Four Testaments by Brian Arthur Brown

Author:Brian Arthur Brown
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781442265783
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
Published: 2016-06-27T04:00:00+00:00

9 dhammapada

Translated by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

chapter one: the twin verses

1. Our mental state is the result of what we have thought, is marshalled by our thoughts, and is composed of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, sorrow follows him as a consequence, even as the wheel follows the foot of the ox which draws the cart. (1)

2. Our mental state is the result of what we have thought, is marshalled by our thoughts, and is composed of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him in consequence, like a shadow that never leaves him. (2)

3. “He abused me, he struck me, he overcame me, he robbed me”—in those who harbour such thoughts hatred will never cease. (3)

4. “He abused me, he struck me, he overcame me, he robbed me,”—in those who do not harbour such thoughts hatred will cease. (4)

5. Not at any time are hostilities appeased here through hostilities but they are appeased through non-hostilities. This is the eternal dharma teaching. (5)

6. Some who are not learned do not know that we must all come to an end here; but those who accept this, cease their dissensions at once by their knowledge. (6)

7. As the wind blows down a tree of little strength so indeed does Mara, the tempter, topple him who lives looking for pleasures, uncontrolled in his senses, immoderate in eating, indolent, and of low vitality. (7)

8. As the wind does not blow down a rocky mountain, so Mara indeed does not topple him who lives unmindful of pleasures, well controlled in his senses, moderate in eating, full of faith, dharma, and community, and of high vitality. (8)

9. He who will wear the Buddhist yellow robe without having cleansed himself from impurity, who is devoid of truth and self-control, is not deserving of the yellow robe. (9)

10. But he who puts away depravity, is well grounded in all virtues, and is possessed of self-restraint and truth is worthy of the yellow robe. (10)

11. They who imagine truth in untruth and see untruth in truth, never arrive at truth but follow vain desires. (11)

12. But they who know truth as truth, and untruth as untruth, arrive at truth and follow right desires. (12)

13. As rain breaks through an ill-thatched roof, so passion makes its way into an unreflecting mind. (13)

14. As rain does not break through a well-thatched roof, so passion does not make its way into a reflecting mind. (14)

15. The evil-doer grieves in this world, he grieves in the next; he grieves in both. He grieves; he is afflicted, seeing the evil of his own actions. (15)

16. The righteous man rejoices in this world and he rejoices in the next; he rejoices in both. He rejoices and becomes delighted seeing the purity of his own actions. (16)

17. The evil-doer suffers in this world, he suffers in the next; he suffers in both. He suffers, thinking “evil has been done by me.” He suffers even more when he has gone to the evil place.

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