Excerpts
from the Dhammapada (the Path of the Law)
and
from the Udana (Solemn Sayings of Buddha)
Books
of the Buddhist Pali Canon
11 They who
imagine truth in untruth, and see untruth in truth, never arrive at
truth, but follow vain desires.
12. They who know truth in
truth, and untruth in untruth, arrive at truth, and follow true
desires.
21.
Diligence (Appamada=Right Disposition of
Thought, of Inquiry) is the path of immortality (Nirvâna),
thoughtlessness the path of death. Those who are in earnest (sincere)
do not die, those who are thoughtless are as if dead already.
22. Those who are advanced in
earnestness (ability to think and distinguish
necessary from unnecessary), having understood this clearly,
delight (are happy) 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 Nirvâna, the highest happiness.
28. When the
learned man drives away vanity by earnestness, he, the wise, climbing
the terraced heights of wisdom, looks down upon the fools, serene he
looks upon the toiling (tired, weary) crowd,
as one that stands on a mountain looks down upon them that stand upon
the plain.
29. Earnest
(conscious) among the thoughtless, awake among the sleepers,
the wise man advances like a racer, leaving behind the hack
(incompetent).
141. Not nakedness, not platted
(braided) hair, not dirt, not fasting, or
lying on the earth, not rubbing with dust,
142. He who, though dressed in
fine apparel (clothes), exercises
tranquillity, is quiet, subdued (controlled),
restrained (disciplined), chaste, and has
ceased to find fault (quarrel) with all
other beings, he indeed is a Brâhmana, an ascetic (sramana),
a monk (bhikshu).
171. Come, look at this
glittering world, like unto a royal chariot; the foolish are immersed
in it, but the wise do not touch it.
172. He who formerly was
reckless (irresponsible) and afterwards
became sober, brightens up this world, like the moon when freed from
clouds.
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 (illnesses, afflictions) 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
(gives rise to, raises) hatred, for the conquered is unhappy.
He who has given up both victory and defeat, he, the contented, is
happy.
202. There is no fire like
passion; there is no losing throw (losing game)
like hatred; there is no pain like this body; there is no
happiness higher than rest.
203. Hunger is the worst of
diseases, the body the greatest of pains; if one knows this truly,
that is Nirvâna, the highest happiness.
204. Health is the greatest of
gifts, contentedness (contentment) the best
riches; trust is the best of relationships, Nirvâna the
highest happiness.
205. He who has tasted the
sweetness of solitude and tranquillity, is free from fear and free
from sin, while he tastes the sweetness of drinking in the law.
***
Whatever
of sensual pleasure there may be on earth, or in the kingdom of the
gods, it is not worth a sixteenth part of
the joy which springs from the destruction of Desire.
Udana
II, 2
Those
who have a hundred dear ones, have a hundred sorrows, these
who have ninety dear ones, have ninety sorrows, these who have eighty
dear ones, have eighty sorrows etc. those who have one dear one, have
one sorrow. Those who have no dear one, for
them there is no sorrow.
These, I
declare, are the griefless ones, free from human passion, without
despair.
Whatsoever
of sorrow, lamentation and pain is in the world,
all this arises from clinging, where
clinging is not, these are not.Therefore happy and sorrowless are
those who cling not to any thing in the world. Set
not your affections on things on earth.
Udana
VIII, 8
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