Dhammapada (Illustrated)
by Ven. Weagoda Sarada Maha Thero | 1993 | 341,201 words | ISBN-10: 9810049382 | ISBN-13: 9789810049386
This page describes The Story of an Anagami Venerable which is verse 218 of the English translation of the Dhammapada which forms a part of the Sutta Pitaka of the Buddhist canon of literature. Presenting the fundamental basics of the Buddhist way of life, the Dhammapada is a collection of 423 stanzas. This verse 218 is part of the Piya Vagga (Affection) and the moral of the story is 鈥淜eenly on Nibbana bent, from worldly pleasures freed. He is said to be upstream bound鈥�.
Verse 218 - The Story of an 础苍腻驳腻尘颈 Venerable
Pali text, illustration and English translation of Dhammapada verse 218:
肠丑补苍诲补箩腻迟辞 补苍补办办丑腻迟别 尘补苍补蝉腻 ca phu峁璷 siy膩 |
办腻尘别蝉耻 ca appa峁璱baddhacitto uddha峁僺oto'ti vuccati || 218 ||
218. One with a wish for the Undeclared, with mind so well-pervaded, a mind not bound in pleasures of sense, an 鈥榰pstream-goer鈥檚鈥� called.
 Keenly on Nibbana bent, from worldly pleasures freed. He is said to be upstream bound. |
The Story of an 础苍腻驳腻尘颈 Venerable
While residing at the Jetavana Monastery, the Buddha spoke this verse with reference to an elder who was an 补苍腻驳腻尘颈.
On one occasion, the pupils of the elder asked him whether he had attained any of the maggas; but he did not say anything, although he had attained the 补苍腻驳腻尘颈 magga, the third magga. He kept silent because he had resolved not to talk about his attainment until he had attained arahatship. But the thera passed away without attaining arahatship, and also without saying anything about his attainment of 补苍腻驳腻尘颈 magga insight.
His pupils thought their teacher had passed away without attaining any of the maggas and they felt sorry for him. They went to the Buddha and asked him where their teacher was reborn. The Buddha replied, 鈥淢onks! Your teacher, who was an 补苍腻驳腻尘颈 before he passed away, is now reborn in the abodes of the Br膩hmins (蝉耻诲诲丑腻惫腻蝉补 叠谤腻丑尘补濒辞办补). He did not reveal his attainment of 补苍腻驳腻尘颈 magga because he felt ashamed that he had achieved only that much, and he was ardently striving to attain arahatship. Your teacher is now freed from the attachment to the sensual world (办腻尘补濒辞办补) and will certainly rise to higher realms.鈥�
Explanatory Translation (Verse 218)
补苍补办办丑腻迟别 肠丑补苍诲补箩腻迟辞 尘补苍补蝉腻 phu峁璷 ca siy膩 办腻尘别蝉耻
appa峁璱baddhacitto ca uddha峁僺oto iti vuccati
补苍补办办丑腻迟别: (in whom) in the undefineable (狈颈产产腻苍补); 肠丑补苍诲补箩腻迟辞 [肠丑补苍诲补箩腻迟补]: yearning has arisen; 尘补苍补蝉腻: in mind; phu峁璷 ca siy膩: has also touched (狈颈产产腻苍补); 办腻尘别蝉耻: in desires; appa峁璱baddhacitto ca: also unattached; uddha峁僺oto iti: (such a person) is called; vuccati: upstream-bound
In that person a deep yearning for the undefined鈥揻or 狈颈产产腻苍补鈥揾as arisen. He has already touched it mentally. He is called a swimmer against the current鈥揳n upstream-bound person. He has already started the process towards 狈颈产产腻苍补.
Commentary and exegetical material (Verse 218)
础苍腻驳腻尘颈: the non-returner. The elder of this stanza had attained the path to 补苍腻驳腻尘颈 (non-returner status), but did not reveal it.
础苍腻驳腻尘颈 is a noble disciple (ariya-puggala) on the third stage of holiness. There are five classes of non-returners and it is said:
鈥淎 being through the disappearing of the five lower fetters (samyojana) reappears in a higher world (amongst the devas of the pure abodes, 蝉耻诲诲丑腻惫腻蝉补), and without returning from that world (into the sensuous sphere) he there reaches 狈颈产产腻苍补.
(1) 鈥淗e may, immediately after appearing there (in the 鈥楶ure Abodes鈥�) or without having gone beyond the half life-time, attain the holy path for the overcoming of the higher fetters. Such a being is called one who reaches 狈颈产产腻苍补 within the first half of the life (补苍迟补谤腻辫补谤颈苍颈产产腻测颈).
(2) 鈥淥r, whilst living beyond the half life-time, or at the moment of death, he attains the holy path for the overcoming of the higher fetters. Such a being is called one who reaches 狈颈产产腻苍补 after crossing half the life-time (upahacca-辫补谤颈苍颈产产腻测颈).
(3) 鈥淥r, with exertion he attains the holy path for the overcoming of the higher fetters. Such a being is called one who reaches 狈颈产产腻苍补 with exertion鈥� (sasankh膩ra-辫补谤颈苍颈产产腻测颈).
(4) 鈥淥r, without exertion he attains the holy path for the overcoming of the higher fetters. Such a being is called one who reaches 狈颈产产腻苍补 without exertion (asankh膩ra-辫补谤颈苍颈产产腻测颈).
(5) 鈥淥r, after vanishing from the heaven of the aviha-gods, (蝉耻诲诲丑腻惫腻蝉补), he appears in the heaven of the unworried (腻迟补辫辫补) gods. After vanishing from there he appears in the heaven of the clearly-visible (sudassa) gods, from there in the heaven of the clear-visioned (sudassi) gods, from there in the heaven of the highest (补办补苍颈峁弓丑补) gods. There he attains the holy path for the overcoming of the higher fetters. Such a being is called one who passes upstream to the highest gods (耻诲诲丑补峁僺辞迟补-补办补苍颈峁弓丑补-驳腻尘颈).鈥�