In short: Chapter 3 of the Dhammapada, The Mind (Cittavagga), verses 33 to 43. The restless, flickering mind, hard to guard, and the happiness that comes from taming it.
The mind quivers and quakes, hard to guard, hard to curb. The discerning straighten it out, like a fletcher an arrow.
Dhammapada 33, the chapter's first verse.
Pāli and English translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral. The introduction is ANEW's.
The verses in Pāli and English
| Verse | Pāli | English |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | Phandanaṁ capalaṁ cittaṁ, | The mind quivers and quakes, |
| dūrakkhaṁ dunnivārayaṁ; | hard to guard, hard to curb. | |
| Ujuṁ karoti medhāvī, | The discerning straighten it out, | |
| usukārova tejanaṁ. | like a fletcher an arrow. | |
| 34 | Vārijova thale khitto, | Like a fish pulled from the sea |
| okamokataubbhato; | and cast upon the shore, | |
| Pariphandatidaṁ cittaṁ, | this mind flounders about, | |
| māradheyyaṁ pahātave. | trying to throw off Māra’s dominion. | |
| 35 | Dunniggahassa lahuno, | Hard to hold back, flighty, |
| yatthakāmanipātino; | alighting where it will; | |
| Cittassa damatho sādhu, | it’s good to tame the mind; | |
| cittaṁ dantaṁ sukhāvahaṁ. | a tamed mind leads to bliss. | |
| 36 | Sududdasaṁ sunipuṇaṁ, | So hard to see, so subtle, |
| yatthakāmanipātinaṁ; | alighting where it will; | |
| Cittaṁ rakkhetha medhāvī, | the discerning protect the mind, | |
| cittaṁ guttaṁ sukhāvahaṁ. | a guarded mind leads to bliss. | |
| 37 | Dūraṅgamaṁ ekacaraṁ, | The mind travels far, wandering alone; |
| asarīraṁ guhāsayaṁ; | incorporeal, it lies hidden in the heart. | |
| Ye cittaṁ saṁyamissanti, | Those who will restrain the mind | |
| mokkhanti mārabandhanā. | are freed from Māra’s bonds. | |
| 38 | Anavaṭṭhitacittassa, | Those of unsteady mind, |
| saddhammaṁ avijānato; | who don’t understand the true teaching, | |
| Pariplavapasādassa, | and whose confidence wavers, | |
| paññā na paripūrati. | do not perfect their wisdom. | |
| 39 | Anavassutacittassa, | One whose mind is not festering, |
| ananvāhatacetaso; | whose heart is undamaged, | |
| Puññapāpapahīnassa, | who’s given up right and wrong, | |
| natthi jāgarato bhayaṁ. | alert, has nothing to fear. | |
| 40 | Kumbhūpamaṁ kāyamimaṁ viditvā, | Knowing this body breaks like a pot, |
| Nagarūpamaṁ cittamidaṁ ṭhapetvā; | and fortifying the mind like a citadel, | |
| Yodhetha māraṁ paññāvudhena, | attack Māra with the sword of wisdom, | |
| Jitañca rakkhe anivesano siyā. | guard your conquest, and never settle. | |
| 41 | Aciraṁ vatayaṁ kāyo, | All too soon this body |
| pathaviṁ adhisessati; | will lie upon the earth, | |
| Chuddho apetaviññāṇo, | bereft of consciousness, | |
| niratthaṁva kaliṅgaraṁ. | tossed aside like a worthless log. | |
| 42 | Diso disaṁ yaṁ taṁ kayirā, | A wrongly directed mind |
| verī vā pana verinaṁ; | would do you more harm | |
| Micchāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ, | than a hater to the hated, | |
| pāpiyo naṁ tato kare. | or an enemy to their foe. | |
| 43 | Na taṁ mātā pitā kayirā, | A rightly directed mind |
| aññe vāpi ca ñātakā; | would do you more good | |
| Sammāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ, | than your mother or father | |
| seyyaso naṁ tato kare. | or any other relative. |
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Questions people ask
What is chapter 3 of the Dhammapada about?
The restless, flickering mind, hard to guard, and the happiness that comes from taming it.
Which verses are in Dhammapada chapter 3?
Chapter 3, The Mind (Cittavagga), contains verses 33 to 43.