423 ayetten oluşan derleme, Buda'ya atfedilir. Theravada külliyatında en çok okunan metin.
Biz neysek, düşüncelerimizin ürünüyüz: düşüncelerimize dayanır, düşüncelerimizden oluşur. İnsan saf bir düşünceyle konuşur ya da eylerse, mutluluk onu terk etmeyen bir gölge gibi peşinden gelir.
Nefret nefretle hiçbir zaman dinmez; sevgiyle diner. Bu eski bir kuraldır.
Binlerce boş sözcükten iyidir huzur getiren bir tek sözcük.
Translated by F. Max Muller (1881). The Dhammapada is a collection of sayings attributed to the Buddha, organized into 26 chapters. It is the most read text in the Theravada canon. Public domain.
All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage.
All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never departs.
He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me: in those who harbour such thoughts hatred will never cease.
He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me: in those who do not harbour such thoughts hatred will quickly cease.
For hatred does not cease by hatred at any time: hatred ceases by love, this is an old rule.
The world does not know that we must all come to an end here: but those who know it, their quarrels cease at once.
He who lives looking for pleasures only, his senses uncontrolled, immoderate in his food, idle, and weak, Mara (the tempter) will certainly overthrow him, as the wind throws down a weak tree.
He who lives without looking for pleasures, his senses well controlled, moderate in his food, faithful and strong, him Mara will certainly not overthrow, any more than the wind throws down a rocky mountain.
As a fletcher makes straight his arrow, a wise man makes straight his trembling and unsteady thought, which is difficult to guard, difficult to hold back.
As a fish taken from his watery home and thrown on dry ground, our thought trembles all over in order to escape the dominion of Mara.
It is good to tame the mind, which is difficult to hold in and flighty, rushing wherever it listeth; a tamed mind brings happiness.
Let the wise man guard his thoughts, for they are difficult to perceive, very artful, and they rush wherever they list: thoughts well guarded bring happiness.
If a man's thoughts are unsteady, if he does not know the true law, if his peace of mind is troubled, his knowledge will never be perfect.
If a man's thoughts are not dissipated, if his mind is not perplexed, if he has ceased to think of good or evil, then there is no fear for him while he is watchful.
Knowing that this body is fragile like a jar, and making this thought firm like a fortress, one should attack Mara with the weapon of knowledge, one should watch him when conquered, and should never rest.
Not to commit any sin, to do good, and to purify one's mind, that is the teaching of the Awakened.
The patient endurance of offences is the highest devotion; the Buddhas say that Nirvana is the highest thing; he is not an anchorite who strikes others, he is not an ascetic who insults others.
Not to blame, not to strike, to live restrained under the law, to be moderate in eating, to sleep and sit alone, and to dwell on the highest thoughts, this is the teaching of the Awakened.
There is no satisfying lusts, even by a shower of gold pieces; he who knows that lusts have a short taste and cause pain, he is wise.
Even in heavenly pleasures he finds no satisfaction; the disciple who is fully awakened delights only in the destruction of all desires.
Men, driven by fear, go to many a refuge, to mountains and forests, to groves and sacred trees. But that is not a safe refuge, that is not the best refuge; a man is not delivered from all pains after having gone to that refuge.
He who takes refuge with Buddha, the Law, and the Church; he who, with clear understanding, sees the four holy truths: pain, the origin of pain, the destruction of pain, and the eightfold holy way that leads to the quieting of pain. That is the safe refuge, that is the best refuge; having gone to that refuge, a man is delivered from all pain.