A Dhammapada for Contemplation

A rendering by

Ajahn Munindo

Aruna Publications

Copyright

A Dhammapada for Contemplation

Published by:

Aruna Publications,

Aruna Ratanagiri Buddhist Monastery

2 Harnham Hall Cottages,

Harnham, Belsay,

Northumberland NE20 0HF UK

Contact Aruna Publications at www.aruno.org

This book is available for free download from www.forestsanghapublications.org

ISBN 978-09568113-0-1

Digital Edition 1.0

Copyright © 2011 HARNHAM BUDDHIST MONASTERY TRUST

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Preface to First Edition

Traveling through the central Scottish Highlands one can catch an inspiring glimpse of that sacred mountain of Celtic culture, Schiehallion. This rocky beauty can be viewed from many perspectives, each one uplifting. A sight caught in a break between clouds gives hints of grandeur; enshrouded in mist it appears solid and timeless; against a clear blue sky it seems like a towering devotional monument pointing in the direction of heaven. Occasionally, one might see clearly the whole of it reflected in a lock or in a puddle left by the rain.

The collection of sayings called the Dhammapada is a glimpse of the timeless truth offered by the Buddha over two and a half millennia ago. Viewed from the East,West, North or South, for the first, second or hundredth time, each occasion of viewing these truths is uniquely rewarding.

It is my hope that the perspective offered here via A Dhammapada for Contemplation will delight those who come across it and serve to encourage still further viewings from different perspectives. I trust that whatever glimpses of truth may be gained, however briefly, encourage all travelers to continue faring on.

Any gratitude arising from the reading should be directed towards the earlier translators on whose work I have been wholly dependent: Daw Mya Tin and the editors of the Burmese Pitaka Association (1987), Ven. Narada Thera (B.M.S. 1978), and Ven. Ananda Maitreya Thera (Lotsawa 1988); also to the many friends whose contributions have added richness and depth to what would have otherwise been a crude sketch, especially Ajahn Thiradhammo, Sister Medhanandi, Bani Shorter and Thomas Jones.

Responsibility for any defects that may remain rest with me.

Bhikkhu Munindo

Aruna Ratanagiri Buddhist Monastery

Northumberland

UK

16th January 2000

The Pairs

1

All states of being are determined by mind.

It is mind that leads the way.

Just as the wheel of the oxcart follows

the hoof print of the animal that draws it,

so suffering will surely follow

when we speak or act impulsively

from an impure state of mind.

2

All states of being are determined by mind.

It is mind that leads the way.

As surely as our shadow never leaves us,

so well-being will follow

when we speak or act

with a pure state of mind.

3

When we hold fast to such thoughts as,

"They abused me, mistreated me,

molested me, robbed me,"

we keep hatred alive.

4

If we thoroughly release ourselves

from such thoughts as,

"They abused me, mistreated me,

molested me, robbed me,"

hatred is vanquished.

5

Never by hatred is hatred conquered,

but by readiness to love alone.

This is eternal law.

6

Those who are contentious

have forgotten that we all die;

for the wise, who reflect on this fact,

there are no quarrels.

7

As a stormy wind can uproot a frail tree

so one who holds heedlessly to pleasure,

who indulges in food and is indolent,

can be uprooted by Mara

8

As a stormy wind

cannot move a mountain of rock

so one who contemplates

the reality of the body,

who develops faith and energy,

is unmoved by Mara.

9

Wearing the robe of a renunciate

does not in itself render one pure.

Those who wear it, and yet lack diligence,

are heedless.

10

Being possessed of self-restraint,

honest and diligent in conduct;

such a one is worthy

of the renunciate's robe.

11

Mistaking the false for the real

and the real for the false,

one suffers a life of falsity.

12

But, seeing the false as the false

and the real as the real,

one lives in the perfectly real.

13

Like rain leaking through

a poorly-thatched roof,

the unruly passions

seep into an untamed heart.

14

As rain cannot penetrate

a well-thatched roof,

so the passions

cannot enter a well-trained heart.

15

When we see clearly

our own lack of virtue

we are filled with grief;

here and hereafter we grieve.

16

When we appreciate fully

the benefit of our own pure deeds

we are filled with joy;

here and hereafter

there is a celebration of joy.

17

Here and hereafter

those who perform evil

create their own suffering.

Mental preoccupation

with the thought, "I have done wrong"

possesses their minds,

and they fall into chaos.

18

Here and hereafter

those who live their lives well

abide in happiness.

They are filled

with a natural appreciation of virtue,

and they dwell in delight.

19

Though one may know

much about Dhamma,

if one does not live accordingly  -

like a cowherd

who covets another's cattle  -

one experiences none of the benefits

of walking the Way.

20

Knowing only a little about Dhamma

but wholeheartedly according with it,

transforming the passions

of greed, hatred and delusion,

releasing all attachments to here and hereafter,

one will indeed experience for oneself

the benefits of walking the Way.

Awareness

21

Appreciative awareness leads to life;

heedless avoidance is the path to death.

Those who are aware are fully alive,

while those who are heedless

are as if already dead.

22

The wise, being fully alive, rejoice

in appreciative awareness,

and abide delighting

in this capacity.

23

The Awakened Ones, firm in their resolve,

vigorously apply themselves,

and know freedom from bondage:

liberation, true security.

24

Those who are energetically

committed to the Way,

who are pure and considerate in effort,

composed and virtuous in conduct,

steadily increase in radiance.

25

By endeavour, vigilance,

restraint and self-control,

let the wise make islands of themselves

which no flood can overwhelm.

26

Those who are foolish and confused

betray themselves to heedlessness.

The wise treasure the awareness

they have cultivated

as their most precious possession.

27

"Do not become lost in negligence,

do not become lost in sensuality."

Heeding such council,

the contemplative discovers

profound release.

28

Those Awakened Ones,

who have tasted freedom

from all distraction

by cultivating awareness,

view all who are suffering

with compassionate perspective,

as one on a mountaintop

is able to view the plains.

29

Aware among those who are heedless,

awake among those who sleep,

the wise go forward like strong young horses,

leaving the exhausted behind.

30

By way of diligent awareness

the god Magha won his realm.

Diligence is ever rewarded,

negligence is ever scorned.

31

The renunciate who delights in vigilance

and shuns heedlessness

advances like a grass fire,

consuming obstructions great and small.

32

The renunciate who delights in vigilance

and shuns heedlessness

is protected from regression:

such a one approaches liberation.

The Mind

33

Just as a fletcher shapes an arrow,

so the wise develop the mind;

so excitable, uncertain

and difficult to control.

34

Like a fish which on being dragged

from its home in the water

and tossed on dry land

will thrash about,

so will the heart tremble

when withdrawing from the current of Mara.

35

The active mind is difficult to tame,

flighty and wandering wherever it wills:

taming it is essential,

leading to the joy of well-being.

36

The protected and guarded mind

leads to ease of being.

Though subtle, elusive and hard to see,

one who is alert

should tend and watch over this mind.

37

Wandering far and wide on its own,

without form,

the mind lies in the heart-cavern within.

To bring it under control

is to be freed from the bonds of ignorance.

38

In one whose mind is unsteady,

whose heart is not prepared

with true teachings,

whose faith is not matured,

the fullness of wisdom is not yet manifest.

39

There is no fear

if the heart is uncontaminated

by the passions

and the mind is free from ill-will.

Seeing beyond good and evil

one is awake.

40

Seeing this body to be as fragile as a clay vessel,

and fortifying the heart like a city wall,

one can confront Mara with the weapon of insight.

Having the advantage of non-attachment,

one protects what has already been gained.

41

Certainly this body will soon lie lifeless:

cast aside on the ground,

devoid of consciousness

and as useless as a burnt-out log.

42

More than a thief,

more than an enemy,

a misdirected heart

brings one to harm.

43

Neither mother, father

nor any member of a family

can give you the blessings generated

by your own well-directed heart.

Flowers

44

Who is it

that can truly see as they are

this earth, this body,

the hell realms and the heavenly realms?

Who can discern

the well-taught Path of Wisdom,

in the way the eye of a skilled florist

can select perfect blooms?

45

It is those who knowingly walk the Way

who can see as they truly are

this earth, this body,

the hell realms and the heavenly realms.

These are the ones who can discern

the well-taught Path of Wisdom.

46

Know the body

to be as transient as foam, a mirage.

The flower of sensual passion

has a hidden barb.

See this and pass beyond death.

47

As a flash flood

can sweep away a sleeping village,

so death can destroy

those who only seek the flowers

of casual sensual pleasures.

48

To be frustrated and ungratified,

yet still only seek the flowers

of casual sensual pleasures

brings one under the destroyer's sway.

49

As a bee gathering nectar

does not harm or disturb

the colour and fragrance of the flower,

so do the wise move

through the world.

50

Dwell not on the faults

and shortcomings of others,

instead, seek clarity

about your own.

51

As a beautiful flower

without fragrance is disappointing,

so are wise words

without right action.

52

As a beautiful flower

with a delightful fragrance is pleasing,

so is wise and lovely speech

when matched with right action.

53

As many garlands can be made

from a heap of flowers,

so too, much that is wholesome can be done

during this human existence.

54

The fragrance of flowers or sandalwood

blows only with the prevailing wind,

but the fragrance of virtue

pervades all directions.

55

The fragrance of virtue

surpasses by far

the fragrance of flowers

or sandalwood.

56

The aroma of sandalwood

and the scent of flowers

bring only little delight

compared to the fragrance of virtue,

which suffuses even the heavenly realms.

57

It is not possible for Mara to find

those who abide in appreciative awareness

who, by perfect knowledge, are freed

and live in virtue.

58-59

Just as a sweet-smelling and beautiful lotus

can grow from a pile of discarded waste,

the radiance of a true disciple of the Buddha

outshines dark shadows cast by ignorance.

The Foolish

60

The night is long

for one who cannot sleep.

A journey is long for one who is tired.

Ignorant existence is long and tedious

for those unaware of Truth.

61

Having found no companion

who has travelled at least as far as ourselves,

it is better to go alone

than to accompany those

who remain irresolute.

62

"This is my child, this is my wealth":

such thoughts are the preoccupations of fools.

If we are unable to own even ourselves,

why make such claims?

63

The fool who knows he is a fool

is at least a little wise;

the fool who thinks that he is wise

is assuredly a fool.

64

Like spoons unable to taste

the flavour of the soup,

are the fools who cannot see truth,

even though they live

all their lives among the wise.

65

Like the tongue that can appreciate

the flavour of the soup,

is one who can discern clearly the truth

after only a brief

association with the wise.

66

By heedlessly performing evil,

the unwary fools

produce their own bitter fruits.

They behave like their worst enemy.

67

A deed is not well-done

when upon reflection remorse arises:

with tears of sorrow

one harvests its fruit.

68

A deed is well-done

when upon reflection no remorse arises:

with joy one harvests its fruits.

69

Fools perceive evil acts

to be sweet as honey

until they have seen the consequences.

When they behold their fruits,

fools suffer indeed.

70

Even after months of rigid asceticism,

subsisting on a frugal diet,

a fool is not to be compared in value

to the person who simply sees the truth.

71

Fresh milk does not immediately

turn into curd,

and evil acts do not immediately

show their fruits;

however, fools do suffer from the consequences

of their foolishness

as they would be burned

by standing on coals hidden in ashes.

72

Fools are those who use foolishly

whatever gifts they have,

destroying their accumulated good fortune.

73-74

The conceit and craving of fools grows

as they claim for themselves

undue authority, recognition and reward:

their falsity affects their longing,

they wish to be seen

as powerful and discerning.

75

Like the tongue that can appreciate

the flavour of the soup,

is one who can discern clearly the truth

after only a brief

association with the wise.

The Wise

76

Only blessings can arise

from seeking the company

of wise and discerning persons,

who skilfully offer

both admonition and advice

as if guiding one to hidden treasure.

77

Let the wise guide beings away from darkness,

give direction and advice.

They will be treasured by the virtuous

and dismissed by the foolish.

78

Do not seek the company of misguided friends;

beware of degenerate companions.

Seek and enjoy the company of well-guided friends,

those who support insight.

79

Surrendering oneself to Dhamma

leads to serene being.

The wise perpetually delight in the truth

taught by the Awakened One.

80

Those who build canals

channel the flow of water.

Arrowsmiths make arrows.

Woodworkers craft wood.

The wise tame themselves.

81

As solid rock

is unshaken by the wind,

so are those with wisdom undisturbed

whether by praise or blame.

82

On hearing true teachings,

the hearts of those who are receptive,

become serene,

like a lake, deep, clear and still.

83

Virtuous beings are unattached.

They do not indulge in heedless speech

about sensual pleasures.

They experience both joy and sorrow

but are possessed by neither.

84

Neither for one's own sake

nor on behalf of another

does a wise person do harm

- not for the sake of family, fortune or gain.

Such a one is rightly called

just, virtuous and wise.

85

Few are those who reach the beyond.

Most pace endlessly back and forth,

not daring to risk the journey.

86

Although it is difficult to cross over

the storm-swept sea of passion,

those who live in accord

with the well-taught Way

arrive at the beyond.

87-88

With an image of liberation as the goal

the wise abandon darkness

and cherish light,

leave petty security behind

and seek freedom from attachment.

To pursue such release is difficult and rare,

yet the wise will seek it,

detaching themselves from obstructions,

purifying heart and mind.

89

Freeing themselves from longing,

unhindered by habitual grasping,

those who align themselves with the Way

delight in non-attachment

and, while still in the world,

are radiant.

The Awakened One

90

There is no tension

for those who have completed their journey

and have become free

from the distress of bondage.

91

Alert to the needs of the journey,

those on the path of awareness,

like swans, glide on,

leaving behind their former resting places.

92

Just like birds that leave no tracks in the air,

there are those whose minds do not cling

to temptations that are offered to them.

Their focus is the signless state of liberation,

which to others is indiscernible.

93

There are those who are free from all obstructions;

they do not worry about food,

their focus is the signless state of liberation.

Like birds flying through the air,

trackless they move on their way.

94

Like horses well-trained by their owners

are those who have rightly tamed their senses;

having freed their hearts from pride and pollution

they generate all-pervading delight.

95

There are those who discover

they can leave behind confused reactions

and become patient as the earth;

unmoved by anger,

unshaken as a pillar,

unperturbed as a clear and quiet pool.

96

Those who arrive

at the state of perfect freedom

through right understanding

are unperturbed

in body, speech or mind.

They remain unshaken

by life's vicissitudes.

97

Those who know the uncreated,

who are free and stilled,

who have discarded all craving,

are the most worthy beings.

98

Whether in a forest,

a town or open country,

delightful is the dwelling place

of one now fully free.

99

Beings free from addiction to sensual pleasures

know a unique form of delight.

They seek quiet in forest retreats

which worldly beings would avoid.

The Thousands

100

A single word of truth,

which calms the mind,

is better to hear than a thousand

irrelevant words.

101

A single verse of truth,

which calms the mind,

is better to hear than a thousand

irrelevant verses.

102

Reciting a single verse of truth

which calms the mind

is better than reciting

a hundred meaningless verses.

103

One might defeat alone in battle

a thousand thousand men,

but one who gains self-mastery

is by far the greater hero.

104 - 105

Self-mastery is the supreme victory -

much more to be valued

than winning control over others.

It is a victory

that no other being whatsoever

can distort or take away.

106

To honour,

even for a single moment,

one who has attained self-mastery,

is of greater merit

than making countless offerings

to those who are unworthy.

107

To honour,

even for a single moment,

one who has attained self-mastery,

is of greater benefit

than habitually performing ceremonies

based on a wrong understanding.

108

Even if one should spend

an entire year

making gestures of offering

for the sake of self-gain,

all this is not worth one quarter the value

of offering veneration to a noble being.

109

For one who always honours and respects

those of greater years,

there are four blessings:

long life, beauty, happiness and strength.

110

A single day lived

with conscious intention and virtue

is of greater value than a hundred years

lived devoid of discipline and right restraint.

111

A single day lived

with conscious intention and wisdom

is of greater value than a hundred years

lived devoid of discipline and manifest wisdom.

112

A single day lived

with conscious intention and profound effort

is of greater value than a hundred years

lived in lazy passivity.

113

A single day lived in awareness

of the transient nature of life

is of greater value than a hundred years

lived unaware of birth and death.

114

A single day lived awake to the undying state

is of greater value than a hundred years

lived without recognising deathlessness.

115

A single day lived awake to profound truth

is of greater value than a hundred years

lived unawakened.

Evil

116

Hasten towards doing what is wholesome.

Restrain your mind from evil acts.

The mind that is slow to do good

can easily find pleasure in evil-doing.

117

If you perform an evil act,

then do not repeat it.

Avoid finding pleasure in its memory.

The aftermath of evil-doing is painful.

118

Having performed a wholesome act

it is good to repeat it.

Enjoy the pleasure of its memory.

The fruit of goodness is contentment.

119

Even those who perform evil

can experience well-being

so long as their actions

have not yet borne direct fruits.

However, when the results

of their actions ripen,

the painful consequences

cannot be avoided.

120

Even those who live wholesome lives

can experience suffering

so long as their acts

have not yet borne direct fruits.

However, when the fruits

of their actions ripen

the joyful consequences

cannot be avoided.

121

Do not ignore the effects of evil,

saying, "This will come to nothing."

Just as by the gradual fall of raindrops

the water jar is filled,

so in time fools are corrupted

by evil-doing.

122

Do not ignore the effect of right action

saying, "This will come to nothing."

Just as by the gradual fall of raindrops

the water jar is filled,

so in time the wise

become replete with good.

123

As one who is entrusted with precious cargo

would remain vigilant and protective

avoid evil as if it were poison.

124

A hand without an open wound

can carry poison

and remain free from harm;

likewise, evil has no consequences

for those who do not perform it.

125

If you intentionally harm

an innocent person,

someone who is pure and blameless,

the harm will come back to you

like fine dust thrown into the wind.

126

Some are reborn as humans;

evil-doers are reborn in hell.

Doers of good are reborn in bliss

and the pure enter the trackless land.

127

There is no place on earth

where one can hide

from the consequences of evil actions -

not in a mountain cave,

the ocean nor in the sky.

128

There is no place on earth

beyond the reach of death -

not in a mountain cave,

the ocean nor in the sky.

Aggression

129

Having empathy for others

one sees that all beings are afraid

of punishment and death.

Knowing this,

one does not attack or cause attack.

130

Having empathy for others

one sees that all beings

love life and fear death.

Knowing this,

one does not attack or cause attack.

131

To harm live beings

who, like us, seek contentment,

is to bring harm to ourselves.

132

To avoid bringing harm to living beings

who, like us, seek contentment,

is to bring happiness to ourselves.

133

Avoid speaking harshly to others;

harsh speech prompts retaliation.

Those hurt by your words may hurt you back.

134

If spoken to harshly,

make yourself as silent as a cracked gong;

non-retaliation is a sign of freedom.

135

Just as a herdsman

drives cattle to pasture,

old age and death

direct living beings.

136

Though while they perform their evil acts

they do not realise what they are doing,

fools suffer the results

of their own actions accordingly,

just as one is burnt when handling fire.

137-140

To cause harm to the defenceless

soon brings suffering

to those who attack.

They will reap pain or poverty or loss,

illness, insanity or persecution,

abuse, distress or devastation,

and, alone, after death

they must confront their misdeeds.

141

Not outer asceticisms,

nor self-humiliation

nor physical deprivation of any kind,

can purify the heart

of one still obscured by doubt.

142

Flamboyant outer appearance

does not in itself constitute

an obstruction to freedom.

Having a heart at peace,

pure, contained,

awake and blameless,

distinguishes a renunciate,

a Wayfarer, a noble being.

143

A well-trained horse

gives no cause for restraint.

Rare are those beings who,

through modesty and discipline,

give no cause for rebuke.

144

Let the dread of endless mediocrity

spur you into great effort,

like a well-trained horse

encouraged by the mere touch of the whip.

Relinquish the burden of endless struggle

with unapologetic confidence,

with purity of action, effort, concentration,

and by conscious and disciplined commitment

to the path.

145

Those who build canals

channel the flow of water.

Arrowsmiths make arrows.

Woodworkers craft wood.

The good tame themselves.

Old Age

146

Why is there laughter?

Why is there joy

when the world is on fire?

Since you are clouded in darkness

should you not seek the light?

147

Gaze upon this once-decorated body -

it used to attract attention

but now it is only festering flesh,

a putrid thing.

It is neither sure nor substantial.

148

This body wears out with age;

it becomes a host to disease

- vulnerable, fragile,

a decrepit, disintegrating mass,

which eventually ends in death.

149

What pleasure does life hold

once one has seen

old bleached bones,

discarded and scattered round?

150

The physical body consists of bones

covered with flesh and blood.

Stored up inside it

are decay and death, pride and malice.

151

Passed down by the wise

is the knowledge that,

though what is externally impressive

loses its splendour,

and though our bodies will decay,

the truth itself outlasts all degeneration.

152

While ageing fools put on weight

like oxen in their stalls,

their minds remain small.

153-154

For many lives I have wandered

looking for, but not finding,

the house-builder

who caused my suffering.

But now you are seen and

you shall build no more.

Your rafters are dislodged and

the ridge-pole is broken.

All craving is ended;

my heart is as one with the unmade.

155

Those who while still young

neither choose a life of renunciation

nor earn a good living,

end up like dejected old herons

beside a pond without fish.

156

Those who while still young

neither choose a life of renunciation

nor earn a good living,

will end up bemoaning the past,

falling like spent arrows

that have missed their mark.

The Self

157

If we hold ourselves dear,

then we maintain careful self-regard

both day and night.

158

It is wise

to set ourselves right

before instructing others.

159

One's own self is the hardest to discipline.

You should act as you teach:

tame yourself

before trying to tame others.

160

Truly it is ourselves

that we depend upon;

how could we really

depend upon another?

When we reach the state

of self reliance

we find a rare refuge.

161

As a diamond can cut through

the stone that once housed it,

so your own evil can grind you down.

162

Committed evil doers

behave toward themselves

like their own worst enemies.

They are like creepers

that strangle the trees

which support them.

163

It is easy to do that which is

of no real benefit to oneself,

but it is difficult indeed to do that

which is truly beneficial and good.

164

Like the bamboo

which destroys itself as it bears fruit,

so fools harm themselves

by holding to wrong views

and deriding those worthy ones

who live in harmony with the Way.

165

By ourselves we do evil

and by ourselves we are made impure.

By ourselves we avoid evil

and by ourselves we are made pure.

The great matter of purity

is our own affair.

No other can be responsible.

166

Knowing the Way for oneself,

walk it thoroughly.

Do not allow the needs of others,

however demanding,

to bring about distraction.

The World

167

By renouncing unworthy ways

and by not living carelessly,

by not holding to false views

we no longer perpetrate delusion.

168

Do not show false humility.

Stand firmly in relation to your goal.

Practice, well-observed,

leads to contentment

both now and in the future.

169

Live your life well in accord with the Way -

avoid a life of distraction.

A life well-lived leads to contentment,

both now and in the future.

170

The King of Death cannot find

those who look upon the world

as insubstantial,

as transient, a bubble -

illusive, only a mirage.

171

Come, view this world.

See it as an ornate, festive carriage.

See how fools are entranced by their visions,

yet, for the wise there is no attachment.

172

There are those who awaken from heedlessness.

They bring light into the world

like the moon

emerging from clouds.

173

One who transforms old and heedless ways

into fresh and wholesome acts

brings light into the world

like the moon freed from clouds.

174

If birds are trapped in a net

only a few will ever escape.

In this world of illusion

only a few see their way to liberation.

175

White swans rise into the air.

Adept yogis

transport themselves through space.

Wise beings

transcend worldly delusion

by outwitting the hordes of Mara.

176

For one who transgresses

the law of truthfulness,

one who has no regard

for a future existence,

there is no manner of evil

that is impossible.

177

Those who fail to value generosity

do not reach the celestial realms.

But the wise rejoice in giving

and forever abide in bliss.

178

Better than ruling the whole world,

better than going to heaven,

better than lordship over the universe,

is an irreversible commitment to the Way.

The Buddha

179

The Buddha's perfection is complete;

there is no more work to be done.

No measure is there for his wisdom;

no limits are there to be found.

In what way could he be distracted

from truth?

180

The Buddha's perfection is complete;

in him there is no craving

that could drag him down.

No measure is there for his wisdom;

no limits are there to be found.

In what way could he be distracted

from truth?

181

Celestial beings treasure

the Awakened Ones

who have fully seen the Way,

who are devoted to meditation

and delight in the peace

of renunciation.

182

It is not easy to be born

as a human being

and to live this mortal life.

It is not easy to discern

profound wisdom

and most rare

for a Buddha to arise.

183

Cease to do evil,

cultivate that which is good;

purify the heart.

This is the Way

of the Awakened Ones.

184

A renunciate does not

oppress anyone.

Patient endurance

is the ultimate asceticism.

Profound liberation,

say the Buddhas,

is the supreme goal.

185

Not insulting, not harming,

cultivating restraint

with respect for the training,

modesty in eating and contentment

with one's dwelling place,

devotion to mindful intent:

this is the Teaching of the Buddha.

186 - 187

Not in great wealth

is there contentment,

nor in sensual pleasure,

gross or refined.

But in the extinction of craving

is joy to be found

by a disciple of the Buddha.

188 - 189

To many places beings withdraw

to escape from fear:

to mountains, forests,

parklands and gardens;

sacred places as well.

But none of these places

offer true refuge,

none of them can free us from fear.

190 - 191

One who finds refuge in the Buddha

in the Dhamma and in the Sangha

sees with penetrating insight:

suffering, its cause, its release

and the Way leading to true freedom.

192

The Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha:

these are true refuge;

these are supreme;

these lead to Liberation.

193

It is hard to find

a being of great wisdom;

rare are the places

in which they are born.

Those who surround them

when they appear

know good fortune indeed.

194

Blessed is the arising of a Buddha;

blessed is the revealing of the Dhamma;

blessed is the concord of the Sangha;

delightful is harmonious communion.

195 - 196

Immeasurable is the benefit

obtained from honouring those

who are pure and beyond fear.

Beings who have found freedom

from sorrow and grieving

are worthy of honour.

Happiness

197

While in the midst

of those who hate,

to dwell free from hating

is happiness indeed.

198

While in the midst

of those who are troubled,

to dwell free from troubling

is happiness indeed.

199

While in the midst

of those who are greedy,

to dwell free from greed

is happiness indeed

200

We dwell happily,

free from anxiety;

like radiant beings

in celestial realms

we rejoice in delight.

201

Victory leads to hatred,

for the defeated suffer.

The peaceful live happily,

beyond victory and defeat.

202

There is no fire like lust,

no distress like hatred,

no pain like the burden of attachment,

no joy like the peace of liberation.

203

Hunger is the greatest affliction,

conditionality the greatest

source of despair.

The wise, seeing this as it is,

realise liberation, the greatest joy.

204

A healthy mind is the greatest gain.

Contentment is the greatest wealth.

A trustworthy friend is the best of kin.

Unconditional freedom

is the highest bliss.

205

Tasting the flavour of solitude

and the nectar of peace,

those who drink the joy

that is the essence of reality

abide free from fear of evil.

206

It is always a pleasure

not to have to encounter fools.

It is always good to see noble beings

and a delight to live with them.

207

Tedious is the company of fools,

always painful, like being

surrounded by enemies;

but to associate with the wise

is like being at home.

208

You should follow the ways

of those who are steadfast,

discerning, pure and aware,

just as the moon follows

the path of the stars.

Affection

209

There are those who pursue

that which should be avoided

and avoid that which

should be pursued.

Caught up in the senses

they lose their way

and later envy

those who know the truth.

210

To lose the company

of those with whom

one feels at home is painful,

to be associated with those

whom you dislike is even worse;

so do not abandon yourselves

either to the company of those

with whom you feel at home

or those whom you dislike.

211

Beware of the attachment

that springs from fondness,

for separation from those

one holds dear is painful,

while if you take sides

neither for nor against fondness,

there will be no bondage.

212

From endearment springs grief.

From endearment springs fear of loss.

Yet, if one is free from endearment,

there is no grief

so how could there be fear?

213

Becoming lost in affection

brings sorrow;

becoming lost in affection

brings fear.

Being free from affection

means sorrow ceases,

so how could there be any fear?

214

Becoming lost in enjoyment

brings sorrow;

becoming lost in enjoyment

brings fear.

Being free in your experience of enjoyment

means sorrow ceases,

so how could there be any fear?

215

Becoming lost in lust

brings sorrow;

becoming lost in lust

brings fear.

Not being lost in lust

means sorrow ceases,

so how could there be any fear?

216

Becoming lost in craving

brings sorrow;

becoming lost in craving

brings fear.

Being free from craving

means sorrow ceases,

so how could there be any fear?

217

Naturally loved are those

who live with right action

and have found the Way,

and through insight

have become established in the truth.

218

Those who long

for the undefinable,

with hearts filled with inspiration,

whose minds are freed

from sensual longing

are called

"those bound for freedom".

219 - 220

Just as family and friends

joyfully welcome home

loved ones returned from afar,

so their own good deeds

welcome those that have done them

as they go from this life to the next.

Anger

221

Relinquish anger.

Let go of conceit.

Release yourself

from all that binds you.

The pure-hearted who cling

neither to body or mind

do not fall prey to suffering.

222

I say, those who contain anger

as a charioteer controls

a speeding chariot,

are fully in charge of their lives;

others are merely keeping

their hands on the reins.

223

Transform anger with kindness

and evil with good,

meanness with generosity

and deceit with integrity.

224

These three ways

lead to the heavens:

asserting the truth,

not yielding to anger,

and giving, even if you have

only a little to share.

225

Awakened Ones do not cause harm.

They are rightly restrained

and they move to changelessness

where they grieve no more.

226

All pollution is cleared

from the minds of those

who are always vigilant,

training themselves day and night

and whose lives are fully intent

upon liberation.

227

Since ancient times it has been the case

that those who speak too much

are criticised,

as are those who speak too little

and those who don't speak at all.

Everyone in this world is criticised.

228

There never was

nor will there be

nor is there now anybody

who is only blamed

or wholly praised.

229

Those who live impeccably,

who are discerning,

intelligent and virtuous -

they are continually praised by the wise.

230

Who would cast blame on those

who in their being are like gold?

Even the gods appreciate their lustre.

231

Beware of clumsy movement

and aware in your bodily conduct.

Renounce all devious action

and cultivate that which is wholesome.

232

Beware of contrived utterance

and aware in all that you say.

Renounce all cunning speech

and cultivate that which is wholesome.

233

Beware of devious thinking

and aware of all that you dwell upon.

Renounce all unruly thought

and cultivate that which is wholesome.

234

Ably self-restrained

are the wise,

in action, in thought

and in speech.

Pollution

235

Resembling a withered leaf,

you have the messenger

of death at your side.

Although a long journey lies ahead,

you have still made no provision.

236

Hasten to cultivate wisdom.

Make an island for yourself.

Freed from stain and defilement,

you will enter noble being.

237

It is time for you to come

into the presence of the Lord of Death.

There is no time for rest on this journey,

yet what provision have you made?

238

Hasten to cultivate wisdom;

make an island for yourself.

Freed from stain and defilement

you are released

from birth and death.

239

Gradually, gradually,

a moment at a time,

the wise remove their own impurities

as a goldsmith removes the dross.

240

As iron is destroyed by the rust it produces,

so those who perform evil are corroded

by their own action.

241

Lack of study leads

to forgetting the teachings;

neglect spoils the home;

laziness leads to loss of beauty;

heedlessness ruins attention.

242

Sexual misconduct

diminishes those who perform it,

stinginess diminishes

those who could give.

Acts that diminish their doer

are stains indeed.

243

But the worst stain of all

is ignorance.

Be purified of this

and you are free.

244

Life is apparently easy

for one who lacks shame,

who is as impudent as a crow,

who is arrogant, aggressive,

invasive and corrupt.

245

Life is not easy for those

who have a sense of shame,

who are modest,

pure-minded and detached,

morally upright and reflective.

246 - 247

Whoever destroys life,

disregards truth,

is sexually irresponsible,

takes what is not rightfully theirs,

and heedlessly indulges in drugs,

destroys the very roots

of their own life.

248

Whoever is intent on goodness

should know this:

a lack of self-restraint is disastrous.

Do not allow greed and misconduct

to prolong your misery.

249 - 250

People are inspired to be generous

according to their faith and trust.

If we become discontented

with what we have been given

our meditation will be filled

with endless mental affliction;

but if we are free from this discontent,

our meditation is full of peace.

251

There is no fire like lust,

no obstruction like hatred,

no trap like delusion,

and no vortex like craving.

252

It is easy to see the faults of others,

but it takes courage to look at one's own.

As with chaff,

one might winnow others' shortcomings

while hiding one's own,

as a stealthy hunter

might conceal himself from his prey.

253

Those who always look for

the faults of others -

their corruptions increase

and they are far from freedom.

254

No tracks are found in the air,

there is no liberation apart from the Way.

Most people tend to indulge in proliferation,

from which Awakened Ones are free.

255

No tracks are found in the air,

there is no liberation apart from the Way.

There are no conditioned things

that are permanent

and yet the Buddhas remain unperturbed.

The Just

256

Making an arbitrary decision

does not amount to justice.

Having considered arguments

for and against,

the wise decide the case.

257

By making decisions

based on truth and fairness

one safeguards the law

and is called righteous.

258

Those who speak much

are not necessarily possessed of wisdom.

The wise can be seen

to be at peace with life

and free from all enmity and fear.

259

Though one's knowledge

may be limited,

if understanding and conduct

rightly accord with the Way

one is to be considered

well-versed in Dhamma.

260

Having grey hair

does not make you an elder;

ripe in years maybe,

but perhaps pointlessly so.

261

One who is truthful,

virtuous, impeccable in conduct,

free from all stains and wise

can be called an elder.

262 -263

Those who are envious,

stingy and manipulative

remain unappealing despite

good looks and eloquent speech.

But those who have freed themselves

from their faults

and arrived at wisdom

are attractive indeed.

264

Shaving your head

does not make you a renunciate,

if you are still full of

recklessness and deceit.

How could someone possessed

by craving and lust

be considered a renunciate?

265

You become a monk or nun

by letting go of all evil,

by renouncing all

unwholesomeness,

both great and small.

266

You are not a monk or nun

because you depend

on others for food,

but by submitting yourself

wholeheartedly

to the training of body,

speech and mind.

267

You become a monk or nun

by seeing through this world

with understanding,

by rising above good and bad

and living a life of purity

and contemplation.

268 - 269

Silence does not denote profundity

if you are ignorant and untrained.

Like one holding scales,

a sage weighs things up,

wholesome and unwholesome,

and comes to know

both the inner and outer worlds.

Therefore the sage is called wise.

270

Those who still cause harm

to living beings

cannot be considered as attained.

Those who are attained

maintain a harmless demeanour

toward all beings.

271 - 272

Do not rest contented

because you keep all the rules and regulations,

nor because you achieve great learning.

Do not feel satisfied because you

attain meditative absorption,

nor because you can dwell in

the bliss of solitude.

Only when you arrive

at the complete eradication

of all ignorance and conceit

should you be content.

The Path

273

The eight-fold path

is the most honourable way,

the four noble truths

the most honourable utterance,

freedom from craving

the most honourable state,

and the all-seeing Buddha

the most honourable being.

274

This is the only Way;

there is no other

that leads to clear seeing.

Follow this Way

and Mara becomes disoriented.

275

If you walk the path

you will arrive at the end of suffering.

Having beheld this myself,

I proclaim the Way

which removes all thorns.

276

The Awakened Ones

can but point the way;

we must make the effort ourselves.

Those who reflect wisely

and enter the path are freed

from the fetters of Mara.

277

"All conditioned things

are impermanent";

when we see this with insight

we will tire of this life of suffering.

This is the Way to purification.

278

"All conditioned things

are inherently lacking";

when we see this with insight

we will tire of this life of suffering.

This is the Way to purification.

279

"All realities are devoid

of an abiding self";

when we see this with insight

we will tire of this life of suffering.

This is the Way to purification.

280

If, while still young and strong,

you procrastinate

when you should act,

indulging in heedless fantasies,

the Way and its wisdom

will never become clear.

281

Be careful in what you say,

restrained in what you think,

and impeccable in how you act.

Purifying these three ways of behaviour

will take you along the Way of the sages.

282

To contemplate life leads to wisdom;

without contemplation wisdom wanes.

Recognise how wisdom

is cultivated and destroyed,

and walk the Way of increase.

283

Clear away the forests of craving

but do not attack and destroy the trees.

Clear the entire forest of craving

and you will see the Way to freedom.

284

So long as sexual attraction

has not been cleared away ?

if the even the slightest trace remains,

the heart is held in dependence

like a suckling calf to a cow.

285

Remove the bonds of affection

as one might pluck an autumn flower.

Walk the Way that leads to liberation

explained by the Awakened One.

286

It is a fool

who indulges in dreaming

about the most comfortable

place to live, saying

"here it will be warm,

there it will be cool" -

unaware of impending death.

287

As a flood could sweep away

an entire village,

those who are caught up

in relationships and possessions

will be carried away by death.

288 - 289

As you approach death

none of your fond attachments

will protect you.

See this, then with wise restraint

and unwavering effort,

hasten to clear your path to liberation.

Various

290

It is wisdom

that enables letting go

of a lesser happiness

in pursuit of a happiness

which is greater.

291

You fail

in the pursuit of happiness

if it is at the expense

of others' well-being.

The snare of ill-will

can still entangle you.

292

To leave undone

that which should be done

and to do that

which should be avoided

leads to carelessness and conceit.

It will increase confusion.

293

Confusion ceases

by maintaining

a meditation practice

focused in the body,

by avoiding that

which should not be done

and by mindfully doing

that which should be done.

294

By removing craving and conceit,

eradicating wrong views,

and by overcoming

the deluded attachments of the sense realm,

the noble being freely moves on.

295

Having cleared

all the hindrances to the Path -

greed, rage, dullness and laziness,

worry, anxiety and doubt -

the noble being freely moves on.

296

Disciples of the Buddha

are fully awake

dwelling both day and night

in contemplation of the Awakened One.

297

Disciples of the Buddha

are fully awake

dwelling both day and night

in contemplation of reality.

298

Disciples of the Buddha

are fully awake

dwelling both day and night

in contemplation of the communion

of beings who have awakened.

299

Disciples of the Buddha

are fully awake

dwelling both day and night

in contemplation of

the true nature of the body.

300

Disciples of the Buddha

are fully awake

both day and night

taking delight in compassion.

301

Disciples of the Buddha

are fully awake

both day and night

taking delight

in cultivating the heart.

302

It is hard to live

the life of renunciation;

its challenges

are difficult to find pleasant.

Yet it is also hard to live

the householder's life;

there is pain

when associating with those

among whom one feels no companionship.

To wander uncommitted

is always going to be difficult;

why not renounce

the deluded pursuit of pain?

303

A traveller possessed of virtue,

disciplined and committed to right conduct,

will be received with honour;

such a one can be recognised

and can travel with confidence.

304

The good

are seen even from afar.

They shine like the distant

Himalayan peaks.

The untrained simply disappear

like arrows shot into the dark.

305

With enthusiasm establish yourself

in solitary practice -

sit alone, sleep alone, walk alone

and delight as if secluded in the forest.

Hell

306

Lying leads to sorrow.

Concealing wrong actions

leads to sorrow.

These two acts of deceit

take beings

to the same state of woe.

307

Those who wear

the robes of a renunciate

yet harbour evil

and are unrestrained

go to a sorrowful state.

308

It would be better to swallow molten iron

than for a renunciate

to live on offerings

deceitfully gained.

309

Accumulated sadness,

troubled sleep,

blame and remorse

are an adulterer's lot.

310

Brief is the delight

of the fearful, adulterous couple,

for only painful consequences can follow.

311

As kusa grass wrongly grasped

wounds the hand that holds it,

so the renunciate life

hurts those who train in it wrongly.

312

Acts carelessly done,

practices corruptly performed,

the holy life lived perversely,

lead to little or no benefit at all.

313

If anything is to be done,

do it well,

with energy and devotion;

the renunciate life led heedlessly

just stirs up the dust.

314

Hurtful deeds

are better left undone

as they always lead to remorse.

Harmless deeds are better done

as no regret will follow.

315

As a border city must be careful protected

so guard yourself both within and without;

build your defences wisely and in time.

If these things are not attended to

at the right moment

great sadness will come.

316

Distorted views

which create feelings of shame

about that which not shameful,

or indifference

to that which is shameful,

can cause beings to descend into hell.

317

Distorted views

which create feelings of fear

toward what is not actually threatening,

or indifference in the face

of that which is threatening,

can cause beings to descend into hell.

318

Distorted views,

which give rise to seeing right as wrong

and wrong as right,

are the cause for beings to disintegrate.

319

The clear seeing which knows

that which is flawed as flawed

and that which is pure as pure

can lead beings to transcend misery.

The Elephant

320

Like an elephant in battle

withstands arrows,

I choose to endure

verbal attacks from others.

321

Well-trained horses

can be trusted in crowds,

and are to be mounted by kings.

Individuals who have trained

themselves to withstand abuse

will be valuable everywhere.

322

Impressive are horses or elephants

which have been well-trained;

but more impressive

are individuals

who have tamed themselves.

323

It is not on a well-trained animal

that you can ride

to the land of liberation;

it is only on the vehicle

of a well-trained self

that you will arrive there.

324

A wild elephant

when captured and bound and in rut

is restless, uncontrollable,

not eating its food.

It longs for its native forest home.

325

It is a fool that overeats

and indulges in laziness,

then, feeling drowsy,

wallows in sleep like an oversized pig;

this forebodes perpetual suffering.

326

My mind which was once

wild and unruly,

wandering as it wished,

I hold now in check,

as the mahout with his hook

controls an elephant in rut.

327

As an elephant

resolutely drags itself from a swamp

uplift yourself with the inspiration

of cultivated attention.

328

If you find a good companion,

of integrity and wisdom,

you will overcome all dangers

in joyous and caring company.

329

But if you cannot find

a good companion

of integrity and wisdom,

then, like a king departing

a conquered land,

or an elephant wandering

alone in the forest,

walk alone.

330

A harmless solitary life

lived at ease

like that of the lone elephant in the forest,

is better than

the unnecessary company of fools.

331

Pleasure arises from

the timely company of friends.

Pleasure arises from

having few needs.

Pleasure arises from

accumulated virtue at life's end.

Pleasure arises from

seeing beyond suffering.

332

Pleasure arises from

rightly serving one's parents.

Pleasure arises from

supporting renunciates.

Pleasure arises from

honouring awakened beings.

333

Pleasure arises from

sustaining virtue into old age.

Pleasure arises from

sustaining sound faith.

Pleasure arises with insight.

Pleasure arises from

renouncing evil.

Craving

334

Uncontained craving

grows like a creeper in the forest.

Being lost in it

one leaps around

like a tree-dwelling ape looking for fruit.

335

Fostering habits

such as craving and clinging

is like fertilising noxious weeds.

336

As water falls from a lotus leaf

so sorrow drops from those

who are free of toxic craving.

337

Torrential rains can destroy crops.

Mara can destroy you.

Thus I implore you ?

dig up the roots of all craving.

I give you my blessing

for this work.

338

If the roots are not removed

a tree grows again and again;

suffering returns to us

so long as craving remains.

339

When the streams

of sensual pleasure run strong

they can generate

a torrent of longing.

340

The streams of craving flow everywhere.

The wild creeper of craving

spreads and entangles.

Discerning this creeper with insight,

dig it out.

341

Beings naturally experience pleasure;

but when pleasure is contaminated with craving,

not releasing it creates frustration

and tedious suffering follows.

342

Trapped in habits of craving

people panic

like rabbits caught in the snare.

Their reactions reinforce the pain

of their entrapment.

343

Trapped in habits of craving

people panic

like rabbits caught in the snare.

If you wish to be free from entrapment,

craving itself must be removed.

344

There are those who have begun

on the path to freedom

yet return, out of desire, to bondage.

345 - 346

Wisdom sees

that being held behind bars

or bound by chains

is less limiting

than infatuation with possessions

and obsession with relationships.

These bonds, though not so obvious,

are strong and hold us down.

To renounce attachment

to the world of the senses

is to be free from the prison of craving.

347

Like a spider caught in its own web,

a being enwrapped in sensual craving

must be released from its own longings

before it can walk free.

348

Let go of the past.

Let go of the future.

Let go of the present.

With a heart that is free

cross over to that shore

which is beyond suffering.

349

The bonds

of deluded habits and craving

are strengthened

by one who lets the mind heedlessly dwell

on objects of desire.

350

But one who delights

in calming sensual thoughts,

who is alert

and cultivates awareness

of the loathsome

aspects of the body,

breaks through craving

and unbinds deluded habits.

351

No more need is there to re-form

for those who have reached the goal;

they are free from fear and longing.

The thorns of existence have been removed.

352

A master is one who has let go

of all craving and clinging to the world;

who has seen

the truth beyond forms,

yet is possessed of

a profound knowledge of words.

Such a great being can be said

to have finished the task.

353

I do not declare

another as my teacher

since by myself have I arrived

at the wisdom that overcomes all,

realises all, renounces all.

Wholly liberated am I

from all craving.

354

The gift of truth excels all gifts.

The flavour of reality

surpasses all flavours.

The delight of truth

transcends all delights.

Freedom from craving

is the end of all suffering.

355

Riches mostly ruin the foolish

but not those who seek the beyond.

Just as they dismiss

the well-being of others and cause harm,

fools also ruin themselves.

356

Weeds cause damage in fields.

Lust causes damage to all beings.

Support those who are free from lust;

the gift will yield great benefit.

357

Weeds cause damage in fields.

Hatred causes damage to all beings.

Support those who are free from hatred;

the gift will yield great benefit.

358

Weeds cause damage in fields.

Confusion causes damage to all beings.

Support those who are free from confusion;

the gift will yield great benefit.

359

Weeds cause damage in fields.

Envy causes damage to all beings.

Encourage those who are free from envy

and there will be great benefit.

The Renunciate

360

It is good to restrain the eye.

It is good to restrain the ear.

It is good to restrain the nose.

It is good to restrain the tongue.

361

It is good to be restrained in body.

It is good to be restrained in speech.

It is good to be restrained in the mind.

It is good to be restrained

in everything.

The renunciate who is restrained

in every way will realise freedom

from suffering.

362

One who is rightly disciplined

in all actions,

who is composed,

contented and delights in

solitary contemplation -

such is a renunciate.

363

It is pleasing to hear

the words of a renunciate

who is wise, not inflated,

whose mind is composed

and whose speech is contained

and clear in meaning.

364

One who abides in Dhamma,

who delights in Dhamma,

who contemplates Dhamma,

who memorises Dhamma

does not lose the Way.

365

Bemoaning your own lot

or envying the gains of others

obstructs peace of mind.

366

But, being contented

even with modest gains

pure in livelihood and energetic,

you will be held in high esteem.

367

True renunciates

regard the entire body-mind

without any thought of 'I' or 'mine'

and are devoid of longing

for what they do not have.

368

A renunciate who

abides in loving-kindness

with a heart full of devotion

for the Buddha's teaching

will find peace, stillness and bliss.

369

Bale out the water from your boat;

cut loose from the defiling passions

of lust and hatred;

unencumbered, sail on

towards liberation.

370

One who has

cut off coarse attachments,

cut off subtle attachments,

who cultivates the spiritual faculties,

is the one who finds freedom

from delusion.

371

Be careful!

Do not neglect meditation,

nor allow the mind

to dwell on sensuality

lest you might heedlessly swallow

a red-hot ball of iron

and find yourself crying out,

"why am I suffering?"

372

Concentration does not arise

without understanding,

nor understanding

without concentration.

One who knows both

approaches liberation.

373

A happiness transcending ordinary bliss

is experienced by those renunciates

who have entered into seclusion

with tranquil heart

and clear understanding of the Way.

374

When those who are wise

dwell in contemplation

on the transient nature

of the body-mind,

and of all conditioned existence,

they experience joy and delight

seeing through

to the inherently secure.

375 - 376

This then is the beginning

for a renunciate

who takes up the training:

wisely control your faculties,

commit yourself to the instruction,

seek contentment;

cultivate the company of those

who support your aspiration

for energetic practice of the teachings.

The beauty of pure conduct

conditions whole-hearted well-being

giving rise to complete

freedom from remorse.

377

As old flowers fall

from a jasmine plant

let lust and hatred

fall away.

378

I call them the peaceful ones,

who are calm in body,

in speech and in mind,

and who are thoroughly purged

of all worldly obsessions.

379

Scrutinise yourself.

Examine yourself.

With right attention

to self assessment

you will live at ease.

380

We are our own protection;

we are indeed our own secure abiding;

how could it be otherwise?

So with due care

we attend to ourselves.

381

A monk, a nun, who cultivates

a joyous disposition

and is filled with

confidence in the Way

will find peace, stillness and bliss.

382

Yet still a youth, a renunciate

fully devoted to the Way

lights up the world

like the moon emerging from clouds.

Great Being

383

Diligently cut off

the stream of craving

and abandon sensual longings;

knowing the limitation

of all that is formed,

realise the uncreated.

384

All chains of bondage fall away

from those who see clearly

and know well the states

of concentration and insight.

385

I say a being is great

who stands not on this shore,

nor the other shore,

nor on any shore at all.

Such a being is free from all ties.

386

I say a being is great

who dwells secluded and at ease,

knowing the heart

free from all pollution,

having completed the task

purified of all compulsive tendencies,

and awake.

387

The sun shines by day,

the moon shines by night.

But, both all day and all night

the Buddha shines

in glorious splendour.

388

Having transformed evil

one is called a great being.

Living peacefully

one is called a contemplative.

Having given up impurity

one is called a renunciate.

389

Non-retaliation

is the characteristic of great beings.

They do not give rise to anger.

Should they be attacked,

it is not in their nature to strike back.

390

Suffering subsides to the degree

that you are free from the intention

to cause harm.

There is no real greatness

if there is no restraint from anger.

391

One who refrains from causing harm

by way of body, speech or mind,

can be called a worthy being.

392

Devotion and respect

should be offered to those

who have shown us the Way.

393

One should not be considered

worthy of respect

because of birth or background

or any outer sign;

it is purity

and the realisation of truth

that determine one's worth.

394

Your outer adornments

and pseudo-spiritual preoccupations

are irrelevant

if inwardly you remain in disarray.

395

To be unconcerned

about outer appearance,

but committed to

intense relentless practice

makes for greatness.

396

No one is noble

merely because of what they inherit.

Nobility comes from cleansing oneself

of all pollutions

and attachments.

397

Whoever has broken lose from all bondage

and found fearlessness,

who is beyond attachments

and defilements,

I recognise as a great being.

398

Whoever severs the ties of hatred,

unbinds the ropes of craving,

undoes the locks of wrong view,

opens the doors of ignorance,

and sees truth,

I recognise as a great being.

399

Strength of patience

is the might of noble beings;

they can be shackled,

endure verbal abuse and beatings,

without resorting to anger.

400

Those who are free from anger,

simply disciplined, virtuous,

well trained,

and have gone beyond rebirth,

these I call great beings.

401

As water slides from a lotus leaf,

so sensual pleasures

do not cling

to a great being.

402

Those who know the freedom

of having laid aside

the burden of attachment

to the body-mind

I call great beings.

403

Those possessed of deep wisdom,

who see what accords with the Way

and what does not,

those who have attained

to the peak of possibility,

I call great beings.

404

Those who are free from attachment

to the company of either householders

or fellow renunciates,

and so wander free from desires

or concern for security of any kind,

are great beings.

405

Those who have renounced

the use of force

in relationship to other beings

whether weak or strong,

who neither kill

nor cause to be killed,

can be called great beings.

406

Those who remain

friendly amid the hostile,

at peace among the aggressive,

and who do not attach themselves

to that upon which others depend

are great beings.

407

For a great being,

lust and ill-will,

arrogance and conceit

drop away

even as a tiny seed would drop

from the tip of a needle.

408

Those who speak truth

and give gentle encouragement,

contending with no-one,

these do I call great beings.

409

The actions of a great being are pure.

Great beings never

knowingly take for themselves

that which belongs to another.

410

The heart of a great being is free.

Great beings no longer pine

for things of this world

or any other world.

411

The heart of a great being is free.

With accurate understanding

which is beyond doubt,

great beings have set their feet firmly

in the land of liberation.

412

Whoever has transcended

all ties of good and bad

is purified,

and free from sorrow,

should be called a great being.

413

Those beings who

are released from all longing

and, like the moon in a cloudless sky,

are pure, clear and serene,

I call great.

414

There are beings

who travel the difficult path

across the dangerous swamp

of defiling passions,

traverse the ocean of delusion

through the darkness of ignorance,

and go beyond.

They are sustained

by wise contemplation,

secure in freedom from doubt,

liberated;

such beings are great indeed.

415

It is a great being

who, having restrained desires

for sensual pleasure,

lives the homeless life

and realises freedom

from both sensual desire

and perpetual becoming.

416

It is a great being

who, having restrained all craving,

lives the homeless life

and realises freedom

from both craving

and perpetual becoming.

417

It is a great being

who can see through all obvious delights

as well as subtle pleasures

to be free from attachment.

418

Those who cease

setting up like against dislike,

who are cooled,

who are not swayed

by worldly conditions -

these I call great beings.

419

I say anyone who understand fully

the passing away and arising of beings,

who remains aware,

non-attached, awake,

who is conscious of

right action at all times,

is a great being.

420

The condition after death

of great beings is indiscernible;

no trace of passion remains.

They are pure.

421

Anyone who lives freed

from habits of clinging,

to past, present or future,

possessing nothing,

is a great being.

422

A great being is fearless like a bull,

noble, strong, wise, diligent,

sees through delusions,

is clear, attentive and awake.

423

To understand all dimensions

of past existence,

to see accurately into all realms,

to reach the end of rebirths,

to know with insight

that which must be known,

to free the heart from ignorance

this is truly being made great.

Notes On The Text

A Dhammapada for Contemplation is a contemporary rendering of an ancient text; but what of the original Dhammapada? The Buddha lived and taught in India two and a half millennia ago. He wrote nothing, and his teachings were memorised and passed on orally by his earliest followers. An enormous body of material was preserved in this way, although different versions arose in the various Buddhist schools, which flourished in India after the Buddha’s parinibbana. The collection of verses known as the Dhammapada was composed, probably sometime in the 3rd century BCE, in a language now known as Pali, by members of the ‘Theravada’, or ‘School of the Elders’. We know of three other versions, written down later in other Indian languages, but they survive only partially, or as fragments rescued from archaeological finds, or as translations in Tibetan and Chinese. Those other versions mostly contain the same material, but there are many variations.

What we may think of as ‘the’ Dhammapada, then, is one version – the shortest and probably the earliest one – of a work with a lively history. It was taken to Sri Lanka later in the 3rd century BCE by the Theravadins, in its original Indian language, and written down along with the rest of the Pali canon in the 1st century BCE; it comes down to us today as preserved and commented upon by the Theravada tradition. It was the first Buddhist text to be printed in Europe, in 1855, along with a Latin translation, and has been translated into English at least 30 times. It is without doubt the best-known early Buddhist scripture, and to this day Sri Lankan monks will memorize it before their ordinations.

The reason for this popularity is not hard to discover. The Dhammapada is essentially a compilation of sayings, pithy, poetic and direct, that speak to all, not just to monk or nun or scholar. About half of them are found in other parts of the Pali canon, and although they are roughly grouped into chapters sharing a particular theme, most seem to have been chosen for their individual qualities, as sayings and sequences of sayings rich in wisdom to be savoured. Many of the sayings are concerned with ethics, with what is good and foolish and in what each results. Some of these are not, in fact, especially Buddhist, but are found also in other Indian religious texts, such as the great epic, the Mahabharata. That is, they belong to a wider tradition of wisdom, of which we have our own versions in the West.

Beyond this basic human wisdom, however, the sayings of the Dhammapada concern the Way to “freedom from bondage, liberation,true security” (verse 23), which is the particular teaching of the Buddha. They do not present this teaching in the form of doctrine, but instead offer a myriad hints, approaches and directions of investigation, from descriptions of the “great beings” (chapter 23) who have reached the other shore of existence, to compelling comparisons of the paths of “appreciative awareness” and “heedlessness” (verse 21). The appeal of the Dhammapada is greatly enhanced, however, by the similes, metaphors and poetic images lavishly employed to illustrate the meaning of the sayings; for instance, the influence of the wise is described as a light “like that of the moon emerging from clouds” (verse 172). For good measure, the Dhammapada also includes the Buddha’s ‘Song of Victory’, the poem he uttered, it is said, just after he had gained enlightenment (verses 153-4).

The sayings and poems of the Dhammapada were written in verse consisting of four and six-line stanzas, with lines of eight or eleven syllables. Such forms belong to ancient Indian literary tradition, and lend to the text a distinctive rhythm. This rhythmic constraint necessitated the finding of words of the right number of syllables to fit the lines; the effect of which is a multiplicity and vigour in the language not found in the prose scriptures. There is therefore a formality in the Pali verse, which, like most poetry, is untranslatable. If we add to this untranslatability the demands of reproducing in English the epigrammatic and suggestive quality of the sayings, it is clear that a formally definitive translation of the Dhammapada is going to be difficult. For this reason, it is necessary to read the text in different translations, comparing the different emphases and resonances found in each, to come to a clear appreciation of the truth offered in each verse.

We could view the sayings of the Dhammapada as photographic negatives, as very old artefacts that miraculously contain within them the profound utterances of the Buddha. Such negatives can be used to make prints, in a modern language like English, which reproduce those ancient sayings. The attempts of scholarly translators to provide strictly objective, formally accurate prints from those old negatives is worthy and necessary, but the objective method does not necessarily transmit all that it was hoped would be captured by the original photographs, those few words of verse. Ajahn Munindo, in his rendering of the text, offers a more personal printing from each negative; one that is designed to transmit, not the objective meaning of each saying, but something relevant and useful for a person in search of wisdom today.

His method was this: using several respected translations, he ascertained what to his mind was the spirit or essence of each saying. This he did with the aid of the traditional story associated with each verse, which gives an account of the occasion and significance of its utterance. These stories were without doubt composed later than the text itself, and have in general a legendary character like that of the Jataka tales, but nevertheless create an ambience, a mythic context, which gives access to an important dimension of what each saying means. Having thus ascertained the spirit of each verse, he sought an expression in contemporary language, which might transmit effectively its spiritual impulse.

Being an ancient Indian text, the Dhammapada abounds in references to monsoons, elephants, jungles, villages, brahmins and so on. While this is wonderfully evocative of life in the Buddha’s time, it distracts our attention from the point of the sayings; and therefore Ajahn Munindo’s version is, on the whole, rendered into a contemporary idiom relevant to the modern world view. The birana grass that grows fast after monsoon rains, for instance, is reinterpreted as weeds fed with fertiliser (verse335), and the Indian ascetic’s matted hair, his antelope skin and his lifestyle are rendered as “outer adornments and pretentious practices” (verse 394). Most references to rebirth, and to the hell and heaven realms of Buddhist cosmology, have been replaced by psychological renderings of more relevance today. The references to the wandering mendicant lifestyle of the Buddhist monastic sangha, dependent as it was and is on a village-based agrarian culture, have been modified.

There are other special features of Ajahn Munindo’s version. He has not reproduced the gendered language of the original, so that his rendering hopes to address all readers. He has ignored much of the word play that is crucial to the original poetry, but at the benefit of much greater fluidity and naturalness. Although no attempt has been made to reproduce the formal qualities of the original, some of the beauty of the old text’s poetry emerges through the freedom enabled by an interpretive rendering (see, for instance, verse 377).

Finally, Ajahn Munindo has noticed a judgemental quality in certain verses of the Dhammapada that was perhaps compelling in its day, but which can now leave us cold, or encourage a wrong effort. For instance, verse 211 literally recommends breaking all ties of intimacy, while Ajahn Munindo’s rendering suggests that “if you take sides neither for nor against fondness, there will be no bondage”. This kind of change to the tone of the Dhammapada helps us away from an unhelpful judgementalism and towards a consideration of how suffering is brought about in our lives. Ethics might then be better understood as the setting of standards for living that support a life deepened and made rich by contemplation.

Thomas Jones

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Table of Contents

A Dhammapada for Contemplation

Copyright

Preface to First Edition

The Pairs

Awareness

The Mind

Flowers

The Foolish

The Wise

The Awakened One

The Thousands

Evil

Aggression

Old Age

The Self

The World

The Buddha

Happiness

Affection

Anger

Pollution

The Just

The Path

Various

Hell

The Elephant

Craving

The Renunciate

Great Being

Notes On The Text

backmatter