Dhp I : Pairs

Phenomena are

preceded by the heart,

ruled by the heart,

made of the heart.

If you speak or act

with a corrupted heart,

then suffering follows you –

as the wheel of the cart,

the track of the ox

that pulls it.

Phenomena are

preceded by the heart,

ruled by the heart,

made of the heart.

If you speak or act

with a calm, bright heart,

then happiness follows you,

like a shadow

that never leaves.

‘He       insulted me,

hit me,

beat me,

robbed me’

–for those who brood on this,

hostility isn’t stilled.

‘He insulted me,

hit me,

beat me,

robbed me’–

for those who don’t brood on this,

hostility is stilled.

Hostilities aren’t stilled

through hostility,

regardless.

Hostilities are stilled

through non-hostility:

this, an unending truth.

Unlike those who don’t realize

that we’re here on the verge

of perishing,

those who do:

their quarrels are stilled.

One who stays focused on the beautiful,

is unrestrained with the senses,

knowing no moderation in food,

apathetic, unenergetic:

Mara overcomes him

as the wind, a weak tree.

One who stays focused on the foul,

is restrained with regard to the senses,

knowing moderation in food,

full of conviction & energy:

Mara does not overcome him

as the wind, a mountain of rock.

He who,

depraved,

devoid

of truthfulness

& self-control,

puts on the ochre robe,

doesn’t deserve the ochre robe.

But he who is free

of depravity

endowed

with truthfulness

& self-control,

well-established

in the precepts,

truly deserves the ochre robe.

Those who regard

non-essence as essence

and see essence as non-,

don’t get to the essence,

ranging about in wrong resolves.

But those who know

essence as essence,

and non-essence as non-,

get to the essence,

ranging about in right resolves.

As rain seeps into

an ill-thatched hut,

so passion,

the undeveloped mind.

As rain doesn’t seep into

a well-thatched hut,

so passion does not,

the well-developed mind.

Here

he grieves

he grieves

hereafter.

In both worlds

the wrong-doer grieves.

He grieves, he’s afflicted,

seeing the corruption

of his deeds.

Here

he rejoices

he rejoices

hereafter.

In both worlds

the merit-maker rejoices.

He rejoices, is jubilant,

seeing the purity

of his deeds.

Here

he’s tormented

he’s tormented

hereafter.

In both worlds

the wrong-doer’s tormented.

He’s tormented at the thought,

‘I’ve done wrong.’

Having gone to a bad destination,

he’s tormented

all the more.

Here

he delights

he delights

hereafter.

In both worlds

the merit-maker delights.

He delights at the thought,

‘I’ve made merit.’

Having gone to a good destination,

he delights

all the more.

If he recites many teachings, but

–heedless man–

doesn’t do what they say,

like a cowherd counting the cattle of

others,

he has no share in the contemplative life.

If he recites next to nothing

but follows the Dhamma

in line with the Dhamma;

abandoning passion,

aversion, delusion;

alert,

his mind well released,

not clinging

either here or hereafter:

he has his share in the contemplative life.