Category: Eastern Mysticism

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 the Pali 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 the Pali 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 the Pali 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 the Pali 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

Sukhaṃ yāva jarā sīlaṃ,
sukhā saddhā patiṭṭhitā,
sukho paññāya paṭilābho,
pāpānaṃ akaraṇaṃ sukhaṃ.

Good is virtue until life’s end,
good is faith that is steadfast,
good is the acquisition of wisdom,
and good is the avoidance of evil.

Dhammapada 23.333
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Yo ca dhammamabhiññāya
dhammamaññāya paṇḍito,
rahadova nivāte ca
anejo vūpasammati.

Thoroughly understanding the Dhamma
and freed from longing through insight,
the wise one rid of all desire
is calm as a pool unstirred by wind.

Itivuttaka 3.92
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

Māvamaññetha pāpassa, “Na mantaṃ āgamissati.”
Udabindunipātena, udakumbhopi pūrati.
Bālo pūrati pāpassa, thokaṃ thokampi ācinaṃ.

Think not lightly of evil, saying, “It will not come to me.”
Drop by drop is the water pot filled.
Likewise, the fool, gathering it little by little,
fills oneself with evil.

Dhammapada 9.121
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from the Pali 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 the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Santaṃ tassa manaṃ hoti, santā vācā,
ca kamma ca, sammadaññā,
vimuttassa, upasantassa tādino.

Calm is one’s thought, calm one’s speech,
and calm one’s deed, who, truly knowing,
is wholly freed, perfectly tranquil and wise.

Dhammapada 7.96
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita

Hitānukampī sambuddho
yadaññamanusāsati,
anurodhavirodhehi
vippamutto tathāgato.

When the Buddha teaches others
he does so out of compassion,
because the Tathagata is wholly freed
from both favour and aversion.

Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.150
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika

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 the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita