2018.08.12 Sunday

Look for my Own Faults

   252. The fault of others is easily perceived, but that of oneself is difficult to perceive; a man winnows his neighbour’s faults like chaff, but his own fault he hides, as a cheat hides the bad die from the gambler.

253. If a man looks after the faults of others, and is always inclined to be offended, his own passions will grow, and he is far from the destruction of passions.

Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 10: The Dhammapada and Sutta Nipata,
by Max Müller and Max Fausböll, [1881], at:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1020.htm

Comment: An easy way to see my own faults – if I spot it, I’ve got it. To your happiness.

2018.08.11 Saturday

Like an Island

   238. Make thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy impurities are blown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt not enter again into birth and decay.

239. Let a wise man blow off the impurities of his self, as a smith blows off the impurities of silver one by one, little by little, and from time to time.

Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 10: The Dhammapada and Sutta Nipata,
by Max Müller and Max Fausböll, [1881], at:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1020.htm

2018.08.10 Friday

Practise Virtue

   231. Beware of bodily anger, and control thy body! Leave the sins of the body, and with thy body practise virtue!

232. Beware of the anger of the tongue, and control thy tongue! Leave the sins of the tongue, and practise virtue with thy tongue!

233. Beware of the anger of the mind, and control thy mind! Leave the sins of the mind, and practise virtue with thy mind!

234. The wise who control their body, who control their tongue, the wise who control their mind, are indeed well controlled.

Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 10: The Dhammapada and Sutta Nipata,
by Max Müller and Max Fausböll, [1881], at:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1019.htm

2018.08.09 Thursday

The Real Driver

   221. Let a man leave anger, let him forsake pride, let him overcome all bondage! No sufferings befall the man who is not attached to name and form, and who calls nothing his own.

222. He who holds back rising anger like a rolling chariot, him I call a real driver; other people are but holding the reins.

223. Let a man overcome anger by love, let him overcome evil by good; let him overcome the greedy by liberality, the liar by truth!

224. Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for little; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods.

Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 10: The Dhammapada and Sutta Nipata,
by Max Müller and Max Fausböll, [1881], at:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1019.htm

2018.08.08 Wednesday

Carried Upwards by the Stream

   217. He who possesses virtue and intelligence, who is just, speaks the truth, and does what is his own business, him the world will hold dear.

218. He in whom a desire for the Ineffable (Nirvâna) has sprung up, who is satisfied in his mind, and whose thoughts are not bewildered by love, he is called ûrdhvamsrotas (carried upwards by the stream).

219. Kinsmen, friends, and lovers salute a man who has been long away, and returns safe from afar.

220. In like manner his good works receive him who has done good, and has gone from this world to the other;–as kinsmen receive a friend on his return.

Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 10: The Dhammapada and Sutta Nipata,
by Max Müller and Max Fausböll, [1881], at:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1018.htm

2018.08.07 Tuesday

No Fetters

   209. He who gives himself to vanity, and does not give himself to meditation, forgetting the real aim (of life) and grasping at pleasure, will in time envy him who has exerted himself in meditation.

210. Let no man ever look for what is pleasant, or what is unpleasant. Not to see what is pleasant is pain, and it is pain to see what is unpleasant.

211. Let, therefore, no man love anything; loss of the beloved is evil. Those who love nothing and hate nothing, have no fetters.

Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 10: The Dhammapada and Sutta Nipata,
by Max Müller and Max Fausböll, [1881], at:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1018.htm

2018.08.06 Monday

Tranquility

   204. Health is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches; trust is the best of relationships, Nirvâna the highest happiness.

205. He who has tasted the sweetness of solitude and tranquility, is free from fear and free from sin, while he tastes the sweetness of drinking in the law.

Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 10: The Dhammapada and Sutta Nipata,
by Max Müller and Max Fausböll, [1881], at:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1017.htm

2018.08.05 Sunday

Happiness

197. Let us live happily then, not hating those who hate us! among men who hate us let us dwell free from hatred!

198. Let us live happily then, free from ailments among the ailing! among men who are ailing let us dwell free from ailments!

199. Let us live happily then, free from greed among the greedy! among men who are greedy let us dwell free from greed!

200. Let us live happily then, though we call nothing our own! We shall be like the bright gods, feeding on happiness!

201. Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy. He who has given up both victory and defeat, he, the contented, is happy.

Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 10: The Dhammapada and Sutta Nipata,
by Max Müller and Max Fausböll, [1881], at:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1017.htm

2018.08.04 Saturday

Homage

   195., 196. He who pays homage to those who deserve homage, whether the awakened (Buddha) or their disciples, those who have overcome the host (of evils), and crossed the flood of sorrow, he who pays homage to such as have found deliverance and know no fear, his merit can never be measured by anybody.

Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 10: The Dhammapada and Sutta Nipata,
by Max Müller and Max Fausböll, [1881], at:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1016.htm

Homage to the Buddha.
Homage to the Dharma.
Homage to the Sangha.

2018.08.03 Friday

Delight Only In This

   186. 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;

187. Even in heavenly pleasures he finds no satisfaction, the disciple who is fully awakened delights only in the destruction of all desires.

Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 10: The Dhammapada and Sutta Nipata,
by Max Müller and Max Fausböll, [1881], at:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1016.htm