Indian stream·Pāli Tipiṭaka·Dhammapada·Chapter XXV. The Bhikshu (Mendicant).

Source context

Theme

conduct, inner restraint, and liberation-qualities of the homeless mendicant (bhikshu) on the path to nirvana

Soul-faculty

Consciousness Soul

Steiner

not engaged in the GA corpus

Cross-tradition

• Christian monasticismThe bhikshu's renunciation of possessions, begging-discipline, and cultivation of inner stillness shows cross-tradition congruence with the mendicant ideal in Christian mendicant orders (Franciscan, Dominican), where poverty and detachment are structural prerequisites for contemplative development.
• Vedantic sannyasaThe bhikshu's stage of homeless wandering and radical non-attachment to results shows cross-tradition congruence with the sannyasa ashrama in Vedantic tradition, where renunciation of household life marks the final stage of spiritual realization.
• Sufi faqr (spiritual poverty)The chapter's emphasis on inward emptying as the ground of freedom shows cross-tradition congruence with the Sufi concept of faqr, in which poverty of self is the condition for the divine presence to fill the soul.

Chapter XXV. The Bhikshu (Mendicant).

CHAPTER XXV.

THE BHIKSHU (MENDICANT).

360Restraint in the eye is good, good is restraint in the ear, in the nose restraint is good, good is restraint in the tongue.

361In the body restraint is good, good is restraint in speech, in thought restraint is good, good is restraint in all things. A Bhikshu, restrained in all things, is freed from all pain.

362He who controls his hand, he who controls his feet, he who controls his speech, he who is well controlled, he who delights inwardly, who is collected, who is solitary and content, him they call Bhikshu.

363The Bhikshu who controls his mouth, who speaks wisely and calmly, who teaches the meaning and the law, his word is sweet.

364He who dwells in the law, delights in the law, meditates on the law, follows the law, that Bhikshu will never fall away from the true law.

365Let him not despise what he has received,
[363. On artha and dharma, see Stanislas Julien, Les Avadânas, I, 217, note; 'Les quatre connaissances sont; 1° la connaissance du sens (artha); 2° la connaissance de la Loi (dharma); 3° la connaissance des explications (niroukti); 4° la connaissance de l'intelligence (prâtibhâna).'

364The expression dhammârâmo, 'having his garden or delight (Lustgarten) in the law,' is well matched by the Brahmanic expression ekârâma, i.e. nirdvandva (Mahâbh. XIII, 1930). Cf. Suttanipâta, v. 326; Dhammapada, v. 32.]
nor ever envy others: a mendicant who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.

366A Bhikshu who, though he receives little, does not despise what he has received, even the gods will praise him, if his life is pure, and if he is not slothful.

367He who never identifies himself with name and form, and does not grieve over what is no more, he indeed is called a Bhikshu.

368The Bhikshu who acts with kindness, who is calm in the doctrine of Buddha, will reach the quiet place (Nirvâ*n*a), cessation of natural desires, and happiness.

369O Bhikshu, empty this boat! if emptied, it will go quickly; having cut off passion and hatred thou wilt go to Nirvâ*n*a.

370Cut off the five (senses), leave the five, rise above the five. A Bhikshu, who has escaped from the five fetters, he is called Oghati*nn*a, 'saved from the flood.'

371Meditate, O Bhikshu, and be not heedless! Do not direct thy thought to what gives pleasure that thou mayest not for thy heedlessness have to swallow the iron ball (in hell), and that thou mayest not cry out when burning, 'This is pain.'
[367. Nâmarûpa is here used again in its technical sense of mind and body, neither of which, however, is with the Buddhists âtman, or 'self.' Asat, 'what is not,' may therefore mean the same as nâmarûpa, or we may take it in the sense of what is no more, as, for instance, the beauty or youth of the body, the vigour of the mind, &c.

368See Childers, Notes, p. 11.

371The swallowing of hot iron balls is considered as a punishment in hell; see verse 308. Professor Weber has perceived the right meaning of bhavassu, which can only be bhâvayasva, but I doubt whether the rest of his rendering is right, for who would swallow an iron ball by accident?]

372Without knowledge there is no meditation, without meditation there is no knowledge: he who has knowledge and meditation is near unto Nirvâ*n*a.

373A Bhikshu who has entered his empty house, and whose mind is tranquil, feels a more than human delight when he sees the law clearly.

374As soon as he has considered the origin and destruction of the elements (khandha) of the body, he finds happiness and joy which belong to those who know the immortal (Nirvâ*n*a).

375And this is the beginning here for a wise Bhikshu: watchfulness over the senses, contentedness, restraint under the law; keep noble friends whose life is pure, and who are not slothful.

376Let him live in charity, let him be perfect in his duties; then in the fulness of delight he will make an end of suffering.

377As the Vassika plant sheds its withered flowers, men should shed passion and hatred, O ye Bhikshus!

378The Bhikshu whose body and tongue and mind are quieted, who is collected, and has rejected the baits of the world, he is called quiet.

379Rouse thyself by thyself, examine thyself by thyself, thus self-protected and attentive wilt thou live happily, O Bhikshu!

380For self is the lord of self, self is the refuge of self; therefore curb thyself as the merchant curbs a good horse.
[372. Cf. Beal, Catena, p. 247.

375Cf. Suttanipâta, v. 337.]

381The Bhikshu, full of delight, who is calm in the doctrine of Buddha will reach the quiet place (Nirvâ*n*a), cessation of natural desires, and happiness.

382He who, even as a young Bhikshu, applies himself to the doctrine of Buddha, brightens up this world, like the moon when free from clouds.
[381. See verse 368. D'Alwis translates, 'dissolution of the sa n khâras (elements of existence).']

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