DHAMMAPADA - Chitta Waggaya (English)

Phandanaṃ capalaṃ cittaṃ,
dūrakkhaṃ dunnivārayaṃ;
Ujuṃ karoti medhāvī,
usukārova tejanaṃ.

33. The mind is so fickle and agitated. It is very difficult to protect and very challenging to guard from evil. The wise person straightens his mind as an arrow maker straightens an arrow shaft.

Vārijova thale khitto,
okamo­kata­ub­bhato;
Pari­phanda­ti­daṃ cittaṃ,
māradheyyaṃ pahātave.

34. Like a fish that is pulled out of the water and thrown on the dry ground thrashes about and quivers, the mind thrashes about from thought to thought. That is why one should try to escape from the realm of Māra.

Dunniggahassa lahuno,
yattha­kā­ma­nipātino;
Cittassa damatho sādhu,
cittaṃ dantaṃ sukhāvahaṃ.

35. The mind is so difficult to subdue. It is unreliable. It seizes whatever it desires. Good indeed, it is to tame such a mind. A tamed mind brings happiness.

Sududdasaṃ sunipuṇaṃ,
yattha­kā­ma­nipāti­naṃ;
Cittaṃ rakkhetha medhāvī,
cittaṃ guttaṃ sukhāvahaṃ.

36. It is so difficult to detect the true nature of the mind. The mind is extremely subtle and seizes whatever it desires. A guarded mind brings happiness.

Dūraṅgamaṃ ekacaraṃ,
asarīraṃ guhāsayaṃ;
Ye cittaṃ saṃyamissanti,
mokkhanti mārabandhanā.

37. The mind dwells in the cave of the heart. It is without a body and wanders far and alone. Those who restrain this mind will be freed from Māra’s bonds.

Ana­vaṭṭhi­ta­cittassa,
saddhammaṃ avijānato;
Parip­lava­pasādassa,
paññā na paripūrati.

38. If one’s mind is not firm in the Dhamma practice, if he does not know true Dhamma, and if his faith wavers, his wisdom never matures.

Ana­vassu­ta­cittassa,
anan­vāha­ta­cetaso;
Puñña­pāpa­pahīnassa,
natthi jāgarato bhayaṃ.

39. Because the mind of the energetic meditator is not soaked by lust, nor afflicted by hate—and because he has gone beyond both merit and demerit—there is no fear in him at all.

Kumbhūpamaṃ kāyamimaṃ viditvā,
Nagarūpamaṃ cittamidaṃ ṭhapetvā;
Yodhetha māraṃ paññāvudhena,
Jitañca rakkhe anivesano siyā.

40. Realizing that this body is as fragile as a clay pot, guarding the mind like a well-guarded city, one should battle Māra with the sword of wisdom. Then, one should protect what has been won, and never find a resting place in this journey of rebirths.

Aciraṃ vatayaṃ kāyo,
pathaviṃ adhisessati;
Chuddho apetaviññāṇo,
niratthaṃva kaliṅgaraṃ.

41. This body indeed will not last long. Once the consciousness is released from the body, it will be cast aside and lie on the ground, like a useless log.

Diso disaṃ yaṃ taṃ kayirā,
verī vā pana verinaṃ;
Micchā­paṇi­hitaṃ cittaṃ,
pāpiyo naṃ tato kare.

42. Whatever harm an enemy does to an enemy or a hater to a hater, a wrongly directed mind does greater harm to oneself.

Na taṃ mātā pitā kayirā,
aññe vāpi ca ñātakā;
Sammāpaṇihitaṃ cittaṃ,
seyyaso naṃ tato kare.

43. Neither mother, nor father, nor any other relative can help one establish one’s mind on the Dhamma. One becomes a great person due to one’s well directed mind.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!