Category: Eastern Mysticism

Carañce nādhigaccheyya
seyyaṃ sadisamattano,
ekacariyaṃ daḷhaṃ kayirā;
natthi bāle sahāyatā.

Should a seeker not find
a companion who is better or equal,
let one resolutely pursue a solitary course;
there is no fellowship with the fool.

Dhammapada 5.61
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Manopakopaṃ rakkheyya;
manasā saṃvuto siyā.
Manoduccaritaṃ hitvā,
manasā sucaritaṃ care.

Let one guard oneself against irritability in thought;
let one be controlled in mind.
Abandoning mental misconduct,
let one practice good conduct in thought.

Dhammapada 17.233
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Yadūnakaṃ taṃ saṇati,
yaṃ pūraṃ santameva taṃ.
Aḍḍhakumbhūpamo bālo,
rahado pūrova paṇḍito.

Things that are empty make a noise,
the full is always quiet.
The fool is like a half-filled pot,
the wise one is like a deep still pool.

Sutta Nipāta 3.726
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

Sukho viveko tuṭṭhassa,
sutadhammassa passato.
Abyāpajjaṃ sukhaṃ loke —
pāṇabhūtesu saṃyamo.

Solitude is happiness for one who is content,
who has heard the Dhamma and clearly sees.
Non-affliction is happiness in the world —
harmlessness towards all living beings.

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

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