Dhammapada

SR No.: 007674
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Max Muller
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1881
Total Pages: 2540
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 45 MB

Page 486

MAHA-PARINIBBÂNA-SUTTA.
29
as he thinks or reasons or feels let him overcome the grief which arises from the craving due to ideas, or reasoning, or feeling.'
15. And how does a brother become thoughtful ?'
He acts, O mendicants, in full presence of mind whatever he may do, in going out and coming in, in looking and watching, in bending in his arm or stretching it forth, in wearing his robes or carrying his bowl, in eating and drinking, in consuming or tasting, in walking or standing or sitting, in sleeping or waking, in talking and in being silent.
Thus let a brother, O mendicants, be mindful and thoughtful; this is our instruction to you l.'
· This doctrine of being 'mindful and thoughtful-sato sampa. gâno-is one of the lessons most frequently inculcated in the Pâli Pitakas, and is one of the Seven Jewels of the Law. It is fully treated of in each of the Nikâyas, forming the subject of the Mabâ Satippatthana Sutta in the Dîgha Nikâya, and the Satipatthâna Sutta of the Magghima Nikaya, and the Satippatthâna Vaggo of the Samyutta Nikâya, as well as of various passages in the Anguttara Nikâya and of the work called Vibhanga in the Abhidhamma Pitaka. I am glad to learn that Dr. Morris intends to collect and compare all these passages in his forthcoming work on the 'Seven Jewels of the Law. These sections of the Mahaparinibbâna Sutta and the treatment in the Vibhanga have preserved, in Dr. Morris's opinion, the oldest form of the doctrine. Compare Chap. II, § 34.
Buddhaghosa has no comment here on the subject itself, reserving what he has to say for the comment on the Suttas devoted entirely to it; but he observes in passing that the reason why the Blessed One laid stress, at this particular time and place, on the necessity of being 'mindful and thoughtful,' was because of the imminent approach of the beautiful courtezan in whose grove they were staying. The use of the phrase sati upatthâpetabbâ below, Chap. V, 8:13. (text, p. 51), in reference to the way in which women should be treated, is quite in accordance with this explanation. But see the next note.
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