Verses 338 to 343

Dhammapada Verses 338 to 343

The Story of a Young Sow

On one occasion, while the Buddha was on an alms-round at Rajagaha, he saw a young dirty sow and smiled. When asked by the Venerable Ananda, the Buddha replied,"Ananda, this young sow was a hen during the time of Kakusandha Buddha. As she was then staying near a refectory in a monastery she used to hear the recitation of the sacred text and the discourses on the Dhamma. When she died she was reborn as a princess. On one occasion, while going to the latrine, the princess noticed the maggots and she became mindful of the loathsomeness of the body, etc. When she died she was reborn in the Brahma realm as a puthujjana brahma but later due to some evil kamma, she was reborn as a sow. Ananda! Look, on account of good and evil kamma there is no end of the round of existences."

Then the Buddha spoke in verses as follows:

Yathapi mule anupaddave dalhe
chinnopi rukkho punareva ruhati
evampi tanhanusaye anuhate
nibbattati dukkhamidam punappunam.

Verse 338: Just as a tree with roots undamaged and firm grows again even though cut down, so also, if latent craving is not rooted out, this dukkha (of birth, ageing and death) arises again and again.

Yassa chattimsati sota
manapasavana bhusa
maha vahanti dudditthim
sankappa raganissita.

Verse 339: That man of wrong views, in whom the thirty-six streams (of craving) that flow towards pleasurable objects are strong, is carried away by his many thoughts connected with passion.

Savanti sabbadhi sota
lati uppajja titthati
tanca disva latam jatam
mulam pannaya chindatha.

Verse 340: The stream of craving flows towards all sense objects; the creeper of craving arises (at the six sense-doors) and fixes itself (on the six sense objects). Seeing that creeper of craving growing, cut off its roots with Magga Insight.

Saritani sinehatani ca
somanassani bhavanti jantuno
te satasita sukhesino
te ve jatijarupaga nara.

Verse 341: In beings, there flows happiness that is smeared with craving; those beings attached to pleasure and seeking pleasure are, indeed, subject to birth and ageing.

Tasinaya purakkhata paja
parisappanti sasova bandhito
samyojanasangasattaka
dukkhamupenti punappunam ciraya.

Verse 342: People beset with craving are terrified like a hare caught in a snare; held fast by fetters and bonds they undergo dukkha (round of rebirths) again and again, for a long time.

Tasinaya purakkhata paja
parisappanti sasova bandhito
tasma tasinam vinodaye
akankhanta viragamattano.

Verse 343: People beset with craving are terrified like a hare caught in a snare. Therefore, One who wishes to free himself from craving should eradicate craving.