{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_2017/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_2017","id":"gutenberg_2017","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2017","summary":null,"tags":["Buddhism","Category: Philosophy & Ethics","Category: Poetry","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Theravada Buddhism -- Sacred texts"],"text":"THE DHAMMAPADA\n\nA Collection of Verses Being One of the Canonical Books of the Buddhists\n\nTranslated from Pali by F. Max Muller\n\n\nFrom:\n\n     The Sacred Books of the East\n     Translated by Various Oriental Scholars\n     Edited by F. Max Muller\n     Volume X\n     Part I\n\n\n\n\n[Note: The introduction, notes and index have been omitted.]\n\n\n\n\nContents\n\n     Chapter 1: The Twin Verses\n     Chapter 2: On Earnestness\n     Chapter 3: Thought\n     Chapter 4: Flowers\n     Chapter 5: The Fool\n     Chapter 6: The Wise Man (Pandita)\n     Chapter 7: The Venerable (Arhat)\n     Chapter 8: The Thousands\n     Chapter 9: Evil\n     Chapter 10: Punishment\n     Chapter 11: Old Age\n     Chapter 12: Self\n     Chapter 13: The World\n     Chapter 14: The Buddha (the Awakened)\n     Chapter 15: Happiness\n     Chapter 16: Pleasure\n     Chapter 17: Anger\n     Chapter 18: Impurity\n     Chapter 19: The Just\n     Chapter 20: The Way\n     Chapter 21: Miscellaneous\n     Chapter 22: The Downward Course\n     Chapter 23: The Elephant\n     Chapter 24: Thirst\n     Chapter 25: The Bhikshu (Mendicant)\n     Chapter 26 The Brahmana (Arhat)\n\n\n\n\nDHAMMAPADA\n\n\n\n\nChapter I. The Twin-Verses\n\n1. All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded\non our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts\nwith an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of\nthe ox that draws the carriage.\n\n2. All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded\non our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts\nwith a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never\nleaves him.\n\n3. \"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,\"--in those\nwho harbour such thoughts hatred will never cease.\n\n4. \"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,\"--in those\nwho do not harbour such thoughts hatred will cease.\n\n5. For hatred does not cease by hatred at any time: hatred ceases by\nlove, this is an old rule.\n\n6. The world does not know that we must all come to an end here;--but\nthose who know it, their quarrels cease at once.\n\n7. He who lives looking for pleasures only, his senses uncontrolled,\nimmoderate in his food, idle, and weak, Mara (the tempter) will\ncertainly overthrow him, as the wind throws down a weak tree.\n\n8. He who lives without looking for pleasures, his senses well\ncontrolled, moderate in his food, faithful and strong, him Mara will\ncertainly not overthrow, any more than the wind throws down a rocky\nmountain.\n\n9. He who wishes to put on the yellow dress without having cleansed\nhimself from sin, who disregards temperance and truth, is unworthy of\nthe yellow dress.\n\n10. But he who has cleansed himself from sin, is well grounded in all\nvirtues, and regards also temperance and truth, he is indeed worthy of\nthe yellow dress.\n\n11. They who imagine truth in untruth, and see untruth in truth, never\narrive at truth, but follow vain desires.\n\n12. They who know truth in truth, and untruth in untruth, arrive at\ntruth, and follow true desires.\n\n13. As rain breaks through an ill-thatched house, passion will break\nthrough an unreflecting mind.\n\n14. As rain does not break through a well-thatched house, passion will\nnot break through a well-reflecting mind.\n\n15. The evil-doer mourns in this world, and he mourns in the next; he\nmourns in both. He mourns and suffers when he sees the evil of his own\nwork.\n\n16. The virtuous man delights in this world, and he delights in the\nnext; he delights in both. He delights and rejoices, when he sees the\npurity of his own work.\n\n17. The evil-doer suffers in this world, and he suffers in the next; he\nsuffers in both. He suffers when he thinks of the evil he has done; he\nsuffers more when going on the evil path.\n\n18. The virtuous man is happy in this world, and he is happy in the\nnext; he is happy in both. He is happy when he thinks of the good he has\ndone; he is still more happy when going on the good path.\n\n19. The thoughtless man, even if he can recite a large portion (of the\nlaw), but is not a doer of it, has no share in the priesthood, but is\nlike a cowherd counting the cows of others.\n\n20. The follower of the law, even if he can recite only a small portion\n(of the law), but, having forsaken passion and hatred and foolishness,\npossesses true knowledge and serenity of mind, he, caring for nothing in\nthis world or that to come, has indeed a share in the priesthood.\n\n\n\n\nChapter II. On Earnestness\n\n21. Earnestness is the path of immortality (Nirvana), thoughtlessness\nthe path of death. Those who are in earnest do not die, those who are\nthoughtless are as if dead already.\n\n22. Those who are advanced in earnestness, having understood this\nclearly, delight in earnestness, and rejoice in the knowledge of the\nAriyas (the elect).\n\n23. These wise people, meditative, steady, always possessed of strong\npowers, attain to Nirvana, the highest happiness.\n\n24. If an earnest person has roused himself, if he is not forgetful,\nif his deeds are pure, if he acts with consideration, if he restrains\nhimself, and lives according to law,--then his glory will increase.\n\n25. By rousing himself, by earnestness, by restraint and control, the\nwise man may make for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm.\n\n26. Fools follow after vanity, men of evil wisdom. The wise man keeps\nearnestness as his best jewel.\n\n27. Follow not after vanity, nor after the enjoyment of love and lust!\nHe who is earnest and meditative, obtains ample joy.\n\n28. When the learned man drives away vanity by earnestness, he, the\nwise, climbing the terraced heights of wisdom, looks down upon the\nfools, serene he looks upon the toiling crowd, as one that stands on a\nmountain looks down upon them that stand upon the plain.\n\n29. Earnest among the thoughtless, awake among the sleepers, the wise\nman advances like a racer, leaving behind the hack.\n\n30. By earnestness did Maghavan (Indra) rise to the lordship of the\ngods. People praise earnestness; thoughtlessness is always blamed.\n\n31. A Bhikshu (mendicant) who delights in earnestness, who looks with\nfear on thoughtlessness, moves about like fire, burning all his fetters,\nsmall or large.\n\n32. A Bhikshu (mendicant) who delights in reflection, who looks with\nfear on thoughtlessness, cannot fall away (from his perfect state)--he\nis close upon Nirvana.\n\n\n\n\nChapter III. Thought\n\n33. As a fletcher makes straight his arrow, a wise man makes straight\nhis trembling and unsteady thought, which is difficult to guard,\ndifficult to hold back.\n\n34. As a fish taken from his watery home and thrown on dry ground, our\nthought trembles all over in order to escape the dominion of Mara (the\ntempter).\n\n35. It is good to tame the mind, which is difficult to hold in and\nflighty, rushing wherever it listeth; a tamed mind brings happiness.\n\n36. Let the wise man guard his thoughts, for they are difficult to\nperceive, very artful, and they rush wherever they list: thoughts well\nguarded bring happiness.\n\n37. Those who bridle their mind which travels far, moves about alone,\nis without a body, and hides in the chamber (of the heart), will be free\nfrom the bonds of Mara (the tempter).\n\n38. If a man's thoughts are unsteady, if he does not know the true law,\nif his peace of mind is troubled, his knowledge will never be perfect.\n\n39. If a man's thoughts are not dissipated, if his mind is not\nperplexed, if he has ceased to think of good or evil, then there is no\nfear for him while he is watchful.\n\n40. Knowing that this body is (fragile) like a jar, and making this\nthought firm like a fortress, one should attack Mara (the tempter) with\nthe weapon of knowledge, one should watch him when conquered, and should\nnever rest.\n\n41. Before long, alas! this body will lie on the earth, despised,\nwithout understanding, like a useless log.\n\n42. Whatever a hater may do to a hater, or an enemy to an enemy, a\nwrongly-directed mind will do us greater mischief.\n\n43. Not a mother, not a father will do so much, nor any other relative;\na well-directed mind will do us greater service.\n\n\nChapter IV. Flowers\n\n44. Who shall overcome this earth, and the world of Yama (the lord of\nthe departed), and the world of the gods? Who shall find out the plainly\nshown path of virtue, as a clever man finds out the (right) flower?\n\n45. The disciple will overcome the earth, and the world of Yama, and the\nworld of the gods. The disciple will find out the plainly shown path of\nvirtue, as a clever man finds out the (right) flower.\n\n46. He who knows that this body is like froth, and has learnt that it\nis as unsubstantial as a mirage, will break the flower-pointed arrow of\nMara, and never see the king of death.\n\n47. Death carries off a man who is gathering flowers and whose mind is\ndistracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village.\n\n48. Death subdues a man who is gathering flowers, and whose mind is\ndistracted, before he is satiated in his pleasures.\n\n49. As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the flower,\nor its colour or scent, so let a sage dwell in his village.\n\n50. Not the perversities of others, not their sins of commission or\nomission, but his own misdeeds and negligences should a sage take notice\nof.\n\n51. Like a beautiful flower, full of colour, but without scent, are the\nfine but fruitless words of him who does not act accordingly.\n\n52. But, like a beautiful flower, full of colour and full of scent, are\nthe fine and fruitful words of him who acts accordingly.\n\n53. As many kinds of wreaths can be made from a heap of flowers, so many\ngood things may be achieved by a mortal when once he is born.\n\n54. The scent of flowers does not travel against the wind, nor (that\nof) sandal-wood, or of Tagara and Mallika flowers; but the odour of good\npeople travels even against the wind; a good man pervades every place.\n\n55. Sandal-wood or Tagara, a lotus-flower, or a Vassiki, among these\nsorts of perfumes, the perfume of virtue is unsurpassed.\n\n56. Mean is the scent that comes from Tagara and sandal-wood;--the\nperfume of those who possess virtue rises up to the gods as the highest.\n\n57. Of the people who possess these virtues, who live without\nthoughtlessness, and who are emancipated through true knowledge, Mara,\nthe tempter, never finds the way.\n\n58, 59. As on a heap of rubbish cast upon the highway the lily will\ngrow full of sweet perfume and delight, thus the disciple of the truly\nenlightened Buddha shines forth by his knowledge among those who are\nlike rubbish, among the people that walk in darkness.\n\n\n\n\nChapter V. The Fool\n\n60. Long is the night to him who is awake; long is a mile to him who is\ntired; long is life to the foolish who do not know the true law.\n\n61. If a traveller does not meet with one who is his better, or\nhis equal, let him firmly keep to his solitary journey; there is no\ncompanionship with a fool.\n\n62. \"These sons belong to me, and this wealth belongs to me,\" with such\nthoughts a fool is tormented. He himself does not belong to himself; how\nmuch less sons and wealth?\n\n63. The fool who knows his foolishness, is wise at least so far. But a\nfool who thinks himself wise, he is called a fool indeed.\n\n64. If a fool be associated with a wise man even all his life, he will\nperceive the truth as little as a spoon perceives the taste of soup.\n\n65. If an intelligent man be associated for one minute only with a wise\nman, he will soon perceive the truth, as the tongue perceives the taste\nof soup.\n\n66. Fools of little understanding have themselves for their greatest\nenemies, for they do evil deeds which must bear bitter fruits.\n\n67. That deed is not well done of which a man must repent, and the\nreward of which he receives crying and with a tearful face.\n\n68. No, that deed is well done of which a man does not repent, and the\nreward of which he receives gladly and cheerfully.\n\n69. As long as the evil deed done does not bear fruit, the fool thinks\nit is like honey; but when it ripens, then the fool suffers grief.\n\n70. Let a fool month after month eat his food (like an ascetic) with the\ntip of a blade of Kusa grass, yet he is not worth the sixteenth particle\nof those who have well weighed the law.\n\n71. An evil deed, like newly-drawn milk, does not turn (suddenly);\nsmouldering, like fire covered by ashes, it follows the fool.\n\n72. And when the evil deed, after it has become known, brings sorrow to\nthe fool, then it destroys his bright lot, nay, it cleaves his head.\n\n73. Let the fool wish for a false reputation, for precedence among the\nBhikshus, for lordship in the convents, for worship among other people!\n\n74. \"May both the layman and he who has left the world think that this\nis done by me; may they be subject to me in everything which is to be\ndone or is not to be done,\" thus is the mind of the fool, and his desire\nand pride increase.\n\n75. \"One is the road that leads to wealth, another the road that leads\nto Nirvana;\" if the Bhikshu, the disciple of Buddha, has learnt this,\nhe will not yearn for honour, he will strive after separation from the\nworld.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VI. The Wise Man (Pandita)\n\n76. If you see an intelligent man who tells you where true treasures are\nto be found, who shows what is to be avoided, and administers reproofs,\nfollow that wise man; it will be better, not worse, for those who follow\nhim.\n\n77. Let him admonish, let him teach, let him forbid what is\nimproper!--he will be beloved of the good, by the bad he will be hated.\n\n78. Do not have evil-doers for friends, do not have low people for\nfriends: have virtuous people for friends, have for friends the best of\nmen.\n\n79. He who drinks in the law lives happily with a serene mind: the sage\nrejoices always in the law, as preached by the elect (Ariyas).\n\n80. Well-makers lead the water (wherever they like); fletchers bend the\narrow; carpenters bend a log of wood; wise people fashion themselves.\n\n81. As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, wise people falter not\namidst blame and praise.\n\n82. Wise people, after they have listened to the laws, become serene,\nlike a deep, smooth, and still lake.\n\n83. Good people walk on whatever befall, the good do not prattle,\nlonging for pleasure; whether touched by happiness or sorrow wise people\nnever appear elated or depressed.\n\n84. If, whether for his own sake, or for the sake of others, a man\nwishes neither for a son, nor for wealth, nor for lordship, and if he\ndoes not wish for his own success by unfair means, then he is good,\nwise, and virtuous.\n\n85. Few are there among men who arrive at the other shore (become\nArhats); the other people here run up and down the shore.\n\n86. But those who, when the law has been well preached to them, follow\nthe law, will pass across the dominion of death, however difficult to\novercome.\n\n87, 88. A wise man should leave the dark state (of ordinary life), and\nfollow the bright state (of the Bhikshu). After going from his home to\na homeless state, he should in his retirement look for enjoyment where\nthere seemed to be no enjoyment. Leaving all pleasures behind, and\ncalling nothing his own, the wise man should purge himself from all the\ntroubles of the mind.\n\n89. Those whose mind is well grounded in the (seven) elements of\nknowledge, who without clinging to anything, rejoice in freedom from\nattachment, whose appetites have been conquered, and who are full of\nlight, are free (even) in this world.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VII. The Venerable (Arhat).\n\n90. There is no suffering for him who has finished his journey, and\nabandoned grief, who has freed himself on all sides, and thrown off all\nfetters.\n\n91. They depart with their thoughts well-collected, they are not happy\nin their abode; like swans who have left their lake, they leave their\nhouse and home.\n\n92. Men who have no riches, who live on recognised food, who have\nperceived void and unconditioned freedom (Nirvana), their path is\ndifficult to understand, like that of birds in the air.\n\n93. He whose appetites are stilled, who is not absorbed in enjoyment,\nwho has perceived void and unconditioned freedom (Nirvana), his path is\ndifficult to understand, like that of birds in the air.\n\n94. The gods even envy him whose senses, like horses well broken in by\nthe driver, have been subdued, who is free from pride, and free from\nappetites.\n\n95. Such a one who does his duty is tolerant like the earth, like\nIndra's bolt; he is like a lake without mud; no new births are in store\nfor him.\n\n96. His thought is quiet, quiet are his word and deed, when he has\nobtained freedom by true knowledge, when he has thus become a quiet man.\n\n97. The man who is free from credulity, but knows the uncreated, who has\ncut all ties, removed all temptations, renounced all desires, he is the\ngreatest of men.\n\n98. In a hamlet or in a forest, in the deep water or on the dry land,\nwherever venerable persons (Arhanta) dwell, that place is delightful.\n\n99. Forests are delightful; where the world finds no delight, there the\npassionless will find delight, for they look not for pleasures.\n\n\n\n\nChapter VIII. The Thousands\n\n100. Even though a speech be a thousand (of words), but made up of\nsenseless words, one word of sense is better, which if a man hears, he\nbecomes quiet.\n\n101. Even though a Gatha (poem) be a thousand (of words), but made up of\nsenseless words, one word of a Gatha is better, which if a man hears, he\nbecomes quiet.\n\n102. Though a man recite a hundred Gathas made up of senseless words,\none word of the law is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.\n\n103. If one man conquer in battle a thousand times thousand men, and if\nanother conquer himself, he is the greatest of conquerors.\n\n104, 105. One's own self conquered is better than all other people; not\neven a god, a Gandharva, not Mara with Brahman could change into defeat\nthe victory of a man who has vanquished himself, and always lives under\nrestraint.\n\n106. If a man for a hundred years sacrifice month after month with a\nthousand, and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is\ngrounded (in true knowledge), better is that homage than sacrifice for a\nhundred years.\n\n107. If a man for a hundred years worship Agni (fire) in the forest, and\nif he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded\n(in true knowledge), better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred\nyears.\n\n108. Whatever a man sacrifice in this world as an offering or as an\noblation for a whole year in order to gain merit, the whole of it is\nnot worth a quarter (a farthing); reverence shown to the righteous is\nbetter.\n\n109. He who always greets and constantly reveres the aged, four things\nwill increase to him, viz. life, beauty, happiness, power.\n\n110. But he who lives a hundred years, vicious and unrestrained, a life\nof one day is better if a man is virtuous and reflecting.\n\n111. And he who lives a hundred years, ignorant and unrestrained, a life\nof one day is better if a man is wise and reflecting.\n\n112. And he who lives a hundred years, idle and weak, a life of one day\nis better if a man has attained firm strength.\n\n113. And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing beginning and end, a\nlife of one day is better if a man sees beginning and end.\n\n114. And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the immortal place, a\nlife of one day is better if a man sees the immortal place.\n\n115. And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the highest law, a\nlife of one day is better if a man sees the highest law.\n\n\n\n\nChapter IX. Evil\n\n116. If a man would hasten towards the good, he should keep his thought\naway from evil; if a man does what is good slothfully, his mind delights\nin evil.\n\n117. If a man commits a sin, let him not do it again; let him not\ndelight in sin: pain is the outcome of evil.\n\n118. If a man does what is good, let him do it again; let him delight in\nit: happiness is the outcome of good.\n\n119. Even an evil-doer sees happiness as long as his evil deed has not\nripened; but when his evil deed has ripened, then does the evil-doer see\nevil.\n\n120. Even a good man sees evil days, as long as his good deed has not\nripened; but when his good deed has ripened, then does the good man see\nhappy days.\n\n121. Let no man think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, It will not\ncome nigh unto me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is\nfilled; the fool becomes full of evil, even if he gather it little by\nlittle.\n\n122. Let no man think lightly of good, saying in his heart, It will not\ncome nigh unto me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is\nfilled; the wise man becomes full of good, even if he gather it little\nby little.\n\n123. Let a man avoid evil deeds, as a merchant, if he has few companions\nand carries much wealth, avoids a dangerous road; as a man who loves\nlife avoids poison.\n\n124. He who has no wound on his hand, may touch poison with his hand;\npoison does not affect one who has no wound; nor is there evil for one\nwho does not commit evil.\n\n125. If a man offend a harmless, pure, and innocent person, the evil\nfalls back upon that fool, like light dust thrown up against the wind.\n\n126. Some people are born again; evil-doers go to hell; righteous\npeople go to heaven; those who are free from all worldly desires attain\nNirvana.\n\n127. Not in the sky, not in the midst of the sea, not if we enter into\nthe clefts of the mountains, is there known a spot in the whole world\nwhere a man might be freed from an evil deed.\n\n128. Not in the sky, not in the midst of the sea, not if we enter into\nthe clefts of the mountains, is there known a spot in the whole world\nwhere death could not overcome (the mortal). \n\n\n\n\nChapter X. Punishment\n\n129. All men tremble at punishment, all men fear death; remember that\nyou are like unto them, and do not kill, nor cause slaughter.\n\n130. All men tremble at punishment, all men love life; remember that\nthou art like unto them, and do not kill, nor cause slaughter.\n\n131. He who seeking his own happiness punishes or kills beings who also\nlong for happiness, will not find happiness after death.\n\n132. He who seeking his own happiness does not punish or kill beings who\nalso long for happiness, will find happiness after death.\n\n133. Do not speak harshly to anybody; those who are spoken to will\nanswer thee in the same way. Angry speech is painful, blows for blows\nwill touch thee.\n\n134. If, like a shattered metal plate (gong), thou utter not, then thou\nhast reached Nirvana; contention is not known to thee.\n\n135. As a cowherd with his staff drives his cows into the stable, so do\nAge and Death drive the life of men.\n\n136. A fool does not know when he commits his evil deeds: but the wicked\nman burns by his own deeds, as if burnt by fire.\n\n137. He who inflicts pain on innocent and harmless persons, will soon\ncome to one of these ten states:\n\n138. He will have cruel suffering, loss, injury of the body, heavy\naffliction, or loss of mind,\n\n139. Or a misfortune coming from the king, or a fearful accusation, or\nloss of relations, or destruction of treasures,\n\n140. Or lightning-fire will burn his houses; and when his body is\ndestroyed, the fool will go to hell.\n\n141. Not nakedness, not platted hair, not dirt, not fasting, or lying on\nthe earth, not rubbing with dust, not sitting motionless, can purify a\nmortal who has not overcome desires.\n\n142. He who, though dressed in fine apparel, exercises tranquillity, is\nquiet, subdued, restrained, chaste, and has ceased to find fault with\nall other beings, he indeed is a Brahmana, an ascetic (sramana), a friar\n(bhikshu).\n\n143. Is there in this world any man so restrained by humility that he\ndoes not mind reproof, as a well-trained horse the whip?\n\n144. Like a well-trained horse when touched by the whip, be ye active\nand lively, and by faith, by virtue, by energy, by meditation, by\ndiscernment of the law you will overcome this great pain (of reproof),\nperfect in knowledge and in behaviour, and never forgetful.\n\n145. Well-makers lead the water (wherever they like); fletchers bend the\narrow; carpenters bend a log of wood; good people fashion themselves.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XI. Old Age\n\n146. How is there laughter, how is there joy, as this world is always\nburning? Why do you not seek a light, ye who are surrounded by darkness?\n\n147. Look at this dressed-up lump, covered with wounds, joined together,\nsickly, full of many thoughts, which has no strength, no hold!\n\n148. This body is wasted, full of sickness, and frail; this heap of\ncorruption breaks to pieces, life indeed ends in death.\n\n149. Those white bones, like gourds thrown away in the autumn, what\npleasure is there in looking at them?\n\n150. After a stronghold has been made of the bones, it is covered with\nflesh and blood, and there dwell in it old age and death, pride and\ndeceit.\n\n151. The brilliant chariots of kings are destroyed, the body also\napproaches destruction, but the virtue of good people never approaches\ndestruction,--thus do the good say to the good.\n\n152. A man who has learnt little, grows old like an ox; his flesh grows,\nbut his knowledge does not grow.\n\n153, 154. Looking for the maker of this tabernacle, I shall have to run\nthrough a course of many births, so long as I do not find (him); and\npainful is birth again and again. But now, maker of the tabernacle, thou\nhast been seen; thou shalt not make up this tabernacle again. All thy\nrafters are broken, thy ridge-pole is sundered; the mind, approaching\nthe Eternal (visankhara, nirvana), has attained to the extinction of all\ndesires.\n\n155. Men who have not observed proper discipline, and have not gained\ntreasure in their youth, perish like old herons in a lake without fish.\n\n156. Men who have not observed proper discipline, and have not gained\ntreasure in their youth, lie, like broken bows, sighing after the past.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XII. Self\n\n157. If a man hold himself dear, let him watch himself carefully; during\none at least out of the three watches a wise man should be watchful.\n\n158. Let each man direct himself first to what is proper, then let him\nteach others; thus a wise man will not suffer.\n\n159. If a man make himself as he teaches others to be, then, being\nhimself well subdued, he may subdue (others); one's own self is indeed\ndifficult to subdue.\n\n160. Self is the lord of self, who else could be the lord? With self\nwell subdued, a man finds a lord such as few can find.\n\n161. The evil done by oneself, self-begotten, self-bred, crushes the\nfoolish, as a diamond breaks a precious stone.\n\n162. He whose wickedness is very great brings himself down to that state\nwhere his enemy wishes him to be, as a creeper does with the tree which\nit surrounds.\n\n163. Bad deeds, and deeds hurtful to ourselves, are easy to do; what is\nbeneficial and good, that is very difficult to do.\n\n164. The foolish man who scorns the rule of the venerable (Arahat), of\nthe elect (Ariya), of the virtuous, and follows false doctrine, he bears\nfruit to his own destruction, like the fruits of the Katthaka reed.\n\n165. By oneself the evil is done, by oneself one suffers; by oneself\nevil is left undone, by oneself one is purified. Purity and impurity\nbelong to oneself, no one can purify another.\n\n166. Let no one forget his own duty for the sake of another's, however\ngreat; let a man, after he has discerned his own duty, be always\nattentive to his duty.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIII. The World\n\n167. Do not follow the evil law! Do not live on in thoughtlessness! Do\nnot follow false doctrine! Be not a friend of the world.\n\n168. Rouse thyself! do not be idle! Follow the law of virtue! The\nvirtuous rests in bliss in this world and in the next.\n\n169. Follow the law of virtue; do not follow that of sin. The virtuous\nrests in bliss in this world and in the next.\n\n170. Look upon the world as a bubble, look upon it as a mirage: the king\nof death does not see him who thus looks down upon the world.\n\n171. Come, look at this glittering world, like unto a royal chariot; the\nfoolish are immersed in it, but the wise do not touch it.\n\n172. He who formerly was reckless and afterwards became sober, brightens\nup this world, like the moon when freed from clouds.\n\n173. He whose evil deeds are covered by good deeds, brightens up this\nworld, like the moon when freed from clouds.\n\n174. This world is dark, few only can see here; a few only go to heaven,\nlike birds escaped from the net.\n\n175. The swans go on the path of the sun, they go through the ether by\nmeans of their miraculous power; the wise are led out of this world,\nwhen they have conquered Mara and his train.\n\n176. If a man has transgressed one law, and speaks lies, and scoffs at\nanother world, there is no evil he will not do.\n\n177. The uncharitable do not go to the world of the gods; fools only do\nnot praise liberality; a wise man rejoices in liberality, and through it\nbecomes blessed in the other world.\n\n178. Better than sovereignty over the earth, better than going to\nheaven, better than lordship over all worlds, is the reward of the first\nstep in holiness.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIV. The Buddha (The Awakened)\n\n179. He whose conquest is not conquered again, into whose conquest no\none in this world enters, by what track can you lead him, the Awakened,\nthe Omniscient, the trackless?\n\n180. He whom no desire with its snares and poisons can lead astray,\nby what track can you lead him, the Awakened, the Omniscient, the\ntrackless?\n\n181. Even the gods envy those who are awakened and not forgetful, who\nare given to meditation, who are wise, and who delight in the repose of\nretirement (from the world).\n\n182. Difficult (to obtain) is the conception of men, difficult is the\nlife of mortals, difficult is the hearing of the True Law, difficult is\nthe birth of the Awakened (the attainment of Buddhahood).\n\n183. Not to commit any sin, to do good, and to purify one's mind, that\nis the teaching of (all) the Awakened.\n\n184. The Awakened call patience the highest penance, long-suffering the\nhighest Nirvana; for he is not an anchorite (pravragita) who strikes\nothers, he is not an ascetic (sramana) who insults others.\n\n185. Not to blame, not to strike, to live restrained under the law,\nto be moderate in eating, to sleep and sit alone, and to dwell on the\nhighest thoughts,--this is the teaching of the Awakened.\n\n186. There is no satisfying lusts, even by a shower of gold pieces; he\nwho knows that lusts have a short taste and cause pain, he is wise;\n\n187. Even in heavenly pleasures he finds no satisfaction, the disciple\nwho is fully awakened delights only in the destruction of all desires.\n\n188. Men, driven by fear, go to many a refuge, to mountains and forests,\nto groves and sacred trees.\n\n189. But that is not a safe refuge, that is not the best refuge; a man\nis not delivered from all pains after having gone to that refuge.\n\n190. He who takes refuge with Buddha, the Law, and the Church; he who,\nwith clear understanding, sees the four holy truths:--\n\n191. Viz. pain, the origin of pain, the destruction of pain, and the\neightfold holy way that leads to the quieting of pain;--\n\n192. That is the safe refuge, that is the best refuge; having gone to\nthat refuge, a man is delivered from all pain.\n\n193. A supernatural person (a Buddha) is not easily found, he is not\nborn everywhere. Wherever such a sage is born, that race prospers.\n\n194. Happy is the arising of the awakened, happy is the teaching of the\nTrue Law, happy is peace in the church, happy is the devotion of those\nwho are at peace.\n\n195, 196. He who pays homage to those who deserve homage, whether the\nawakened (Buddha) or their disciples, those who have overcome the host\n(of evils), and crossed the flood of sorrow, he who pays homage to\nsuch as have found deliverance and know no fear, his merit can never be\nmeasured by anybody.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XV. Happiness\n\n197. Let us live happily then, not hating those who hate us! among men\nwho hate us let us dwell free from hatred!\n\n198. Let us live happily then, free from ailments among the ailing!\namong men who are ailing let us dwell free from ailments!\n\n199. Let us live happily then, free from greed among the greedy! among\nmen who are greedy let us dwell free from greed!\n\n200. Let us live happily then, though we call nothing our own! We shall\nbe like the bright gods, feeding on happiness!\n\n201. Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy. He who has\ngiven up both victory and defeat, he, the contented, is happy.\n\n202. There is no fire like passion; there is no losing throw like\nhatred; there is no pain like this body; there is no happiness higher\nthan rest.\n\n203. Hunger is the worst of diseases, the body the greatest of pains; if\none knows this truly, that is Nirvana, the highest happiness.\n\n204. Health is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches;\ntrust is the best of relationships, Nirvana the highest happiness.\n\n205. He who has tasted the sweetness of solitude and tranquillity,\nis free from fear and free from sin, while he tastes the sweetness of\ndrinking in the law.\n\n206. The sight of the elect (Arya) is good, to live with them is always\nhappiness; if a man does not see fools, he will be truly happy.\n\n207. He who walks in the company of fools suffers a long way; company\nwith fools, as with an enemy, is always painful; company with the wise\nis pleasure, like meeting with kinsfolk.\n\n208. Therefore, one ought to follow the wise, the intelligent, the\nlearned, the much enduring, the dutiful, the elect; one ought to follow\na good and wise man, as the moon follows the path of the stars.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVI. Pleasure\n\n209. He who gives himself to vanity, and does not give himself to\nmeditation, forgetting the real aim (of life) and grasping at pleasure,\nwill in time envy him who has exerted himself in meditation.\n\n210. Let no man ever look for what is pleasant, or what is unpleasant.\nNot to see what is pleasant is pain, and it is pain to see what is\nunpleasant.\n\n211. Let, therefore, no man love anything; loss of the beloved is evil.\nThose who love nothing and hate nothing, have no fetters.\n\n212. From pleasure comes grief, from pleasure comes fear; he who is free\nfrom pleasure knows neither grief nor fear.\n\n213. From affection comes grief, from affection comes fear; he who is\nfree from affection knows neither grief nor fear.\n\n214. From lust comes grief, from lust comes fear; he who is free from\nlust knows neither grief nor fear.\n\n215. From love comes grief, from love comes fear; he who is free from\nlove knows neither grief nor fear.\n\n216. From greed comes grief, from greed comes fear; he who is free from\ngreed knows neither grief nor fear.\n\n217. He who possesses virtue and intelligence, who is just, speaks the\ntruth, and does what is his own business, him the world will hold dear.\n\n218. He in whom a desire for the Ineffable (Nirvana) has sprung up, who\nis satisfied in his mind, and whose thoughts are not bewildered by love,\nhe is called urdhvamsrotas (carried upwards by the stream).\n\n219. Kinsmen, friends, and lovers salute a man who has been long away,\nand returns safe from afar.\n\n220. In like manner his good works receive him who has done good, and\nhas gone from this world to the other;--as kinsmen receive a friend on\nhis return.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVII. Anger\n\n221. Let a man leave anger, let him forsake pride, let him overcome all\nbondage! No sufferings befall the man who is not attached to name and\nform, and who calls nothing his own.\n\n222. He who holds back rising anger like a rolling chariot, him I call a\nreal driver; other people are but holding the reins.\n\n223. Let a man overcome anger by love, let him overcome evil by good;\nlet him overcome the greedy by liberality, the liar by truth!\n\n224. Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for\nlittle; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods.\n\n225. The sages who injure nobody, and who always control their body,\nthey will go to the unchangeable place (Nirvana), where, if they have\ngone, they will suffer no more.\n\n226. Those who are ever watchful, who study day and night, and who\nstrive after Nirvana, their passions will come to an end.\n\n227. This is an old saying, O Atula, this is not only of to-day: `They\nblame him who sits silent, they blame him who speaks much, they also\nblame him who says little; there is no one on earth who is not blamed.'\n\n228. There never was, there never will be, nor is there now, a man who\nis always blamed, or a man who is always praised.\n\n229, 230. But he whom those who discriminate praise continually day\nafter day, as without blemish, wise, rich in knowledge and virtue, who\nwould dare to blame him, like a coin made of gold from the Gambu river?\nEven the gods praise him, he is praised even by Brahman.\n\n231. Beware of bodily anger, and control thy body! Leave the sins of the\nbody, and with thy body practise virtue!\n\n232. Beware of the anger of the tongue, and control thy tongue! Leave\nthe sins of the tongue, and practise virtue with thy tongue!\n\n233. Beware of the anger of the mind, and control thy mind! Leave the\nsins of the mind, and practise virtue with thy mind!\n\n234. The wise who control their body, who control their tongue, the wise\nwho control their mind, are indeed well controlled.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XVIII. Impurity\n\n235. Thou art now like a sear leaf, the messengers of death (Yama) have\ncome near to thee; thou standest at the door of thy departure, and thou\nhast no provision for thy journey.\n\n236. Make thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy impurities\nare blown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt enter into the\nheavenly world of the elect (Ariya).\n\n237. Thy life has come to an end, thou art come near to death (Yama),\nthere is no resting-place for thee on the road, and thou hast no\nprovision for thy journey.\n\n238. Make thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy impurities are\nblown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt not enter again into\nbirth and decay.\n\n239. Let a wise man blow off the impurities of his self, as a smith\nblows off the impurities of silver one by one, little by little, and\nfrom time to time.\n\n240. As the impurity which springs from the iron, when it springs from\nit, destroys it; thus do a transgressor's own works lead him to the evil\npath.\n\n241. The taint of prayers is non-repetition; the taint of houses,\nnon-repair; the taint of the body is sloth; the taint of a watchman,\nthoughtlessness.\n\n242. Bad conduct is the taint of woman, greediness the taint of a\nbenefactor; tainted are all evil ways in this world and in the next.\n\n243. But there is a taint worse than all taints,--ignorance is\nthe greatest taint. O mendicants! throw off that taint, and become\ntaintless!\n\n244. Life is easy to live for a man who is without shame, a crow hero, a\nmischief-maker, an insulting, bold, and wretched fellow.\n\n245. But life is hard to live for a modest man, who always looks for\nwhat is pure, who is disinterested, quiet, spotless, and intelligent.\n\n246. He who destroys life, who speaks untruth, who in this world takes\nwhat is not given him, who goes to another man's wife;\n\n247. And the man who gives himself to drinking intoxicating liquors, he,\neven in this world, digs up his own root.\n\n248. O man, know this, that the unrestrained are in a bad state; take\ncare that greediness and vice do not bring thee to grief for a long\ntime!\n\n249. The world gives according to their faith or according to their\npleasure: if a man frets about the food and the drink given to others,\nhe will find no rest either by day or by night.\n\n250. He in whom that feeling is destroyed, and taken out with the very\nroot, finds rest by day and by night.\n\n251. There is no fire like passion, there is no shark like hatred, there\nis no snare like folly, there is no torrent like greed.\n\n252. The fault of others is easily perceived, but that of oneself is\ndifficult to perceive; a man winnows his neighbour's faults like chaff,\nbut his own fault he hides, as a cheat hides the bad die from the\ngambler.\n\n253. If a man looks after the faults of others, and is always inclined\nto be offended, his own passions will grow, and he is far from the\ndestruction of passions.\n\n254. There is no path through the air, a man is not a Samana by outward\nacts. The world delights in vanity, the Tathagatas (the Buddhas) are\nfree from vanity.\n\n255. There is no path through the air, a man is not a Samana by outward\nacts. No creatures are eternal; but the awakened (Buddha) are never\nshaken.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XIX. The Just\n\n256, 257. A man is not just if he carries a matter by violence; no, he\nwho distinguishes both right and wrong, who is learned and leads others,\nnot by violence, but by law and equity, and who is guarded by the law\nand intelligent, he is called just.\n\n258. A man is not learned because he talks much; he who is patient, free\nfrom hatred and fear, he is called learned.\n\n259. A man is not a supporter of the law because he talks much; even if\na man has learnt little, but sees the law bodily, he is a supporter of\nthe law, a man who never neglects the law.\n\n260. A man is not an elder because his head is grey; his age may be\nripe, but he is called `Old-in-vain.'\n\n261. He in whom there is truth, virtue, love, restraint, moderation, he\nwho is free from impurity and is wise, he is called an elder.\n\n262. An envious greedy, dishonest man does not become respectable by\nmeans of much talking only, or by the beauty of his complexion.\n\n263. He in whom all this is destroyed, and taken out with the very root,\nhe, when freed from hatred and wise, is called respectable.\n\n264. Not by tonsure does an undisciplined man who speaks falsehood\nbecome a Samana; can a man be a Samana who is still held captive by\ndesire and greediness?\n\n265. He who always quiets the evil, whether small or large, he is called\na Samana (a quiet man), because he has quieted all evil.\n\n266. A man is not a mendicant (Bhikshu) simply because he asks others\nfor alms; he who adopts the whole law is a Bhikshu, not he who only\nbegs.\n\n267. He who is above good and evil, who is chaste, who with knowledge\npasses through the world, he indeed is called a Bhikshu.\n\n268, 269. A man is not a Muni because he observes silence (mona, i.e.\nmauna), if he is foolish and ignorant; but the wise who, taking the\nbalance, chooses the good and avoids evil, he is a Muni, and is a Muni\nthereby; he who in this world weighs both sides is called a Muni.\n\n270. A man is not an elect (Ariya) because he injures living creatures;\nbecause he has pity on all living creatures, therefore is a man called\nAriya.\n\n271, 272. Not only by discipline and vows, not only by much learning,\nnot by entering into a trance, not by sleeping alone, do I earn the\nhappiness of release which no worldling can know. Bhikshu, be not\nconfident as long as thou hast not attained the extinction of desires.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XX. The Way\n\n273. The best of ways is the eightfold; the best of truths the four\nwords; the best of virtues passionlessness; the best of men he who has\neyes to see.\n\n274. This is the way, there is no other that leads to the purifying of\nintelligence. Go on this way! Everything else is the deceit of Mara (the\ntempter).\n\n275. If you go on this way, you will make an end of pain! The way was\npreached by me, when I had understood the removal of the thorns (in the\nflesh).\n\n276. You yourself must make an effort. The Tathagatas (Buddhas) are only\npreachers. The thoughtful who enter the way are freed from the bondage\nof Mara.\n\n277. `All created things perish,' he who knows and sees this becomes\npassive in pain; this is the way to purity.\n\n278. `All created things are grief and pain,' he who knows and sees this\nbecomes passive in pain; this is the way that leads to purity.\n\n279. `All forms are unreal,' he who knows and sees this becomes passive\nin pain; this is the way that leads to purity.\n\n280. He who does not rouse himself when it is time to rise, who, though\nyoung and strong, is full of sloth, whose will and thought are weak,\nthat lazy and idle man will never find the way to knowledge.\n\n281. Watching his speech, well restrained in mind, let a man never\ncommit any wrong with his body! Let a man but keep these three roads of\naction clear, and he will achieve the way which is taught by the wise.\n\n282. Through zeal knowledge is gotten, through lack of zeal knowledge is\nlost; let a man who knows this double path of gain and loss thus place\nhimself that knowledge may grow.\n\n283. Cut down the whole forest (of lust), not a tree only! Danger comes\nout of the forest (of lust). When you have cut down both the forest (of\nlust) and its undergrowth, then, Bhikshus, you will be rid of the forest\nand free!\n\n284. So long as the love of man towards women, even the smallest, is not\ndestroyed, so long is his mind in bondage, as the calf that drinks milk\nis to its mother.\n\n285. Cut out the love of self, like an autumn lotus, with thy hand!\nCherish the road of peace. Nirvana has been shown by Sugata (Buddha).\n\n286. `Here I shall dwell in the rain, here in winter and summer,' thus\nthe fool meditates, and does not think of his death.\n\n287. Death comes and carries off that man, praised for his children and\nflocks, his mind distracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village.\n\n288. Sons are no help, nor a father, nor relations; there is no help\nfrom kinsfolk for one whom death has seized.\n\n289. A wise and good man who knows the meaning of this, should quickly\nclear the way that leads to Nirvana.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXI. Miscellaneous\n\n290. If by leaving a small pleasure one sees a great pleasure, let a\nwise man leave the small pleasure, and look to the great.\n\n291. He who, by causing pain to others, wishes to obtain pleasure for\nhimself, he, entangled in the bonds of hatred, will never be free from\nhatred.\n\n292. What ought to be done is neglected, what ought not to be done is\ndone; the desires of unruly, thoughtless people are always increasing.\n\n293. But they whose whole watchfulness is always directed to their body,\nwho do not follow what ought not to be done, and who steadfastly do what\nought to be done, the desires of such watchful and wise people will come\nto an end.\n\n294. A true Brahmana goes scatheless, though he have killed father and\nmother, and two valiant kings, though he has destroyed a kingdom with\nall its subjects.\n\n295. A true Brahmana goes scatheless, though he have killed father and\nmother, and two holy kings, and an eminent man besides.\n\n296. The disciples of Gotama (Buddha) are always well awake, and their\nthoughts day and night are always set on Buddha.\n\n297. The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their thoughts\nday and night are always set on the law.\n\n298. The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their thoughts\nday and night are always set on the church.\n\n299. The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their thoughts\nday and night are always set on their body.\n\n300. The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their mind day\nand night always delights in compassion.\n\n301. The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their mind day\nand night always delights in meditation.\n\n302. It is hard to leave the world (to become a friar), it is hard to\nenjoy the world; hard is the monastery, painful are the houses; painful\nit is to dwell with equals (to share everything in common) and the\nitinerant mendicant is beset with pain. Therefore let no man be an\nitinerant mendicant and he will not be beset with pain.\n\n303. Whatever place a faithful, virtuous, celebrated, and wealthy man\nchooses, there he is respected.\n\n304. Good people shine from afar, like the snowy mountains; bad people\nare not seen, like arrows shot by night.\n\n305. He alone who, without ceasing, practises the duty of sitting\nalone and sleeping alone, he, subduing himself, will rejoice in the\ndestruction of all desires alone, as if living in a forest.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXII. The Downward Course\n\n306. He who says what is not, goes to hell; he also who, having done a\nthing, says I have not done it. After death both are equal, they are men\nwith evil deeds in the next world.\n\n307. Many men whose shoulders are covered with the yellow gown are\nill-conditioned and unrestrained; such evil-doers by their evil deeds go\nto hell.\n\n308. Better it would be to swallow a heated iron ball, like flaring\nfire, than that a bad unrestrained fellow should live on the charity of\nthe land.\n\n309. Four things does a wreckless man gain who covets his neighbour's\nwife,--a bad reputation, an uncomfortable bed, thirdly, punishment, and\nlastly, hell.\n\n310. There is bad reputation, and the evil way (to hell), there is the\nshort pleasure of the frightened in the arms of the frightened, and\nthe king imposes heavy punishment; therefore let no man think of his\nneighbour's wife.\n\n311. As a grass-blade, if badly grasped, cuts the arm, badly-practised\nasceticism leads to hell.\n\n312. An act carelessly performed, a broken vow, and hesitating obedience\nto discipline, all this brings no great reward.\n\n313. If anything is to be done, let a man do it, let him attack it\nvigorously! A careless pilgrim only scatters the dust of his passions\nmore widely.\n\n314. An evil deed is better left undone, for a man repents of it\nafterwards; a good deed is better done, for having done it, one does not\nrepent.\n\n315. Like a well-guarded frontier fort, with defences within and\nwithout, so let a man guard himself. Not a moment should escape, for\nthey who allow the right moment to pass, suffer pain when they are in\nhell.\n\n316. They who are ashamed of what they ought not to be ashamed of, and\nare not ashamed of what they ought to be ashamed of, such men, embracing\nfalse doctrines enter the evil path.\n\n317. They who fear when they ought not to fear, and fear not when they\nought to fear, such men, embracing false doctrines, enter the evil path.\n\n318. They who forbid when there is nothing to be forbidden, and forbid\nnot when there is something to be forbidden, such men, embracing false\ndoctrines, enter the evil path.\n\n319. They who know what is forbidden as forbidden, and what is not\nforbidden as not forbidden, such men, embracing the true doctrine, enter\nthe good path.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXIII. The Elephant\n\n320. Silently shall I endure abuse as the elephant in battle endures the\narrow sent from the bow: for the world is ill-natured.\n\n321. They lead a tamed elephant to battle, the king mounts a tamed\nelephant; the tamed is the best among men, he who silently endures\nabuse.\n\n322. Mules are good, if tamed, and noble Sindhu horses, and elephants\nwith large tusks; but he who tames himself is better still.\n\n323. For with these animals does no man reach the untrodden country\n(Nirvana), where a tamed man goes on a tamed animal, viz. on his own\nwell-tamed self.\n\n324. The elephant called Dhanapalaka, his temples running with sap, and\ndifficult to hold, does not eat a morsel when bound; the elephant longs\nfor the elephant grove.\n\n325. If a man becomes fat and a great eater, if he is sleepy and rolls\nhimself about, that fool, like a hog fed on wash, is born again and\nagain.\n\n326. This mind of mine went formerly wandering about as it liked, as\nit listed, as it pleased; but I shall now hold it in thoroughly, as the\nrider who holds the hook holds in the furious elephant.\n\n327. Be not thoughtless, watch your thoughts! Draw yourself out of the\nevil way, like an elephant sunk in mud.\n\n328. If a man find a prudent companion who walks with him, is wise, and\nlives soberly, he may walk with him, overcoming all dangers, happy, but\nconsiderate.\n\n329. If a man find no prudent companion who walks with him, is wise,\nand lives soberly, let him walk alone, like a king who has left his\nconquered country behind,--like an elephant in the forest.\n\n330. It is better to live alone, there is no companionship with a fool;\nlet a man walk alone, let him commit no sin, with few wishes, like an\nelephant in the forest.\n\n331. If an occasion arises, friends are pleasant; enjoyment is pleasant,\nwhatever be the cause; a good work is pleasant in the hour of death; the\ngiving up of all grief is pleasant.\n\n332. Pleasant in the world is the state of a mother, pleasant the state\nof a father, pleasant the state of a Samana, pleasant the state of a\nBrahmana.\n\n333. Pleasant is virtue lasting to old age, pleasant is a faith firmly\nrooted; pleasant is attainment of intelligence, pleasant is avoiding of\nsins.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXIV. Thirst\n\n334. The thirst of a thoughtless man grows like a creeper; he runs from\nlife to life, like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest.\n\n335. Whomsoever this fierce thirst overcomes, full of poison, in this\nworld, his sufferings increase like the abounding Birana grass.\n\n336. He who overcomes this fierce thirst, difficult to be conquered in\nthis world, sufferings fall off from him, like water-drops from a lotus\nleaf.\n\n337. This salutary word I tell you, `Do ye, as many as are here\nassembled, dig up the root of thirst, as he who wants the sweet-scented\nUsira root must dig up the Birana grass, that Mara (the tempter) may not\ncrush you again and again, as the stream crushes the reeds.'\n\n338. As a tree, even though it has been cut down, is firm so long as its\nroot is safe, and grows again, thus, unless the feeders of thirst are\ndestroyed, the pain (of life) will return again and again.\n\n339. He whose thirst running towards pleasure is exceeding strong in the\nthirty-six channels, the waves will carry away that misguided man, viz.\nhis desires which are set on passion.\n\n340. The channels run everywhere, the creeper (of passion) stands\nsprouting; if you see the creeper springing up, cut its root by means of\nknowledge.\n\n341. A creature's pleasures are extravagant and luxurious; sunk in lust\nand looking for pleasure, men undergo (again and again) birth and decay.\n\n342. Men, driven on by thirst, run about like a snared hare; held in\nfetters and bonds, they undergo pain for a long time, again and again.\n\n343. Men, driven on by thirst, run about like a snared hare;\nlet therefore the mendicant drive out thirst, by striving after\npassionlessness for himself.\n\n344. He who having got rid of the forest (of lust) (i.e. after having\nreached Nirvana) gives himself over to forest-life (i.e. to lust), and\nwho, when removed from the forest (i.e. from lust), runs to the forest\n(i.e. to lust), look at that man! though free, he runs into bondage.\n\n345. Wise people do not call that a strong fetter which is made of iron,\nwood, or hemp; far stronger is the care for precious stones and rings,\nfor sons and a wife.\n\n346. That fetter wise people call strong which drags down, yields, but\nis difficult to undo; after having cut this at last, people leave the\nworld, free from cares, and leaving desires and pleasures behind.\n\n347. Those who are slaves to passions, run down with the stream (of\ndesires), as a spider runs down the web which he has made himself;\nwhen they have cut this, at last, wise people leave the world free from\ncares, leaving all affection behind.\n\n348. Give up what is before, give up what is behind, give up what is in\nthe middle, when thou goest to the other shore of existence; if thy mind\nis altogether free, thou wilt not again enter into birth and decay.\n\n349. If a man is tossed about by doubts, full of strong passions, and\nyearning only for what is delightful, his thirst will grow more and\nmore, and he will indeed make his fetters strong.\n\n350. If a man delights in quieting doubts, and, always reflecting,\ndwells on what is not delightful (the impurity of the body, &c.), he\ncertainly will remove, nay, he will cut the fetter of Mara.\n\n351. He who has reached the consummation, who does not tremble, who is\nwithout thirst and without sin, he has broken all the thorns of life:\nthis will be his last body.\n\n352. He who is without thirst and without affection, who understands the\nwords and their interpretation, who knows the order of letters (those\nwhich are before and which are after), he has received his last body, he\nis called the great sage, the great man.\n\n353. `I have conquered all, I know all, in all conditions of life I am\nfree from taint; I have left all, and through the destruction of thirst\nI am free; having learnt myself, whom shall I teach?'\n\n354. The gift of the law exceeds all gifts; the sweetness of the law\nexceeds all sweetness; the delight in the law exceeds all delights; the\nextinction of thirst overcomes all pain.\n\n355. Pleasures destroy the foolish, if they look not for the other\nshore; the foolish by his thirst for pleasures destroys himself, as if\nhe were his own enemy.\n\n356. The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by passion:\ntherefore a gift bestowed on the passionless brings great reward.\n\n357. The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by hatred:\ntherefore a gift bestowed on those who do not hate brings great reward.\n\n358. The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by vanity:\ntherefore a gift bestowed on those who are free from vanity brings great\nreward.\n\n359. The fields are damaged by weeds, mankind is damaged by lust:\ntherefore a gift bestowed on those who are free from lust brings great\nreward.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXV. The Bhikshu (Mendicant)\n\n360. Restraint in the eye is good, good is restraint in the ear, in the\nnose restraint is good, good is restraint in the tongue.\n\n361. In the body restraint is good, good is restraint in speech, in\nthought restraint is good, good is restraint in all things. A Bhikshu,\nrestrained in all things, is freed from all pain.\n\n362. He who controls his hand, he who controls his feet, he who controls\nhis speech, he who is well controlled, he who delights inwardly, who is\ncollected, who is solitary and content, him they call Bhikshu.\n\n363. The Bhikshu who controls his mouth, who speaks wisely and calmly,\nwho teaches the meaning and the law, his word is sweet.\n\n364. He who dwells in the law, delights in the law, meditates on the\nlaw, follows the law, that Bhikshu will never fall away from the true\nlaw.\n\n365. Let him not despise what he has received, nor ever envy others: a\nmendicant who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.\n\n366. A Bhikshu who, though he receives little, does not despise what he\nhas received, even the gods will praise him, if his life is pure, and if\nhe is not slothful.\n\n367. He who never identifies himself with name and form, and does not\ngrieve over what is no more, he indeed is called a Bhikshu.\n\n368. The Bhikshu who acts with kindness, who is calm in the doctrine\nof Buddha, will reach the quiet place (Nirvana), cessation of natural\ndesires, and happiness.\n\n369. O Bhikshu, empty this boat! if emptied, it will go quickly; having\ncut off passion and hatred thou wilt go to Nirvana.\n\n370. Cut off the five (senses), leave the five, rise above the five. A\nBhikshu, who has escaped from the five fetters, he is called Oghatinna,\n`saved from the flood.'\n\n371. Meditate, O Bhikshu, and be not heedless! Do not direct thy thought\nto what gives pleasure that thou mayest not for thy heedlessness have to\nswallow the iron ball (in hell), and that thou mayest not cry out when\nburning, `This is pain.'\n\n372. Without knowledge there is no meditation, without meditation\nthere is no knowledge: he who has knowledge and meditation is near unto\nNirvana.\n\n373. A Bhikshu who has entered his empty house, and whose mind is\ntranquil, feels a more than human delight when he sees the law clearly.\n\n374. As soon as he has considered the origin and destruction of the\nelements (khandha) of the body, he finds happiness and joy which belong\nto those who know the immortal (Nirvana).\n\n375. And this is the beginning here for a wise Bhikshu: watchfulness\nover the senses, contentedness, restraint under the law; keep noble\nfriends whose life is pure, and who are not slothful.\n\n376. Let him live in charity, let him be perfect in his duties; then in\nthe fulness of delight he will make an end of suffering.\n\n377. As the Vassika plant sheds its withered flowers, men should shed\npassion and hatred, O ye Bhikshus!\n\n378. The Bhikshu whose body and tongue and mind are quieted, who is\ncollected, and has rejected the baits of the world, he is called quiet.\n\n379. Rouse thyself by thyself, examine thyself by thyself, thus\nself-protected and attentive wilt thou live happily, O Bhikshu!\n\n380. For self is the lord of self, self is the refuge of self; therefore\ncurb thyself as the merchant curbs a good horse.\n\n381. The Bhikshu, full of delight, who is calm in the doctrine of Buddha\nwill reach the quiet place (Nirvana), cessation of natural desires, and\nhappiness.\n\n382. He who, even as a young Bhikshu, applies himself to the doctrine of\nBuddha, brightens up this world, like the moon when free from clouds.\n\n\n\n\nChapter XXVI. The Brahmana (Arhat)\n\n383. Stop the stream valiantly, drive away the desires, O Brahmana!\nWhen you have understood the destruction of all that was made, you will\nunderstand that which was not made.\n\n384. If the Brahmana has reached the other shore in both laws (in\nrestraint and contemplation), all bonds vanish from him who has obtained\nknowledge.\n\n385. He for whom there is neither this nor that shore, nor both, him,\nthe fearless and unshackled, I call indeed a Brahmana.\n\n386. He who is thoughtful, blameless, settled, dutiful, without\npassions, and who has attained the highest end, him I call indeed a\nBrahmana.\n\n387. The sun is bright by day, the moon shines by night, the warrior\nis bright in his armour, the Brahmana is bright in his meditation; but\nBuddha, the Awakened, is bright with splendour day and night.\n\n388. Because a man is rid of evil, therefore he is called Brahmana;\nbecause he walks quietly, therefore he is called Samana; because he\nhas sent away his own impurities, therefore he is called Pravragita\n(Pabbagita, a pilgrim).\n\n389. No one should attack a Brahmana, but no Brahmana (if attacked)\nshould let himself fly at his aggressor! Woe to him who strikes a\nBrahmana, more woe to him who flies at his aggressor!\n\n390. It advantages a Brahmana not a little if he holds his mind back\nfrom the pleasures of life; when all wish to injure has vanished, pain\nwill cease.\n\n391. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who does not offend by body, word, or\nthought, and is controlled on these three points.\n\n392. After a man has once understood the law as taught by the\nWell-awakened (Buddha), let him worship it carefully, as the Brahmana\nworships the sacrificial fire.\n\n393. A man does not become a Brahmana by his platted hair, by his\nfamily, or by birth; in whom there is truth and righteousness, he is\nblessed, he is a Brahmana.\n\n394. What is the use of platted hair, O fool! what of the raiment of\ngoat-skins? Within thee there is ravening, but the outside thou makest\nclean.\n\n395. The man who wears dirty raiments, who is emaciated and covered with\nveins, who lives alone in the forest, and meditates, him I call indeed a\nBrahmana.\n\n396. I do not call a man a Brahmana because of his origin or of his\nmother. He is indeed arrogant, and he is wealthy: but the poor, who is\nfree from all attachments, him I call indeed a Brahmana.\n\n397. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who has cut all fetters, who never\ntrembles, is independent and unshackled.\n\n398. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who has cut the strap and the thong,\nthe chain with all that pertains to it, who has burst the bar, and is\nawakened.\n\n399. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, though he has committed no\noffence, endures reproach, bonds, and stripes, who has endurance for his\nforce, and strength for his army.\n\n400. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who is free from anger, dutiful,\nvirtuous, without appetite, who is subdued, and has received his last\nbody.\n\n401. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who does not cling to pleasures, like\nwater on a lotus leaf, like a mustard seed on the point of a needle.\n\n402. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, even here, knows the end of his\nsuffering, has put down his burden, and is unshackled.\n\n403. Him I call indeed a Brahmana whose knowledge is deep, who possesses\nwisdom, who knows the right way and the wrong, and has attained the\nhighest end.\n\n404. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who keeps aloof both from laymen and\nfrom mendicants, who frequents no houses, and has but few desires.\n\n405. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who finds no fault with other beings,\nwhether feeble or strong, and does not kill nor cause slaughter.\n\n406. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who is tolerant with the intolerant,\nmild with fault-finders, and free from passion among the passionate.\n\n407. Him I call indeed a Brahmana from whom anger and hatred, pride and\nenvy have dropt like a mustard seed from the point of a needle.\n\n408. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who utters true speech, instructive\nand free from harshness, so that he offend no one.\n\n409. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who takes nothing in the world that is\nnot given him, be it long or short, small or large, good or bad.\n\n410. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who fosters no desires for this world\nor for the next, has no inclinations, and is unshackled.\n\n411. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who has no interests, and when he has\nunderstood (the truth), does not say How, how? and who has reached the\ndepth of the Immortal.\n\n412. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who in this world is above good and\nevil, above the bondage of both, free from grief from sin, and from\nimpurity.\n\n413. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who is bright like the moon, pure,\nserene, undisturbed, and in whom all gaiety is extinct.\n\n414. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who has traversed this miry road, the\nimpassable world and its vanity, who has gone through, and reached\nthe other shore, is thoughtful, guileless, free from doubts, free from\nattachment, and content.\n\n415. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who in this world, leaving all\ndesires, travels about without a home, and in whom all concupiscence is\nextinct.\n\n416. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, leaving all longings, travels\nabout without a home, and in whom all covetousness is extinct.\n\n417. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, after leaving all bondage to men,\nhas risen above all bondage to the gods, and is free from all and every\nbondage.\n\n418. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who has left what gives pleasure and\nwhat gives pain, who is cold, and free from all germs (of renewed life),\nthe hero who has conquered all the worlds.\n\n419. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who knows the destruction and the\nreturn of beings everywhere, who is free from bondage, welfaring\n(Sugata), and awakened (Buddha).\n\n420. Him I call indeed a Brahmana whose path the gods do not know, nor\nspirits (Gandharvas), nor men, whose passions are extinct, and who is an\nArhat (venerable).\n\n421. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who calls nothing his own, whether it\nbe before, behind, or between, who is poor, and free from the love of\nthe world.\n\n422. Him I call indeed a Brahmana, the manly, the noble, the hero,\nthe great sage, the conqueror, the impassible, the accomplished, the\nawakened.\n\n423. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who knows his former abodes, who sees\nheaven and hell, has reached the end of births, is perfect in knowledge,\na sage, and whose perfections are all perfect.","title":"Dhammapada, a Collection of Verses; Being One of the Canonical Books of the Buddhists","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":12160}