Pakiṇṇaka Vagga — The Miscellaneous Chapter

Verse 290

This verse was spoken to the monks, with the Buddha recalling his own past deeds, in order to point out the value of sacrifice that brings about vast rewards.

The Buddha taught that the wise, those endowed with wisdom, know how to weigh a small happiness against a great one. If one sees that giving up small, immediate pleasures will buy a far greater happiness, one should resolve to let go of the lesser thing — like a person willing to save today for the sake of security tomorrow.

The lesson is that sacrifice is not a loss but a wise investment. One who knows how to release temporary comfort for a more lasting benefit is one who walks toward true happiness.

Verse 291

This verse was spoken concerning a female yakkha (ogress) and a daughter of a good family, prompted by the story of two women who bound themselves in an endless cycle of revenge, in order to teach the harm of causing suffering to others.

The Buddha showed that whoever hopes for happiness for himself by inflicting suffering on others becomes entangled in the cycle of enmity — the mutual vengeance and retaliation that never ends. Happiness gained upon the suffering of others is a false happiness that drags one into the trap of hatred.

The lesson is that enmity is never quelled by creating enmity. Only one who knows how to stop this cycle through forgiveness and non-harming will be freed from suffering and find true peace.

Verse 292

This verse was spoken to the monks of the town of Bhaddiya, prompted by monks who busied themselves with what is not the proper duty of a recluse.

The Buddha rebuked monks who neglect what ought to be done — such as keeping the precepts and cultivating meditation — yet instead absorb themselves in what ought not to be done, namely decorating their requisites and belongings beyond what befits a recluse. Such people are both arrogant and heedless, and their taints — the defilements fermenting in the mind — steadily accumulate.

The lesson is that life has its essential duties and its lesser trifles. Whoever confuses the two, taking minor matters as the substance and discarding true duties, accumulates decline without realizing it.

Verse 293

This verse was spoken to the monks of the town of Bhaddiya, paired with the preceding verse, holding up the monks who conduct themselves rightly as an example.

In contrast to the heedless, the monk who has mindfulness of the body well established at all times — cultivating mindfulness directed to the body, continually contemplating the body — is diligent in what ought to be done and does not meddle with what ought not to be done. When the mind is thus guarded by mindfulness and clear comprehension, the taints — the fermenting defilements — gradually come to their end.

The lesson is that mindfulness anchored to the body is a guardian of the mind, keeping it from wandering after worthless things. One who is steadfast in mindfulness and performs his duties continually moves steadily toward purity.

Verse 294

This verse was spoken to the monks, prompted by the Elder Lakuṇṭaka Bhaddiya, spoken as a profound riddle of the Dhamma that invites contemplation.

The words "having slain mother and father, and two kings" do not mean actual killing; they are a language of riddles — mother signifies craving (taṇhā), the cause of rebirth in the three realms; father signifies conceit (asmimāna), the notion "I am"; and the two kings signify the view of eternalism (sassata-diṭṭhi), the view that things are permanent, and the view of annihilationism (uccheda-diṭṭhi), the view that things are cut off. One who can utterly cut off these defilements is the arahant, who proceeds untroubled.

The lesson is that the true enemy does not lie outside but within our own heart — craving, conceit, and views. Only one who slays these defilements finds secure freedom.

Verse 295

This verse was spoken to the monks, prompted by the Elder Lakuṇṭaka Bhaddiya, a riddle of the Dhamma continuing from the preceding verse.

This verse repeats the same meaning, but changes "the two kings" to two learned brahmins and adds the fifth — the tiger's path, which signifies the hindrance of doubt (vicikicchā-nīvaraṇa), the wavering uncertainty that obstructs the mind. One who destroys these is the brahmin — meaning the one whose taints are exhausted (khīṇāsava) — and he proceeds through life untroubled.

The lesson is that doubt and uncertainty in the Dhamma are like a fierce tiger's lair lying in ambush across the mind's journey. Whoever cuts through doubt with penetrating wisdom crosses beyond all dangers with courage.

Verse 296

This verse was spoken to the king and to Dārusākaṭika together with his family, prompted by Dārusākaṭika the firewood seller, to teach the value of mindful recollection of the Triple Gem.

The Buddha pointed out that those disciples of Gotama the Buddha who keep mindfulness of the Buddha established constantly, both day and night, are said to awaken well — awake both from sleep and from the intoxication of delusion. Their hearts are radiant and bright because they have a noble refuge to hold to.

The lesson is that recollection of the Buddha (buddhānussati) is a means of rousing the mind to be ever aware. One who diligently recollects the virtues of the Buddha has a bright and clear heart, unshaken by fear and gloom.

Verse 297

This verse was spoken to the king and to Dārusākaṭika together with his family, on the same occasion as the preceding verse, but the Buddha changed the object of recollection to the Dhamma.

Those disciples who keep mindfulness of the Dhamma established constantly, both day and night, are said to awaken well, because diligently reflecting on the Dhamma — the teaching that leads out of suffering — steadies the mind in what is right and good, so that it does not stray after the current of the defilements.

The lesson is that recollection of the Dhamma (dhammānussati) is like a candle's light illuminating the path of the mind. One who keeps the Dhamma as a frequent object has a reminder to live his life with heedfulness.

Verse 298

This verse was spoken to the king and to Dārusākaṭika together with his family, on the same occasion, pointing out the value of recollecting the Sangha.

Those disciples who keep mindfulness of the Sangha established constantly, both day and night, are said to awaken well, because recollecting the community of noble monks who practice well and rightly inspires the wish to follow in their footsteps and fills the heart with the warmth of faith.

The lesson is that recollection of the Sangha (saṅghānussati) reminds the heart that there is a community of fellow travelers journeying on the same path to freedom from suffering. When one recollects them, the heart has a refuge and an example to follow.

Verse 299

This verse was spoken to the king and to Dārusākaṭika together with his family, on the same occasion, pointing out the value of mindfulness of the body.

Those disciples who keep mindfulness of the body established constantly, both day and night — diligently contemplating the body as it truly is — are said to awaken well, because mindfulness of the body draws the heart away from delighting in and being deluded by illusory beauty.

The lesson is that keeping mindfulness with one's own body is a firm foundation of Dhamma practice. One who constantly watches over the body knows change as it happens, loosens clinging, and stays awake in every moment.

Verse 300

This verse was spoken to the king and to Dārusākaṭika together with his family, on the same occasion, pointing out the value of a mind that delights in non-harming.

Those disciples whose minds delight in non-harming constantly, both day and night, are said to awaken well, because a mind endowed with ahiṃsā (non-harming) — the compassion that intends no harm to others — is a cool and peaceful mind, free from the fire of anger and hatred.

The lesson is that non-harming is a noble abode of the heart. One grounded in loving-kindness and compassion sleeps in peace, wakes in peace, and spreads coolness and comfort to all living beings around him.

Verse 301

This verse was spoken to the king and to Dārusākaṭika together with his family, on the same occasion, as the closing verse of the set on awakening well.

Those disciples whose minds delight in meditation constantly, both day and night, are said to awaken well, because continually training the mind with calm (samatha) and insight (vipassanā) makes the mind awake, bright, and ever more flourishing in the way of Dhamma.

The lesson is that meditation is the training of the mind to be awake, not to slumber along with the defilements. One who delights in meditation is called one who is awake at every moment, even while all other people still sleep in heedlessness.

Verse 302

This verse was spoken to a monk who was a son of a Vajjian prince, prompted by this monk who had grown weary of the monastic life.

The Buddha pointed out the truth of both sides of life — the going forth is hard, because one must relinquish wealth and kin, offering one's life to the Dispensation; delight in the practice of the Dhamma is also hard; while the household life is suffering; living together with those with whom one does not agree is suffering; and the wanderer through the round of saṃsāra meets suffering without end. Therefore one should not be a wanderer in the round, nor should one fall into suffering.

The lesson is that every choice in life carries its own difficulty within it. The wise, therefore, do not pine for what they have left behind, but resolve to walk the path they have chosen to its very end, in order to escape the cycle of suffering.

Verse 303

This verse was spoken to the Elder Ānanda, prompted by Citta the householder, a lay devotee full of faith and virtue.

The Buddha pointed out that a person who has faith, is endowed with virtue, and is furnished with fame and wealth, wherever he goes, is revered and honored in that place, because inner goodness shines forth so that people accept and respect him. Here virtue refers to the virtue of a householder, and fame refers to being surrounded by a following.

The lesson is that true honor does not arise from wealth or position alone, but from faith and beautiful virtue within. One endowed with such qualities is beloved and becomes a refuge for others wherever he may be.

Verse 304

This verse was spoken to the fourfold assembly, prompted by Cūḷasubhaddā, whose faith remained strong even from afar, in order to show the difference between good people and bad.

The Buddha compared the good — virtuous people — who are clearly manifest even from afar, like the Himalayan mountains that can be seen from a great distance, with the wicked — evil people — who, though nearby, are not seen, like arrows shot in the night that cannot be perceived, because goodness shines by itself, while evil tends to hide in the dark.

The lesson is that goodness cannot be concealed; it spreads its renown far and wide of its own accord. Whoever wishes his life to have worth should therefore accumulate goodness, not merely craft a fleeting image for others to see.

Verse 305

This verse was spoken to the monks, prompted by an elder who delighted in dwelling alone, in praise of the value of living in solitude and seclusion.

The Buddha taught that a monk should delight in sitting alone and lying down alone, wandering alone without laziness, diligently taming himself alone, and delighting in the forest solitude, because seclusion is conducive to the practice of striving, keeping the mind from being scattered among crowds and disturbing noises.

The lesson is that living alone here is not lonely desolation, but dwelling with oneself mindfully, in order to train the heart to be calm and strong. One who knows the value of solitude and seclusion finds a joy that needs no reliance on outer things.