I found these interesting verses.
Isidinnattheragāthā
“Diṭṭhā mayā dhammadharā upāsakā,
Kāmā aniccā iti bhāsamānā;
Sārattarattā maṇikuṇḍalesu,
Puttesu dāresu ca te apekkhā.Addhā na jānanti yatodha dhammaṁ,
Kāmā aniccā iti cāpi āhu;
Rāgañca tesaṁ na balatthi chettuṁ,
Tasmā sitā puttadāraṁ dhanañcā”ti.“I have seen lay followers learned in the Dhamma
speaking thus:
‘Sensual pleasures are impermanent.’
Yet they remain deeply attached
to jeweled earrings,
to children and to wives.Surely they do not truly understand
the Dhamma they speak of,
though they say:
‘Sensual pleasures are impermanent.’
For they do not have the strength
to cut off their lust.
Therefore they remain bound
to children, spouses, and wealth.”
Here’s the commentary:
“These verses beginning with ‘Seen by me…’ are the verses of the Venerable Elder Isidinna.”
What is the origin story?
This elder too had accumulated merit under previous Buddhas, performing wholesome deeds throughout many lives. During the time of the Blessed One Vipassī Buddha, he was born into a good family. When he came of age and attained understanding, he took a fan and made an offering to the Bodhi tree.
By the power of that wholesome kamma, he wandered among gods and humans. In this Buddha-era, he was born in a wealthy merchant family in the region of Sunāparanta and was given the name Isidinna.
When he had grown up, he saw the miracle that occurred when the Teacher accepted a sandalwood garland. Filled with faith, he approached the Teacher, listened to the Dhamma, attained stream-entry (sotāpatti), and continued living the household life.
A deity, wishing for his welfare and moved by compassion, admonished him by speaking these two verses:
“I have seen lay followers learned in the Dhamma
speaking thus: ‘Sensual pleasures are impermanent.’
Yet they remain deeply attached
to jeweled ornaments,
to children and to wives.Surely they do not truly understand
the Dhamma they speak of,
though they say:
‘Sensual pleasures are impermanent.’
For they do not have the strength
to cut off their lust.
Therefore they remain bound
to children, spouses, and wealth.”Explanation of the verses
“I have seen lay followers learned in the Dhamma…”
Here, certain lay followers learned in the textual Dhamma were seen by me. Because they had learned the scriptures, they spoke Dhamma connected with the danger in sensual pleasures, saying:
“Sensual pleasures are impermanent, suffering, and subject to change.”
Yet they themselves were:
- strongly attached,
- deeply infatuated with lust,
- attached to jewels and earrings,
- or to jewel-adorned ornaments,
- attached to sons and daughters,
- and attached to wives.
Thus, they were seen speaking one thing while doing another.
“Surely they do not truly understand…”
Because those lay followers remain attached and emotionally bound to ornaments, children, and wives, therefore they do not truly and completely understand the Dhamma in this Buddha’s Dispensation as it really is.
Yet such people still say:
“Sensual pleasures are impermanent.”
The meaning is:
beings have varied and contradictory natures.
“They do not have the strength to cut off lust…”
Because those lay followers do not possess the power of wisdom necessary to cut off and completely uproot lust, therefore they remain attached through craving:
- dependent on children,
- dependent on wives,
- dependent on wealth,
- clinging to them,
- unable to let them go.
All this was spoken by the deity indirectly, with that very lay follower as the intended target.
When the lay follower heard this, spiritual urgency (saṃvega) arose in him. He went forth into homelessness, and before long attained arahantship.
Therefore it is said in the Apadāna:
“In the time of the Blessed Vipassī Buddha,
at the foot of the Bodhi tree,
joyfully taking a fan in hand,
I fanned the supreme Bodhi tree.Ninety-one aeons ago,
I fanned the supreme Bodhi tree.
Since then I do not know a bad destination;
this is the fruit of that fanning.My defilements have been burned away…
the Buddha’s teaching has been fulfilled.”And after attaining arahantship, while declaring his realization, he spoke these very verses.
Thus ends the Commentary on the Verses of Elder Isidinna.