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The Dhammapada · 2 of 3 · tr. F. Max Müller

Chapter XIV, Section 1b

527, 528 of his 'Lotus.' He prefers sa k ittaparidamanam, which Csoma translated by 'the mind must be brought under entire subjection' (sva k ittaparidamanam), and the late Dr. Mill by 'proprii intellectus subjugatio.' But his own MS. of the Mahâpadhâna-sutta gave likewise sa k ittapariyodapanam, and this is no doubt the correct reading. (See D'Alwis, Attanugaluvansa, p. cxxix.) We found pariyodappeya in verse 88 , in the sense of purging oneself from the troubles of thought. From the same verb, (pari) ava + dai, we may derive the name Avadâna, a legend, originally a pure and virtuous act, an {Greek: aridteia }, afterwards a sacred story, and possibly a story the hearing of which purifies the mind. See Boehtlingk-Roth, s.v. avadâna. 184. Childers, following the commentator, translates, 'Patience, which is long-suffering, is the best devotion, the Buddhas declare that Nirvâ n a is the best (of things).' 185. Cf. Suttanipâta, v. 337 . Pâtimokkhe, 'under the law,' i.e. according to the law, the law which leads to Moksha, or 'freedom.' Prâtimoksha is the title of the oldest collection of the moral laws of the Buddhists (Burnouf, Introduction, p. 300; Bigandet, The Life of Gaudama, p. 439; Rhys Davids, Buddhism, p. 162), and as it was common both to the Southem and the Northem Buddhists, pâtimokkhe in our passage may possibly be meant, as Professor Weber suggests, as the title of that very collection. The commentator explains it by ge tth akasîla and pâtimokkhasîla. Sayanâsam might stand for s ayanâ s anam, see Mahâbh. XII, 6684; but in Buddhist literature it is intended for s ayanâsanam; see also Mahâbh. XII, 9978, s ayyâsane. Fausböll now reads pânta instead of pattha ñ . 187. There is a curious similarity between this verse and verse 6503 (9919) of the S ântiparva: Ya k k a kâmasukha m loke, ya k k a divyam mahat sukham, T ri sh n âkshayasukhasyaite nârhata h sho d a s i m kalâm. 'And whatever delight of love there is on earth, and whatever is the great delight in heaven, they are not worth the sixteenth part of the pleasure which springs from the destruction of all desires.' The two verses 186, 187 are ascribed to king Mandhât ri shortly before his death (Mél. Asiat. VIII, p. 471; see also G âtaka, vol. ii. p. 113).] p. 51 186. There is no satisfying lusts, even by a shower of gold pieces; he who knows that lusts have a short taste and cause pain, he is wise; 187. Even in heavenly pleasures he finds no satisfaction, the disciple who is fully awakened delights only in the destruction of all desires. 188. Men, driven by fear, go to many a refuge, to mountains and forests, to groves and sacred trees. 189.
Themes
Detachment Gelassenheitpraxis

Eckhart's Abgeschiedenheit/Gelassenheit — radical letting-go of will, image, and grasping that opens the soul to God; distinct from inner_silence (quietness) and from material renunciation, and adjacent to Sufi tark and Buddhist non-grasping as a practice rather than a metaphysical claim.

The text emphasizes subjugating the mind and destroying desires as a path to liberation.

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Inner Silencepraxis

The practice of stilling the mind and speech to open receptivity to divine knowledge or presence.

The commentary explicitly discusses bringing the mind under entire subjection as a key practice.

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Meditationpraxis

Disciplined inward attention — sitting, focused, or open-awareness practice — as a stand-alone term that umbrellas active_contemplation, inner_silence, and dhyana-style sitting.

The text describes the practice of bringing the mind under entire subjection as a disciplined inward attention.

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Paradox As Teachingethics

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

The commentary notes that heavenly pleasures are not worth the pleasure from destroying desires.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.

The text references purging oneself from the troubles of thought and sacred stories that purify the mind.

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Self Knowledgesoteriology

The recognition of one's own true divine nature as the primary path to liberation; 'know thyself' as soteriology.

The commentary notes that knowing lusts have a short taste constitutes wisdom.

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Sunyata Emptinesssoteriology

The Buddhist doctrine that all phenomena lack independent self-nature; emptiness as the positive recognition that things arise only in dependence on conditions — distinct from kenoma's mere deficiency.

The text states that Nirvana is the best of things and that heavenly pleasures are not worth the pleasure from destroying desires.

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