Verse 378

Dhammapada Verse 378

The Story of Thera Santakaya

There was once a Thera named Santakaya, who had been a lion in his past existence. It is said that lions usually go out in search of food one day and then rest in a cave for the next seven days without moving. Thera Santakaya, having been a lion in his last existence, behaved very much like a lion. He moved about very little; his moments were slow and steady; and he was usually calm and composed. Other bhikkhus took his behaviour to be very queer and they reported about him to the Buddha. After hearing the account given by the bhikkhus, the Buddha said to all of them "Bhikkhus! A bhikkhu should be calm and composed; he should behave like Santakaya."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Santakayo santavaco
santava susamahito
vantalokamiso bhikkhu
"Upasanto" ti vuccati.

Verse 378: The bhikkhu who is calm in body, calm in speech, and calm in mind, who is well-composed and has given up (lit., vomited) worldly pleasures, is called a "Tranquil One".