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Dhammapada I
(vv. 1-20)

Yamakavagga

Pairs

Translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
For free distribution only.

Alternate translation: Buddharakkhita

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1-2*:
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.
3-6:
'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.
7-8*:
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.
9-10:
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.
11-12*
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.
13-14:
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.
15-18*
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.
19-20:
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.

Revised: Sunday 2005-07-03
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/khuddaka/dhp/tb0/dhp-01-tb0.html