the blissful stilling of conditions.
Bail out this boat, mendicant!
When bailed out it will float lightly.
Having cut off desire and hate,
you shall reach extinguishment.
Five to cut, five to drop,
and five more to develop.
When a mendicant slips five chains
they’re said to have crossed the flood.
Practice absorption, don’t be negligent!
Don’t let the mind delight in the senses!
Don’t heedlessly swallow a hot iron ball!
And when it burns, don’t cry, “Oh, the pain!”
No absorption for one without wisdom,
no wisdom for one without absorption.
But one with absorption and wisdom—
they have truly drawn near to extinguishment.
A mendicant who enters an empty hut
with mind at peace
finds a superhuman delight
as they rightly discern the Dhamma.
Whenever they are mindful
of the rise and fall of the aggregates,
they feel rapture and joy:
that is freedom from death for one who knows.
This is the very start of the path
for a wise mendicant here:
guarding the senses, contentment,
and restraint in the monastic code.
Mix with spiritual friends,
who are tireless and pure of livelihood.
Share what you have with others,
being skillful in your conduct.
And when you’re full of joy,
you’ll make an end to suffering.
As a jasmine sheds
its withered flowers,
O mendicants,
shed greed and hate.
Calm in body, calm in speech,
peaceful and serene;
a mendicant who’s spat out the world’s bait
is said to be one at peace.
Urge yourself on,
reflect on yourself.
A mendicant self-controlled and mindful
will always dwell in happiness.
Self is indeed the lord of self,
for who else would be one’s lord?
Self is indeed the home of self,
so restrain yourself,
as a merchant his thoroughbred steed.
A monk full of joy
trusting in the Buddha’s teaching,
would realize the peaceful state,
the blissful stilling of conditions.
A young mendicant
devoted to the Buddha’s teaching,
lights up the world,
like the moon freed from clouds.
Minor Collection
Sayings of the Dhamma 383–423
26. Brahmins
Cut the stream, striving!
Cast aside sensual pleasures, brahmin.
Knowing the ending of conditions,
know the uncreated, brahmin.
When a brahmin has gone beyond
dualistic phenomena,
then they consciously
make an end of all fetters.
One for whom there is no crossing over
or crossing back, or crossing over and back;
stress-free, detached,
that’s who I declare a brahmin.
Absorbed, rid of hopes,
their task completed, without defilements,
arrived at the highest goal:
that’s who I declare a brahmin.
The sun blazes by day,
the moon radiates at night,
the aristocrat shines in armor,
and the brahmin shines in absorption.
But all day and all night,
the Buddha blazes with glory.
A brahmin’s so-called since they’ve banished evil,
an ascetic’s so-called since they live a serene life.
One who has renounced all stains
is said to be a “renunciant”.
One should never strike a brahmin,
nor should a brahmin retaliate.
Woe to the one who hurts a brahmin,
and woe for the one who retaliates.
Nothing is better for a brahmin
than to hold their mind back from attachment.
From wherever a cruel wish recoils,
right there suffering subsides.
Who does nothing wrong
by body, speech or mind,
restrained in these three respects,