The Contaminant Chapter (DHP235-255)

Collection of Minor Texts

Verses of Dhamma

The Contaminant Chapter

Now you are like a fallen leaf,

and Death's minions are near.

You stand at the starting point of a struggle,

and no provisions can be found for you.

Make an island for yourself,

quickly try to become wise;

one who has no contaminants and no flaws

will reach the divine state of the noble ones.

Now you are close to departing;

you are in the presence of Death.

You have nowhere to dwell here,

and no provisions can be found for you.

Make an island for yourself,

quickly try to become wise;

one who has no contaminants and no flaws

does not come again to birth and decrepitude.

Progressively,

bit by bit, moment after moment,

like a smith purifying silver,

the wise remove their contaminants.

When rust appears

it eats away the metal that produced it;

in the same way, a sanctimonious person

is led to a bad destination by their own actions.

Non-repetition contaminates mantras,

non-upkeep contaminates a house,

laziness contaminates beauty,

negligence contaminates security.

Misconduct contaminates a woman,

stinginess contaminates a donor,

evil choices contaminate

both this life and the next.

There is a contaminant that is even worse than that:

ignorance, the paramount contaminant.

Abandon this contaminant

and be free of contaminants, monks!

It is easy to lose one's conscience,

to act like an impudent and offensive crow,

obtrusive and inconsiderate,

living a defiled life.

It is not easy to maintain one's conscience,

always seeking to be impeccable,

one who is diligent and considerate,

insightful and living a life of purity.

One who kills,

lies,

steals,

commits adultery,

and drinks alcohol -

a person who engages in such activities

right here in this world

destroys their own foundation.

Therefore, you should know

that lack of restraint is evil;

do not let greed contrary to Dhamma

afflict you with long-lasting suffering.

People give because it brings

faith and joy.

One who is disturbed

when food and drink are given to others

does not gain concentration

by day and by night.

One who has shredded,

uprooted, and destroyed that attitude

gains concentration

by day and by night.

There is no fire as strong as passion,

no grasp as strong as aversion,

no trap as strong as delusion,

no river as strong as craving.

It is easy to see the faults of others,

and hard to see our own.

When we frequently expose

the faults of others

but conceal our own,

we are like a fraud cheating at dice.

When one looks at the faults of others

and is always looking to criticize,

one's defilements grow

and one is far the elimination of defilements.

There is no path in the sky,

there is no contemplative elsewhere.

People delight in complication,

whereas a Truth-Finder is free of complication.

There is no path in the sky,

there is no contemplative elsewhere.

There is nothing that is eternal,

and no agitation in Buddhas.