“The mind quivers and quakes, hard to guard, hard to curb. The discerning straighten it out, like a fletcher an arrow.”
Phandanaṁ capalaṁ cittaṁ, dūrakkhaṁ dunnivārayaṁ; Ujuṁ karoti medhāvī, usukārova tejanaṁ.
Chapter 3: The Mind
Cittavagga
Verses 33–43 · 11 verses · English by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0)
Eleven verses on the mind, which the chapter describes as hard to hold back, flighty, subtle, and quick to alight wherever it will. The argument is not that the mind should be stopped but that it should be tamed: a guarded mind brings happiness, and a wrongly directed mind does more harm than an enemy. It is the shortest chapter in the book after the one on the perfected.
“Like a fish pulled from the sea and cast upon the shore, this mind flounders about, trying to throw off Māra’s dominion.”
Vārijova thale khitto, okamokataubbhato; Pariphandatidaṁ cittaṁ, māradheyyaṁ pahātave.
“Hard to hold back, flighty, alighting where it will; it’s good to tame the mind; a tamed mind leads to bliss.”
Dunniggahassa lahuno, yatthakāmanipātino; Cittassa damatho sādhu, cittaṁ dantaṁ sukhāvahaṁ.
“So hard to see, so subtle, alighting where it will; the discerning protect the mind, a guarded mind leads to bliss.”
Sududdasaṁ sunipuṇaṁ, yatthakāmanipātinaṁ; Cittaṁ rakkhetha medhāvī, cittaṁ guttaṁ sukhāvahaṁ.
“The mind travels far, wandering alone; incorporeal, it lies hidden in the heart. Those who will restrain the mind are freed from Māra’s bonds.”
Dūraṅgamaṁ ekacaraṁ, asarīraṁ guhāsayaṁ; Ye cittaṁ saṁyamissanti, mokkhanti mārabandhanā.
“Those of unsteady mind, who don’t understand the true teaching, and whose confidence wavers, do not perfect their wisdom.”
Anavaṭṭhitacittassa, saddhammaṁ avijānato; Pariplavapasādassa, paññā na paripūrati.
“One whose mind is not festering, whose heart is undamaged, who’s given up right and wrong, alert, has nothing to fear.”
Anavassutacittassa, ananvāhatacetaso; Puññapāpapahīnassa, natthi jāgarato bhayaṁ.
“Knowing this body breaks like a pot, and fortifying the mind like a citadel, attack Māra with the sword of wisdom, guard your conquest, and never settle.”
Kumbhūpamaṁ kāyamimaṁ viditvā, Nagarūpamaṁ cittamidaṁ ṭhapetvā; Yodhetha māraṁ paññāvudhena, Jitañca rakkhe anivesano siyā.
“All too soon this body will lie upon the earth, bereft of consciousness, tossed aside like a worthless log.”
Aciraṁ vatayaṁ kāyo, pathaviṁ adhisessati; Chuddho apetaviññāṇo, niratthaṁva kaliṅgaraṁ.
“A wrongly directed mind would do you more harm than a hater to the hated, or an enemy to their foe.”
Diso disaṁ yaṁ taṁ kayirā, verī vā pana verinaṁ; Micchāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ, pāpiyo naṁ tato kare.
“A rightly directed mind would do you more good than your mother or father or any other relative.”
Na taṁ mātā pitā kayirā, aññe vāpi ca ñātakā; Sammāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ, seyyaso naṁ tato kare. Cittavaggo tatiyo.