Category: Eastern Mysticism

Yo pāṇamatipāteti, musāvādañca bhāsati,
loke adinnamādiyati,
paradārañca gacchati,
surāmerayapānañca yo naro anuyuñjati —
idhevameso lokasmiṃ, mūlaṃ khaṇati attano.

One who destroys life, utters lies,
takes what is not given,
goes to another man’s wife,
and is addicted to intoxicating drinks —
such a man digs up one’s own root even in this world.

Dhammapada 18.246, 18.247
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Hirīmatā ca dujjīvaṃ
niccaṃ sucigavesinā,
alīnenāppagabbhena,
suddhājīvena passatā.

Difficult is life for the modest one
who always seeks purity,
is detached and unassuming,
clean in life, and discerning.

Dhammapada 18.245
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Ayasāva malaṃ samuṭṭhitaṃ
tatuṭṭhāya tameva khādati,
evaṃ atidhonacārinaṃ
sāni kammāni nayanti duggatiṃ.

Just as rust arising from iron
eats away the base from which it arises,
even so, their own deeds
lead transgressors to states of woe.

Dhammapada 18.240
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Acchecchi vaṭṭaṃ,
byagā nirāsaṃ.
Visukkhā saritā na sandati.
Chinnaṃ vaṭṭaṃ na vattati.
Esevanto dukkhassā.

One has broken the cycle,
attained freedom from desire.
The dried-up stream no longer flows.
The cycle, broken, no longer turns.
This, just this, is the end of misery.

Udāna 7.62

So karohi dīpamattano!
Khippaṃ vāyama paṇḍito bhava!
Niddhantamalo anaṅgaṇo,
na punaṃ jātijaraṃ upehisi.

Make an island unto yourself!
Strive hard and become wise!
Rid of impurities and cleansed of stain,
you shall not come again to birth and decay.

Dhammapada 18.238
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Akkodhena jine kodhaṃ;
asādhuṃ sādhunā jine;
jine kadariyaṃ dānena;
saccenālikavādinaṃ.

Overcome the angry by non-anger;
overcome the wicked by goodness;
overcome the miser by generosity;
overcome the liar by truth.

Dhammapada 17.223
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Kodhaṃ jahe vippajaheyya mānaṃ,
saṃyojanaṃ sabbamatikkameyya.
Taṃ nāmarūpasmimasajjamānaṃ
akiñcanaṃ nānupatanti dukkhā.

One should give up anger, renounce pride,
and overcome all fetters.
Suffering never befalls one
who clings not to mind and body and is detached.

Dhammapada 17.221
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Dhamme ca ye ariyapavedite ratā
anuttarā te vacasā, manasā kammunā ca.
Te santisoraccasamādhisaṇṭhitā,
sutassa paññāya ca sāramajjhagū.

Those who are devoted to the Dhamma made known by the Noble Ones
are unsurpassed in speech, thought and action.
They are established in peace, gentleness and concentration,
and have reached the essence of learning and wisdom.

Sutta Nipāta 3.332
The Discourse Collection: Selected Texts from the Sutta Nipāta, translated by John D. Ireland

Imesu kira sajjanti,
Eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā;
Viggayha naṃ vivadanti
Janā ekaṅgadassino.

Some recluses and brahmins, so called,
Are deeply attached to their own views;
People who only see one side of things
Engage in quarrels and disputes.

Udāna 6.54
The Udāna and the Itivuttaka, trans. John D. Ireland

Attā hi attano nātho;
ko hi nātho paro siyā?
Attanā hi sudantena,
nāthaṃ labhati dullabhaṃ.

One truly is the protector of oneself;
who else could the protector be?
With oneself fully controlled,
one gains a mastery that is hard to gain.

Dhammapada 12.160
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Mettañca sabbalokasmi,
mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ:
Uddhaṃ adho ca tiriyañca,
asambādhaṃ averamasapattaṃ.

With good will for the entire cosmos,
cultivate a limitless heart:
Above, below, & all around,
unobstructed, without hostility or hate.

Sutta Nipāta 1.150
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Attānaṃ ce tathā kayirā;
yathāññamanusāsati,
sudanto vata dametha.
Attā hi kira duddamo.

One should do what one teaches others to do;
if one would train others,
one should be well controlled oneself.
Difficult, indeed, is self-control.

Dhammapada 12.159
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Kalyāṇamitto yo bhikkhu, sappatisso sagāravo;
Karaṃ mittānaṃ vacanaṃ, sampajāno patissato;
Pāpuṇe anupubbena, sabbasaṃyojanakkhayaṃ.

When a bhikkhu has good friends, and is reverential and respectful;
Doing what one’s friends advise, clearly comprehending and mindful;
One may progressively attain the destruction of all fetters.

Itivuttaka 1.17
The Udāna and the Itivuttaka, trans. John D. Ireland

Ye dhammā hetuppabhavā,
tesaṃ hetuṃ Tathāgato āha
tesañca yo nirodho;
evaṃvādī Mahāsamaṇo.

Those phenomena arising from a cause,
of these the Enlightened One has told the cause
and also their cessation;
this is the “doctrine” of the Great Recluse.

Vinaya 3.60
The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka

Phuṭṭhassa lokadhammehi,
cittaṃ yassa na kampati,
asokaṃ virajaṃ khemaṃ;
etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ.

When faced with the vicissitudes of life,
one’s mind remains unshaken,
sorrowless, stainless, secure;
this is the greatest welfare.

Sutta Nipāta 2.271
The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka

Aniccā vata saṅkhārā,
uppādavayadhammino.
Uppajjitvā nirujjhanti,
tesaṃ vūpasamo sukho.

Impermanent truly are compound things,
by nature arising and passing away.
If they arise and are extinguished,
their eradication brings happiness.

Dīgha Nikāya 2.221
The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka

Yato yato sammasati
khandhānaṃ udayabbayaṃ,
labhatī pītipāmojjaṃ,
amataṃ taṃ vijānataṃ.

Whenever and wherever one encounters
the arising and passing away of the mental-physical structure,
one enjoys bliss and delight,
[which lead on to] the deathless stage experienced by the wise.

Dhammapada 25.374
The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka

Khīṇaṃ purāṇaṃ nava
natthi sambhavaṃ,
virattacittāyatike bhavasmiṃ.
Te khīṇabījā, avirūḷhichandā.
Nibbanti dhīrā yathāyaṃ padīpo.

When past conditioning is released
and no fresh one produced,
the mind no longer seeks for future birth.
The seed consumed, cravings no more arise.
Such-minded wise ones cease like [the flame of] this lamp.

Sutta Nipāta 2.238
The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka

Set your mind and posture.
Do it over and over again,
Your life will be filled with joy.

-The Zen Mind 2020
✿⊱╮✿⊱╮ ✿⊱╮✿⊱╮✿⊱╮

Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā,
manoseṭṭhā manomayā.
Manasā ce paduṭṭhena
bhāsati vā karoti vā,
tato naṃ dukkhamanveti
cakkaṃva vahato padaṃ.

Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā,
manoseṭṭhā manomayā.
Manasā ce pasannena
bhāsati vā karoti vā,
tato naṃ sukhamanveti
chāyāva anapāyinī.

Mind precedes all phenomena,
mind matters most, everything is mind-made.
If with an impure mind
one performs any action of speech or body,
then suffering will follow that person
as the cartwheel follows the foot of the draught animal.
Mind precedes all phenomena,
mind matters most, everything is mind-made.
If with a pure mind
one performs any action of speech or body,
then happiness will follow that person
as a shadow that never departs.

Dhammapada 1.1, 1.2
The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka

Sabbo ādīpito loko,
sabbo loko padhūpito;
Sabbo pajjalito loko,
sabbo loko pakampito.

Akampitaṃ apajjalitaṃ,
aputhujjanasevitaṃ,
agati yattha mārassa —
tattha me nirato mano.

The entire world is in flames,
the entire world is going up in smoke;
the entire world is burning,
the entire world is vibrating.
But that which does not vibrate or burn,
which is experienced by the noble ones,
where death has no entry–
in that my mind delights.

Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.168]
The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka

Sace bhāyatha dukkhassa, sace vo dukkhamappiyaṃ,
mākattha pāpakaṃ kammaṃ, āvi vā yadi vā raho.
Sace ca pāpakaṃ kammaṃ, karissatha karotha vā,
Na vo dukkhā pamutyatthi:
upeccapi palāyataṃ.

If you fear pain, if you dislike pain,
don’t do an evil deed in open or secret.
If you’re doing or will do an evil deed,
you won’t escape pain:
it will catch you even as you run away.

Udāna 5.44
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Gahakāraka, diṭṭhosi!
Puna gehaṃ na kāhasi.
Sabbā te phāsukā bhaggā gahakūṭaṃ visaṅkhataṃ.
Visaṅkhāragataṃ cittaṃ;
taṇhānaṃ khayamajjhagā.

O house-builder, you are seen!
You will not build this house again.
For your rafters are broken and your ridgepole shattered.
My mind has reached the Unconditioned;
I have attained the destruction of craving.

Dhammapada 11.154
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Māvoca pharusaṃ kañci,
vuttā paṭivadeyyu taṃ.
Dukkhā hi sārambhakathā,
paṭidaṇḍā phuseyyu taṃ.

Speak not harshly to anyone,
for those thus spoken to might retort.
Indeed, angry speech hurts,
and retaliation may overtake you.

Dhammapada 10.133
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Mātā yathā niyaṃ
puttamāyusā ekaputtamanurakkhe,
evampi sabbabhūtesu
mānasaṃ bhāvaye aparimāṇaṃ.

As a mother would risk her life
to protect her child, her only child,
even so should one cultivate a limitless heart
with regard to all beings.

Sutta Nipāta 1.149
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu