1Phandanaṁ capalaṁ cittaṁ,
The mind quivers and shakes,
2dūrakkhaṁ dunnivārayaṁ;
hard to guard, hard to curb.
3Ujuṁ karoti medhāvī,
The discerning straighten it out,
4usukārova tejanaṁ.
like a fletcher straightens an arrow.
5Vārijova thale khitto,
Like a fish pulled from the sea
6okamokataubbhato;
and cast upon the shore,
7Pariphandatidaṁ cittaṁ,
this mind flounders about,
8māradheyyaṁ pahātave.
trying to throw off Māra’s dominion.
9Dunniggahassa lahuno,
Hard to hold back, flighty,
10yatthakāmanipātino;
alighting where it will;
11Cittassa damatho sādhu,
it’s good to tame the mind;
12cittaṁ dantaṁ sukhāvahaṁ.
a tamed mind leads to bliss.
13Sududdasaṁ sunipuṇaṁ,
So hard to see, so subtle,
14yatthakāmanipātinaṁ;
alighting where it will;
15Cittaṁ rakkhetha medhāvī,
the discerning protect the mind,
16cittaṁ guttaṁ sukhāvahaṁ.
a guarded mind leads to bliss.
17Dūraṅgamaṁ ekacaraṁ,
The mind travels far, wandering alone;
18asarīraṁ guhāsayaṁ;
incorporeal, it lies hidden in the heart.
19Ye cittaṁ saṁyamissanti,
Those who will restrain the mind
20mokkhanti mārabandhanā.
are freed from Māra’s bonds.
21Anavaṭṭhitacittassa,
Those of unsteady mind,
22saddhammaṁ avijānato;
who don’t understand the true teaching,
23Pariplavapasādassa,
and whose confidence wavers,
24paññā na paripūrati.
do not perfect their wisdom.
25Anavassutacittassa,
One whose mind is not festering,
26ananvāhatacetaso;
whose heart is undamaged,
27Puññapāpapahīnassa,
who’s given up right and wrong,
28natthi jāgarato bhayaṁ.
alert, has nothing to fear.
29Kumbhūpamaṁ kāyamimaṁ viditvā,
Knowing this body breaks like a pot,
30Nagarūpamaṁ cittamidaṁ ṭhapetvā;
and fortifying the mind like a citadel,
31Yodhetha māraṁ paññāvudhena,
attack Māra with the sword of wisdom,
32Jitañca rakkhe anivesano siyā.
guard your conquest, and never settle.
33Aciraṁ vatayaṁ kāyo,
All too soon this body
34pathaviṁ adhisessati;
will lie upon the earth,
35Chuddho apetaviññāṇo,
bereft of consciousness,
36niratthaṁva kaliṅgaraṁ.
tossed aside like a worthless log.
37Diso disaṁ yaṁ taṁ kayirā,
A wrongly directed mind
38verī vā pana verinaṁ;
would do you more harm
39Micchāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ,
than a hater to the hated,
40pāpiyo naṁ tato kare.
or an enemy to their foe.
41Na taṁ mātā pitā kayirā,
A rightly directed mind
42aññe vāpi ca ñātakā;
would do you more good
43Sammāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ,
than your mother or father
44seyyaso naṁ tato kare.
or any other relative.