The Buddhist Tradition - The Dhammapada


1. The Pairs

Mind precedes its objects. They are mind-governed and mind-made. To speak or act with a defiled mind is to draw pain after oneself, like a wheel behind the feet of the animal drawing it. 1 

 Mind precedes its objects. They are mind-governed and mind-made. To speak or act with a peaceful mind, is to draw happiness after oneself, like an inseparable shadow. 2 

 I have been insulted! I have been hurt! I have been beaten! I have been robbed! Anger does not cease in those who harbour this sort of thought. 3 

 I have been insulted! I have been hurt! I have been beaten! I have been robbed! Anger ceases in those who do not harbour this sort of thought. 4 

 Occasions of hatred are certainly never settled by hatred. They are settled by freedom from hatred. This is the eternal law. 5 

 Others may not understand that we must practice self-control, but quarrelling dies away in those who understand this fact. 6 

 The Tempter masters the lazy and irresolute man who dwells on the attractive side of things, ungoverned in his senses, and unrestrained in his food, like the wind overcomes a rotten tree. 7 

 But the Tempter cannot master a man who dwells on the distasteful side of things, self-controlled in his senses, moderate in eating, resolute and full of faith, like the wind cannot move a mountain crag. 8 

 The man who wears the yellow-dyed robe but is not free from stains himself, without self- restraint and integrity, is unworthy of the robe. 9 

 But the man who has freed himself of stains and has found peace of mind in an upright life, possessing self-restraint and integrity, he is indeed worthy of the dyed robe. 10 

 To see the essence in the unessential and to see the essence as unessential means one can never get to the essence, wandering as one is in the road of wrong intentions. 11 

 But to see the essence in the essential and the unessential as the unessential it is means one does get to the essence, being on the road of right intentions. 12 

 In the same way that rain breaks into a house with a bad roof, desire breaks into the mind that has not been practising meditation. 13 

 While in the same way that rain cannot break into a well-roofed house, desire cannot break into a mind that has been practising meditation well. 14 

 Here and beyond he suffers. The wrong-doer suffers both ways. He suffers and is tormented to see his own depraved behaviour. 15 

 Here and beyond he is glad. The doer of good is glad both ways. He is glad and rejoices to see his own good deeds. 16 

 Here and beyond he is punished. The wrong-doer is punished both ways. He is punished by the thought, "I have done evil", and is even more punished when he comes to a bad state. 17 

 Here and beyond he rejoices. The doer of good rejoices both way. He rejoices at the thought, "I have done good", and rejoices even more when he comes to a happy state. 18 

 Even if he is fond of quoting appropriate texts, the thoughtless man who does not put them into practice himself is like cowherd counting other people's cows, not a partner in the Holy Life. 19 

 Even if he does not quote appropriate texts much, if he follows the principles of the Teaching by getting rid of greed, hatred and delusion, deep of insight and with a mind free from attachment, not clinging to anything in this world or the next - that man is a partner in the Holy Life. 20