Exploring the Path - Pāli Course

Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā…

Mind precedes all phenomena, mind matters most, everything is mind-made...

The Dhammapada commences with these core verses that open the chapter of the Yamakavaggo. Yamaka means pair and thus this first chapter of the Dhammapada presents pairs of verses, also called ‘twin-verses’. This well-known, prominent first pair¹ is selected to open this chapter because it articulates a genuine truth which becomes evident for every serious meditator of longer practice. With a mind resplendent with wholesome thoughts and goodwill, it will be difficult to perform unwholesome actions. However, with a defiled mental state corrupted by unwholesome thoughts, it will be easy to perform such actions.

Sukaraṃ sādhunā sādhu, sādhu pāpena dukkaraṃ

Pāpaṃ pāpena sukaraṃ, pāpamariyehi dukkaran’ti²

Whoever observes oneself with an open heart and honest effort will understand that one’s actions, verbal or physical, ensue from the thoughts one has developed and dwelled upon. One will recognize that they mostly give rise to consequential – often even directly visible – subsequent results. Even if those outcomes may not be immediately perceivable, long practice of meditation along with the automatically deriving development of the above attitudes ascertains the truth of the Buddha’s words:

Cetanampi, yathāha – ‘‘cetanāhaṃ, bhikkhave, kammaṃ vadāmi, cetayitvā kammaṃ karotī’’ti. Kasmā³ pana cetanā kammanti vuttā? Cetanāmūlakattā kammassa.

To speak of volition – “I say, Bhikkhus, volition is kamma, volition makes kamma!”. And how is it, it is said that volition is kamma? Volition is the root and doer of kamma!⁴

The Dhammapada-aṭṭhakathā illustrates the meaning of these verses with inspiring historical accounts to prompt faithful readers to realize their significance and put into practice the Buddha’s teaching. This present respective pair describes the two general conditions of the common mental dispositions: manasā ce pasannena and manasā ce paduṭṭhena. Here they are directly linked with overall results that may occur therefrom – even if these may be not be visible in the current existence as they may carry their effects to a future existence.

The first verse refers to an Arahant by the name of Cakkhupāla, who, although fully enlightened, was to suffer the outcome of an action he had performed in a previous life with wicked intentions. In that life he had been a physician with the ability to ail illness. He had once restored the eyesight of a certain woman. But when he noted that she intended not to accomplish a promise she had given him in case of regaining her health, in revenge he prescribed her a substance which finally blinded her. Therefore even during the process of his endeavours for Arahantship, in that very existence, he lost his own eyesight. He was given effective ointment, by a skilled physician, that he did not apply properly and which resulted in his own blindness, hence his name, Cakkhupāla or Guardian of the Eye. The commentary concludes this account with the following summarizing words of the Buddha.

Pāpakammañhi nāmetaṃ⁵ dhuraṃ vahato balibaddassa⁶ padaṃ cakkaṃ viya anugacchatīti

Because the evil deed done accompanies indeed for a long time like the wheel (follows) the hoof of the ox yoked to the plough⁷

That is why it can be said:

Na antalikkhe na samuddamajjhe,

na pabbatānaṃ vivaraṃ pavissa;⁸

Na vijjatī so jagatippadeso,⁹

yatthaṭṭhito mucceyya pāpakammā.¹⁰

Neither in the sky, nor by entering the midst of a deep ocean,
Nor in the mountain clefts,
Nowhere in this world exists any spot,
To where one can escape the results of one’s evil deeds.

The second verse is illuminated by the story of a miser, who, in spite of his great love for his sick son, did not provide the necessary medicine for him out of fear it would be too costly. The Buddha, seeing the predicament of the dying son named Maṭṭhakuṇḍali, out of compassion visited the boy on his deathbed, who full of joy and elation with folded hands payed his respects to the Enlightened One and thus passed away with a serene mind full of devoted faith

… ayaṃ māṇavo mayi cittaṃ pasādetvā kālaṃ katvā tāvatiṃsadevaloke tiṃsayojanike kanakavimāne nibbattissati.¹¹

and finds himself reborn in the heavenly worlds of the Tāvatiṃsadevaloka in a golden mansion. Perceiving the reasons for this happy destiny he decided to appear in front of his father to change his miserly character by presenting him certain challenges. Again the Buddha concluded this elucidation with the following synopsis:

Atha nesaṃ kusalākusalakammakaraṇe manova pubbaṅgamo, manova seṭṭho.¹² Pasannena hi manena kataṃ kammaṃ devalokaṃ manussalokaṃ gacchantaṃ puggalaṃ chāyāva na vijahatī’ ti¹³

Our actions, whether wholesome or unwholesome, are preceded and dominated by the mind, mind is foremost. Because an action performed with a mind full of purity like a shadow never leaves a man, whether gone to the heavenly fields or to the world of humans.

May everyone realize this genuine truth and be enabled to cultivate wholesome states of mind, to develop sammāsaṅkappo!