Dhammapada | |||
CHAPTER XX he hammapada e Dhammapada preserves the "Words of the Buddha" for it carries the spirit of the Lord's teachings. It is one of the best loved Buddhist scriptures which is recited daily by mil ions of devotees who chant its verses in their native dialects. ere exist several renditions of the Dhammapada in Pali, Sanskrit, Chinese and Tibetan languages which all contain the sayings that Sakyamuni Buddha had given during the forty-five years of his ministry. NAMO BUDDHAYA! All that we are is the result of what we have intended, it is founded on our intentions, it is made up of our intentions. If a man speaks or acts with a bad intention, pain fol ows him, as the wheel fol ows the foot of the ox that draws the cart. All that we are is the result of what we have intended, it is founded on our intentions, it is made up of our intentions. If a man speaks or acts with a pure intention, happiness fol ows him, like a shadow that never leaves him. `He insulted me, he beat me, he frustrated me, he deprived me', -- in those who harbour such thoughts hatred wil never end. `He insulted me, he beat me, he frustrated me, he deprived me', -- in those who do not harbour such thoughts hatred wil end. For never does hatred end by hatred anywhere, hatred ends by love; this is the eternal law. He who lives seeking pleasures only, his senses uncontrol ed, immoderate in his food, idle and weak, him Mara (the tempter) will surely overthrow, as the wind throws down a feeble tree. He who lives without seeking pleasures, his senses well con- trol ed, moderate in his food, faithful and strong, him Mara will certainly not overthrow any more than the wind throws down a rock mountain. As rain breaks through an il -roofed house, desire breaks through an il -trained mind. As rain does not break through a wel -roofed house, desire will not break through a wel -trained mind. e evil-doer mourns in this world and he mourns in the next; he mourns in both. He mourns and suffers when he sees the evil of his own work. e virtuous man delights in this world, and he delights -- in the next; he delights and rejoices when he sees the purity of his own work. e evil-doer suffers in this world and he suffers in the next; he suffers in both. He suffers when he thinks of -- the evil he has done; he suffers even more when he has gone in the evil path (of hel ). e virtuous man is happy in this world and he is happy in the next; he is happy in both. He is happy when he thinks of the good he has done. He is even happier when he has gone on the good path (to heaven). As the bee gathers honey and goes without injuring the flow- er or its colour or scent, so let a sage go about a vil age. Not the perversities of others, not what they have done or left undone should a sage take notice of. Like a beautiful flower, ful of colour, but without scent, are the fair but fruitless words of him who does not act accordingly. Like a beautiful flower, full of colour and full of scent, are the pure and fruitful words of him who acts accordingly. Even as one may make many kinds of wreaths from a heap of flowers, so should one born to the mortal lot, perform good deeds manifold. e scent of flowers does not travel against the wind, nor that of sandal-wood, or of Tagara and Mal ika flowers; but the fragrance of good people travels even against the wind; a good man pervades every place. Mean is the scent that comes from Tagara and Sandal-wood; the perfume of those who possess virtue rises up to the god as the highest. Long is the night to him who is awake; long is a league to him who is tired; long is the round of rebirth to the foolish who do not know the True Law. How is there laughter, how is there joy, as this world is always burning? Why do you not seek a light, ye who are shrouded in darkness? is body is wasted, frail, a nest of disease; this heap of cor- ruption breaks to pieces, life indeed ends in death. e bril iant chariots of kings wear away, the body likewise waxes old, but the virtue of good people knows no age, thus do the good say to the good. A man who has learnt lit le, grows old like an ox, his flesh grows but his knowledge does not grow. Looking for the maker of this tabernacle I ran to no avail through a round of many births; and wearisome is birth again and again. But now, maker of the tabernacle, thou hast been seen; thou shalt not rear this tabernacle again. Al thy rafters are broken, thy ridgepole shattered, the mind approaching the Eternal, has attained to the Extinction of al desires. If a man makes himself as he teaches others to be, then being himself well subdued, he may subdue (others); one's own self is indeed difficult to subdue. Self is the lord of the self, who else could be the lord? With self subdued, a man finds a lord difficult to find. Even as a creeper over-spreads (and drags down) a Sal tree, so a man's wickedness, when it is very great, brings him to that state where his enemy wishes him to be. e foolish man who scorns the teaching of the saintly, of the noble, of the virtuous, and fol ows false doctrines, bears fruit to his own destruction, like the Kat haka reed. By oneself is evil done, by oneself one is defiled. Purity and impurity belong to oneself, no one can purify another. Let no one forget his own good for the sake of another's, however great; let a man, after he has discerned what this good is, be ever intent upon it. Bet er than a sovereignty over the earth, bet er than going to heaven, bet er than lordship over all the worlds, is the reward of the first step in holiness. He whose conquest is not conquered again, into whose con- quest no one in this world enters, by what track can you lead him, the Awakened, the al -perceiving, the trackless? Even the gods envy those who are awakened and mindful, who are given to meditation, who are steadfast and delight in the peace of retirement. Difficult it is to obtain birth as a human being, difficult is the life of mortals, difficult is the hearing of the true Law, dif- ficult is the rise of the Buddhas. Patience, long-suffering, is the highest form of penance, Nirvana the highest of all things, say the Awakened; for he is not an anchorite who strikes another, he is not an ascetic who insults another. If a travel er does not meet with one who is his bet er or equal, let him keep firmly to his solitary journey; there is no companionship with the young in wisdom. `ese sons belong to me and this wealth belongs to me', with such thoughts a fool is tormented. He himself does not belong to himself, how much less sons and wealth? e unwise one who knows his foolishness is wise at least so far; but the unwise one who thinks himself wise, he is cal ed a fool indeed... If a person young in wisdom be associated with a wise man even all his life, he will perceive the truth as lit le as a spoon perceives the taste of soup. If an intel igent man be associated for one minute only with a wise man, he will soon perceive the truth, as the tongue per- ceives the taste of soup. People with lit le understanding are their own greatest enemies, for they do evil deeds which must bear bit er fruits. at deed is not well done of which a man must repent, and the reward of which he receives crying with a tearful face. ¡ûBACK¡û |INDEX| ¡úNEXT¡ú |