Zen in Ten: "It Is Not by Means of Animosity that Animosities Ever Cease"

Dhammapada Verses 1-10: Chapter of Pairs

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

My dear Dharma friend Bhante Suddhaso, who co-founded Empty Cloud monastery in New Jersey, has given me permission to use his translations of Buddhist texts. Below are his translations and annotations of the first 10 verses of the Dhammapada. I hope you find his translations of these ancient and wise sayings of the Buddha accessible and illuminating. Peace!

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(1)
Mind is the precedent of all phenomena,
Mind is their superior and their creator.
If one speaks or acts with a corrupt mind,
Then suffering follows from that, just as a track follows a wheel.¹

(2)
Mind is the precedent of all phenomena,
Mind is their superior and their creator.
If one speaks or acts with a pure mind,
Then happiness follows from that, just as one’s shadow does not depart.

This pair of verses begins the Dhammapada with a reminder of that which is most powerful: the mind.  All of our experiences are filtered through our mind; this much most people can agree on. The Buddha, however, takes it one step farther, and states that not only do we experience everything through the mind, the mind actually creates all of our experiences.  Thus if we wish to take control of our lives, we must take control of our own minds.

The Buddha continues by presenting a straightforward logical conclusion to this: if our mind is corrupted, tainted, or flawed, then our experiences will also be tainted—and thus will be painful, disturbing, and unsatisfying.  However, if our mind is pure, clear, and flawless, then our experiences will also be flawless—and thus will be pleasant, peaceful, and satisfying.

(3)
“They insulted me, they struck me, they defeated me, they robbed me!”
When one holds tightly to such thoughts, animosity never ends.

(4)
It is not by means of animosity that animosities ever cease.
It is by the absence of animosity that they cease; this is an eternal truth.

If we wish to attain peace of mind, it is necessary to relinquish our resentment and let go of our grudges.  The animosity referred to here is not just external animosity in the sense of hostility between two people; it also refers to the inner turmoil created by grudge-bearing.  When we let go of our resentment toward the outside world and its denizens, then we also come to peace with ourselves.

(5)
Others do not understand that we must be restrained.
The wise ones who understand this become peaceful.

A short and simple statement about the importance of self-restraint.  When we allow ourselves to be pulled around by the desires and obsessions that appear in our minds, we never attain peace: we are always caught in a state of discontent, of wanting. However, when we make an effort to restrain our impulses and remain content in the present moment, then happiness and tranquility arise naturally.

(6)
When one devotes attention to attractive things,
Lacks sense-restraint, is immoderate in eating, lazy, and lethargic;
Then Māra subdues that person,
Like the wind subdues a weak tree.

(7)
When one does not devote attention to attractive things,
Keeps one’s senses well restrained, is moderate in eating, faithful, and energetic;
Then Māra does not subdue that person,
Like the wind does not subdue a stone mountain.

Māra is a tempter, one who tries to control us by presenting us with temptations of various kinds—things that provoke us to greed, hatred, and ignorance. This can be taken metaphorically to represent the tendencies towards temptation within our own mind, or literally, as meaning an actual external entity. Most likely the Buddha meant it both ways.

In this verse, then, we see the Buddha giving a few examples of ways we can keep ourselves from falling into self-destructive cycles.  If we focus our attention on things we find appealing, then we will tend to become obsessed with them and fall prey to our desires; so instead we direct our attention elsewhere. If we eat just to entertain ourselves or distract ourselves, if we eat obsessing about flavor and texture, then once again we will fall prey to our desires; so instead, we eat just what we need to eat in order to survive, and regard it purely as fuel for the body.  If we make no effort to eliminate harmful mind-states and prevent them from arising, then harmful states will run rampant through our mind; so instead, we develop confidence in the efficacy of Buddhist practice, and carefully protect the mind at all times.  In this way, we become immune to the torment that comes from being enslaved by our own desires.

(8)
An impure person who wears a monastic robe,
Lacking self-restraint and honesty,
Is not worthy of the monastic robe.

(9)
One who is faultless, focused on morality,
Who has taken up self-restraint and honesty,
Is truly worthy of the monastic robe.

It is not enough just to put on an outer pretense of spirituality.  It is also necessary to embody the principles of the spiritual life thoroughly and completely.  This is particularly true when one is in the role of spiritual leader, teacher, or role model, as others will look to one for inspiration; if one presents a poor example, then they may lose faith in the practice as a result.

1. Cakkaṁ va vahato padaṁ. There is much debate over how to translate this simile. What can be agreed upon is the basic meaning of each word: cakkaṁ (wheel), va (as), vahato (following), padaṁ (track, path, foot). In an effort to remain true to the scriptures, the translation here uses only those words and elements found in the original text. Some other interpretations (for example, “as the wheel of a cart follows the foot of the ox that pulls it”) involve adding extra words and elements to the phrase, which is difficult to justify.