1.1Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā anuruddho sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.At one time Venerable Sāriputta was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

1.2Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā anuruddho rattiyā paccūsasamayaṁ paccuṭṭhāya dhammapadāni bhāsati.Now at that time Venerable Anuruddha rose at the crack of dawn and recited passages of the teaching.¹1.3Atha kho piyaṅkaramātā yakkhinī puttakaṁ evaṁ tosesi:Then the native spirit Piyaṅkara’s Mother soothed her little child, saying:²

2.1“Mā saddaṁ kari piyaṅkara,“Don’t make a sound, Piyaṅkara!2.2Bhikkhu dhammapadāni bhāsati;A mendicant recites passages of the teaching.2.3Api ca dhammapadaṁ vijāniya,When we understand a passage,2.4Paṭipajjema hitāya no siyā.we can practice for our welfare.

3.1Pāṇesu ca saṁyamāmase,Let us restrain ourselves from harming living creatures,3.2Sampajānamusā na bhaṇāmase;and speak no lying words.3.3Sikkhema susīlyamattano,We should train ourselves well in ethics,3.4Api muccema pisācayoniyā”ti.and hopefully we’ll be freed from the goblin realm.”³