398. The monk who, like one looking for blossom on fig trees,
Has found no substance in states of being
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
399. The monk who controls passion that’s arisen
As you’d treat with antidotes snake-venom that’s spread through the body
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
400. The monk who controls ill will that’s arisen
As you’d treat with antidotes snake-venom that’s spread through the body
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
401. The monk who controls delusion that’s arisen
As you’d treat with antidotes snake-venom that’s spread through the body
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
402. The monk who controls anger that’s arisen
As you’d treat with antidotes snake-venom that’s spread through the body
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
403. The monk who controls pride that’s arisen
As you’d treat with antidotes snake-venom that’s spread through the body
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
404. The monk who has cut off passion completely
As you’d plunge in and pluck a lake-growing lotus flower
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
405. The monk who has cut off ill will completely
As you’d plunge in and pluck a lake-growing lotus flower
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
406. The monk who has cut off delusion completely
As you’d plunge in and pluck a lake-growing lotus flower
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
407. The monk who has cut off anger completely
As you’d plunge in and pluck a lake-growing lotus flower
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
408. The monk who has cut off pride completely
As you’d plunge in and pluck a lake-growing lotus flower
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
409. The monk who has cut off passion completely
As you’d cut bonds, fetters of kuśa grass,
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
410. The monk who has cut off craving completely,
Drying up the swift-flowing river,
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
411. The monk who has neither gone too far nor fallen short,
Who has gone beyond this realm of proliferation,
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
412. The monk who has neither gone too far nor fallen short,
Who knows all this is a thing of lies, a falsehood,
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
413. The monk who has no desires
That can act as causes to bind him to existence
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
414. The monk who has no fears,
Whose unwholesome roots have all been dug up,
Leaves behind this shore and the other shore
As a snake sloughs its old, worn-out skin.
This is the last chapter of the Patna Dharmapada. Its title is missing in the manuscript, but in view of the refrain (passim) and the mention of snake-venom (vv. 399–403), Roth’s reconstruction (1980) of the title as Uraga, ‘Snake’, is surely correct.
Verses with his refrain were clearly very popular. Although they are not included in the Pali Dhammapada, another Khuddaka Nikāya text, the Sutta Nipāta, begins with an Uraga Sutta, consisting of seventeen such verses. The Khotan version of the Gāndhārī Dharmapada has ten as part of its second chapter, ‘The Monk’ (bhikhu). The thirteen verses that survive of the London Dharmapada include nine ‘snake’ verses, probably also from a ‘Monk’ chapter. The Sanskrit Udānavarga (ed. Bernhard 1965–90) has a set as part of Chapter 32, ‘The Monk’ (bhikṣu), vv. 55–79. Each version has variations and changes of order, but all preserve the same refrain within their different languages.
398. looking for blossom on fig trees: Fig trees do not have flowers (or, from a botanical point of view, have very small flowers which are not very recognizable as such). this shore and the other shore: (Here and throughout the passage) this life and the next. sloughs: (Here and throughout the passage) word added for clarity.
399–403. you’d treat: Words added for clarity. with antidotes: oṣadhīhi. Oṣadhi originally meant ‘herb’, but came to be used for any kind of medicine or remedy. In this context an antidote to poison is clearly meant. through the body: Added for clarity. The venom is visaṭa (< visṛta), ‘spread throughout [the body]’.
409. kuśa: See note on Pali Dhammapada 70.
411. realm of proliferation: ‘realm of’ added for clarity. Prapañca (Pali papañca) is the tendency of the mind to create more and more distractions.
414. unwholesome roots: Greed (lobha), hate (Sanskrit dveṣa, Pali/Prakrit dosa) and delusion (moha), viewed as the roots of all unwholesome conduct.