Dhammapada

The Path of Dhamma

XV. Sukhavagga: Happiness (197-208)

Index The Pāḷi

 

By Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
For free distribution only.

 

---

 

[197] How very happily we live,
free from hostility
among those who are hostile.
Among hostile people,
free from hostility we dwell.

[198] How very happily we live,
free from misery
among those who are miserable.
Among miserable people,
free from misery we dwell.

[199] How very happily we live,
free from busyness
among those who are busy.
Among busy people,
free from busyness we dwell.

[200] How very happily we live,
we who have nothing.
We will feed on rapture
like the Radiant gods.

[201] Winning gives birth to hostility.
Losing, one lies down in pain.
The calmed lie down with ease,
having set
winning and losing
aside.

[202] There's no fire like passion,
no loss like anger,
no pain like the aggregates,
no ease other than peace.

[203] Hunger: the foremost illness.
Fabrications: the foremost pain.
For one knowing this truth
as it has come to be,
Unbinding
is the foremost ease.

[204] Freedom from illness: the foremost good fortune.
Contentment: the foremost wealth.
Trust: the foremost kinship.
Unbinding: the foremost ease.

[205] Drinking the nourishment,
the flavor,
of seclusion and calm,
one is freed from evil, devoid
of distress,
refreshed with the nourishment
of rapture in the Dhamma.

[206] It's good to see Noble Ones.
Happy their company -- always.
Through not seeing fools
constantly, constantly
one would be happy.

[207] For, living with a fool,
one grieves a long time.
Painful is communion with fools,
as with an enemy --
always.
Happy is communion
with the enlightened,
as with a gathering of kin.

[208] So:
the enlightened man --
discerning, learned,
enduring, dutiful, noble,
intelligent, a man of integrity:
follow him
-- one of this sort --
as the moon, the path
of the zodiac stars.

 

---

[Next]