Of craving, the weaver, the clinger, he has none:Yassa jālinī visattikā, so where can he be traced?Taṇhā natthi kuhiñci netave; By what track would you trace that Buddha,Taṁ buddhamanantagocaraṁ, who leaves no track in his infinite range?Apadaṁ kena padena nessatha.
- Minor CollectionKhuddakanikāya
- Sayings of the Dhamma 179–196Dhammapada
14. The BuddhasBuddhavagga
He whose victory may not be undone,Yassa jitaṁ nāvajīyati, a victory unrivaled in all the world;Jitaṁ yassa noyāti koci loke; by what track would you trace that Buddha,Taṁ buddhamanantagocaraṁ, who leaves no track in his infinite range?Apadaṁ kena padena nessatha.
The attentive intent on absorption,Ye jhānapasutā dhīrā, who love the peace of renunciation,nekkhammūpasame ratā; the Buddhas, ever mindful,Devāpi tesaṁ pihayanti, are envied by even the gods.sambuddhānaṁ satīmataṁ.
It’s hard to gain a human birth;Kiccho manussapaṭilābho, the life of mortals is hard;kicchaṁ maccāna jīvitaṁ; it’s hard to hear the true teaching;Kicchaṁ saddhammassavanaṁ, the arising of Buddhas is hard.kiccho buddhānamuppādo.
Not to do any evil;Sabbapāpassa akaraṇaṁ, to embrace the good;kusalassa upasampadā; to purify one’s mind:Sacittapariyodapanaṁ, this is the instruction of the Buddhas.etaṁ buddhāna sāsanaṁ.
Patient acceptance is the ultimate fervor.Khantī paramaṁ tapo titikkhā, Extinguishment is the ultimate, say the Buddhas.Nibbānaṁ paramaṁ vadanti buddhā; No true renunciate injures another,Na hi pabbajito parūpaghātī, nor does an ascetic hurt another.Na samaṇo hoti paraṁ viheṭhayanto.
Not speaking ill nor doing harm;Anūpavādo anūpaghāto, restraint in the monastic code;Pātimokkhe ca saṁvaro; moderation in eating;Mattaññutā ca bhattasmiṁ, staying in remote lodgings;Pantañca sayanāsanaṁ; commitment to the higher mind—Adhicitte ca āyogo, this is the instruction of the Buddhas.Etaṁ buddhāna sāsanaṁ.
Even if it were raining money,Na kahāpaṇavassena, you’d not be sated in sensual pleasures.titti kāmesu vijjati; An astute person understands that sensual pleasuresAppassādā dukhā kāmā, offer little gratification and much suffering.iti viññāya paṇḍito.
Thus they find no delightApi dibbesu kāmesu, even in celestial pleasures.ratiṁ so nādhigacchati; A disciple of the fully awakened BuddhaTaṇhakkhayarato hoti, delights in the ending of craving.sammāsambuddhasāvako.
So many go for refugeBahuṁ ve saraṇaṁ yanti, to mountains and forest groves,pabbatāni vanāni ca; to shrines in tended parks;Ārāmarukkhacetyāni, those people are driven by fear.manussā bhayatajjitā.
But such refuge is no sanctuary,Netaṁ kho saraṇaṁ khemaṁ, it is no supreme refuge.netaṁ saraṇamuttamaṁ; By going to that refuge,Netaṁ saraṇamāgamma, you’re not released from all suffering.sabbadukkhā pamuccati.
One gone for refuge to the Buddha,Yo ca buddhañca dhammañca, to his teaching and to the Saṅgha,saṅghañca saraṇaṁ gato; sees the four noble truthsCattāri ariyasaccāni, with right understanding:sammappaññāya passati.
suffering, suffering’s origin,Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ, suffering’s transcendence,dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ; and the noble eightfold pathAriyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ, that leads to the stilling of suffering.dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.
Such refuge is a sanctuary,Etaṁ kho saraṇaṁ khemaṁ, it is the supreme refuge.etaṁ saraṇamuttamaṁ; By going to that refuge,Etaṁ saraṇamāgamma, you’re released from all suffering.sabbadukkhā pamuccati.
It’s hard to find a thoroughbred man:Dullabho purisājañño, they’re not born just anywhere.na so sabbattha jāyati; A family where that attentive one is bornYattha so jāyati dhīro, prospers in happiness.taṁ kulaṁ sukhamedhati.
Happy, the arising of Buddhas!Sukho buddhānamuppādo, Happy, the teaching of Dhamma!sukhā saddhammadesanā; Happy is the harmony of the Saṅgha,Sukhā saṅghassa sāmaggī, and the striving of the harmonious is happy.samaggānaṁ tapo sukho.
When a person venerates the worthy—Pūjārahe pūjayato, the Buddha or his disciple,buddhe yadi va sāvake; who have transcended proliferation,Papañcasamatikkante, and have left behind grief and lamentation,tiṇṇasokapariddave.
quenched, fearing nothing from any quarter—Te tādise pūjayato, the merit of one venerating such as these,nibbute akutobhaye; cannot be calculated by anyone,Na sakkā puññaṁ saṅkhātuṁ, saying it is just this much.imettamapi kenaci.