Category: Eastern Mysticism

Kāyamuniṃ vācāmuniṃ,
manomunimanāsavaṃ,
muniṃ moneyyasampannaṃ.
Āhu ninhātapāpakaṃ.

Silent in body, silent in speech,
silent in mind, without defilement,
blessed with silence is the sage.
One is truly washed of evil.

Itivuttaka 3.67
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

Diso disaṃ yaṃ taṃ kayirā,
verī vā pana verinaṃ;
micchāpaṇihitaṃ cittaṃ
pāpiyo naṃ tato kare.

Whatever an enemy might do to an enemy,
or a foe to a foe,
the ill-directed mind
can do to you even worse.

Udāna 4.33
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Attānameva paṭhamaṃ
patirūpe nivesaye
athaññamanusāseyya
na kilisseyya paṇḍito.

One should first establish oneself
in what is proper and only then
try to instruct others. Doing this,
the wise one will not be criticized.

Dhammapada 12.158
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

Sabbā āsattiyo chetvā,
vineyya hadaye daraṃ,
upasanto sukhaṃ seti,
santiṃ pappuyya cetasā.

With all one’s attachments cut,
with the heart’s pining subdued,
calm and serene and happy is one,
for one has attained peace of mind.

Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.242
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

Sukhā virāgatā loke
kāmānaṃ samatikkamo
asmimānassa yo vinayo
etaṃ ve paramaṃ sukhaṃ.

Freedom from lust is happiness in the world,
the going beyond all sensual desires.
But the crushing out of the conceit “I am”–
this is the highest happiness.

Udāna 2.11
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

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

Susukhaṃ vata jīvāma,
verinesu averino.
Verinesu manussesu,
viharāma averino.

Happy indeed we live,
friendly amidst the hostility.
Amidst hostile people,
we dwell free from hatred.

Dhammapada 15.197
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Sukarāni asādhūni,
attano ahitāni ca.
Yaṃ ve hitañca sādhuñca,
taṃ ve paramadukkaraṃ.

Easy to do are things
that are bad and harmful to oneself.
But exceedingly difficult to do
are things that are good and beneficial.

Dhammapada 12.163
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 and all around,
unobstructed, without hostility or hate.

Sutta Nipāta 1.150
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

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

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

Idha tappati, pecca tappati,
pāpakārī ubhayattha tappati.
“Pāpaṃ me katan”ti tappati,
bhiyyo tappati, duggatiṃ gato.

Idha nandati, pecca nandati,
katapuñño ubhayattha nandati.
“Puññaṃ me katan”ti nandati,
bhiyyo nandati, suggatiṃ gato.

Agony now, agony hereafter,
the wrong-doer suffers agony in both worlds.
Agonized now by the knowledge that one has done wrong,
one suffers more agony, gone to a state of woe.
Rejoicing now, rejoicing hereafter,
the doer of wholesome actions rejoices in both worlds.
Rejoicing now in the knowledge that one has acted rightly,
one rejoices more, gone to a state of bliss.

Dhammapada 1.17, 1.18
The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka

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

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

Abhittharetha kalyāṇe;
pāpā cittaṃ nivāraye.
Dandhañhi karoto puññaṃ,
pāpasmiṃ ramatī mano.

Hasten to do good;
restrain your mind from evil.
One who is slow in doing good,
that one’s mind delights in evil.

Dhammapada 9.116
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Pathavisamo no virujjhati,
indakhilupamo tādi subbato,
rahadova apetakaddamo
saṃsārā na bhavanti tādino.

There is no more worldly existence for the wise one who,
like the earth, resents nothing,
who is firm as a high pillar
and as pure as a deep pool free from mud.

Dhammapada 7.95
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Gataddhino visokassa
vippamuttassa sabbadhi,
sabbaganthappahīnassa,
pariḷāho na vijjati.

The fever of passion exists not for one
who has completed the journey,
who is sorrowless and wholly set free,
and has broken all ties.

Dhammapada 7.90
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Saddhā tarati oghaṃ,
appamādena aṇṇavaṃ.
Vīriyena dukkhamacceti.
Paññāya parisujjhati.

Through conviction one crosses over the flood.
Through heedfulness, the sea.
Through persistence one overcomes suffering & stress.
Through discernment a person is purified.

Sutta Nipāta 1.186
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Aññā hi lābhūpanisā,
aññā nibbānagāminī.
Evametaṃ abhiññāya,
bhikkhu buddhassa sāvako,
sakkāraṃ nābhinandeyya,
vivekamanubrūhaye.

One is the quest for worldly gain,
and quite another is the path to Nibbana.
Clearly understanding this,
let not the monk, the disciple of the Buddha,
be carried away by worldly acclaim,
but develop detachment instead.

Dhammapada 5.75
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Yassa nittiṇṇo paṅko,
Maddito kāmakaṇṭako,
Mohakkhayaṃ anuppatto
Sukhadukkhesu na vedhatī sa bhikkhū.

That bhikkhu who has crossed the mire,
Crushed the thorn of sensual desire,
And reached the destruction of delusion
Is not perturbed by pleasures and pains.

Udāna 3.22
The Udāna and the Itivuttaka, trans. John D. Ireland

The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.

Uṭṭhānenappamādena,
saṃyamena damena ca,
dīpaṃ kayirātha medhāvī
yaṃ ogho nābhikīrati.

By effort and heedfulness,
discipline and self-mastery,
let the wise one make for oneself
an island which no flood can overwhelm.

Dhammapada 2.25
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

 

Sabhaggato vā parisaggato vā
ekassa veko na musā bhaṇeyya.
Na bhāṇaye bhaṇataṃ nānujaññā.
Sabbaṃ abhūtaṃ parivajjayeyya.

Having entered a royal court or a company of people
one should not speak lies.
One should not speak lies (oneself) nor incite others to do so.
One should completely avoid falsehood.

Sutta Nipāta 2.399
The Discourse Collection: Selected Texts from the Sutta Nipāta, translated by John D. Ireland

 

Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni
yo daṇḍena vihiṃsati,
attano sukhamesāno,
pecca so na labhate sukhaṃ.

Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni
yo daṇḍena na hiṃsati,
attano sukhamesāno,
pecca so labhate sukhaṃ.

Whoever takes a stick
to beings desiring ease,
when one is looking for ease,
will meet with no ease after death.

Whoever doesn’t take a stick
to beings desiring ease,
when one is looking for ease,
will meet with ease after death.

Udāna 2.13
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu