27 chapters
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Selected Chapters
27 chapters
Translated from Pali by F. Max Muller
Translated from Pali by F. Max Muller
From: [Note: The introduction, notes and index have been omitted.] CONTENTS DHAMMAPADA Chapter I. The Twin-Verses Chapter II. On Earnestness Chapter III. Thought Chapter IV. Flowers Chapter V. The Fool Chapter VI. The Wise Man (Pandita) Chapter VII. The Venerable (Arhat). Chapter VIII. The Thousands Chapter IX. Evil Chapter X. Punishment Chapter XI. Old Age Chapter XII. Self Chapter XIII. The World Chapter XIV. The Buddha (The Awakened) Chapter XV. Happiness Chapter
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Chapter I. The Twin-Verses
Chapter I. The Twin-Verses
1. All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage. 2. All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him. 3. "He abused me, he beat
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Chapter II. On Earnestness
Chapter II. On Earnestness
21. Earnestness is the path of immortality (Nirvana), thoughtlessness the path of death. Those who are in earnest do not die, those who are thoughtless are as if dead already. 22. Those who are advanced in earnestness, having understood this clearly, delight in earnestness, and rejoice in the knowledge of the Ariyas (the elect). 23. These wise people, meditative, steady, always possessed of strong powers, attain to Nirvana, the highest happiness. 24. If an earnest person has roused himself, if h
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Chapter III. Thought
Chapter III. Thought
33. As a fletcher makes straight his arrow, a wise man makes straight his trembling and unsteady thought, which is difficult to guard, difficult to hold back. 34. As a fish taken from his watery home and thrown on dry ground, our thought trembles all over in order to escape the dominion of Mara (the tempter). 35. It is good to tame the mind, which is difficult to hold in and flighty, rushing wherever it listeth; a tamed mind brings happiness. 36. Let the wise man guard his thoughts, for they are
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Chapter IV. Flowers
Chapter IV. Flowers
44. Who shall overcome this earth, and the world of Yama (the lord of the departed), and the world of the gods? Who shall find out the plainly shown path of virtue, as a clever man finds out the (right) flower? 45. The disciple will overcome the earth, and the world of Yama, and the world of the gods. The disciple will find out the plainly shown path of virtue, as a clever man finds out the (right) flower. 46. He who knows that this body is like froth, and has learnt that it is as unsubstantial
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Chapter V. The Fool
Chapter V. The Fool
60. Long is the night to him who is awake; long is a mile to him who is tired; long is life to the foolish who do not know the true law. 61. If a traveller does not meet with one who is his better, or his equal, let him firmly keep to his solitary journey; there is no companionship with a fool. 62. "These 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? 63. The fool who knows his fooli
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Chapter VI. The Wise Man (Pandita)
Chapter VI. The Wise Man (Pandita)
76. If you see an intelligent man who tells you where true treasures are to be found, who shows what is to be avoided, and administers reproofs, follow that wise man; it will be better, not worse, for those who follow him. 77. Let him admonish, let him teach, let him forbid what is improper!—he will be beloved of the good, by the bad he will be hated. 78. Do not have evil-doers for friends, do not have low people for friends: have virtuous people for friends, have for friends the best of men. 79
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Chapter VII. The Venerable (Arhat).
Chapter VII. The Venerable (Arhat).
90. There is no suffering for him who has finished his journey, and abandoned grief, who has freed himself on all sides, and thrown off all fetters. 91. They depart with their thoughts well-collected, they are not happy in their abode; like swans who have left their lake, they leave their house and home. 92. Men who have no riches, who live on recognised food, who have perceived void and unconditioned freedom (Nirvana), their path is difficult to understand, like that of birds in the air. 93. He
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Chapter VIII. The Thousands
Chapter VIII. The Thousands
100. Even though a speech be a thousand (of words), but made up of senseless words, one word of sense is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet. 101. Even though a Gatha (poem) be a thousand (of words), but made up of senseless words, one word of a Gatha is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet. 102. Though a man recite a hundred Gathas made up of senseless words, one word of the law is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet. 103. If one man conquer in battle a thousand
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Chapter IX. Evil
Chapter IX. Evil
116. If a man would hasten towards the good, he should keep his thought away from evil; if a man does what is good slothfully, his mind delights in evil. 117. If a man commits a sin, let him not do it again; let him not delight in sin: pain is the outcome of evil. 118. If a man does what is good, let him do it again; let him delight in it: happiness is the outcome of good. 119. Even an evil-doer sees happiness as long as his evil deed has not ripened; but when his evil deed has ripened, then doe
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Chapter X. Punishment
Chapter X. Punishment
129. All men tremble at punishment, all men fear death; remember that you are like unto them, and do not kill, nor cause slaughter. 130. All men tremble at punishment, all men love life; remember that thou art like unto them, and do not kill, nor cause slaughter. 131. He who seeking his own happiness punishes or kills beings who also long for happiness, will not find happiness after death. 132. He who seeking his own happiness does not punish or kill beings who also long for happiness, will find
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Chapter XI. Old Age
Chapter XI. Old Age
146. How is there laughter, how is there joy, as this world is always burning? Why do you not seek a light, ye who are surrounded by darkness? 147. Look at this dressed-up lump, covered with wounds, joined together, sickly, full of many thoughts, which has no strength, no hold! 148. This body is wasted, full of sickness, and frail; this heap of corruption breaks to pieces, life indeed ends in death. 149. Those white bones, like gourds thrown away in the autumn, what pleasure is there in looking
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Chapter XII. Self
Chapter XII. Self
157. If a man hold himself dear, let him watch himself carefully; during one at least out of the three watches a wise man should be watchful. 158. Let each man direct himself first to what is proper, then let him teach others; thus a wise man will not suffer. 159. If a man make 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. 160. Self is the lord of self, who else could be the lord? With self well subdued
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Chapter XIII. The World
Chapter XIII. The World
167. Do not follow the evil law! Do not live on in thoughtlessness! Do not follow false doctrine! Be not a friend of the world. 168. Rouse thyself! do not be idle! Follow the law of virtue! The virtuous rests in bliss in this world and in the next. 169. Follow the law of virtue; do not follow that of sin. The virtuous rests in bliss in this world and in the next. 170. Look upon the world as a bubble, look upon it as a mirage: the king of death does not see him who thus looks down upon the world.
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Chapter XIV. The Buddha (The Awakened)
Chapter XIV. The Buddha (The Awakened)
179. He whose conquest is not conquered again, into whose conquest no one in this world enters, by what track can you lead him, the Awakened, the Omniscient, the trackless? 180. He whom no desire with its snares and poisons can lead astray, by what track can you lead him, the Awakened, the Omniscient, the trackless? 181. Even the gods envy those who are awakened and not forgetful, who are given to meditation, who are wise, and who delight in the repose of retirement (from the world). 182. Diffic
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Chapter XV. Happiness
Chapter XV. Happiness
197. Let us live happily then, not hating those who hate us! among men who hate us let us dwell free from hatred! 198. Let us live happily then, free from ailments among the ailing! among men who are ailing let us dwell free from ailments! 199. Let us live happily then, free from greed among the greedy! among men who are greedy let us dwell free from greed! 200. Let us live happily then, though we call nothing our own! We shall be like the bright gods, feeding on happiness! 201. Victory breeds h
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Chapter XVI. Pleasure
Chapter XVI. Pleasure
209. He who gives himself to vanity, and does not give himself to meditation, forgetting the real aim (of life) and grasping at pleasure, will in time envy him who has exerted himself in meditation. 210. Let no man ever look for what is pleasant, or what is unpleasant. Not to see what is pleasant is pain, and it is pain to see what is unpleasant. 211. Let, therefore, no man love anything; loss of the beloved is evil. Those who love nothing and hate nothing, have no fetters. 212. From pleasure co
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Chapter XVII. Anger
Chapter XVII. Anger
221. Let a man leave anger, let him forsake pride, let him overcome all bondage! No sufferings befall the man who is not attached to name and form, and who calls nothing his own. 222. He who holds back rising anger like a rolling chariot, him I call a real driver; other people are but holding the reins. 223. Let a man overcome anger by love, let him overcome evil by good; let him overcome the greedy by liberality, the liar by truth! 224. Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art
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Chapter XVIII. Impurity
Chapter XVIII. Impurity
235. Thou art now like a sear leaf, the messengers of death (Yama) have come near to thee; thou standest at the door of thy departure, and thou hast no provision for thy journey. 236. Make thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy impurities are blown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt enter into the heavenly world of the elect (Ariya). 237. Thy life has come to an end, thou art come near to death (Yama), there is no resting-place for thee on the road, and thou hast no provision
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Chapter XIX. The Just
Chapter XIX. The Just
256, 257. A man is not just if he carries a matter by violence; no, he who distinguishes both right and wrong, who is learned and leads others, not by violence, but by law and equity, and who is guarded by the law and intelligent, he is called just. 258. A man is not learned because he talks much; he who is patient, free from hatred and fear, he is called learned. 259. A man is not a supporter of the law because he talks much; even if a man has learnt little, but sees the law bodily, he is a sup
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Chapter XX. The Way
Chapter XX. The Way
273. The best of ways is the eightfold; the best of truths the four words; the best of virtues passionlessness; the best of men he who has eyes to see. 274. This is the way, there is no other that leads to the purifying of intelligence. Go on this way! Everything else is the deceit of Mara (the tempter). 275. If you go on this way, you will make an end of pain! The way was preached by me, when I had understood the removal of the thorns (in the flesh). 276. You yourself must make an effort. The T
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Chapter XXI. Miscellaneous
Chapter XXI. Miscellaneous
290. If by leaving a small pleasure one sees a great pleasure, let a wise man leave the small pleasure, and look to the great. 291. He who, by causing pain to others, wishes to obtain pleasure for himself, he, entangled in the bonds of hatred, will never be free from hatred. 292. What ought to be done is neglected, what ought not to be done is done; the desires of unruly, thoughtless people are always increasing. 293. But they whose whole watchfulness is always directed to their body, who do not
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Chapter XXII. The Downward Course
Chapter XXII. The Downward Course
306. He who says what is not, goes to hell; he also who, having done a thing, says I have not done it. After death both are equal, they are men with evil deeds in the next world. 307. Many men whose shoulders are covered with the yellow gown are ill-conditioned and unrestrained; such evil-doers by their evil deeds go to hell. 308. Better it would be to swallow a heated iron ball, like flaring fire, than that a bad unrestrained fellow should live on the charity of the land. 309. Four things does
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Chapter XXIII. The Elephant
Chapter XXIII. The Elephant
320. Silently shall I endure abuse as the elephant in battle endures the arrow sent from the bow: for the world is ill-natured. 321. They lead a tamed elephant to battle, the king mounts a tamed elephant; the tamed is the best among men, he who silently endures abuse. 322. Mules are good, if tamed, and noble Sindhu horses, and elephants with large tusks; but he who tames himself is better still. 323. For with these animals does no man reach the untrodden country (Nirvana), where a tamed man goes
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Chapter XXIV. Thirst
Chapter XXIV. Thirst
334. The thirst of a thoughtless man grows like a creeper; he runs from life to life, like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest. 335. Whomsoever this fierce thirst overcomes, full of poison, in this world, his sufferings increase like the abounding Birana grass. 336. He who overcomes this fierce thirst, difficult to be conquered in this world, sufferings fall off from him, like water-drops from a lotus leaf. 337. This salutary word I tell you, `Do ye, as many as are here assembled, dig up the ro
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Chapter XXV. The Bhikshu (Mendicant)
Chapter XXV. The Bhikshu (Mendicant)
360. Restraint in the eye is good, good is restraint in the ear, in the nose restraint is good, good is restraint in the tongue. 361. In the body restraint is good, good is restraint in speech, in thought restraint is good, good is restraint in all things. A Bhikshu, restrained in all things, is freed from all pain. 362. He who controls his hand, he who controls his feet, he who controls his speech, he who is well controlled, he who delights inwardly, who is collected, who is solitary and conten
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Chapter XXVI. The Brahmana (Arhat)
Chapter XXVI. The Brahmana (Arhat)
383. Stop the stream valiantly, drive away the desires, O Brahmana! When you have understood the destruction of all that was made, you will understand that which was not made. 384. If the Brahmana has reached the other shore in both laws (in restraint and contemplation), all bonds vanish from him who has obtained knowledge. 385. He for whom there is neither this nor that shore, nor both, him, the fearless and unshackled, I call indeed a Brahmana. 386. He who is thoughtful, blameless, settled, du
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