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[1] Cf. vv. 229-30.
[2] Nma rpa, a traditional Vedic term for "mind and Matter," the immortal and the perishable, borrowed by the Buddha to stand for the mental and bodily compound in the individual, cf. Buddhist Psychology, Mrs. C.A. Rhys-Davids, pp. 23-5.
[3] The body with its needs and passions (water in the boat) hampers the progress across the stream.
I. The first five fetters of delusion of self, doubt, ceremonial observance, lust and ill-will.
II. The second five fetters of desire for form, desire for the formless, pride, vanity and ignorance.
III. If the verb of the third clause, vuttaribhvaye, be translated "pay attention to," as is possible, the meaning will be, "develop the five good qualities of faith, zeal, concentration, meditation, wisdom."
IV. This may refer to the second five fetters, by throwing off which one becomes an Arahat.
[5] "Toss thee," reading kmagun bhamisu (for kmagune bhamassu) as Prof. Dines Andersen suggests (p. 192, Glossary to Dhammapada. Pt. 2).
[6] Cf. v. 107. One of the tortures in the hells.
[7] "ecstasy," jhna. There are four stages of mystic meditation leading to rebirth in the higher worlds.
[8] "Empty cell," suññgram, may refer to the meditation in the "cave of the heart," when all thought vibrations are stilled, cf. v. 37.
[9] "The rise and fall," reading udayavyayam. cf. v. 113.
[10] 'immortality': viz.: 'the Ambrosial'.
383.
Cut off the stream,[1] O Brhmana, right manfully;
Repel desires; when thou hast known the end
Of things conditioned, thou shalt be
A knower of the Uncreate.[2]
384.
When by the twofold law (restraint and ecstasy),
By virtue of the knowledge he hath gained,
The Brhmana hath crossed the stream;
Then every fetter falls away.
385.
Whoso the stream hath crossed and from this shore hath passed,[3]
Free from all cares, unfettered; one to whom
This shore and that alike are naught;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
386.
Whoso dwells meditiative, passionless,
And free from all Taints, his course hath run,
Whoso hath won the highest Goal—
Him I deem a Brmaa.
387.
"One who is rid of evil" is a Brmaa;
Samaa is one who tranquil hath become;
"Gone forth from all impurity";
The hermit is pabbajj called.[4]
388.
Let not a Brhmaa assail a Brhmaa;
Nor let him with the assailant angry be,
Woe to the striker; greater woe
To him that, stricken, strikes again.
390.
No little profit cometh to the Brhmaa
Who hath his mind from pleasant things restrained;
Soon as the lust to harm is gone
All sorrowing is laid to rest.
391.
Whoso offendeth not in thought and word and deed,
In whom no evil from these three is seen;
Whoso is in these three controlled;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
392.
If there be one from whom thou canst obtain the Norm
Which He, the All-Awakened One, declared,
Revere him, as a Brhmaa
The sacrificial fire reveres.
393.
Not matted hair, nor caste, nor noble birth can make
The Brhmaa; but he that knows the truth
And knows the Norm, is blest indeed;
And him I deem a Brhmaa.
394.
Of what avail to thee, O fool, is matted hair?
And what avails thy garment made of skins?
The outer part thou makest clean,
But all is ravening within.[5]
395.
Whoso wears rags from dustheaps picked, whoso is lean,
With veins o'erspread, who in the jungle dwells
And meditates in loneliness;[6]
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
396.
One is not Brhmaa because of race or birth;
"Hail-fellow" is such called, and riches hath.[7]
Possessing naught, free from desire
Is one I call a Brhmaa.
397.
Whoso hath cut all fetters off and hath no fear
Of what may him befall; whoso from bonds
And all attachments is released;
Is one I call a Brhmaa.
398.
Whoso hath cut the strap, the leathern thong, the ropes[8]
And all thereto pertaining, and the bar
Hath lifted; him, the Awakened one;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
399.
He who endures, tho' innocent of all offence,
Abuse and blows and e'en imprisonment
With patience strong, a host in strength;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
400.
Who hath no anger, who to all his vows is true,
Upright in life, from passion free, subdued,
No more on earth to be reborn;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
401.
Who like a dew-drop on a lotus-lily leaf,
Or seed of mustard on a needle's point,
Clings not to any worldly bliss;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
402.
Who knoweth even in this world his sorrow's end,
Who bath laid down the burden of desire,
Emancipated from his bonds;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
403.
Whoso is deep in wisdom and intelligence,
Who can with skill discern the right and wrong,
Who hath attained the highest goal;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
404.
Whoso with householders and wanderers alike
Small dealings hath, who lives the homeless life,
A mendicant of scanty needs;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
405.
Whoso withholds the rod of painful punishment
From living creatures, be they weak or strong,
Who neither strikes nor makes to strike,
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
406.
Whoso forbearance hath to those that hinder him,
And to the angry showeth gentleness,
Among the greedy without greed;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
407.
From whom all anger, hate, hypocrisy and pride
Have fall'n away, as from a needle's point
A grain of mustard-seed falls off;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
408.
Gentle in ways and apt to teach his fellow-men,
Whoso will utter truth and naught but truth,
Whoso in speech offendeth not;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
409.
He that takes nothing in this world that is not given,
Whatever it may be, or great or small,
Or long or short or good or bad;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
410.
In whom is seen no more the longing of desire
For this world or beyond, who hath no lust,
Who hath no fetters any more;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
411.
In whom is seen no craving, who, because he knows,
Asks not in doubt the How or Why, for he
Hath reached Nibbna's peace profound;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
412.
Whoso on earth hath passed beyond the opposites
Of good and evil, and is free from grief,
From passion and impurity;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
413.
Who, like the moon on high, is stainless, pure and calm,
Translucent and serene, who hath restrained
The rise of all delightful states;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
414.
Whoso hath trod the hard and muddy road of births,
Hath crossed delusion, reached the other shore,
Nor lusts, nor doubts, grasps not, is calm,
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
415.
Who homeless wanders through this world, a mendicant,
Abandoning desires, who hath restrained
The rise of sensual delight;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
416.
Who homeless wanders through this world a mendicant,
Abandoning his lust; who hath restrained
The rise of craving and desire;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
417.
Whoso hath left behind all ties that bind on earth,
And e'en the heavenly world transcended hath;
Whoso from every tie is free;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
415.
Who joy and pain hath left, who from the heat of life
Is cooled, and hath no basis of rebirth,
Heroic conqueror of the worlds;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
419.
Who knows the rise and fall of things in birth and death,
Who is not of the world, who hath the path
Well trod, who hath become awake;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
420.
Whose passage[9] hence the gods themselves cannot discern,
Nor demi-gods nor men; a worthy one
In whom the passions are subdued;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
421.
To whom pertaineth naught of past or future things
Or of the present; one who owneth naught,
Who hath no wish for anything;
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
422.
Dauntless,[10] pre-eminent, heroic mighty seer,
The conqueror, desireless one, made clean,[11]
Whose eyes have opened to the light,[12]
Him I deem a Brhmaa.
423.
Who knows his former births, who sees both heaven and hell,[13]
Who now at last hath reached the end of births;
Perfect in knowledge he who hath done all things well,
That sage I call a Brhmaa.
