Category: Eastern Mysticism

Karaṇīyamatthakusalena
yanta santaṃ padaṃ abhisamecca:
Sakko ujū ca suhujū ca,
sūvaco cassa mudu anatimānī,
santussako ca subharo ca,
appakicco ca sallahukavutti,
santindriyo ca nipako ca,
appagabbho kulesvananugiddho.
Na ca khuddamācare kiñci
yena viññū pare upavadeyyuṃ.

This is to be done by one skilled in aims
who wants to break through to the state of peace:
Be capable, upright, & straightforward,
easy to instruct, gentle, & not conceited,
content & easy to support,
with few duties, living lightly,
with peaceful faculties, masterful,
modest, & no greed for supporters.
Do not do the slightest thing
that the wise would later censure.

Sutta Nipāta 1.143, 1.144, 1.145
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Māvamaññetha puññassa, “Na mantaṃ āgamissati.”
Udabindunipātena udakumbhopi pūrati.
Dhīro pūrati puññassa, thokaṃ thokampi ācinaṃ.

Think not lightly of good, saying, “It will not come to me.”
Drop by drop is the water pot filled.
Likewise, the wise one, gathering it little by little,
fills oneself with good.

Dhammapada 9.122
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Yassa selūpamaṃ cittaṃ, ṭhitaṃ nānupakampati,
virattaṃ rajanīyesu,
kopaneyye na kuppati:
Yassevaṃ bhāvitaṃ cittaṃ,
kuto taṃ dukkhamessatī?

Whose mind is like rock, steady, unmoved,
dispassionate for things that spark passion,
unangered by things that spark anger:
When one’s mind is developed like this,
from where can there come suffering & stress?

Udāna 4.34
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Tasseva tena pāpiyo,
yo kuddhaṃ paṭikujjhati.
Kuddhaṃ appaṭikujjhanto,
saṅgāmaṃ jeti dujjayaṃ.

The worse of the two is one,
who, when abused, retaliates.
One who does not retaliate,
wins a battle hard to win.

Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.188
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

Upanīyati jīvitamappamāyu.
Jarūpanītassa na santi tāṇā.
Etaṃ bhayaṃ maraṇe pekkhamāno,
lokāmisaṃ pajahe santipekkho.

Life is swept along, next-to-nothing its span.
For one swept to old age no shelters exist.
Perceiving this danger in death,
one should drop the world’s bait and look for peace.

Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.100
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Icchāya bajjhatī loko.
Icchāvinayāya muccati.
Icchāya vippahānena
sabbaṃ chindati bandhanaṃ.

With desire the world is tied down.
With the subduing of desire it’s freed.
With the abandoning of desire
all bonds are cut through.

Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.69
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Kodhaṃ chetvā sukhaṃ seti.
Kodhaṃ chetvā na socati.
Kodhassa visamūlassa, madhuraggassa devate
vadhaṃ ariyā pasaṃsanti,
tañhi chetvā na socatī.

Having killed anger you sleep in ease.
Having killed anger you do not grieve.
The noble ones praise the slaying of anger
— with its honeyed crest & poison root —
for having killed it you do not grieve.

Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.71
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Attānañce piyaṃ jaññā
na naṃ pāpena saṃyuje,
na hi taṃ sulabhaṃ hoti
sukhaṃ dukkaṭakārinā.

If you hold yourself dear
then don’t fetter yourself with evil,
for happiness isn’t easily gained
by one who commits a wrong-doing.

Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.115
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Na paro paraṃ nikubbetha
nātimaññetha katthaci na kañci,
byārosanā paṭighasaññā
nāññamaññassa dukkhamiccheyya.

Let no one deceive another
or despise anyone anywhere,
or through anger or irritation
wish for another to suffer.

Sutta Nipāta 1.14
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

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

Atthamhi jātamhi sukhā sahāyā;
tuṭṭhī sukhā yā itarītarena;
puññaṃ sukhaṃ jīvitasaṅkhayamhi,
sabbassa dukkhassa sukhaṃ pahānaṃ.

Good are friends when need arises;
good is contentment with just what one has;
good is merit when life is at an end,
and good is the abandoning of all suffering.

Dhammapada 23.331
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

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

One who, while oneself seeking happiness,
does not oppress with violence other beings
who also desire happiness,
will find happiness hereafter.

Dhammapada 10.132
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Uṭṭhānako analaso,
Āpadāsu na vedhati,
Acchinnavutti medhāvī,
Tādiso labhate yasaṃ.

Who is energetic and not indolent,
In misfortune unshaken,
Flawless in manner and intelligent,
Such a one to honour may attain.

Dīgha Nikāya 3.273
Everyman’s Ethics: Four Discourses by the Buddha (WH 14), translated by Narada Thera

Pahūtavitto puriso
sahirañño sabhojano,
eko bhuñjati sādūni —
taṃ parābhavato mukhaṃ.

To have much wealth
and ample gold and food,
but to enjoy one’s luxuries alone —
this is a cause of one’s downfall.

Sutta Nipāta 1.102
Everyman’s Ethics: Four Discourses by the Buddha (WH 14), translated by Narada Thera

Paṇḍito sīlasampanno,
Saṇho ca paṭibhānavā,
Nivātavutti atthaddho,
Tādiso labhate yasaṃ.

Who is wise and virtuous,
Gentle and keen-witted,
Humble and amenable,
Such a one to honour may attain.

Dīgha Nikāya 3.273
Everyman’s Ethics: Four Discourses by the Buddha (WH 14), translated by Narada Thera

Maraṇenapi taṃ pahīyati
yaṃ puriso mamidanti maññati.
Etampi viditvā paṇḍito,
na mamattāya
nametha māmako.

At death a person abandons
what one construes as mine.
Realizing this, the wise
shouldn’t incline
to be devoted to mine.

Sutta Nipāta 4.812
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Na tena ariyo hoti yena pāṇāni hiṃsati.
Ahiṃsā sabbapāṇānaṃ
“ariyo”ti pavuccati.

One is not noble who injures living beings.
One is called “noble” because
one is harmless towards all living beings.

Dhammapada 19.270
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Evaṃ bho purisa jānāhi:
pāpadhammā asaññatā.
Mā taṃ lobho adhammo ca
ciraṃ dukkhāya randhayuṃ.

Know this, O good one:
evil things are difficult to control.
Let not greed and wickedness
drag you to protracted misery.

Dhammapada 18.248
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

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

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

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

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