Loka Vagga — The Chapter on the World

Verse 167

This verse was spoken with reference to a young monk. It is the opening verse of the Loka Vagga, laying down the principles of living in the world in a concise way.

The Buddha points to four things to be avoided: one should not pursue what is base, should not dwell in negligence, should not cling to wrong view, and should not be one who merely fattens the world — a person who lives uselessly, who is born but adds nothing of goodness to himself or to others.

The reflection is that a worthy life begins with choosing carefully what one indulges in, not letting the mind drift aimlessly after craving, and diligently making oneself one who increases goodness rather than merely taking up space in the world day after day.

Verse 168

This verse was spoken with reference to King Suddhodana, the royal father, on the occasion when the Buddha went to favor his kinsmen.

He taught about not being negligent in the alms-round, meaning receiving food house by house in order without disdain and without selecting only the wealthy homes, and about living by good conduct (sucarita-dhamma), because one who lives by the Dhamma dwells happily both in this world and the next.

Although a layperson does not go on the alms-round, the lesson still applies — receive what comes to you with respect, do not scorn the goodwill of the giver, and live your life with integrity. True happiness then follows of itself.

Verse 169

This verse was spoken in continuation to King Suddhodana, reinforcing the same teaching still more firmly.

The essential point is to live by good conduct (sucarita-dhamma) and to avoid bad conduct (ducarita-dhamma). In the context of a monk, good conduct means going on the alms-round house by house in order, while bad conduct means wandering into unsuitable places (agocara), improper for a recluse. One who lives by the Dhamma dwells happily in both worlds.

In its broader sense, this principle teaches us to choose the right path even when the wrong path is easier and more convenient, because lasting happiness arises only from living life in a way of integrity.

Verse 170

This verse was spoken with reference to five hundred monks practicing insight (vipassanā), who were diligently contemplating the Dhamma.

The Buddha taught them to regard the world with wisdom — to see all conditioned things as impermanent and without essence, like a bubble that rises up and bursts, and like a mirage that seems to exist but is not real. One who regards the world in this way cannot be found by the King of Death — that is, death itself — for the mind has already been freed from clinging.

The applicable point is that when one trains oneself to see things as arising and passing away by nature, the mind loosens its grip of attachment, and suffering and the fear of death grow faint.

Verse 171

This verse was spoken with reference to Prince Abhaya, a royal son of the court.

The Buddha invited him to contemplate the world in all its ornate beauty, like a royal chariot decked out to entice and enchant. Fools sink down and drown in that beauty, but those who know, those endowed with wisdom, are not caught by it, for they see through the outward splendor and know it all to be impermanent.

The reflection is that the world and the pleasures of the senses have a beguiling charm that lures one into delight — those with wisdom do not deny that the world is beautiful, but they do not allow that beauty to bind their hearts in attachment, and so they remain free amid the very things that ordinary people are infatuated with.

Verse 172

This verse was spoken with reference to the Elder Sammajjana and was addressed to the monks.

The meaning is that one who was once negligent before but afterward turns himself around into one who is not negligent — diligently developing mindfulness and the path — illuminates the world, that is, the five aggregates, with the light of the knowledge of the path, like the moon that emerges from a cloud and shines full and bright.

This reflection is deeply encouraging — a past of failure or negligence is no barrier. If today one begins anew with diligence, life can always return to brightness and beauty.

Verse 173

This verse was spoken with reference to the Elder Aṅgulimāla, who had once committed grave deeds but afterward attained the Dhamma.

The Buddha pointed out that the evil deeds one has done — if that person covers them over with wholesomeness (kusala), meaning the path of arahantship — he illuminates this world like the moon freed from a cloud. That is, the highest goodness can cover over and shut off the results of former evil.

The reflection is that no one who has failed is beyond hope. As long as one turns to accumulate goodness and strives to practice the Dhamma, the light of wholesomeness will shine over the darkness of the past and cause it to fade away.

Verse 174

This verse was spoken with reference to the daughter of a weaver, who diligently developed mindfulness of death according to the Buddha's admonition.

The Buddha said that this world is blind because the multitude lack the eye of wisdom, and so there are few who see clearly into the three characteristics, and few who reach a good destination or attain Nibbāna — like birds caught in a net, of which only a few manage to struggle free.

The reflection is that the path to freedom from suffering is rare and requires wisdom — therefore one should not let life pass by blindly, but should diligently train the mind to see the truth of conditioned things, so as to be one of those who break free from the net.

Verse 175

This verse was spoken with reference to thirty monks and was addressed to the Elder Ānanda.

The Buddha drew a comparison: swans can fly through the air along the pathway of the sun, and those who have well developed the bases of psychic power (iddhipāda) can travel through the air by their power. But finer than these are the wise, who conquer Māra together with his mount and are led forth out of the world, that is, the round of rebirth (vaṭṭa), attaining Nibbāna in true freedom.

The reflection is that psychic powers and miracles, however marvelous, still revolve within the world, but the noblest victory is the conquest of the defilements of Māra within one's own mind, which is a true departure from the whirlpool of suffering.

Verse 176

This verse was spoken with reference to Ciñcamāṇavikā, who slandered and falsely accused the Buddha with lies.

The Buddha spoke of one thing that had been transgressed, namely truth (sacca) — whoever is given to lying and denies the world beyond, not believing in the results of deeds in future existences, such a person has no evil that he will not do, because once he is without shame and without dread of the fruits of deeds, he is ready to commit any wrong.

The reflection is that truthfulness and belief in the law of kamma are like a dam holding back evil. When a person breaks down both of these, nothing remains to restrain the mind from wrongdoing at all.

Verse 177

This verse was spoken with reference to the Incomparable Offering (asadisa-dāna), an act of giving that no other equals, and was addressed to King Pasenadi of Kosala and his ministers.

The Buddha pointed out that the miserly do not go to the world of the gods, and fools do not praise giving, while the wise rejoice and take delight in the giving that others perform. By the very reason of a mind that delights in that giving, such a one becomes happy in the world beyond.

The beautiful reflection is that goodness is not limited to the giver alone — even merely rejoicing with a heart glad and appreciative in another's merit is a wholesome deed that brings happiness, in contrast to miserliness, which shuts oneself off from a good destination.

Verse 178

This verse was spoken with reference to Kāla, the son of Anāthapiṇḍika the treasurer, who at first shunned the Dhamma but afterward attained the fruit of stream-entry, and was addressed to Anāthapiṇḍika the treasurer.

The Buddha drew a comparison to show its lofty worth: the fruit of stream-entry (sotāpatti-phala) is better than sole sovereignty ruling the earth, better than going to heaven, and better than lordship over all the worlds, because those possessions, however great, are still not free from the lower realms and may yet fall low, whereas the fruit of stream-entry is a state that shuts the door to the lower realms definitively.

The reflection is that wealth, power, and worldly happiness are all unstable — what is more worth seeking is entering the stream of the Dhamma, which is the true guarantee that one will never again fall into suffering.