The Chapter about the Mind (DHP33-43)

An agitated, unsteady mind, difficult to guard, difficult to ward,
the sagacious one makes straight, as a fletcher does his arrow.

Like a fish thrown up on dry land, pulled out from its watery home,
the mind is agitated, one ought to throw off the sway of Māra.

For the mind that is difficult to subdue, flighty, flitting wherever it will,
restraint is good, a restrained mind brings happiness.

Hard to see, very subtle, flitting wherever it will,
the sage should guard the mind, a guarded mind brings happiness.

Those who will restrain the mind that roams far,
is lonesome, without a body, hidden, gain release from the bonds of Māra.

For the one with unsettled mind, who does not know the True Dhamma,
whose confidence is wavering, wisdom is unfulfilled.

For the one with mind free of lust, for the one with mind unperplexed,
for the one who has abandoned making merit and demerit, for the watchful, there is no fear.

Knowing this body is frail like a jar,
establishing the mind like a fortress,
fight Māra with the weapon of wisdom,
guard your success, and do not be attached.

Before long has passed by, alas, this body will lie on the ground,
rejected, without consciousness, just like a useless piece of wood.

Whatever an aggressor might do to an aggressor, or an enemy to an enemy –
a mind that is badly-directed can do far worse than that to him.

Mother and father might not do for him, or other relatives,
as much good as a mind that is well-directed can do for him.

Translated by Ānandajoti Bhikkhu.

2nd edition, November 2017.

The text and translation, together with detailed notes and discussions, may be found in multiple formats on the translator’s website, Ancient Buddhist Texts.

Used by kind permission of Bhikkhu Ānandajoti.

The original translation was released under the following licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Aminah Borg-Luck.