Deep Commentary

This Dhammapada verse was taught by the Buddha at Jetavana Monastery, concerning the Brahmin Pasadabahula (Great Joy). According to the story, after hearing the Buddha teach, Brahmin Pasadabahula devotedly invited sixteen bhikkhus to his home for offerings. He respectfully and warmly received them, addressing each as an arahant. Among the bhikkhus, some who had not yet attained even the first stage thought: 'This layman thinks there are arahants among us.' Those who were arahants thought: 'This layman does not know that we have attained arahantship.' Consequently, all became disheartened and stopped coming to his house. Not understanding why, the Brahmin went to the monastery and asked the Buddha. The Buddha questioned the bhikkhus and said: 'Do you not wish him to call you arahants?' They replied no. The Buddha gently explained that this was merely an expression of his joyful heart, and there was nothing wrong with such an expression of joy. The Buddha praised the Brahmin's boundless reverence for the bhikkhus and reminded the bhikkhus that they should cut off craving and not make the attainment of arahantship their sole wish. (End of story summary). The Brahmin chapter contains 41 verses speaking of the qualities of a holy man (brahmana). Here, 'Brahmana' refers to pure practitioners, not to the social class. The Buddha emphasizes the conduct of a person with lofty virtue, not lineage or external form. In the verse above, the Buddha says that one who practices the holy life must courageously cut off craving. Why courage? Because craving is a great root defilement, very difficult to eradicate. Without strong determination and fierce courage, one cannot abandon craving and realize Nibbana. To abandon craving, the Buddha teaches, one must 'fully understand the cessation of the aggregates.' 'Cessation' here means that the aggregates are by nature empty, arising through conditions. 'Aggregates' can be understood broadly as all phenomena. Understanding the aggregates means understanding that the essential nature of all phenomena is emptiness. Realizing this emptiness, one sees the unconditioned (asaṅkhata). The unconditioned means not created by anyone; phenomena arise through the convergence of causes and conditions. They are thus by nature, not made by any hand. Therefore, the Buddha says: 'Then you will know the Uncreate.' The Uncreate is another name for Nibbana. Because it is not created, the essential nature of all phenomena is still and peaceful. The essence is still, yet the characteristics appear. That appearance is merely illusory form. In the story above, the Buddha praised the Brahmin's joyful reverence. Conversely, the bhikkhus were still caught up in names and forms, feeling disheartened by the Brahmin's manner of address. Being caught up in names and forms, naturally there is attachment. This is because the bhikkhus had not yet understood that the nature of all phenomena is empty name, unreal. Clinging to false names and false forms is like chasing a fragrance or seeking a person in a dream. How can there be liberation? To realize truth, the Buddha teaches that one must relinquish everything. 'Apart from all marks, that is all dharmas.' That is, apart from all phenomena, one attains all. Because all phenomena are none other than the pure original mind. We remember the Sixth Patriarch Huineng, after great enlightenment, saw that all phenomena are not apart from self-nature. He expressed five 'how unexpecteds': How unexpected that self-nature is originally pure! How unexpected that self-nature is unborn and undying! How unexpected that self-nature is originally complete! How unexpected that self-nature is unmoving! How unexpected that self-nature gives rise to all phenomena! After this, the Fifth Patriarch Hongren confirmed him as the Sixth Patriarch, to widely liberate sentient beings and transmit the Dharma to later generations without interruption.