dhp.1-20 Dhammapada

Mind precedes thoughts, mind is their chief, their quality is made by mind,
if with a base mind one speaks or acts,
through that suffering follows him like a wheel follows the ox’s foot.
Mind precedes thoughts, mind is their chief, their quality is made by mind,
if with pure mind one speaks or acts,
through that happiness follows him like a shadow which does not depart.

“He abused me, he struck at me, he overcame me, he robbed me,”
those who bear ill-will towards this their hatred is never appeased.
“He abused me, he struck at me, he overcame me, he robbed me,”
those who do not bear ill-will towards this their hatred is appeased.

For not by hatred do hatreds cease at any time in this place,
they only cease with non-hatred, this truth is surely eternal.

The others do not understand that we should restrain ourselves here,
but for those here who do understand, through that, their dissensions will cease.

Living contemplating what is pleasant, uncontrolled in sense faculties,
not knowing the limit in food, indolent, low in energy –
Māra surely overthrows that one, like wind overthrows a weak tree.
Living contemplating the unpleasant, well-controlled in sense faculties,
and knowing the limit in food, faithful, with energy aroused –
Māra does not overthrow that one, just as wind does not overthrow a mountain made of rock.

The one who, while still impure, would wear the renunciant’s robe,
unendowed with restraint and truth, is not worthy of the renunciant’s robe.
The one who, steady in virtue, throws out any impurity,
endowed with restraint and truth, is indeed worthy of the renunciant’s robe.

Finding the essential in what is unessential, and seeing the unessential in what is essential,
they do not understand what is essential, and resort to wrong intention.
Knowing the essential in what is essential, and the unessential in what is unessential,
they understand what is essential, and resort to right intention.

Just as the rain penetrates a house with thatching that is poor,
so passion penetrates a mind that is undeveloped.
Just as rain does not penetrate a house with thatching that is good,
so passion cannot penetrate a mind that is well-developed.

Here he laments, after death he laments,
the wicked one laments in both places,
he laments, he suffers vexation,
seeing the defilement of his own deeds.
Here he rejoices, after death he rejoices,
the meritorious one rejoices in both places,
he rejoices, he greatly rejoices,
seeing the purity of his own deeds.

Here he suffers, after death he suffers,
the wicked one suffers in both places,
he suffers, thinking: “I have done wickedness,”
gone to a bad fate, he suffers much more.
Here she is happy, after death she is happy,
the righteous one is happy in both places,
she is happy, thinking: “I have done merit,”
gone to a good fate, she is happy much more.

Even though reciting abundant scriptures,
the heedless fellow, who does not do what they say,
like a cowboy counting other’s cattle,
does not partake of the ascetic life.

Even though reciting but few scriptures,
but living righteously in accordance with Dhamma,
abandoning greed, hate and delusion,
understanding aright, with mind well-released,
that one, unattached here and hereafter,
surely partakes of the ascetic life.

All phenomena are preceded by the mind,
Created by the mind,
And have the mind as their master.
If one speaks or acts from a corrupted mind,
Suffering follows as the cart-wheel follows the ox’s
foot.

All phenomena are preceded by the mind,
Created by the mind,
And have the mind as their master.
If one speaks or acts with a pure mind,
Happiness follows as an ever-present shadow.

He insulted me; he struck me;
He defeated me; he robbed me.
For those who dwell on such resentments,
Enmity never ceases.

He insulted me; he struck me;
He defeated me; he robbed me.
For those who do not dwell on such resentments,
Enmity subsides;

For enmities are never appeased by enmity.
They are appeased by peace.
This is an eternal law.

But many do not realize that we all must die.
Those who do realize this appease their quarrels.

One who lives unrestrained in the senses
And focused on pleasant things,
Who is immoderate in food,
Who is listless and lazy:
Māra overcomes him,
Just as wind overcomes a weak tree.

One who lives restrained in the senses
And focused on unpleasant things,
Who is moderate in food,
Who has faith and diligence:
Māra cannot overcome him,
Just as wind cannot overcome a rocky mountain.

Whoever would take on the yellow robe,
While hampered by defilement,
Being unrestrained and without truth,
Is unworthy of that yellow robe.

Whoever has thrown off defilement,
Is well-established in virtue,
And is possessed with self-control and truth,
Is truly worthy of the yellow robe.

Those who deem the worthless as valuable,
And see the valuable as worthless:
They do not attain the valuable;
They roam in the field of wrong thought.

(But) those who have known the valuable as valuable
And see the worthless as worthless:
They attain the valuable;
They roam in the field of right thought.

Just as rain penetrates a poorly thatched house,
So passion penetrates an uncultivated mind.

Just as rain does not penetrate a well-thatched house,
So passion fails to penetrate a well-cultivated mind.

Here he grieves, following death he grieves;
In both states the evil-doer grieves.
He grieves, he is afflicted,
Having seen his defiled deeds.

Here he rejoices, following death he rejoices;
In both states he who has done good deeds rejoices.
He rejoices, he delights,
Having seen his pure deeds.

Here he is tormented, following death he is
tormented;
In both states the evil-doer is tormented.
He is tormented knowing, “I have done evil.” Reborn to a miserable state, he is tormented all the
more.

Here he rejoices, following death he rejoices;
In both states he who has done good deeds rejoices.
He rejoices knowing, “I have done good deeds.” Reborn to a blissful state, he rejoices all the more.

One who recites much scripture,
But, being negligent, does not act accordingly,
Is like a cowherd counting others’ cows,
Having no share in the fruits of monastic life.

One who recites little scripture,
But lives in truth according to the teaching,
Having abandoned lust, ill will, and delusion,
Having right knowledge and a well-emancipated
mind,
Not clinging in this world or the next:
He truly shares the fruits of monastic life.

Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with an impure mind a person speaks or acts suffering follows him like the wheel that follows the foot of the ox.

Mind precedes all mental states. Mind is their chief; they are all mind-wrought. If with a pure mind a person speaks or acts happiness follows him like his never-departing shadow.

“He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.” Those who harbor such thoughts do not still their hatred.

“He abused me, he struck me, he overpowered me, he robbed me.” Those who do not harbor such thoughts still their hatred.

Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased. This is a law eternal.

There are those who do not realize that one day we all must die. But those who do realize this settle their quarrels.

Just as a storm throws down a weak tree, so does Mara overpower the man who lives for the pursuit of pleasures, who is uncontrolled in his senses, immoderate in eating, indolent, and dissipated.

Just as a storm cannot prevail against a rocky mountain, so Mara can never overpower the man who lives meditating on the impurities, who is controlled in his senses, moderate in eating, and filled with faith and earnest effort.

Whoever being depraved, devoid of self-control and truthfulness, should don the monk’s yellow robe, he surely is not worthy of the robe.

But whoever is purged of depravity, well-established in virtues and filled with self-control and truthfulness, he indeed is worthy of the yellow robe.

Those who mistake the unessential to be essential and the essential to be unessential, dwelling in wrong thoughts, never arrive at the essential.

Those who know the essential to be essential and the unessential to be unessential, dwelling in right thoughts, do arrive at the essential.

Just as rain breaks through an ill-thatched house, so passion penetrates an undeveloped mind.

Just as rain does not break through a well-thatched house, so passion never penetrates a well-developed mind.

The evil-doer grieves here and hereafter; he grieves in both the worlds. He laments and is afflicted, recollecting his own impure deeds.

The doer of good rejoices here and hereafter; he rejoices in both the worlds. He rejoices and exults, recollecting his own pure deeds.

The evil-doer suffers here and hereafter; he suffers in both the worlds. The thought, “Evil have I done,” torments him, and he suffers even more when gone to realms of woe.

The doer of good delights here and hereafter; he delights in both the worlds. The thought, “Good have I done,” delights him, and he delights even more when gone to realms of bliss.

Much though he recites the sacred texts, but acts not accordingly, that heedless man is like a cowherd who only counts the cows of others—he does not partake of the blessings of the holy life.

Little though he recites the sacred texts, but puts the Teaching into practice, forsaking lust, hatred, and delusion, with true wisdom and emancipated mind, clinging to nothing of this or any other world—he indeed partakes of the blessings of a holy life.