DHP 183 - sacittapariyodapanam

[Seeker12]

Hello,

I am interested in the meaning of a particular word in DHP 183.

The full Pali is:

Sabbapapassa akaranam
ku salassa upasampada
sacittapariyodapanam
etam buddhana sasanam.

Variously translated as things like,

"Not to do evil, to cultivate merit, to purify one's mind - this is the Teaching of the Buddhas."

or

"The non-doing of any evil, the performance of what's skillful, the cleansing of one's own mind: this is the teaching of the Awakened."

or perhaps more loosely as something like

""Do not do any negative activities. Perform the perfect virtues. Discipline your own mind. This is the teaching of the Buddha."

Specifically I'm interested in the word that is translated here as 'purify' or 'cleanse' or 'discipline'.

Can anyone share any insight on this particular aspect of the translation? Of all of the translations of this particular verse, that one word tends to be the most variant it seems to me.

Thank you.

[Volo]

Assaji has on his web site useful materials with word by word analysis of Dhp verses (although with some minor errors) From there:

sacittapariyodapanaṃ: sacittapariyodapana-, N.n.: purifying one's own mind. A compound of two words:

sacitta-, N.n.: one's own mind. This word is itself a compound of
sa-, Adj.: own and
citta-, N.n.: mind.

pariyodapana-, N.n.: cleansing, purification. Derived from the verb pariyodapeti, which is a causative form (odapeti) of the verb da- (to clean) preceded by the prefix pari- (all around).
Nom.Sg.: saccittapariyodapanaṃ.

According to the Commentary: causing one's mind to be purified from the 5 hindrances:
sacittapariyodapananti pañcahi nīvaraṇehi attano cittassa vodāpanaṃ.

[DooDoot]

Specifically I'm interested in the word that is translated here as 'purify' or 'cleanse' or 'discipline'.

Hi there. The Pali term is pariyodapana (which is from pariyodapeti). To attempt to understand its meaning, I suggest to read other suttas (at this link & this link) where the terms are used. For example, AN 3.70:

A corrupt mind is cleaned by applying effort.
Upakkiliṭṭhassa, visākhe, cittassa upakkamena pariyodapanā hoti.

And how is a corrupt mind cleaned by applying effort?
Kathañca, visākhe, upakkiliṭṭhassa cittassa upakkamena pariyodapanā hoti?

It’s when a noble disciple recollects the Realized One:
Idha, visākhe, ariyasāvako tathāgataṃ anussarati:

‘That Blessed One is perfected, a fully awakened Buddha, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, holy, knower of the world, supreme guide for those who wish to train, teacher of gods and humans, awakened, blessed.’

‘itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadammasārathi satthā devamanussānaṃ buddho bhagavā’ti.

As they recollect the Realized One, their mind becomes clear, joy arises, and mental corruptions are given up.
Tassa tathāgataṃ anussarato cittaṃ pasīdati, pāmojjaṃ uppajjati.

It’s just like cleaning a dirty head by applying effort.
seyyathāpi, visākhe, upakkiliṭṭhassa sīsassa upakkamena pariyodapanā hoti.

And how is a dirty head cleaned by applying effort?
Kathañca, visākhe, upakkiliṭṭhassa sīsassa upakkamena pariyodapanā hoti?

With cleansing paste, clay, and water, and by applying the appropriate effort.

Kakkañca paṭicca mattikañca paṭicca udakañca paṭicca purisassa ca tajjaṃ vāyāmaṃ paṭicca, evaṃ kho, visākhe, upakkiliṭṭhassa sīsassa upakkamena pariyodapanā hoti.

In the same way, a corrupt mind is cleaned by applying effort.

Evamevaṃ kho, visākhe, upakkiliṭṭhassa cittassa upakkamena pariyodapanā hoti.

And how is a dirty body cleaned by applying effort?
Kathañca, visākhe, upakkiliṭṭhassa kāyassa upakkamena pariyodapanā hoti?

With pastes of powdered shells and herbs, water, and by applying the appropriate effort.
Sottiñca paṭicca, cuṇṇañca paṭicca, udakañca paṭicca, purisassa ca tajjaṃ vāyāmaṃ paṭicca.

And how is a dirty cloth cleaned by applying effort?
Kathañca, visākhe, upakkiliṭṭhassa vatthassa upakkamena pariyodapanā hoti?

With salt, lye, cow dung, and water, and by applying the appropriate effort.
Usmañca paṭicca, khārañca paṭicca, gomayañca paṭicca, udakañca paṭicca, purisassa ca tajjaṃ vāyāmaṃ paṭicca.

https://suttacentral.net/an3.70/en/sujato

AN 5.221 is interesting:

You learn new things. You clarify what you’ve learned. You have confidence in some things you have learned. You don’t contract severe illness. You have friends.

Assutaṃ suṇāti, sutaṃ pariyodāpeti, sutenekaccena visārado hoti, na gāḷhaṃ rogātaṅkaṃ phusati, mittavā ca hoti.

https://suttacentral.net/an5.221/en/sujato

Regards

[DooDoot]

According to the Commentary: causing one's mind to be purified from the 5 hindrances: sacittapariyodapananti pañcahi nīvaraṇehi attano cittassa vodāpanaṃ.

AN 5.179 goes beyond the five hindrances; to each jhana as "purification".

Also, Dhammapada:

Kaṇhaṃ dhammaṃ vippahāya,
Sukkaṃ bhāvetha paṇḍito;
Okā anokamāgamma,
Viveke yattha dūramaṃ.

Tatrābhiratimiccheyya,
hitvā kāme akiñcano;
pariyodāpeyya attānaṃ,
cittaklesehipaṇḍito.

87-88. Abandoning the dark way, let the wise man cultivate the bright path. Having gone from home to homelessness, let him yearn for that delight in detachment, so difficult to enjoy. Giving up sensual pleasures, with no attachment, let the wise man cleanse himself of defilements of the mind.

Dhammapada

[Volo]

AN 5.179 goes beyond the five hindrances; to each jhana as "purification".

Also, Dhammapada:

Kaṇhaṃ dhammaṃ vippahāya,
Sukkaṃ bhāvetha paṇḍito;
Okā anokamāgamma,
Viveke yattha dūramaṃ.

Tatrābhiratimiccheyya,
hitvā kāme akiñcano;
pariyodāpeyya attānaṃ,
cittaklesehipaṇḍito.

87-88. Abandoning the dark way, let the wise man cultivate the bright path. Having gone from home to homelessness, let him yearn for that delight in detachment, so difficult to enjoy. Giving up sensual pleasures, with no attachment, let the wise man cleanse himself of defilements of the mind.

Dhammapada

Well, 5 hindrances are often referred in the suttas as cittassa/cetaso upakkilesā. Also the commentary to Dhp 183 might mean not temporary suppression of hindrances by the power of jhāna, but complete purification from them by attaining the fruit of arahantship (or both: temporary and complete purification).

[sunnat]

Also

this (don't do evil, do good and purify the mind) is equated with sila, samadhi and panna. Panna is the wisdom or mind purification that happens with the practice of insight meditation, the gradual abandonment of the habitof re-planting old kamma seed come to fruition, instead letting them fall on barren ground, equanimity, thus eventually gaining a "clean" "purified" mind. In other words, the clean mind is a liberated mind, freed from defilements or latent tendencies.

[Dinsdale]

Looking at the whole verse, it could be describing the process of disciplining and purifying the mind by applying Right Effort.

https://suttacentral.net/an4.69/en/sujato

[DooDoot]

My impression is the verse pertains to anything up to & including Arahantship. The next sentence says: "All Buddhas say Nibbana is the supreme".

[Pulsar]

Thanks Volvo, for just enuf answer

According to the Commentary: causing one's mind to be purified from the 5 hindrances:
sacittapariyodapananti pañcahi nīvaraṇehi attano cittassa vodāpanaṃ

It is a word that haunted me, at the beginning, the days I knew not how
to read the suttas. Now I know the answer. Seeker12 thanks for asking.
Dhammapada is meant as an introduction, so I think if we think too much we ruin its
sweetness, sacittapariyodapanam the beauty of the Dhamma.
Besides isn't it a big deal to be able to be free of the 5 hindrances? and with that and some solitude, and a touch of applied thinking and sustained thought, one is already in the first
true form meditation.