Dhammapada 234
The wise are restrained in body and restrained in speech
The wise are restrained in body and restrained in speech. The wise are restrained in mind; they are indeed well restrained.
Translated from the Pāli by Banya
Pāli
Kāyena saṁvutā dhīrā,
atho vācāya saṁvutā;
Manasā saṁvutā dhīrā,
te ve suparisaṁvutā.
In plain words
Being well restrained includes bodily action, speech, and the mind. The verse presents all three together, so outward quiet alone is not the whole practice.
Key words
- saṁvuta
- restrained — Applied separately to body, speech, and mind.
The story behind the verse
The Band of Six
In the commentary, at Veluvana, monks of the Band of Six put on wooden shoes. They carried wooden staves in their hands, and they walked back and forth on a flat rock. The clatter reached the Buddha, and he asked Ānanda what was causing it. Ānanda identified the monks and explained the noise, and the Buddha taught restraint in bodily action, speech, and thought, giving the group of verses that includes this one.
Retold by Banya from the traditional commentary, after E. W. Burlingame, Buddhist Legends (1921).
To reflect on
Which of these three areas needs your attention today?
Try it today
Pause once to check your action, words, and intention together.
Explanation by Banya. Traditional readings vary.