Verse 194

Dhammapada Verse 194

The Story of Many Bhikkhus

Once, five hundred bhikkhus were discussing the question "What constitutes happiness?" These bhikkhus realized that happiness meant different things to different people. Thus, they said, "To some people to have the riches and glory like that of a king's is happiness, to some people sensual pleasure is happiness, but to others to have good rice cooked with meat is happiness." While they were talking, the Buddha came in. After learning the subject of their talk, the Buddha said, "Bhikkhus, all the pleasures you have mentioned do not get you out of the round of rebirths. In this world, these constitute happiness: the arising of a Buddha, the opportunity to hear the Teaching of the Sublime Truth, and the harmony amongst the bhikkhus,"

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Sukho buddhanamuppado
sukha saddhammadesana
sukha sanghassa samaggi
samagganam tapo sukho.

Verse 194: Happy is the arising of a Buddha; happy is the exposition of the Ariya Dhamma; happy is the harmony amongst the Samgha; happy is the practice of those in harmony.

Verse 315

Dhammapada Verse 315

The Story of Many Bhikkhus

In the first month of their stay in that border town, the bhikkhus were well provided and well looked after by the townsfolk. During the next month the town was plundered by some robbers and some people were taken away as hostages. The people of the town, therefore, had to rehabilitate their town and reinforce fortifications. Thus, they were unable to look to the needs of the bhikkhus as much as they would like to and the bhikkhus had to fend for themselves. At the end of the vassa, those bhikkhus came to pay homage to the Buddha at the Jetavana monastery in Savatthi. On learning about the hardships they had undergone during the vassa, the Buddha said to them "Bhikkhus, do not keep thinking about this or anything else; it is always difficult to have a carefree, effortless living. Just as the townsfolk guard their town, so also, a bhikkhu should be on guard and keep his mind steadfastly on his body."

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Nagaram yatha paccantam
guttam santarabahiram
evam gopetha attanam¹
khano vo ma upaccaga
khanatita hi socanti
nirayamhi samappita.

Verse 315: As a border town is guarded both inside and outside, so guard yourself. Let not the right moment go by for those who miss this moment come to grief when they fall into niraya.

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1. evam gopetha attanam: so guard yourself; i.e., to guard the internal as well as the external senses. The six internal senses (sense bases) are eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind; the six external senses (sense objects) are visible object, sound, odour, taste, touch and idea.