209. Giving himself to things to be shunned and not exerting where exertion is needed, a seeker after pleasures, having given up his true welfare, envies those intent upon theirs.

210. Seek no intimacy with the beloved and also not with the unloved, for not to see the beloved and to see the unloved, both are painful.

211. Therefore hold nothing dear, for separation from the dear is painful. There are no bonds for those who have nothing beloved or unloved.

212. From endearment springs grief, from endearment springs fear. For one who is wholly free from endearment there is no grief, whence then fear?

213. From affection springs grief, from affection springs fear. For one who is wholly free from affection there is no grief, whence then fear?

214. From attachment springs grief, from attachment springs fear. For one who is wholly free from attachment there is no grief, whence then fear? Continue reading →

197. Happy indeed we live, friendly amidst the hostile. Amidst hostile men we dwell free from hatred.

198. Happy indeed we live, friendly amidst the afflicted (by craving). Amidst afflicted men we dwell free from affliction.

199. Happy indeed we live, free from avarice amidst the avaricious. Amidst the avaricious men we dwell free from avarice.

200. Happy indeed we live, we who possess nothing. Feeders on joy we shall be, like the Radiant Gods.

201. Victory begets enmity; the defeated dwell in pain. Happily the peaceful live, discarding both victory and defeat.

202. There is no fire like lust and no crime like hatred. There is no ill like the aggregates (of existence) and no bliss higher than the peace (of Nibbana). [17]

203. Hunger is the worst disease, conditioned things the worst suffering. Knowing this as it really is, the wise realize Nibbana, the highest bliss.

204. Health is the most precious gain and contentment the greatest wealth. A trustworthy person is the best kinsman, Nibbana the highest bliss. Continue reading →

1. Follow not the vulgar way; live not in heedlessness; hold not false views; linger not long in worldly existence.

2. Arise! Do not be heedless! Lead a righteous life. The righteous live happily both in this world and the next.

3. Lead a righteous life; lead not a base life. The righteous live happily both in this world and the next.

4. One who looks upon the world as a bubble and a mirage, him the King of Death sees not.

5. Come! Behold this world, which is like a decorated royal chariot. Here fools flounder, but the wise have no attachment to it.

6. He who having been heedless is heedless no more, illuminates this world like the moon freed from clouds.

7. He, who by good deeds covers the evil he has done, illuminates this world like the moon freed from clouds.

8. Blind is the world; here only a few possess insight. Only a few, like birds escaping from the net, go to realms of bliss.

9. Swans fly on the path of the sun; men pass through the air by psychic powers; the wise are led away from the world after vanquishing Mara and his host.

10. For a liar who has violated the one law (of truthfulness) who holds in scorn the hereafter, there is no evil that he cannot do. Continue reading →

1. If one holds oneself dear, one should diligently watch oneself. Let the wise man keep vigil during any of the three watches of the night.

2. One should first establish oneself in what is proper; then only should one instruct others. Thus the wise man will not be reproached.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. The evil a witless man does by himself, born of himself and produced by himself, grinds him as a diamond grinds a hard gem.

6. Just as a single creeper strangles the tree on which it grows, even so, a man who is exceedingly depraved harms himself as only an enemy might wish.

7. Easy to do are things that are bad and harmful to oneself. But exceedingly difficult to do are things that are good and beneficial.

8. Whoever, on account of perverted views, scorns the Teaching of the Perfected Ones, the Noble and Righteous Ones — that fool, like the bamboo, produces fruits only for self destruction. [14]

9. By oneself is evil done; by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone; by oneself is one made pure. Purity and impurity depend on oneself; no one can purify another. Continue reading →

1. When this world is ever ablaze, why this laughter, why this jubilation? Shrouded in darkness, will you not see the light?

2. Behold this body — a painted image, a mass of heaped up sores, infirm, full of hankering — of which nothing is lasting or stable!

3. Fully worn out is this body, a nest of disease, and fragile. This foul mass breaks up, for death is the end of life.

4. These dove-colored bones are like gourds that lie scattered about in autumn. Having seen them, how can one seek delight?

5. This city (body) is built of bones, plastered with flesh and blood; within are decay and death, pride and jealousy.

6. Even gorgeous royal chariots wear out, and indeed this body too wears out. But the Dhamma of the Good does not age; thus the Good make it known to the good.

7. The man of little learning grows old like a bull. He grows only in bulk, but, his wisdom does not grow.

8. Through many a birth in samsara have I wandered in vain, seeking the builder of this house (of life). Repeated birth is indeed suffering! Continue reading →

1. All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.

2. All tremble at violence; life is dear to all. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.

3. One who, while himself seeking happiness, oppresses with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will not attain happiness hereafter.

4. One who, while himself seeking happiness, does not oppress with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will find happiness hereafter.

5. Speak not harshly to anyone, for those thus spoken to might retort. Indeed, angry speech hurts, and retaliation may overtake you.

6. If, like a broken gong, you silence yourself, you have approached Nibbana, for vindictiveness is no longer in you.

7. Just as a cowherd drives the cattle to pasture with a staff, so do old age and death drive the life force of beings (from existence to existence).

8. When the fool commits evil deeds, he does not realize (their evil nature). The witless man is tormented by his own deeds, like one burnt by fire.

9. He who inflicts violence on those who are unarmed, and offends those who are inoffensive, will soon come upon one of these ten states:

138-140 Sharp pain, or disaster, bodily injury, serious illness, or derangement of mind, trouble from the government, or grave charges, loss of relatives, or loss of wealth, or houses destroyed by ravaging fire; upon dissolution of the body that ignorant man is born in hell. Continue reading →

1. Hasten to do good; restrain your mind from evil. He who is slow in doing good, his mind delights in evil.

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

3. Should a person do good, let him do it again and again. Let him find pleasure therein, for blissful is the accumulation of good.

4. It may be well with the evil-doer as long as the evil ripens not. But when it does ripen, then the evil-doer sees (the painful results of) his evil deeds.

5. It may be ill with the doer of good as long as the good ripens not. But when it does ripen, then the doer of good sees (the pleasant results of) his good deeds.

6. 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 himself with evil.

7. Think not lightly of good, saying, “It will not come to me.” Drop by drop is the water pot filled. Likewise, the wise man, gathering it little by little, fills himself with good. Continue reading →