Category: Eastern Mysticism

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

Adhicetaso appamajjato,
munino monapathesu sikkhato:
Sokā na bhavanti tādino,
upasantassa sadā satīmato.

Exalted in mind & heedful,
the sage trained in sagacity’s ways:
One has no sorrows, one who is Such,
calmed & ever mindful.

Udāna 4.37
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

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

Udakañhi nayanti nettikā;
usukārā namayanti tejanaṃ;
dāruṃ namayanti tacchakā;
attānaṃ damayanti paṇḍitā.

Irrigators regulate the rivers;
fletchers straighten the arrow shaft;
carpenters shape the wood;
the wise control themselves.

Dhammapada 6.80
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

Tañca kammaṃ kataṃ sādhu,
yaṃ katvā nānutappati,
yassa patīto sumano,
vipākaṃ paṭisevati.

Well done is that action of doing
which one repents not later,
and the fruit of which,
one reaps with delight and happiness.

Dhammapada 5.68
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

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.

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

Saddhīdha vittaṃ purisassa seṭṭhaṃ
Dhammo suciṇṇo sukhamāvahāti.
Saccaṃ have sādutaraṃ rasānaṃ.
Paññājīviṃ jīvitamāhu seṭṭhaṃ.

Conviction is a person’s highest wealth.
Dhamma, when well-practiced, brings bliss.
Truth is the highest of tastes.
Living with discernment, one’s life is called best.

Sutta Nipāta 1.184
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

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

Uṭṭhānavato satīmato
sucikammassa nisammakārino,
saññatassa dhammajīvino, appamattassa yasobhivaḍḍhati.

Ever grows the glory of one
who is energetic, mindful and pure in conduct,
discerning and self-controlled, righteous and heedful.

Dhammapada 2.24
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Te jhāyino sātatikā, niccaṃ daḷhaparakkamā,
phusanti dhīrā nibbānaṃ, yogakkhemaṃ anuttaraṃ.

The wise ones, ever meditative and steadfastly persevering,
alone experience Nibbana, the incomparable freedom from bondage.

Dhammapada 2.23
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Appamādo amatapadaṃ.
Pamādo maccuno padaṃ.
Appamattā na mīyanti.
Ye pamattā yathā matā.

Heedfulness is the path to the Deathless.
Heedlessness is the path to death.
The heedful die not.
The heedless are as if dead already.

Dhammapada 2.21
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Uṭṭhahatha! nisīdatha!
Daḷhaṃ sikkhatha santiyā.
Mā vo pamatte viññāya,
maccurājā amohayittha vasānuge.

Rouse yourself! Sit up!
Resolutely train yourself to attain peace.
Do not let the king of death, seeing you are careless,
lead you astray and dominate you.

Sutta Nipāta 2.334
The Discourse Collection: Selected Texts from the Sutta Nipāta, translated by John D. Ireland

Appampi ce saṃhita bhāsamāno,
dhammassa hoti anudhammacārī,
rāgañca, dosañca, pahāya mohaṃ,
sammappajāno suvimuttacitto,
anupādiyāno idha vā huraṃ vā,
sa bhāgavā sāmaññassa hoti.

Little though one recites the sacred texts,
but puts the Teaching into practice,
forsaking lust, hatred, and delusion,
with true wisdom and emancipated mind,
clinging to nothing of this or any other world —
one indeed partakes of the blessings of a holy life.

Dhammapada 1.20
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita