Sududdasaṃ sunipuṇaṃ,
yatthakāmanipātinaṃ;
cittaṃ rakkhetha medhāvī,
cittaṃ guttaṃ sukhāvahaṃ.
Difficult to detect and very subtle,
the mind seizes whatever it wants;
so let a wise one guard one’s mind,
for a guarded mind brings happiness.
Dhammapada 3.36
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 the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Udakañhi nayanti nettikā,
Usukārā namayanti tejanaṃ,
Dāruṃ namayanti tacchakā,
Attānaṃ damayanti paṇḍitā.
Irrigators direct the water,
Fletchers fashion the shaft,
Carpenters bend the wood,
The wise control themselves.
Dhammapada 6.80
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 the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita
Attadīpā viharatha,
attasaraṇā;
anaññasaraṇā.
Dhammadīpā,
dhammasaraṇā;
anaññasaraṇā.
Make an island of yourself,
make yourself your refuge;
there is no other refuge.
Make Dhamma your island,
make Dhamma your refuge;
there is no other refuge.
Dīgha Nikāya 2.165
The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka
Sahassamapi ce vācā anatthapadasaṃhitā
ekaṃ atthapadaṃ seyyo,
yaṃ sutvā upasammati.
Better than a thousand useless words
is one useful word,
hearing which one attains peace.
Dhammapada 8.100
The Dhammapada: The Buddha’s Path of Wisdom, translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita
Sabbadānaṃ dhammadānaṃ jināti;
sabbarasaṃ dhammaraso jināti;
sabbaratiṃ dhammarati jināti;
taṇhakkhayo sabbadukkhaṃ jināti.
The gift of Dhamma triumphs over all other gifts;
the taste of Dhamma triumphs over all other tastes;
the happiness of Dhamma triumphs over all other pleasures;
the eradication of craving triumphs over all suffering.
Dhammapada 24.354
The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka
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Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā.
Yadā paññāya passati,
atha nibbindati dukkhe;
esa maggo visuddhiyā.
Impermanent are all compounded things.
When one perceives this with true insight,
then one becomes detached from suffering;
this is the path of purification.
Dhammapada 20.277
The Discourse Summaries by S.N. Goenka
Who is a true Guru? Is he the one that teaches worldly education? Is he one that that explores properties of matter? No, they are only teachers. Is one who teaches a manthra or Vedanata a Guru? No, we may call them Acharyas, not Gurus. People consider a person who imparts knowledge as a preceptor. But most of them are mere teachers, not preceptors (Gurus). A teacher who teaches others has had a teacher himself. The one who has no Guru above him is the true Guru. …
Source: WHO IS THE REAL GURU?
Na paresaṃ vilomāni,
na paresaṃ katākataṃ.
Attanova avekkheyya,
katāni akatāni ca.
Look not to the faults of others,
nor to their omissions and commissions.
But rather look to your own acts,
to what you have done and left undone.
Dhammapada 4.50
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika
Puññameva so sikkheyya
āyataggaṃ sukhudrayaṃ.
Dānañca samacariyañca,
mettacittañca bhāvaye.
Train yourself in doing good
that lasts and brings happiness.
Cultivate generosity, the life of peace,
and a mind of boundless love.
Itivuttaka 1.22
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika
Ubhinnamatthaṃ carati,
attano ca parassa ca;
paraṃ saṅkupitaṃ ñatvā,
yo sato upasammati.
Knowing that the other person is angry,
one who remains mindful and calm
acts for one’s own best interest
and for the other’s interest, too.
Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.188
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika
Na jaccā vasalo hoti
na jaccā hoti brāhmaṇo.
Kammunā vasalo hoti,
kammunā hoti brāhmaṇo
One is not low because of birth
nor does birth make one holy.
Deeds alone make one low,
deeds alone make one holy.
Sutta Nipāta 1.136
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika
Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa.
Sabbesaṃ jīvitaṃ piyaṃ.
Attānaṃ upamaṃ katvā;
na haneyya na ghātaye.
All tremble at punishment.
Life is dear to all.
Put yourself in the place of others;
kill none nor have another killed.
Dhammapada 10.130
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika
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 the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Dunniggahassa lahuno,
yatthakāmanipātino.
Cittassa damatho sādhu,
cittaṃ dantaṃ sukhāvahaṃ.
Wonderful it is to train the mind,
so swiftly moving, seizing whatever it wants.
Good is it to have a well-trained mind,
for a well-trained mind brings happiness.
Dhammapada 3.35
Gemstones of the Good Dhamma, compiled and translated by Ven. S. Dhammika
Atītaṃ nānvāgameyya,
nappaṭikaṅkhe anāgataṃ;
yadatītaṃ pahīnaṃ taṃ,
appattañca anāgataṃ
The past should not be followed after,
and the future not desired;
what is past is dead and gone,
and the future is yet to come.
Majjhima Nikāya 3.272
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 the Pali 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 the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Life is one-time offer, use it well.
-The Zen Mind
✿⊱╮✿⊱╮ ✿⊱╮✿⊱╮✿⊱╮
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 1.148
Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu
Every Summer has its own story.
-The Japanese tradition
✿⊱╮✿⊱╮ ✿⊱╮✿⊱╮✿⊱╮
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
Sabbe sattā, sabbe pāṇā,
sabbe bhūtā ca kevalā,
sabbe bhadrāni passantu.
Mā kañci pāpamāgamā.
May all creatures, all living things,
all beings one and all,
experience good fortune only.
May they not fall into harm.
Aṅguttara Nikāya 4.67
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
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 the Pali 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.
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
Last Days of the Buddha: The Maha-parinibbana Sutta (revised edition), translated from the Pali by Sister Vajira & Francis Story
