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    A bloodthirsty villain joined a band of thieves and committed many crimes.

    A ship-wrecked person swam with difficulty to the shore and saved himself. As be went about clothed with the bark of trees people mistook him for an Arahant. Realizing his folly, he went to see the Buddha and was converted by His beneficial words of wisdom.

    A wealthy maiden fell in love with a thief and married him. Later, the husband took the wife to the top of a cliff and wanted to rob her of her jewellery and kill her. The wife's entreaties proved useless. Under the pretext of paying her last respects to him she got behind him and pushed him down the cliff. Later, she became a nun and, meeting the Venerable Sariputta, heard the Dhamma, and attained Arahantship. The bhikkhus discussed how she had battled with a bandit and later, hearing a few words of the Dhamma, had become an Arahant. The Buddha then spoke on the efficacy of the words of Truth and on the importance of self-conquest.

    A gambler questioned the Buddha about the causes of loss. The Buddha answered his question and inquired of him how he earned his living. When he replied that it was by gambling, which resulted in both gain and loss, the Buddha explained that real victory was self-victory.

    The Venerable Sariputta's uncle used to spend much money monthly on the naked ascetics with the object of being reborn in a heavenly realm. The Venerable Sariputta took him to the Buddha, who directed him on the proper path.

    A friend of the Venerable Sariputta annually made a sacrificial slaughter at great expense. The Buddha convinced him of the right kind of homage.

    Hearing that his son would die in his childhood, a father, as advised by the Buddha, invited the bhikkhus to recite the Scriptural Texts continuously for seven nights and seven days. On the last day the Buddha Himself was present to recite the Sacred Texts. By the power of the Teacher's compassion the child gained longevity. When the monks discussed how the child who would have died in his childhood gained long life through the Buddha's compassion, the Buddha spoke on the blessings that accrue to one who honours the worthy.

    Some men in their old age became monks and wished to retire to the forest to meditate. The Buddha, foreseeing a danger, advised them to take with them the young novice Sankicca, an Arahant. A band of thieves, hearing of their presence in the forest, approached them and demanded a monk to be given as a votive offering. All the monks from the most senior to the youngest volunteered to offer their lives. But the young novice obtained their permission to sacrifice his life for the sake of the others. The bandits took him to their lair and made preparations to kill him . The novice quietly attained to Supreme Ecstacy. ¹⁰ The ringleader twice tried to kill him with his sword but failed. Awestricken, the ringleader prostrated himself before him, heard the Dhamma and desired to become a monk. All his followers expressed the same desire. The novice ordained them and returned safely to the other monks who were still meditating in the forest. He then took leave of them and going to the Buddha mentioned to Him what happened. The Buddha spoke on the value of a virtuous life.

    A monk, having attained Arahantship in a forest, was coming to see the Buddha. As he was tired he sat on a flat rock and was enwrapt in Jhana ecstasy. Some thieves, having plundered a village, were carrying their boot when they came up to the rock where the monk was seated in meditation. Mistaking him for a tree stump as it was dark they piled their stolen goods on his head and slept. When the day dawned they discovered their mistake and begging pardon from him became monks. With their teacher they came to the Buddha. Hearing of their conversion, the Buddha praised a life of wisdom.

    A youth of good repute became a monk endowed with faith but, getting disappointed, attempted to kill himself. He tried to cause a serpent to bite him but it did not. Then he took a razor and tried to cut his windpipe. At that moment he reflected on his flawless life, meditated and attained Arahantship. The monks inquired of the Buddha how in an instant he who had attempted to commit suicide could have attained Arahantship. The Buddha spoke in praise of energetic striving.

    Patacara, lost her husband, her children, her parents and her only brother under tragic circumstances. The Buddha comforted her and she became a nun. One day while she was washing her feet, she noticed how the water flowed away in three stages - some drops of water flowed and subsided close to her, some farther away from her, some still farther away from her. This induced her to meditate on the transiency of life, of which she had personal experience. The Buddha saw her with His Divine Eye and, projecting Himself before her, uttered this stanza. Soon she attained Arahantship.

    A young mother named Kisa Gotami, lost her only child. As she had never come across an instance of death she carried the corpse on her hip believing the child to be ill and searching for a remedy. A wise man directed her to the Buddha who advised her to collect some mustard seed from a household where none had died. She got mustard but found no household where none had died. The Truth dawned upon her. When she returned, the Buddha preached the Dhamma to her. She became a nun. One day she observed the flickering of a lamp and reflected on the impermanence of life. The Buddha projected His image before her and uttered this stanza comparing life to a flickering lamp.

    A wealthy widow had several sons and daughters. At the request of the children, who promised to support her she distributed her property amongst them. But the ungrateful children neglected her. Greatly disappointed, she became a nun. constantly she reflected on the Dhamma. The Buddha preached to her on the importance of the Dhamma and she attained Arahantship.

1 Editor's note: In Ven Narada's Dhammapada the reading given at this point is Ekam gathapadam seyyo, which is evidently a mistake as it makes this verse exactly the same as the next verse. All other editions (BJT, PTS, ChS, Thai etc) follow the reading that is given in the text here.

2 Editor's note: Again in Ven Narada's Dhammapada the reading given at this point is Ekam gathapadam seyyo, all other editions (BJT, PTS, ChS, Thai etc), and Ven Narada's translation follow the reading that is given in the text here.

3 Sahassam sahassena, thousand multiplied by a thousand, that is, ten lakhs. (Commentary).

4 Atta -The Buddha often uses this term in the sense of oneself or mind but not in the sense of a soul or special self.

5 A class of beings who are supposed to be heavenly musicians.

6 Here Mara is used in the sense of god.

7 Another class of beings, even superior to the gods in heaven, who have developed the Jhanas (ecstasies).

8 According to the Commentary ittham is that which is given on festival occasions, and hutam is that which is prepared and given either to guests or with a belief in kamma and results. The idea conveyed by this stanza is that reverence paid to a Saint is far superior to gifts and alms given to worldlings.

9 They are the Sotapannas (Stream-Winners) and others who have attained sanctification.

10 Nirodha-samapatti. This is a state when the stream of consciousness temporarily ceases to flow. When in such a state, a Saint is immune from danger.

11 The rise and decay of mind and matter - namely: the impermanence of all conditioned things. A disciple of the Buddha is expected to contemplate the fleeting nature of life, so that he may not be attached to illusory material pleasures.

12 Amatam padam, the unconditioned state of Nibbana, free from birth, decay and death.

13 The nine supramundane States - namely: the four Paths, the four Fruits, and Nibbana.