Category: Eastern Mysticism

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.

Sutta Nipāta 2.399

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

Sukhā virāgatā loke,
Kāmānaṃ samatikkamo;
Asmimānassa yo vinayo —
etaṃ ve paramaṃ sukhaṃ.

Blissful is passionlessness in the world,
The overcoming of sensual desires;
But the abolition of the conceit I am —
That is truly the supreme bliss.

Udāna 2.11
The Udāna and the Itivuttaka, trans. John D. Ireland

Bahumpi ce saṃhita bhāsamāno,
na takkaro hoti naro pamatto,
gopova gāvo gaṇayaṃ paresaṃ,
na bhāgavā sāmaññassa hoti.

Much though one recites the sacred texts,
but acts not accordingly,
that heedless one is like a cowherd
who only counts the cows of others —
one does not partake of the blessings of the holy life.

Dhammapada 1.19
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

Pāṇaṃ na hane na ca ghātayeyya,
na cānujaññā hanataṃ paresaṃ,
sabbesu bhūtesu nidhāya daṇḍaṃ.
Ye thāvarā ye ca tasā santi loke.

One should not kill a living being,
nor cause it to be killed,
nor should one incite another to kill.
Do not injure any being, either strong or weak, in the world.

Sutta Nipāta 2.396
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

Yadā have pātubhavanti dhammā
Ātāpino jhāyato brāhmaṇassa,
Athassa kaṅkhā vapayanti sabbā
Yato pajānāti sahetudhammaṃ.

When things become manifest
To the ardent meditating brahmin,
All one’s doubts then vanish since one understands
Each thing along with its cause.

Udāna 1.1
The Udāna and the Itivuttaka, trans. John D. Ireland

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

Atītaṃ nānusocanti,
nappajappanti nāgataṃ,
paccuppannena yāpenti,
tena vaṇṇo pasīdati.

They do not lament over the past,
they yearn not for what is to come,
they maintain themselves in the present,
thus their complexion is serene.

Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.10
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

Yo ca mettaṃ bhāvayati
Appamāṇaṃ paṭissato
Tanū saṃyojanā honti,
Passato upadhikkhayaṃ.

For one who mindfully develops
Boundless loving-kindness
Seeing the destruction of clinging,
The fetters are worn away.

Itivuttaka 1.27
The Udāna and the Itivuttaka, trans. John D. Ireland

Kāyena saṃvaro sādhu; sādhu vācāya saṃvaro;
manasā saṃvaro sādhu. Sādhu sabbattha saṃvaro.
Sabbattha saṃvuto bhikkhu
sabbadukkhā pamuccati.

Good is restraint in the body; good is restraint in speech;
good is restraint in thought. Restraint everywhere is good.
The monk restrained in every way
is freed from all suffering.

Dhammapada 25.361
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Cakkhumā,
visamānīva,
vijjamāne parakkame.
Paṇḍito jīvalokasmiṃ,
pāpāni parivajjaye.

A person with good eyes,
encountering a treacherous, uneven place,
would try hard to avoid it.
A wise person, in the world of life,
should avoid evil deeds.

Udāna 5.43
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

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

Sa vedagū,
Vūsitabrahmacariyo,
Lokantagū,
Pāragatoti vuccatī.

One who is a master of knowledge,
Who has lived the holy life,
Is called one gone to the world’s end,
One who has reached the further shore.

Itivuttaka 4.109
The Udāna and the Itivuttaka, trans. John D. Ireland

Attā hi attano nātho,
attā hi attano gati.
Tasmā saṃyamamattānaṃ
assaṃ bhadraṃva vāṇijo.

One is one’s own protector,
one is one’s own refuge.
Therefore, one should control oneself,
even as a trader controls a noble steed.

Dhammapada 25.380
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

Yañca kāmasukhaṃ loke,
yañcidaṃ diviyaṃ sukhaṃ,
taṇhakkhayasukhassete,
kalaṃ nāgghanti soḷasiṃ.

Any sensual bliss in the world,
any heavenly bliss,
isn’t worth one sixteenth-sixteenth
of the bliss of the ending of craving.

Udāna 2.12
Translated from Pāli by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Sukhā matteyyatā loke,
atho petteyyatā sukhā,
sukhā sāmaññatā loke,
atho brahmaññatā sukhā.

In this world, good it is to serve one’s mother,
good it is to serve one’s father,
good it is to serve the monks and nuns,
and good it is to serve the holy ones.

Dhammapada 23.332
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

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

To avoid all evil,
to cultivate good,
and to purify one’s mind —
this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Dhammapada 14.183
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

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 ca vassasataṃ jīve
apassaṃ udayabbayaṃ
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo
passato udayabbayaṃ.

Better it is to live one day
seeing the rise and fall of things
than to live a hundred years
without ever seeing the rise and fall of things.

Dhammapada 8.113
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from Pāli by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Yo ca vassasataṃ jīve
dussīlo asamāhito
ekāhaṃ jīvitaṃ seyyo
sīlavantassa jhāyino.

Better it is to live
one day virtuous and meditative
than to live a hundred years
immoral and uncontrolled.

Dhammapada 8.110

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