Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Dhammapada(Buddha's Teachings)

The full text can be found at http://path.homestead.com/dhammapada1_7.html

Realizing that body is fragile as a pot, establishing one 's mind as firm as a fortified city, let one attack let one guard one's conquest and afford no rest to Mara.

He has reached the final goal, he is fearless, without lust, without passions. He has broken the shafts of existence. Of such an Arahant this body is his last.

Having tasted the flavour of seclusion and Nibbana's peace, woeless and stainless becomes he, drinking the taste of the Dhamma's joy.

He who judges others with due deliberation, with judgement righteous and just-such a wise one, guardian of the law, is called a righteous.

Ever well awake are the disciples of Gotama who ever day and night recollect the Dharma's virtues.

As a tree cut down sprouts forth again if its roots remain undamaged and firm, even so, while latent craving is not removed, this sorrow springs up again and again.

Best of paths is the Eightfold Path. Best of truths is the Four Noble Truths. Best of conditions is Passionlessness. Best of men is the Seeing One (the buddha). This is the only way, none other is there for the purity of vision. Do you enter upon this path, which is the bewilderment of Mara.

Even as a thorough-bred horse once touched by the whip becomes agitated and exerts himself greatly, so be strenuous and filled with religious emotion, by confidence, virtue, effort and concentration, by the investigation of the Doctrine, by being endowed with knowledge and conduct and by keeping your mind alert, will you leave this great suffering behind.

Self-conquest is, indeed, far greater than the conquest of all other folk, neither a god nor a gandhabba, nor Mara with Brahma can win back the victory of such a person who is self-subdued and ever lives in restraint.

I do not call him a brahmana merely because he is born of a womb or sprung from a brahmani. If he is full of impediments, he is merely a brahmana by name. He who is free from impediments and clinging-him do I call a brahmana.

Indeed from concentration springs wisdom, without concentration wisdom wanes. Knowing this twofold way of loss and gain, let him so conduct himself that wisdom may grow well.

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