Mendicants
These verses describe and address mendicants, the monks and nuns of the Buddha’s community. They praise restraint of eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, speech and mind, saying that everywhere restraint is good. A mendicant is one who is happy inside, content, and does not grieve over what is not; who meditates on love; who delights in the teaching; who neither looks down on others nor envies them. Meditation and wisdom are said to depend on each other. The chapter tells the mendicant to bail out the boat of desire and hate, to shed greed as jasmine sheds withered flowers, and to be their own master.
A note on these verses. Addressed to monastics; verse 375 refers to the monastic code, verses 369, 372 and 374 to “extinguishment” and “freedom from death”, and verse 366 to the gods.
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · public domain (CC0) · about 3 min · on SuttaCentral
360Restraint of the eye is good;good is restraint of the ear;restraint of the nose is good;good is restraint of the tongue.
361Restraint of the body is good;good is restraint of speech;restraint of mind is good;everywhere, restraint is good.The mendicant restrained everywhereis released from all suffering.
362One restrained in hand and foot,and in speech, the supreme restraint;happy inside, serene,solitary, content, I call a mendicant.
363When a mendicant of restrained mouth,thoughtful in counsel, not restless,explains the text and its meaning,their words are sweet.
364Delighting in the teaching, enjoying the teaching,contemplating the teaching,a mendicant who recollects the teachingdoesn’t fall away from the true teaching.
365A well-off mendicant ought not look downon others, nor should they be envious.A mendicant who envies othersdoes not achieve immersion.
366If a mendicant is poor in offerings,the well-to-do ought not look down on them.For the gods indeed praise them,who are tireless and pure of livelihood.
367One who has no sense of ownershipin the whole realm of name and form,who does not grieve for that which is not,is said to be a mendicant.
368A mendicant who meditates on love,devoted to the Buddha’s teaching,would realize the peaceful state,the blissful stilling of conditions.
369Bail out this boat, mendicant!When bailed out it will float lightly.Having cut off desire and hate,you shall reach extinguishment.
370Five to cut, five to drop,and five more to develop.When a mendicant slips five chainsthey’re said to have crossed the flood.
371Practice absorption, don’t be negligent!Don’t let the mind delight in the senses!Don’t heedlessly swallow a hot iron ball!And when it burns, don’t cry, “Oh, the pain!”
372No absorption for one without wisdom,no wisdom for one without absorption.But one with absorption and wisdom—they have truly drawn near to extinguishment.
373A mendicant who enters an empty hutwith mind at peacefinds a superhuman delightas they rightly discern the Dhamma.
374Whenever they are mindfulof the rise and fall of the aggregates,they feel rapture and joy:that is freedom from death for one who knows.
375This is the very start of the pathfor a wise mendicant here:guarding the senses, contentment,and restraint in the monastic code.
376Mix with spiritual friends,who are tireless and pure of livelihood.Share what you have with others,being skillful in your conduct.And when you’re full of joy,you’ll make an end to suffering.
377As a jasmine shedsits withered flowers,O mendicants,shed greed and hate.
378Calm in body, calm in speech,peaceful and serene;a mendicant who’s spat out the world’s baitis said to be one at peace.
379Urge yourself on,reflect on yourself.A mendicant self-controlled and mindfulwill always dwell in happiness.
380Self is indeed the lord of self,for who else would be one’s lord?Self is indeed the home of self,so restrain yourself,as a merchant his thoroughbred steed.
381A monk full of joytrusting in the Buddha’s teaching,would realize the peaceful state,the blissful stilling of conditions.
382A young mendicantdevoted to the Buddha’s teaching,shines upon this world,like the moon freed from clouds.