The Dhammapada
The Dhammapada
The Dhammapadais a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures. The original version of the Dhammapada is in the Khuddaka Nikaya, a division of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism...
bound burning fever free freedom infinite life reached thrown traveler
The traveler has reached the end of the journey! In the freedom of the infinite he is free from all sorrows, the fetters that bound him are thrown away, and the burning fever of life is no more.
anger attraction breeds creates desire develops dwells man objects
When a man dwells on the objects of sense, he creates an attraction for them; attraction develops into desire, and desire breeds anger.
fly growth happiness happy high higher home lake leave remain rise swans thoughts
Those who have high thoughts are ever striving; they are not happy to remain in the same place. Like swans that leave their lake and rise into the air, they leave their home and fly for a higher home.
cease ceases cute-love hatred love rule sweet-love
For hatred does not cease by hatred at any time: hatred ceases by love - this is an old rule
age-and-aging embodied taking
As in this body, there are for the embodied one childhood, youth, old age, even so is there the taking on of another body.
again craving cut grow roots sorrows though uprooted wholly
Just as a tree, though cut down, can grow again and again if its roots are undamaged and strong, in the same way if the roots of craving are not wholly uprooted sorrows will come again and again.
beautiful color flower man seems speaks words
Just as a flower which seems beautiful and has color but has no perfume, so are the fruitless words of the man who speaks them but does them not
anger call holding holds people reins rising rolling
He who holds back rising anger like a rolling chariot, him I call a real driver; other people are but holding the reins
found freedom light peace thoughts vision words work
In the light of his vision he has found his freedom: his thoughts are peace, his words are peace and his work is peace.