Cittavagga

Khuddakanikāya

Minor Collection

Dhammapada

Sayings of the Dhamma 33–43

Cittavagga

3. The Mind

Meghiyattheravatthu

Phandanaṁ capalaṁ cittaṁ,

The mind quivers and quakes,

dūrakkhaṁ dunnivārayaṁ;

hard to guard, hard to curb.

Ujuṁ karoti medhāvī,

The discerning straighten it out,

usukārova tejanaṁ.

like a fletcher an arrow.

Vārijova thale khitto,

Like a fish pulled from the sea

okamokataubbhato;

and cast upon the shore,

Pariphandatidaṁ cittaṁ,

this mind flounders about,

māradheyyaṁ pahātave.

trying to throw off Māra’s dominion.

Aññatarabhikkhuvatthu

Dunniggahassa lahuno,

Hard to hold back, flighty,

yatthakāmanipātino;

alighting where it will;

Cittassa damatho sādhu,

it’s good to tame the mind;

cittaṁ dantaṁ sukhāvahaṁ.

a tamed mind leads to bliss.

Aññataraukkaṇṭhitabhikkhuvatthu

Sududdasaṁ sunipuṇaṁ,

So hard to see, so subtle,

yatthakāmanipātinaṁ;

alighting where it will;

Cittaṁ rakkhetha medhāvī,

the discerning protect the mind,

cittaṁ guttaṁ sukhāvahaṁ.

a guarded mind leads to bliss.

Saṅgharakkhitabhāgineyyattheravatthu

Dūraṅgamaṁ ekacaraṁ,

The mind travels far, wandering alone;

asarīraṁ guhāsayaṁ;

incorporeal, it lies hidden in the heart.

Ye cittaṁ saṁyamissanti,

Those who will restrain the mind

mokkhanti mārabandhanā.

are freed from Māra’s bonds.

Cittahatthattheravatthu

Anavaṭṭhitacittassa,

Those of unsteady mind,

saddhammaṁ avijānato;

who don’t understand the true teaching,

Pariplavapasādassa,

and whose confidence wavers,

paññā na paripūrati.

do not perfect their wisdom.

Anavassutacittassa,

One whose mind is not festering,

ananvāhatacetaso;

whose heart is undamaged,

Puññapāpapahīnassa,

who’s given up right and wrong,

natthi jāgarato bhayaṁ.

alert, has nothing to fear.

Pañcasatabhikkhuvatthu

Kumbhūpamaṁ kāyamimaṁ viditvā,

Knowing this body breaks like a pot,

Nagarūpamaṁ cittamidaṁ ṭhapetvā;

and fortifying the mind like a citadel,

Yodhetha māraṁ paññāvudhena,

attack Māra with the sword of wisdom,

Jitañca rakkhe anivesano siyā.

guard your conquest, and never settle.

Pūtigattatissattheravatthu

Aciraṁ vatayaṁ kāyo,

All too soon this body

pathaviṁ adhisessati;

will lie upon the earth,

Chuddho apetaviññāṇo,

bereft of consciousness,

niratthaṁva kaliṅgaraṁ.

tossed aside like a worthless log.

Nandagopālakavatthu

Diso disaṁ yaṁ taṁ kayirā,

A wrongly directed mind

verī vā pana verinaṁ;

would do you more harm

Micchāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ,

than a hater to the hated,

pāpiyo naṁ tato kare.

or an enemy to their foe.

Soreyyavatthu

Na taṁ mātā pitā kayirā,

A rightly directed mind

aññe vāpi ca ñātakā;

would do you more good

Sammāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ,

than your mother or father

seyyaso naṁ tato kare.

or any other relative.

Cittavaggo tatiyo.