to rule
without persecuting others?” Māra approached the Buddha and invited him to
become king, to rule righteously, and do whatever good could be done with


wealth. The Buddha remarked that Māra had nothing in common with him and
uttered the above verses regarding the causes of happiness.