Dhammadevaputtacariya

Cariyāpiṭaka

The Conduct Leading to Buddhahood

Hatthināgavagga

The Chapter on an Elephant

Sīlapāramī 8

The Perfection of Ethics (8th)

Dhammadevaputtacariya

The Deity Dhamma’s Conduct

“Punāparaṁ yadā homi,

“Then again when I was

mahāpakkho mahiddhiko;

of great retinue and psychic power,

Dhammo nāma mahāyakkho,

a great spirit named Dhamma,

sabbalokānukampako.

I had sympathy for the whole world.

Dasakusalakammapathe,

Establishing the populace

samādapento mahājanaṁ;

in the ten ways of skillful deeds,

Carāmi gāmanigamaṁ,

I wandered from village to town,

samitto saparijjano.

with friends and associates.

Pāpo kadariyo yakkho,

A wicked, miserly spirit

dīpento dasa pāpake;

promoting the ten wicked ways

Sopettha mahiyā carati,

was also wandering the earth

samitto saparijjano.

with friends and associates.

Dhammavādī adhammo ca,

The righteous and unrighteous,

ubho paccanikā mayaṁ;

we were each other’s foe.

Dhure dhuraṁ ghaṭṭayantā,

Slamming chariot poles,

samimhā paṭipathe ubho.

we collided together.

Kalaho vattatī bhesmā,

A dreadful quarrel ensued

kalyāṇapāpakassa ca;

between the good and the ill,

Maggā okkamanatthāya,

a great war loomed

mahāyuddho upaṭṭhito.

aiming to push the other off the road.

Yadihaṁ tassa kuppeyyaṁ,

If I had been upset with him,

yadi bhinde tapoguṇaṁ;

if I had broken my asceticism,

Sahaparijanaṁ tassa,

I could have reduced him to dust,

rajabhūtaṁ kareyyahaṁ.

together with his companions.

Api cāhaṁ sīlarakkhāya,

Nevertheless, for the sake of guarding my ethics,

nibbāpetvāna mānasaṁ;

I quelled my heart.

Saha janenokkamitvā,

I left the road with my folk,

pathaṁ pāpassa dāsahaṁ.

giving it to the wicked one.

Saha pathato okkante,

As soon as I stepped down off the path,

katvā cittassa nibbutiṁ;

and I had quelled my mind,

Vivaraṁ adāsi pathavī,

the earth opened up

pāpayakkhassa tāvade”ti.

for that wicked spirit.”

Dhammadevaputtacariyaṁ aṭṭhamaṁ.