Verses detailing the conduct needed to reach the ultimate goal. The teaching contrasts the impulsive and negligent with the steadfast mind, emphasizing the importance of honoring teachers, abandoning defilements, and establishing oneself in the peace and collectedness of the Dhamma.
“Kiṁsīlo kiṁsamācāro,
kāni kammāni brūhayaṁ;
Naro sammā niviṭṭhassa,
uttamatthañca pāpuṇe”.
“Of what virtue, what behavior,
and cultivating what actions,
would a person be rightly established,
and attain the |ultimate goal::summum bonum; supreme goal; epithet of Nibbāna [uttamattha]|?”
“Vuḍḍhāpacāyī anusūyako siyā,
Kālaññū cassa garūnaṁ dassanāya;
Dhammiṁ kathaṁ erayitaṁ khaṇaññū,
Suṇeyya sakkacca subhāsitāni.
One should honor elders, be without envy,
know the right time to see one’s teachers;
knowing the moment a Dhamma talk is given,
one should listen |carefully::respectfully [sakkacca]| to |well-spoken::articulate, eloquent [subhāsita]| words.
Kālena gacche garūnaṁ sakāsaṁ,
Thambhaṁ niraṅkatvā nivātavutti;
Atthaṁ dhammaṁ saṁyamaṁ brahmacariyaṁ,
Anussare ceva samācare ca.
One should go to teachers at the proper time,
having dropped one’s pride, with a humble manner.
One should recollect and practice
the meaning, the Dhamma, |restraint::self-control [saṁyama]|, and the |spiritual life::a life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures [brahmacariya]|.
Dhammārāmo dhammarato,
Dhamme ṭhito dhammavinicchayaññū;
Nevācare dhammasandosavādaṁ,
Tacchehi nīyetha subhāsitehi.
Taking delight in the Dhamma, devoted to the Dhamma,
|established::stabilised; lit. stood [ṭhita]| in the Dhamma, |knowing how to investigate the Dhamma::knowing the discrimination of mental phenomena [dhammavinicchayaññū]|;
one should not engage in |speech that disparages the Dhamma::words that degrade the Dhamma [dhammasandosavāda]|,
but be guided by true, well-spoken words.
Hassaṁ jappaṁ paridevaṁ padosaṁ,
Māyākataṁ kuhanaṁ giddhi mānaṁ;
Sārambhaṁ kakkasaṁ kasāvañca mucchaṁ,
Hitvā care vītamado ṭhitatto.
Having abandoned joking, |idle talk::frivolous chatter, gossip [jappa]|, lamentation, and aversion,
|acts of illusion::things created by illusion [māyākata]|, |deception::creating a false impression [kuhana]|, greed, and |conceit::self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification [māna]|,
|aggressiveness::hostile or violent behavior towards living beings [sārambha]|, |harshness::crudeness, roughness [kakkasa]|, impurity, and |infatuation::obsession; lit. thickening [mucchā]|,
one should live |free from intoxication::not intoxicated by health, youth, life, etc.; without conceit [vītamada]|, steadfast in mind.
Viññātasārāni subhāsitāni,
Sutañca viññātasamādhisāraṁ;
Na tassa paññā ca sutañca vaḍḍhati,
Yo sāhaso hoti naro pamatto.
Well-spoken words find their essence in understanding,
and learning finds its essence in understanding and collectedness.
Wisdom and learning do not grow for that person
who is |impulsive::hasty, rash [sāhasa]| and |negligent::inattentive, careless; lit. intoxicated [pamatta]|.
Dhamme ca ye ariyapavedite ratā,
Anuttarā te vacasā manasā kammunā ca;
Te santisoraccasamādhisaṇṭhitā,
Sutassa paññāya ca sāramajjhagū”ti.
And those who delight in the Dhamma proclaimed by the Noble Ones,
are unsurpassed in speech, thought, and action.
They are established in peace, gentleness, and collectedness,
and have reached the true essence of learning and wisdom.”
“Of what virtue, what behavior,
and cultivating what actions,
would a person be rightly established,
and attain the |ultimate goal::summum bonum; supreme goal; epithet of Nibbāna [uttamattha]|?”
One should honor elders, be without envy,
know the right time to see one’s teachers;
knowing the moment a Dhamma talk is given,
one should listen |carefully::respectfully [sakkacca]| to |well-spoken::articulate, eloquent [subhāsita]| words.
One should go to teachers at the proper time,
having dropped one’s pride, with a humble manner.
One should recollect and practice
the meaning, the Dhamma, |restraint::self-control [saṁyama]|, and the |spiritual life::a life of celibacy, contemplation, and ethical discipline lived for the sake of liberation; oriented toward inner development rather than sensual pleasures [brahmacariya]|.
Taking delight in the Dhamma, devoted to the Dhamma,
|established::stabilised; lit. stood [ṭhita]| in the Dhamma, |knowing how to investigate the Dhamma::knowing the discrimination of mental phenomena [dhammavinicchayaññū]|;
one should not engage in |speech that disparages the Dhamma::words that degrade the Dhamma [dhammasandosavāda]|,
but be guided by true, well-spoken words.
Having abandoned joking, |idle talk::frivolous chatter, gossip [jappa]|, lamentation, and aversion,
|acts of illusion::things created by illusion [māyākata]|, |deception::creating a false impression [kuhana]|, greed, and |conceit::self-view expressed as comparison—seeing oneself as superior, inferior, or equal; the persistent “I am” conceit (asmimāna) that underlies identification [māna]|,
|aggressiveness::hostile or violent behavior towards living beings [sārambha]|, |harshness::crudeness, roughness [kakkasa]|, impurity, and |infatuation::obsession; lit. thickening [mucchā]|,
one should live |free from intoxication::not intoxicated by health, youth, life, etc.; without conceit [vītamada]|, steadfast in mind.
Well-spoken words find their essence in understanding,
and learning finds its essence in understanding and collectedness.
Wisdom and learning do not grow for that person
who is |impulsive::hasty, rash [sāhasa]| and |negligent::inattentive, careless; lit. intoxicated [pamatta]|.
And those who delight in the Dhamma proclaimed by the Noble Ones,
are unsurpassed in speech, thought, and action.
They are established in peace, gentleness, and collectedness,
and have reached the true essence of learning and wisdom.”
“Kiṁsīlo kiṁsamācāro,
kāni kammāni brūhayaṁ;
Naro sammā niviṭṭhassa,
uttamatthañca pāpuṇe”.
“Vuḍḍhāpacāyī anusūyako siyā,
Kālaññū cassa garūnaṁ dassanāya;
Dhammiṁ kathaṁ erayitaṁ khaṇaññū,
Suṇeyya sakkacca subhāsitāni.
Kālena gacche garūnaṁ sakāsaṁ,
Thambhaṁ niraṅkatvā nivātavutti;
Atthaṁ dhammaṁ saṁyamaṁ brahmacariyaṁ,
Anussare ceva samācare ca.
Dhammārāmo dhammarato,
Dhamme ṭhito dhammavinicchayaññū;
Nevācare dhammasandosavādaṁ,
Tacchehi nīyetha subhāsitehi.
Hassaṁ jappaṁ paridevaṁ padosaṁ,
Māyākataṁ kuhanaṁ giddhi mānaṁ;
Sārambhaṁ kakkasaṁ kasāvañca mucchaṁ,
Hitvā care vītamado ṭhitatto.
Viññātasārāni subhāsitāni,
Sutañca viññātasamādhisāraṁ;
Na tassa paññā ca sutañca vaḍḍhati,
Yo sāhaso hoti naro pamatto.
Dhamme ca ye ariyapavedite ratā,
Anuttarā te vacasā manasā kammunā ca;
Te santisoraccasamādhisaṇṭhitā,
Sutassa paññāya ca sāramajjhagū”ti.