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The Dhammapada: The Monk Chapter 1
Today begins the Dharma talk on the Dhammapada, the chapter on the monastic practitioner.
The Dhammapada exists in the Pali canon (25 verses; today we will read the final, 23rd verse) and in the Chinese canon (32 verses, nine more than the Pali version). The Chinese translation—“Stringing a Garland of Flowers”—was completed by the teacher last year; the chapter on the monastic practitioner is called Bhikkhuvagga in Pali or Chapter 34, Shramana, in Chinese. The Chinese canon was translated in the early third century by Master Sanghapala and lay friend Chi Khiem (who was fluent in eight or nine languages), with the title given by Chi Khiem, who was invited by King Sun Quan of Wu to be the teacher of the crown prince. The Jianchu Monastery—the first Buddhist center in China—was also established by Sanghapala.
The final verse of the chapter teaches that even a young monastic, if wholeheartedly observing the precepts and practicing the teachings, will “illuminate the world like the cloudless moon” (the Chinese version uses the image of the sun due to a misreading), symbolizing that simply by keeping the precepts respectfully and practicing sincerely, one becomes a light for the world. In original Buddhism, Bhikkhu (one who goes begging for alms) is equivalent to a mendicant; the chapter is called The Monastic Practitioner to emphasize renunciation of worldly life. The first verse (Dhammapada 361) emphasizes guarding the six sense organs—eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body, and mind—like protecting the “deep ocean” from the waves of afflictions.
Within the Sangha, three main roles of practice are clearly distinguished in the ten wholesome mental trainings:
- Śrāvaka (one who listens to the teachings, self-liberates)
- Pratyekabuddha (one who attains enlightenment independently)
- Bodhisattva (one who practices for the benefit of many lifetimes)
-
Buddha
Both the Śrāvaka vehicle and the Bodhisattva vehicle are authentic Buddhism; the difference is not a contradiction but a complement. Practicing according to Happiness in the Present Moment, maintaining mindfulness and right concentration to find happiness right in the present moment—on the monastic day, it is necessary to have a full day of mindfulness practice, but due to the teacher’s health, half a day is proposed, “up to you to decide,” leaving it to the Sangha to decide.