Deep Commentary

These four verses were taught by the Buddha at Jetavana Monastery, relating to five hundred monks. According to the story, one day the Buddha, after traveling throughout the country, returned to Savatthi. At that time, five hundred monks were discussing the roads they had traveled: "The road to this village is smooth, the road to that village is rough, this road is full of gravel, that road has no gravel..." The Buddha saw that these monks had the potential to attain arahantship, so he went to the Dharma hall and asked: "What are you sitting here discussing?" After they told him, he taught: "Monks, those roads are not worth our concern. A monk must follow the Noble Path; only that can liberate one from all suffering." On that occasion, the Buddha spoke these four verses. (Excerpt from The Dhammapada Story Collection, Volume III, Vien Chieu, p. 103)