5. Careful observance of moral duties (T211.5)

About forty or fifty li to the south of Benares there was formerly a mountain in which five Shamans dwelt, practising religious discipline. Every morning they used to leave their abode and go a-begging for their food, and then return to the mountain, sometimes, however, not till late in the evening, after which they gave themselves up to strict meditation. And yet, though years had passed by, they had not attained to Reason (Bōdhi). Buddha, pitying their condition, transformed himself into a religious man, and going to their abode, asked them, saying. Have you attained the object of your religious exercises or not? And then the ascetics explained that, although they had strictly adhered to the rules of their profession, and daily practised self-denial and meditation, yet they had failed to arrive at the end, i.e., true peace and rest. On this, the stranger desired them to remain in their abode on the morrow, and let him bring them their food, and so rest themselves awhile; and so for several successive days he supplied their wants, whilst they were on their part filled with satisfaction, and enabled to rise above the mere formal attention to duty; and then the stranger added these lines, and said:

“The Bhikshu, who adheres to the strict rules of a religious life, who guards and controls all his senses, takes his food in moderation, sleeps according to necessity, by these rules subduing his mind, keeping his thoughts in close subjection, inwardly enlightened by wisdom and meditation, never forsaking the right path (path of Bōdhi): thus inwardly illumined, observing the rules of right conduct, satisfied as to the character of true wisdom, proceeding onward in the path of daily duty, this man, at rest in himself, shall get rid of all sorrow.”

The stranger having thus spoken, lo! the glorious body of Buddha shone forth, and the five men were converted, and obtained the condition of Rahats.

Translated from the Chinese by Samuel Beal, 1878.

Texts from the Buddhist canon, commonly known as Dhammapada, with accompanying narratives

Published by Trübner & Co, Ludgate Hill, London, 1878.

Translated by the Shamans Fā-Kheu and Fā-Lih, of the Western Tsin Dynasty.

Original book can be downloaded at https://archive.org/details/textsfrombuddhis00beal.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Yasoj and Ven. Vimala.