Deep Commentary

The four verses above were taught by the Buddha at Jetavana monastery and relate to the story of the golden fish Kapilamaccha. According to the account, in the time of Buddha Kassapa, there were two brothers born into a noble family who both renounced the world to become monks. The elder brother was named Sodhana and the younger Kapila. Their mother Sadhini and sister Tapana also became nuns. After ordination, both brothers diligently fulfilled the duties of a monk. One day, they asked their teacher what the fundamental duties of a monastic are. The teacher replied that there are two essential duties: study and meditation. The elder brother devoted himself to meditation and attained arahantship. The younger, however, focused solely on study, mastering the Tripitaka but neglecting meditation. He became proud of his learning, despised virtuous monks, formed factions, and ignored his elder brother’s advice. Consequently, he fell into Avici hell.

In that era, five hundred bandits were being pursued by the law and fled into the forest. They met a hermit and asked for guidance. The hermit told them that nothing is a safer refuge than virtue and asked if they could observe the five precepts. They all agreed. He further instructed them that having vowed to uphold these precepts, they must never break them even in danger to life. They vowed to observe them strictly. Soon, villagers discovered their hiding place and killed them, but because they had kept the precepts, they were reborn in heaven. Over many lifetimes, they continued to enjoy heavenly blessings. When their merits were exhausted, they were all reborn in the human realm during the time of Buddha Shakyamuni. Kapila, however, after exhausting his hellish punishment, was reborn as a golden fish in the Aciravati river. Though his body was golden, his breath was extremely foul. The villagers caught the fish and presented it to the king, who, curious about the fish, brought it to the Buddha. The Buddha recounted Kapila’s past life during Kassapa Buddha’s time. Although Kapila had slandered virtuous monks, through chanting, teaching, and praising the Buddha, his fish body acquired a golden hue. Hearing this story, the mother and sister, who had also sinned by mocking the monks, were condemned to hell, while the elder brother Sodhana attained liberation through meditation. All listeners were moved deeply.

Buddha then explained: abiding in right view and practicing purity is like a precious jewel, superior to all. Craving (tanha) is attachment and desire, which leads to suffering. There are three types: sensual craving, craving for existence, and craving for eternal enjoyment. Craving underlies birth and death. In the chain of dependent origination, craving and clinging are the root causes of suffering. To end the cycle of rebirth, one must eradicate craving. Practitioners aiming for liberation—whether in the path of the two vehicles, bodhisattvas, or Buddhahood—must cut off all craving. Lesser paths may only remove harmful desire while keeping beneficial desire, which supports virtue and good deeds. Sensual desires, left unchecked, agitate the mind constantly, like grass growing uncontrollably or monkeys leaping from tree to tree in search of fruit. Buddha’s verse 334 teaches that heedless living increases craving endlessly, like creeping grass spreading from life to life, and like a monkey endlessly seeking fruit. Human desire has no bottom, and unchecked craving leads only to suffering. Those who know contentment may be poor yet truly happy, while even the richest, whose desire is endless, are often unhappy. Practitioners must transform seeds of craving rapidly to achieve real peace and happiness.