Dhammapada 22.5: 5. Dubbacabhikkhuvatthu

22.5.p1

Kuso yathāti imaṃ dhammadesanaṃ satthā jetavane viharanto aññataraṃ dubbacabhikkhuṃ ārabbha kathesi.

Even as a blade of grass. This religious instruction was given by the Teacher while he was in residence at Jetavana with reference to a certain insolent monk.

22.5.p2

Eko kira bhikkhu asañcicca ekaṃ tiṇaṃ chinditvā kukkucce uppanne ekaṃ bhikkhuṃ upasaṅkamitvā, ‘‘āvuso, yo tiṇaṃ chindati, tassa kiṃ hotī’’ti taṃ attanā katabhāvaṃ ārocetvā pucchi. Atha naṃ itaro ‘‘tvaṃ tiṇassa chinnakāraṇā kiñci hotīti saññaṃ karosi, na ettha kiñci hoti, desetvā pana muccatī’’ti vatvā sayampi ubhohi hatthehi tiṇaṃ luñcitvā aggahesi. Bhikkhū taṃ pavattiṃ satthu ārocesuṃ. Satthā taṃ bhikkhuṃ anekapariyāyena vigarahitvā dhammaṃ desento imā gāthā abhāsi –

The story goes that a certain monk thoughtlessly broke off a single blade of grass. His conscience troubled him about it, and so he went to a certain other monk, told him what he had done, and asked him the following question, "Brother, what happens to a monk who breaks off a blade of grass?" The other monk replied, "Evidently you think something happens to a man who breaks off a blade of grass, but such is not the case. One has but to confess what he has done and he is free." So saying, he himself seized a clump of grass with both his hands and pulled it up. The monks reported the incident to the Teacher. The Teacher rebuked that monk soundly, and preaching the Law, pronounced the following Stanzas,

22.5.311

‘‘Kuso yathā duggahito, hatthamevānukantati;
Sāmaññaṃ dupparāmaṭṭhaṃ, nirayāyupakaḍḍhati.

311. Even as a blade of grass awkwardly grasped cuts the hand,
So the work of a monk, badly handled, drags down to Hell.

22.5.312

‘‘Yaṃ kiñci sithilaṃ kammaṃ, saṃkiliṭṭhañca yaṃ vataṃ;
Saṅkassaraṃ brahmacariyaṃ, na taṃ hoti mahapphalaṃ.

312. A loose deed or a corrupt course
Or dubious chastity, brings no great fruit.

22.5.313

‘‘Kayirā ce kayirāthenaṃ, daḷhamenaṃ parakkame;
Sithilo hi paribbājo, bhiyyo ākirate raja’’nti.

313. If there is aught to be done, one should do it, one should do it with all his might,
For a lax wandering-ascetic but scatters dust the more.

22.5.313_2

Tattha kusoti yaṃ kiñci tikhiṇadhāraṃ tiṇaṃ antamaso tālapaṇṇampi, yathā so kuso yena duggahito, tassa hatthaṃ anukantati phāleti, evameva samaṇadhammasaṅkhātaṃ sāmaññampi khaṇḍasīlāditāya dupparāmaṭṭhaṃ nirayāyupakaḍḍhati, niraye nibbattāpetīti attho. Sithilanti olīyitvā karaṇena sithilagāhaṃ katvā kataṃ yaṃkiñci kammaṃ. Saṃkiliṭṭhanti vesiyādikesu agocaresu caraṇena saṃkiliṭṭhaṃ. Saṅkassaranti saṅkāhi saritabbaṃ, uposathakiccādīsu aññatarakiccena sannipatitampi saṅghaṃ disvā ‘‘addhā ime mama cariyaṃ ñatvā maṃ ukkhipitukāmāva sannipatitā’’ti evaṃ attano āsaṅkāhi saritaṃ ussaṅkitaṃ parisaṅkitaṃ. Na taṃ hotīti taṃ evarūpaṃ samaṇadhammasaṅkhātaṃ brahmacariyaṃ tassa puggalassa mahapphalaṃ na hoti, tassa mahapphalābhāveneva bhikkhadāyakānampissa na mahapphalaṃ hotīti attho. Kayirā ceti tasmā yaṃ kammaṃ kareyya, taṃ kareyyātheva. Daḷhamenaṃ parakkameti thirakatameva katvā avattasamādāno hutvā enaṃ kayirā. Paribbājoti sithilabhāvena kato khaṇḍādibhāvappatto samaṇadhammo. Bhiyyo ākirate rajanti abbhantare vijjamānaṃ rāgarajādiṃ evarūpo samaṇadhammo apanetuṃ na sakkoti, atha kho tassa upari aparampi rāgarajādiṃ ākiratīti attho.

22.5.313_3

Desanāvasāne bahū sotāpattiphalādīni pāpuṇiṃsu, sopi bhikkhu saṃvare ṭhatvā pacchā vipassanaṃ vaḍḍhetvā arahattaṃ pāpuṇīti.

22.5.313_4

Dubbacabhikkhuvatthu pañcamaṃ.