End Notes · 莲华归心开放中文佛学资料库

- suttas - - evening talks - short morning talks - lectures - guided meditations - talk collections - other themes - chants - - - - à¹à¸à¸¢ - Franā§ais - Espaā±ol - - Portuguāªs - Ð ÑÑÑÐºÐ¸Ð¹ - - - Ð£ÐºÑÐ°ÑÐ½ÑÑÐºÐ° Submit Search - Home - Suttas - KN - Dhp - End Notes to the Dhammapada ## Browse Suttas Go to Dhammapada index Dhp index ## End Notes (Numbers refer and link to verses) 1-2: The fact that the word mano is paired here with dhamma would seem to suggest that it is meant in its role as "intellect," the sense medium that conveys knowledge of ideas or mental objects (two possible meanings for the word "dhamma"). However, the illustrations in the second sentence of each verse show that it is actually meant in its role as the mental factor responsible for the quality of oneâs actions (as in mano-kamma), the factor of will and intention, shaping not only mental events but also physical reality (on this point, see SNÂ 35:145). Thus, following a Thai tradition, I have rendered it here as "heart." The images in these verses are carefully chosen. The cart, representing suffering, is a burden on the ox pulling it, and the weight of its wheels obliterates the oxâs track. The shadow, representing happiness, is no weight on the body at all. All Pali recensions of this verse give the reading, manomaya = made of the heart, while all other recensions give the reading manojava = impelled by the heart. 7-8: Focused on the foul: A meditative exercise in focusing on the foul aspects of the body so as to help undercut lust and attachment for the body (see MNÂ 119). ANÂ 3:16 gives a standard definition for restraint with the senses: "And how does a monk guard the doors to his sense faculties? There is the case where a monk, on seeing a form with the eye, does not grasp at any theme or particulars by which–if he were to dwell without restraint over the faculty of the eye–evil, unskillful qualities such as greed or distress might assail him. He practices with restraint. He guards the faculty of the eye. He achieves restraint with regard to the faculty of the eye. (Similarly with the ear, nose, tongue, body & intellect.) This is how a monk guards the doors to his sense faculties." 11-12: Wrong resolves = mental resolves for sensuality, ill will, or harmfulness. Right resolves = mental resolves for freedom from sensuality, for freedom from ill will, and for harmlessness. 17-18: "Destination" in these two verses and throughout the text means oneâs destination after death. 21: The Deathless = Unbinding (nibbana/nirvana), which gives release from the cycle of death and rebirth. 22: "The range of the noble ones": Any of the four stages of Awakening, as well as the total Unbinding to which they lead. The four stages are: (1) stream-entry, at which one abandons the first three mental fetters tying one to the round of rebirth: self-identity views, uncertainty, and grasping at habits and practices; (2) once-returning, at which passion, aversion, and delusion are further weakened; (3) non-returning, at which sensual passion and irritation are abandoned; and (4) arahantship, at which the final five fetters are abandoned: passion for form, passion for formless phenomena, conceit, restlessness, and ignorance. For other references to the "range of the noble ones," see Â 92-93 and 179-180. 37: "Lying in a cave": According to the Dhp Commentary (hereafter referred to as DhpA), "cave" here means the physical heart, as well as the four great properties–earth (solidity), water (liquidity), fire (heat), and wind (motion)–that make up the body. SnÂ 4:2 also compares the body to a cave. 39: According to DhpA, "unsoddened mind" means one into which the rain of passion doesnât penetrate (see Â 13-14); "unassaulted awareness" means a mind not assaulted by anger. "Beyond merit & evil": The arahant is beyond merit and evil in that he/she has none of the mental defilements–passion, aversion, or delusion–that would lead to evil actions, and none of the attachments that would cause his/her actions to bear kammic fruit of any sort, good or bad. 40: "Without settling there, without laying claim": two meanings of the word anivesano. 42: ANÂ 7:60 illustrates this point with seven ways that a person harms him/herself when angry, bringing on results that an enemy would wish: He/she becomes ugly, sleeps badly, mistakes profit for loss and loss for profit, loses wealth, loses his/her reputation, loses friends, and acts in such a way that–after death–he/she reappears in a bad rebirth. 44-45: "Dhamma-saying": This is a translation for the term dhammapada. To ferret out the well-taught Dhamma-saying means to select the appropriate maxim to apply to a particular situation, in the same way that a flower-arranger chooses the right flower, from a heap of available flowers (see Â 53), to fit into a particular spot in the arrangement. "The learner-on-the-path": A person who has attained any of the first three of the four stages of Awakening (see noteÂ 22). 48: According