Category: Eastern Mysticism

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

Set your heart on doing good.

Do it over and over again and you will be filled with joy.

-The Buddha 2019

✿⊱╮✿⊱╮ ✿⊱╮✿⊱╮✿⊱╮

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

Jayaṃ veraṃ pasavati.
Dukkhaṃ seti parājito.
Upasanto sukhaṃ seti,
hitvā jayaparājayaṃ.

Winning gives birth to hostility.
Losing, one lies down in pain.
The calmed lie down with ease,
having set winning & losing aside.

Dhammapada 15.20
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Yo na hanti na ghāteti,
na jināti na jāpaye,
mettaṃso sabbabhūtānaṃ,
veraṃ tassa na kenacī.

One who does not strike nor makes others strike,
who robs not nor makes others rob,
sharing love with all that live,
finds enmity with none.

Itivuttaka 1.27
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

Anatthajanano doso,
doso cittappakopano;
bhayamantarato jātaṃ
taṃ jano nāvabujjhati.

Hate brings great misfortune,
hate churns up and harms the mind;
this fearful danger deep within
most people do not understand.

Itivuttaka 3.88
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

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

“Yathā ahaṃ tathā ete;
yathā ete tathā ahaṃ.”
Attānaṃ upamaṃ katvā,
na haneyya na ghātaye.

“As I am, so are others;
as others are, so am I.”
Having thus identified self and others,
harm no one nor have them harmed.

Sutta Nipāta 3.710
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

Knowledge is learning something every day.

Wisdom is letting go of something every day.

-The Zen Mind 2019

✿⊱╮✿⊱╮ ✿⊱╮✿⊱╮✿⊱╮

Taṃ nadīhi vijānātha:
sobbhesu padaresu ca,
saṇantā yanti kusobbhā,
tuṇhīyanti mahodadhī.

Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.

Sutta Nipāta 3.725
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

Sabbapāpassa akaraṇaṃ,
kusalassa upasampadā,
sacittapariyodapanaṃ –
etaṃ buddhāna sāsanaṃ.

Abstain from all unwholesome deeds,
perform wholesome ones,
purify your mind –
this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Dhammapada 14.183
The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka

Yathāpi mūle anupaddave daḷhe,
chinnopi rukkho punareva rūhati,
evampi taṇhānusaye anūhate,
nibbattatī dukkhamidaṃ punappunaṃ.

Just as a tree, though cut down,
sprouts up again if its roots remain uncut and firm,
even so, until the craving that lies dormant is rooted out,
suffering springs up again and again.

Dhammapada 24.338
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

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

Yo imasmiṃ dhammavinaye
Appamatto vihassati!
Pahāya jātisaṃsāraṃ dukkhassantaṃ karissatī.
Listen: http://host.pariyatti.org/dwob/digha_nikaya_2_185.mp3

With firm resolve, guard your own mind!
Who so untiringly pursues the Dhamma and the Discipline
Shall go beyond the round of births and make an end of suffering.

Dīgha Nikāya 2.185
http://tipitaka.org/romn/cscd/s0102m.mul2.xml#para185
Last Days of the Buddha: The Maha-parinibbana Sutta (revised edition), translated from Pāli by Sister Vajira & Francis Story

Dadato puññaṃ pavaḍḍhati;
Saṃyamato veraṃ na cīyati;
Kusalo ca jahāti pāpakaṃ,
Rāgadosamohakkhayā sanibbuto.

Who gives, one’s virtues shall increase;
Who is self-curbed, no hatred bears;
Who so is skilled in virtue, evil shuns,
And by the rooting out of lust and hate
And all delusion, comes to be at peace.

Dīgha Nikāya 2.197
Last Days of the Buddha: The Maha-parinibbana Sutta (revised edition), translated from Pāli by Sister Vajira & Francis Story

Chandā dosā bhayā mohā,
Yo dhammaṃ ativattati,
Nihīyati yaso tassa
Kāḷapakkheva candimā.

Chandā dosā bhayā mohā,
Yo dhammaṃ nātivattati,
Āpūrati yaso tassa
Sukkapakkheva candimā.

Whoever through desire, hate or fear,
Or ignorance should transgress the Dhamma,
All one’s glory fades away
Like the moon during the waning half.

Whoever through desire, hate or fear,
Or ignorance never transgresses the Dhamma,
All one’s glory ever increases
Like the moon during the waxing half.

Dīgha Nikāya 3.246
Everyman’s Ethics: Four Discourses by the Buddha (WH 14), translated by Narada Thera

Judge nothing, you will be happy.

Forgive everything, you will be happier.

Love everything, you will be happiest.

-The Buddha 2019

✿⊱╮✿⊱╮ ✿⊱╮✿⊱╮✿⊱╮

Saṅgāhako mittakaro,
Vadaññū vītamaccharo,
Netā vinetā anunetā,
Tādiso labhate yasaṃ.

Who is hospitable, and friendly,
Liberal and unselfish,
A guide, an instructor, a leader,
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