Buddha Vagga — The Chapter on the Buddha

Verse 179

This verse was spoken concerning the daughters of Māra, who came to tempt the Blessed One to turn back from the path of liberation, yet did not succeed.

The Buddha is one who has conquered the defilements utterly; once He has won, He never loses again, and not even the least defilement in the world can pursue Him or take hold of Him. He possesses boundless knowledge and leaves no trace — that is, there is no rāga (lust), dosa (hatred), or moha (delusion) left as a mark by which anyone might track Him. One who has exhausted the defilements is therefore like a bird flying through the air, leaving no trail to be followed.

The lesson is that true victory is not the conquest of others, but the lasting conquest of the defilements within one's own mind. When the mind offers no foothold for defilement, nothing can drag it down again.

Verse 180

This was spoken to the daughters of Māra, who tried to bind the Blessed One with the charms of sensuality, but found no opening at all.

This verse calls craving visattikā — craving that spreads out among the various sense objects, like a net cast wide to catch creatures. This very craving is the rope that drags beings to be reborn in state after state, great and small, without end. But in the Buddha's mind not the least such craving remains; so nothing can lead Him into any state of being again. He who bears no trace of defilement cannot be followed by any track.

For us who still have craving, the lesson is to keep watching how our mind is constantly dragged after whatever pleases it. Seeing this net clearly is the first step toward gradually untangling ourselves from it.

Verse 181

Spoken at the gate of the city of Saṅkassa, when the Buddha descended from the deva world after performing the Twin Miracle, amid a great throng of gods and humans.

The Buddha praised the wise ones who are devoted to jhāna and who delight in renunciation, which here refers to Nibbāna, the stilling of the defilements. Those who are firmly mindful, who strive to calm the mind and turn toward release from sensuality, become objects of yearning even for the gods, because such inner virtue is loftier than any wealth or rank can match.

The lesson is that the calm born of training the mind is of the highest worth — even those dwelling on high in heaven long for it. We should therefore not overlook the training of the mind toward calm and contentment, for that is a treasure finer than any outward wealth.

Verse 182

Spoken to the nāga king named Erakapatta, who had long waited to hear the Dhamma from a Buddha.

This verse points to four things exceedingly hard to attain in the round of rebirth: it is hard to be born a human, hard to sustain life, hard to get to hear the true Dhamma, and hardest of all is the arising of a Buddha — for it requires the fulfilment of the perfections through vast, long-sustained effort over many thousands of koṭis of aeons. When all four coincide together, it is an opportunity of the utmost rarity.

The lesson is that having been born human, having life, and having met the Dhamma all at once, we are supremely fortunate. We should not let the time pass in vain, but should swiftly use this rare opportunity to do good and study the Dhamma.

Verse 183

Spoken to the Elder Ānanda, who inquired about the teaching of all the Buddhas; this verse is therefore like the very heart of the Buddha's teaching.

The Buddha summarized the teaching of every Buddha in three points: not to do any evil, to cultivate what is wholesome, and to purify one's own mind — the last meaning to cleanse the mind and make it bright, free of the five hindrances (nīvaraṇa), the things that obstruct the mind. These three are the whole path, from keeping the precepts and developing wholesomeness, up to training the mind through concentration and wisdom.

The lesson is that all the teachings are condensed into these three points, easy to remember yet the work of a whole lifetime. Simply to abandon evil, do good, and keep the mind clear is already to walk in the footsteps of all the Buddhas.

Verse 184

Spoken to the Elder Ānanda, in the same connection as the previous verse, concerning the principal teaching of all the Buddhas.

This verse extols khantī — patient endurance — as the supreme austerity, and declares that Nibbāna is the supreme goal, the highest of all states; and it lays down the standard for an ascetic: one who still harms or oppresses others is not worthy of the name renunciant or ascetic at all, because the heart of the monastic life is non-harming and cool peace.

The lesson is that patient endurance is a far more powerful means of burning up defilement than any mortification of the body. Whoever would advance in the Dhamma must begin by harming no one and enduring whatever strikes. It is this inner coolness and peace that leads to the supreme goal.

Verse 185

Spoken to the Elder Ānanda, continuing in the section on the teaching of all the Buddhas.

This verse spells out the practice of one who follows the Dhamma, point by point: not to speak ill of others and not to harm them; restraint according to the Pātimokkha, that is, the code of discipline; moderation in food, not consuming beyond what is fitting; dwelling in a secluded lodging for the sake of solitude; and devotion to the higher mind (adhicitta), that is, training the mind to ever higher states. All of this is the way taught by every Buddha.

The lesson is that a life made beautiful by the Dhamma does not lie in lofty teachings alone, but in practice in the small matters of daily life — such as eating in moderation, speaking in ways that harm no one, and finding calm in which the mind can be trained.

Verse 186

Spoken to a monk who took no delight in the holy life, whose mind still turned back toward sensual pleasure.

The Buddha pointed out that contentment in sensual pleasures can never arise, even were wealth to pour down like rain, because sensual pleasures give little joy but much suffering — the more one indulges, the more one thirsts, like drinking salt water that can never quench thirst. The wise, endowed with discernment, see through to this truth.

The lesson is that the happiness of indulging in material things is fleeting and never fully satisfying. To chase after sufficiency from outside is therefore vain toil. We should instead turn to find contentment within the mind, for a mind that knows contentment can be full without needing much.

Verse 187

Spoken to the monk who took no delight in the holy life, continuing from the previous verse, to show the way out of attachment to sensuality.

When the wise one clearly sees that sensual pleasures bring much suffering, as stated, he takes no delight in any sensual pleasure, even the heavenly kind — that is, even the refined pleasures of the gods cannot draw his mind. Instead he delights in the ending of craving, which is the true happiness. This is the mark of a disciple of the Perfectly Self-Awakened One, who aims straight at the cessation of the defilements. The commentary explains that the adhicitta (higher mind) mentioned earlier refers to the attainments and the threefold training — morality, concentration, and wisdom — which lead to the ending of craving.

The lesson is that the goal of one who practises the Dhamma is not to obtain finer sensual pleasures, but to be freed from all craving. It is the happiness that needs no indulgence that is stable and unchanging.

Verse 188

Spoken to the brahmin priest Aggidatta, who had gone forth as an ascetic together with his many followers, who held to a wrong refuge.

The Buddha pointed out that many people, when threatened by fear, go seeking a refuge — such as mountains, forests, groves, and sacred trees — hoping that these things will help them escape suffering. This is the nature of those caught in fear who do not yet know the true refuge.

The lesson is that in times of suffering and fear, the human mind seeks something to hold on to; but such external things cannot truly extinguish suffering. We should therefore consider whether the refuge we run to can really lead us out of suffering before we entrust our heart to it.

Verse 189

Spoken to Aggidatta and his followers, continuing from the previous verse, to show the flaw in a wrong refuge.

The Buddha stressed that mountains, forests, and all sacred things are not a safe refuge, not the supreme refuge, because one who resorts to such a refuge is not freed from all suffering at all. Those refuges can give only a passing comfort of mind, but they cannot uproot the suffering within the heart.

The lesson is that to have something to hold on to is not wrong, but one should choose a refuge that truly leads out of suffering — not one that merely relieves fear for a moment and then lets suffering circle back again.

Verse 190

Spoken to Aggidatta and his followers, to point out the true refuge in place of the wrong refuge they had once held.

The Buddha showed that one who goes for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha sees, with right wisdom, the Four Noble Truths — the noble truths that lead to the release from suffering. The Triple Gem is therefore not merely something to bow to, but a gateway to seeing the truth of life with wisdom.

The lesson is that truly revering the Triple Gem does not end with worship, but is to draw the Dhamma near for contemplation until wisdom arises, seeing the cause of suffering and the way to its ending in one's own life.

Verse 191

Spoken to Aggidatta and his followers, continuing on, expanding upon the Four Noble Truths that one who has gone to the Triple Gem should see.

The Buddha analysed the noble truths: suffering, the state hard to bear; the arising of suffering, which is craving; the ceasing of suffering, which is Nibbāna; and the Noble Eightfold Path, the practice leading to the stilling of suffering. These four are the map the Buddha laid down for walking out of the mass of suffering.

The lesson is that when we meet with suffering, instead of blaming external things, we should reflect along these lines: from what cause does this suffering arise, how can it cease, and what is the way of practice? To look at suffering systematically in this way is itself the wisdom that truly leads out of suffering.

Verse 192

Spoken to Aggidatta and his followers, as the conclusion exalting the true refuge — the Triple Gem.

Unlike the mountains and forests spoken of before, this verse affirms that the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Saṅgha — these are the safe and supreme refuge, because one who resorts to such a refuge, together with seeing the Noble Truths through wisdom, is freed from all suffering. This refuge, then, is no passing shelter, but truly carries one across the suffering of saṃsāra.

The lesson is that when choosing a refuge for life, one should choose that which leads to the permanent ending of suffering. Going to the Triple Gem together with practising the Dhamma is therefore a refuge finer than any other in the world.

Verse 193

Spoken to the Elder Ānanda, who was conversing about the noble person who is hard to find in the world.

This verse speaks of the noble man (purisājañña) — the wise and excellent one — as a person hard to find, because he is not born just anywhere; and whatever family he is born into, that family thrives in nothing but happiness, for it lives in the shade of his goodness and wisdom.

The lesson is that a good and wise person is like a rare thoroughbred steed, hard to find. To live near, or to have such a person in one's family, is a blessing. We should therefore resolve to train ourselves to be good and wise, so as to be a refuge and to bring happiness to those around us as well.

Verse 194

Spoken to some five hundred monks who were discussing what it is that brings happiness.

The Buddha gathered together four causes of happiness: the arising of the Buddhas brings happiness; the teaching of the true Dhamma brings happiness; the harmony of the community brings happiness; and the striving of those who are united brings happiness. These four are the wellspring of ease and peace, both for oneself and for the whole.

The lesson is that happiness does not arise from outward wealth alone, but from meeting the Dhamma and living together in harmony. Whatever community is united and joins hearts and strength together, that community will have nothing but growth, peace, and ease.

Verse 195

Spoken to the monks, concerning the golden shrine of Kassapa, the One of Ten Powers, on the merit of honouring those worthy of honour.

The Buddha pointed out that the merit of one who honours those worthy of honour — namely, the Buddhas or their disciples, who have transcended the things that obstruct, that is, craving, wrong view, and conceit, and who have crossed beyond sorrow and lamentation — is a very great merit indeed, for the field of merit is pure, and so the fruit is likewise vast.

The lesson is that the fruit of an act of honour, whether great or small, depends on the purity of the one honoured. To honour those purified of defilement is therefore a most excellent merit. It reminds us to choose well whom we bow to, and to honour with truly sincere faith.

Verse 196

Spoken to the monks, continuing on the golden shrine of Kassapa, the One of Ten Powers, as an expansion of the benefit of honouring.

The Buddha affirmed that when one has honoured those who are steadfast, who have extinguished the defilements, and who have no fear from any quarter — that is, the arahants whose taints are ended — no one can reckon that merit as being just this much, for it is too vast to be measured. Those freed from all fear are the supreme field of merit, and so the merit sown there is beyond measure.

The lesson is that when one meets and honours those who are truly pure, one should do so with a fully devoted, faith-filled heart, because the merit born of faith toward the excellent is beyond all counting — a fine capital that follows one into the lives to come.