[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Indian literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in) › [Buddhist Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha) › [The Pāli Canon](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada) › [Basket of Discourses](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp) › [The Minor Collection](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka) › [Dhammapada](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.dhammapada) › [Commentary on the Dhammapada](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.dhammapada!dhammapadatthakatha) › 6.5.p16 # Verses on Dhamma 6.5.p16 Dhammapadaṭṭhakathā 6.5.p16 - **Language:** Pāli ### [6.5.p16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.dhammapada!dhammapadatthakatha.6.5.p16) Sāmaṇero upajjhāyena saddhiṃ gacchanto antarāmagge mātikaṃ disvā, ‘‘bhante, idaṃ kiṃ nāmā’’ti pucchi. ‘‘Mātikā nāma, sāmaṇerā’’ti. ‘‘Imāya kiṃ karontī’’ti? ‘‘Ito cito ca udakaṃ āharitvā attano sassakammaṃ sampādentī’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ pana, bhante, udakassa cittaṃ atthī’’ti? ‘‘Natthāvuso’’ti. ‘‘Evarūpaṃ acittakaṃ attano icchitaṭṭhānaṃ haranti, bhante’’ti? ‘‘Āmāvuso’’ti. So cintesi – ‘‘sace evarūpampi acittakaṃ attano icchiticchitaṭṭhānaṃ haritvā kammaṃ karonti, kasmā sacittakāpi cittaṃ attano vase vattetvā samaṇadhammaṃ kātuṃ na sakkhissantī’’ti. Atheso purato gacchanto usukāre saradaṇḍakaṃ aggimhi tāpetvā akkhikoṭiyā oloketvā ujukaṃ karonte disvā, ‘‘ime, bhante, ke nāmā’’ti pucchi. ‘‘Usukārā nāmāvuso’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ panete karontī’’ti? ‘‘Aggimhi tāpetvā saradaṇḍakaṃ ujuṃ karontī’’ti. ‘‘Sacittako, bhante, eso’’ti? ‘‘Acittako, āvuso’’ti. So cintesi – ‘‘sace acittakaṃ gahetvā aggimhi tāpetvā ujuṃ karonti, kasmā sacittakāpi attano cittaṃ vase vattetvā samaṇadhammaṃ kātuṃ na sakkhissantī’’ti. Atheso purato gacchanto dārūni araneminābhiādīni tacchante disvā, ‘‘bhante, ime ke nāmā’’ti pucchi. ‘‘Tacchakā nāmāvuso’’ti. ‘‘Kiṃ panete karontī’’ti? ‘‘Dārūni gahetvā yānakādīnaṃ cakkādīni karonti, āvuso’’ti. ‘‘Etāni pana sacittakāni, bhante’’ti? ‘‘Acittakāni, āvuso’’ti. Athassa etadahosi – ‘‘sace acittakāni kaṭṭhakaliṅgarāni gahetvā cakkādīni karonti, kasmā sacittakā attano cittaṃ vase vattetvā samaṇadhammaṃ kātuṃ na sakkhissantī’’ti. So imāni kāraṇāni disvā, ‘‘bhante, sace tumhākaṃ pattacīvare tumhe gaṇheyyātha, ahaṃ nivatteyya’’nti. Thero ‘‘ayaṃ adhunā pabbajito daharasāmaṇero maṃ anubandhamāno evaṃ vadetī’’ti cittaṃ anuppādetvāva ‘‘āhara, sāmaṇerā’’ti vatvā attano pattacīvaraṃ aggahesi. > As the novice proceeded with his preceptor he saw a ditch by the roadside. “What is that, Reverend Sir?” he asked. “That is called a ditch, novice.” “What do they use it for?” “They use it to lead the water this way and that, for irrigating their grain fields.” “But, Reverend Sir, has the water reason or bile?” “It has not, brother.” “Reverend Sir, can they lead anything like this, which lacks reason, to whatever place they desire?” “Yes, brother.” The novice thought to himself, “If they can lead even such a thing as this, which lacks reason, to whatever place they wish, why cannot also they that have reason bring their own reason under control of their own will and strive for the attainment of Arahatship?” > — Eugene Watson Burlingame 1921, Buddhist Legends (Harvard Oriental Series 28–30) > Proceeding farther, he saw arrow-makers heating reeds and sticks over the fire and straightening them by sighting with them out of the corner of their eye. “What are these men, Reverend Sir?” he asked. “They are arrow-makers, brother.” “What are they doing?” “They are heating reeds and sticks over the fire and straightening them.” “Have these reeds the power of reason, Reverend Sir?” “They are without the power of reason, brother.” The novice thought to himself, “If they can take these reeds, which are without the power of reason, and straighten them by heating them over the fire, why cannot also creatures who have reason bring their own reason under control and strive for the attainment of Arahatship?” > — Eugene Watson Burlingame 1921, Buddhist Legends (Harvard Oriental Series 28–30) > Proceeding yet farther, he saw carpenters fashioning spokes, rims, naves, and other parts of wheels. “Reverend Sir, what are these men?” he asked. “These men are carpenters, brother.” “What are they doing?” “Out of pieces of wood they make wheels and other parts of carts and other vehicles, brother.” “But do these objects possess reason, Reverend Sir?” “No, brother, they are without the power of reason.” Then this thought occurred to the novice, “If they can take these senseless logs of wood and make wheels and so forth out of them, why cannot also creatures who have the power of reason bring their own reason under control and strive for the attainment of Arahatship?” > — Eugene Watson Burlingame 1921, Buddhist Legends (Harvard Oriental Series 28–30) > Having seen all these things, the novice said to the Elder, “Reverend Sir, if you will be so good as to take your bowl and robe, I should like to turn back.” The Elder, not allowing himself to think, “This young novice who has but just been received into the Order addresses me as if I were a lesser Buddha," said, "Bring them, novice," and took his own bowl and robe. The novice paid obeisance to the Elder and turned back, saying, "Reverend Sir, when you bring me food, be kind enough to bring me only the choicest portions of redfish." "Where shall we get them, brother?" "Reverend Sir, if you cannot obtain them through your own merit, you will succeed in obtaining them through my merit." > — Eugene Watson Burlingame 1921, Buddhist Legends (Harvard Oriental Series 28–30) - [Previous: 6.5.p15](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.dhammapada!dhammapadatthakatha.6.5.p15) - [Next: 6.5.p17](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.dhammapada!dhammapadatthakatha.6.5.p17) - [Up: 6.5](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.dhammapada!dhammapadatthakatha.6.5) ## Translations (1) - [Buddhist Legends (Harvard Oriental Series 28–30)](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.dhammapada!dhammapadatthakatha~en-burlingame.6.5.p36) — Eugene Watson Burlingame 1921, English ## Linked texts (1) - [Dhammapada](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.dhammapada.80) — Pāli --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.dhammapada!dhammapadatthakatha.6.5.p16](https://indike.org/pramana/in.bauddha.theravada.sp.khuddaka.dhammapada!dhammapadatthakatha.6.5.p16) · Pramāṇa