Verse 33: The mind is excitable and unsteady; it is difficult to control and to restrain. The wise one trains his mind to be upright as a fletcher straightens an arrow.

Verse 34: As a fish quivers when taken out of its watery home and thrown on to dry ground, so does the mind quiver when it is taken out of the sensual world to escape from the realm of Mara (i.e., kilesa vatta, round of moral defilements).

1. durakkham: difficult to keep the mind fixed on a single object when meditating.

2. dunnivarayam: difficult to restrain the mind from drifting towards sensual pleasures.

3. ujum karoti: straightens:
(a) the fletcher straightens the arrow,
(b) the wise man trains his sensuous, unruly mind by means of Tranquillity and Insight Development Practice (Samatha and Vipassana). (The Commentary)

The Story of Thera Meghiya

While residing on the Calika Mountain, the Buddha uttered Verses (33) and (34) of this book, with reference to Thera Meghiya.

At that time, Thera Meghiya was attending upon the Buddha. On one occasion, on his return from alms-round, the thera noticed a pleasant and beautiful mango grove, which he thought was an ideal spot for meditation. He asked the Buddha’s permission to let him go there, but as the Buddha was alone at that time, he was told to wait for awhile until the arrival of some other bhikkhus. The thera was in a hurry to go and so he repeated his request again and again, until finally the Buddha told him to do as he wished.

Thus, Thera Meghiya set out for the mango grove, sat at the foot of a tree and practised meditation. He stayed there the whole day, but his mind kept wandering and he made no progress. He returned in the evening and reported to the Buddha how all the time he was assailed by thoughts associated with the senses, ill will and cruelty (kama vitakka, byapada vitakka and vihimsa vitakka).

So, the Buddha told him that as the mind is easily excitable and fickle, one should control one’s mind.

Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 33: The mind is excitable and unsteady; it is difficult to control and to restrain. The wise one trains his mind to be upright as a fletcher straightens an arrow.

Verse 34: As a fish quivers when taken out of its watery home and thrown on to dry ground, so does the mind quiver when it is taken out of the sensual world to escape from the realm of Mara (i.e., kilesa vatta, round of moral defilements).

At the end of the discourse, Thera Meghiya attained Sotapatti Fruition.

Dhammapada Verses 33 and 34
Meghiyatthera Vatthu

Phandanam capalam cittam
durakkham1 dunnivarayam2
ujum karoti3 medhavi
usukarova tejanam.

Varijova thale khitto
okamokata ubbhato
pariphandatidam cittam
maradheyyam pahatave.

Source: Tipitaka