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dhp.209-220 Dhammapada

The Chapter about Love

Engaging oneself in what is not suitable, not engaging in what is suitable,
abandoning the good, grasping the loved, he envies the one who endeavours for himself.

Do not associate at any time with those who are loved or with those unloved,
there is suffering not meeting those loved, and suffering from meeting those unloved.

Therefore do not hold anything as loved, for losing those who are loved is loathsome.
There are no knots for those who hold nothing as loved or as unloved.

From love there arises grief, from love there arises fear,
for one who is free from love there is no grief, how is there fear?

From fondness there arises grief, from fondness there arises fear,
for one who is free from fondness there is no grief, how is there fear?

From delight there arises grief, from delight there arises fear,
for one who is free from delight there is no grief, how is there fear?

From desire there arises grief, from desire there arises fear,
for one who is free from desire there is no grief, how is there fear?

From craving there arises grief, from craving there arises fear,
for one who is free from craving there is no grief, how is there fear?

Endowed with virtue and insight, principled, knowing the truths,
doing the deeds that are his own, that one the people love.

The one with desire arisen for the undeclared, will be suffused with the awakening mind,
with a mind unconnected with sense pleasures, he is spoken of as ‘one gone upstream’.

When one who lives abroad for a long time comes safely from afar,
his relatives, friends and companions come and greatly rejoice.
Just so, when one who has performed merit goes from this world unto the next,
his merits are received just as relatives come to their loved one.

- Translator: Bhikkhu Ānandajoti

- Editor: Aminah Borg-Luck


What Is Dear

One who pursues what is not to be undertaken,
And practices what is not to be practiced,
Who clings to what is dear, having abandoned the
goal:
Such a one envies those who apply themselves.

Never associate with those dear or abrasive.
For not seeing those dear and seeing the abrasive are
both painful.

Therefore hold nothing dear,
For separation from what is dear is bad.
For one whom there is neither dear nor non-dear,
There are no bonds.

From affection grief is born.
From affection fear is born.
One free from affection is without grief;
From where would fear come?

From love grief is born.
From love fear is born.
One free from love is without grief;
From where would fear come?

From attachment grief is born.
From attachment fear is born.
One free from attachment is without grief;
From where would fear come?

From sensual craving grief is born.
From sensual craving fear is born.
One free from sensual craving is without grief;
From where would fear come?

From craving grief is born.
From craving fear is born.
One free from craving is without grief;
From where would fear come?

People hold dear the one endowed with virtue and
insight,
Who speaks the truth and does the work that that is
his,
Who is established in the Dhamma.

One with an expansive mind,
Who is intent on the Indescribable,
Whose heart is not bound with sensual craving,
is called going upstream.

Family, companions, and friends rejoice
When one, long absent, safely returns.

Just so, in going from this world to the next,
The good deeds receive the well-doer,
As relatives receive the return of their dear one.

- Translator: Peter Feldmeier

- Editor: Aminah Borg-Luck


Affection

Giving himself to things to be shunned and not exerting where exertion is needed, a seeker after pleasures, having given up his true welfare, envies those intent upon theirs.

Seek no intimacy with the beloved and also not with the unloved, for not to see the beloved and to see the unloved, both are painful.

Therefore hold nothing dear, for separation from the dear is painful. There are no bonds for those who have nothing beloved or unloved.

From endearment springs grief, from endearment springs fear. For one who is wholly free from endearment there is no grief, whence then fear?

From affection springs grief, from affection springs fear. For one who is wholly free from affection there is no grief, whence then fear?

From attachment springs grief, from attachment springs fear. For one who is wholly free from attachment there is no grief, whence then fear?

From lust springs grief, from lust springs fear. For one who is wholly free from craving there is no grief; whence then fear?

From craving springs grief, from craving springs fear. For one who is wholly free from craving there is no grief; whence then fear?

People hold dear him who embodies virtue and insight, who is principled, has realized the truth, and who himself does what he ought to be doing.

One who is intent upon the Ineffable (Nibbana), dwells with mind inspired (by supramundane wisdom), and is no more bound by sense pleasures—such a man is called “One Bound Upstream.”

When, after a long absence, a man safely returns from afar, his relatives, friends and well-wishers welcome him home on arrival.

As kinsmen welcome a dear one on arrival, even so his own good deeds will welcome the doer of good who has gone from this world to the next.

- Translator: Ācāriya Buddharakkhita

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato