Verses 345 and 346

Dhammapada Verses 345 and 346

The Story on Imprisonment

One day, thirty bhikkhus came into Savatthi for alms-food. While they were on their alms-round, they saw some prisoners being brought out with their hands and legs in chains. Back at the monastery, after relating what they had seen in the morning, they asked the Buddha whether there were any other bonds stronger than these. To them the Buddha answered, "Bhikkhus! These bonds are nothing compared to those of craving for food and clothing, for riches and for family. Craving is a thousand times, a hundred thousand times stronger than those chains, hand-cuffs and cages. That is the reason why the wise cut off craving and renounce the world and enter the Order of the bhikkhus."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Na tam dalham bandhanamahu dhira
yadayasam darujapabbajanca
sarattaratta manikundalesu
puttesu daresu ca ya apekkha.

Etam dalham bandhanamahu dhira
oharinam sithilam duppamuncam
etampi chetvana paribbajanti
anapekkhino kamasukham pahaya.

Verses 345 & 346: The wise do not say that bonds made of iron, of wood, and of hemp are strong bonds; they say that only passionate attachment to and care for gems and jewelry, children and wives are strong bonds. These drag one down (to lower planes of existence) and although they seem yielding are difficult to unfasten. The wise, cutting off this bond (of craving) and resolutely giving up sensual pleasures, renounce the world.