Category: Eastern Mysticism

Kāmaṃ kāmayamānassa,
tassa ce taṃ samijjhati, addhā pītimano hoti.
Laddhā macco yadicchati.
Tassa ce — kāmayānassa, chandajātassa — jantuno
te kāmā parihāyanti,
sallaviddhova ruppati.

If one, longing for sensual pleasure,
achieves it, yes, one’s enraptured at heart.
The mortal gets what one wants.
But if for that person — longing, desiring —
the pleasures diminish,
one’s shattered, as if shot with an arrow.

Sutta Nipāta 4.772, 4.773
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

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

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

Upakāro ca yo mitto,
sukhe dukkhe ca yo sakhā,
atthakkhāyī ca yo mitto,
yo ca mittānukampako —
etepi mitte cattāro iti viññāya paṇḍito
sakkaccaṃ payirupāseyya
mātā puttaṃ va orasaṃ.

The friend who is a helpmate,
the friend in happiness and woe,
the friend who gives good counsel,
the friend who sympathises too —
these four as friends the wise behold
and cherish them devotedly
as does a mother her own child.

Dīgha Nikāya 3.265
Everyman’s Ethics: Four Discourses by the Buddha (WH 14), translated by Narada Thera

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

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

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

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

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 25.37
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

Tumhehi kiccamātappaṃ;
Akkhātāro Tathāgatā.
Paṭipannā pamokkhanti
jhāyino mārabandhanā.

You have to do your own work;
Enlightened Ones will only show the way.
Those who practise meditation
will free themselves from the chains of death.

Dhammapada 20.276
The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka

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

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

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

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

Idha modati pecca modati;
katapuñño ubhayattha modati.
So modati so pamodati,
disvā kammavisuddhimattano.

The doer of good rejoices here and hereafter;
one rejoices in both the worlds.
One rejoices and exults,
recollecting one’s own pure deeds.

Dhammapada 1.16
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Tato adinnaṃ parivajjayeyya
kiñci kvaci sāvako bujjhamāno.
Na hāraye harataṃ nānujaññā.
Sabbaṃ adinnaṃ parivajjayeyya.

A disciple should avoid taking
anything from anywhere knowing it (to belong to another).
One should not steal nor incite another to steal.
One should completely avoid theft.

Sutta Nipāta 2.397
The Discourse Collection: Selected Texts from the Sutta Nipāta, translated by John D. Ireland

Idha socati pecca socati;
pāpakārī ubhayattha socati.
So socati so vihaññati,
disvā kammakiliṭṭhamattano.

The evil-doer grieves here and hereafter;
one grieves in both the worlds.
One laments and is afflicted,
recollecting one’s own impure deeds.

Dhammapada 1.15
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Yathā agāraṃ ducchannaṃ vuṭṭhī samativijjhati,
evaṃ abhāvitaṃ cittaṃ rāgo samativijjhati.

Just as rain breaks through an ill-thatched house,
so passion penetrates an undeveloped mind.

Dhammapada 1.13
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Asāre sāramatino
sāre cāsāradassino,
te sāraṃ nādhigacchanti,
micchāsaṅkappagocarā.

Those who mistake the unessential to be essential
and the essential to be unessential,
dwelling in wrong thoughts,
never arrive at the essential.

Dhammapada 1.11
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Muñca pure, muñca pacchato,
majjhe muñca, bhavassa pāragū.
Sabbattha vimuttamānaso,
na punaṃ jātijaraṃ upehisi.

Let go of the past, let go of the future,
let go of the present, and cross over to the farther shore of existence.
With mind wholly liberated,
you shall come no more to birth and death.

Dhammapada 24.348
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

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

Slay anger and you will be happy,
slay anger and you will not sorrow.
For the slaying of anger in all its forms
with its poisoned root and sweet sting —
that is the slaying the nobles praise;
with anger slain one weeps no more.

Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.187
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

Appamādaratā hotha!
Sacittamanurakkhatha!
Duggā uddharathattānaṃ,
paṅke sannova kuñjaro.

Delight in heedfulness!
Guard well your thoughts!
Draw yourself out of this bog of evil,
even as an elephant draws itself out of the mud.

Dhammapada 23.327
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Pāpañce puriso kayirā,
na naṃ kayirā punappunaṃ.
Na tamhi chandaṃ kayirātha,
dukkho pāpassa uccayo.

Should a person commit evil,
let one not do it again and again.
Let one not find pleasure therein,
for painful is the accumulation of evil.

Dhammapada 9.117
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Yo sahassaṃ sahassena
saṅgāme mānuse jine,
ekañca jeyyamattānaṃ
sa ve saṅgāmajuttamo.

Though one may conquer
a thousand times a thousand people in battle,
yet one indeed is the noblest victor
who conquers oneself.

Dhammapada 10.103
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

Vacīpakopaṃ rakkheyya;
vācāya saṃvuto siyā.
Vacīduccaritaṃ hitvā,
vācāya sucaritaṃ care.

Let one guard oneself against irritability in speech;
let one be controlled in speech.
Abandoning verbal misconduct,
let one practice good conduct in speech.

Dhammapada 17.232
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita