The Chapter about Monastics (DHP360-382)

Restraint of eye is good, restraint of ear is good,
restraint of nose is good, restraint of tongue is good,
restraint of body is good, restraint of speech is good,
restraint of mind is good, restraint is everywhere good,
a monastic who is restrained everywhere is liberated from all suffering.

One who controls his hands, controls his feet,
controls his speech, controls the mind supreme,
with inner delight and composure,
solitary, content: that one is called a monastic.

That monastic who restrains the mouth, who speaks well, and who is modest,
who explains the meaning of the Dhamma, his speech is sweet.

The one who finds pleasure in the Dhamma, delights in Dhamma, reflects on Dhamma,
the monastic who remembers Dhamma, does not abandon the Good Dhamma.

One should not despise one’s own gains, one should not live envious of others,
the monastic who is envious of others does not attain concentration.

Even if a monastic gains little he should not despise his gains,
even the very gods praise the one of pure life who is diligent.

The one who does not have fondness at all for mind and body,
and who grieves not for what does not exist, is surely called a monastic.

That monastic who dwells in loving-kindness, with faith in Buddha’s dispensation,
should attain the state of peace, the joy in stilling of all conditions.

Please bail out this boat, monastic, when bailed out it will go lightly,
cutting off passion and hatred, from here one will go to Nibbāna.

One should cut off five, one should abandon five, one should cultivate five more,
the monastic who surmounts five attachments is called a flood-crosser.

Meditate, monastic, do not be heedless,
do not let your mind swirl around in strands of desire,
do not, heedless, swallow a hot iron ball,
do not, while burning, cry: ‘This is suffering.’

There is no concentration for one without wisdom, there is no wisdom for one without concentration,
the one who has both concentration and wisdom is indeed in the presence of Nibbāna.

For the one who has entered an empty place, a monastic with a peaceful mind,
there is superhuman delight from insight into true Dhamma.

Whoever has right mindfulness regarding the rise and fall of the components of mind and body
gains joy and happiness, that is the deathless state for the one who knows.

This is the very beginning for the wise monastic here:
contentment, guarding the senses, and restraint in the regulations.

One should resort to spiritual friends, ones of pure life, ones who are diligent,
one should be of friendly disposition, one who will be skilful in his conduct,
rejoicing frequently because of that, one will make an end to suffering.

Just as striped jasmine casts off its withered flowers,
so, monastics, cast off all passion and hatred.

Calm in body and calm in speech, having calmness and composure,
having thrown off worldly gain the monastic is called one at peace.

By oneself one should censure self, by oneself one should be controlled,
he who guards himself, mindful, will live happily, monastic.
Self is the protector of self, self is the refuge of self,
therefore one should restrain oneself, as a merchant his noble horse.

The monastic, having much happiness, with faith in the dispensation of the Buddha,
could attain to the state of peace, happy in the stilling of all conditions.

That young monastic who is devoted to the Buddha’s dispensation,
shines forth in this world, like the moon freed from a cloud.

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.