2021.04.12 Monday

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE ELEPHANT.

   320. Silently shall I endure abuse as the elephant in battle endures the arrow sent from the bow: for the world is ill-natured.

   321. They lead a tamed elephant to battle, the king mounts a tamed elephant; the tamed is the best among men, he who silently endures abuse.

   322. Mules are good, if tamed, and noble Sindhu horses, and elephants with large tusks; but he who tames himself is better still.

   323. For with these animals does no man reach the untrodden country (Nirvâna), where a tamed man goes on a tamed animal, viz. on his own well-tamed self.

https://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1025.htm

2021.04.11 Sunday

  316. They who are ashamed of what they ought not to be ashamed of, and are not ashamed of what they ought to be ashamed of, such men, embracing false doctrines enter the evil path.

   317. They who fear when they ought not to fear, and fear not when they ought to fear, such men, embracing false doctrines, enter the evil path.

   318. They who forbid when there is nothing to be forbidden, and forbid not when there is something to be forbidden, such men, embracing false doctrines, enter the evil path.

   319. They who know what is forbidden as forbidden, and what is not forbidden as not forbidden, such men, embracing the true doctrine, enter the good path.

DHAMMAPADA, Chapter 22. The Downward Course

https://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1024.htm

2021.04.10 Saturday

   314. An evil deed is better left undone, for a man repents of it afterwards; a good deed is better done, for having done it, one does not repent.

   315. Like a well-guarded frontier fort, with defences within and without, so let a man guard himself. Not a moment should escape, for they who allow the right moment to pass, suffer pain when they are in hell.

DHAMMAPADA, Chapter 22. The Downward Course

https://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1024.htm

2021.04.08 Thursday

   311. As a grass-blade, if badly grasped, cuts the arm, badly-practised asceticism leads to hell.

   312. An act carelessly performed, a broken vow, and hesitating obedience to discipline, all this brings no great reward.

   313. If anything is to be done, let a man do it, let him attack it vigorously! A careless pilgrim only scatters the dust of his passions more widely.

DHAMMAPADA, Chapter 22. The Downward Course

https://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1024.htm

2021.04.07 Wednesday

   308. Better it would be to swallow a heated iron ball, like flaring fire, than that a bad unrestrained fellow should live on the charity of the land.

   309. Four things does a wreckless man gain who covets his neighbour’s wife,–a bad reputation, an uncomfortable bed, thirdly, punishment, and lastly, hell.

   310. There is bad reputation, and the evil way (to hell), there is the short pleasure of the frightened in the arms of the frightened, and the king imposes heavy punishment; therefore let no man think of his neighbour’s wife.

DHAMMAPADA, Chapter 22. The Downward Course

https://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1024.htm

2021.04.06 Tuesday

CHAPTER XXII.

THE DOWNWARD COURSE.

   306. He who says what is not, goes to hell; he also who, having done a thing, says I have not done it. After death both are equal, they are men with evil deeds in the next world.

   307. Many men whose shoulders are covered with the yellow gown are ill-conditioned and unrestrained; such evil-doers by their evil deeds go to hell.

https://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1024.htm

2021.04.03 Saturday

   302. It is hard to leave the world (to become a friar), it is hard to enjoy the world; hard is the monastery, painful are the houses; painful it is to dwell with equals (to share everything in common), and the itinerant mendicant is beset with pain. Therefore let no man be an itinerant mendicant and he will not be beset with pain.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itinerant. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mendicant

DHAMMAPADA, Chapter 21. Miscellaneous

https://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/sbe10/sbe1023.htm