Dhammapada
Sukhavaggo
15. The Chapter about Happiness
Susukhaṁ vata jīvāma verinesu averino,
Let us live truly happily, without hatred, amongst those who have hatred,
verinesu manussesu viharāma averino. [197]
amongst humans who have hatred let us live without hatred.
Susukhaṁ vata jīvāma āturesu anāturā,
Let us live truly happily, without sickness, amongst those who are sick, Comm: kilesāturesu; amongst those who are sick with defilements.
āturesu manussesu viharāma anāturā. [198]
amongst humans who have sickness let us live without sickness.
Susukhaṁ vata jīvāma ussukesu anussukā
Let us live truly happily, without longing, amongst those who are longing, Comm: pañcakāmaguṇapariyesane; seeking the five strands of sense pleasure.
ussukesu manussesu viharāma anussukā. [199]
amongst humans who are longing let us live without longing.
Susukhaṁ vata jīvāma yesaṁ no natthi kiñcanaṁ,
We live truly happily enough having no possessions ourselves, Comm: rāgādīsu kiñcanesu; with no possessions like passion and so forth.
pītibhakkhā bhavissāma devā Ābhassarā yathā. [200]
we will feed on joy like the gods of Streaming Light. The Ābhassara devas are traditionally positioned at the seventeenth level of existence, at the top of the three levels said to correspond to the second absorption.
Jayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, dukkhaṁ seti parājito,
The victor generates hatred, the defeated one finds suffering,
upasanto sukhaṁ seti, hitvā jayaparājayaṁ. [201]
the one at peace lives happily, having abandoned victory and defeat.
Natthi rāgasamo aggi, natthi dosasamo kali,
There is no fire like passion, there is no offence like hatred,
natthi khandhasamā dukkhā, natthi santiparaṁ sukhaṁ. [202]
there is no suffering like the components (of mind and body), no happiness other than peace. Comm: nibbānato uttariṁ; beyond Nibbāna.
Jighacchā paramā rogā, saṅkhāraparamā dukhā,
Hunger is the supreme sickness, conditions are the supreme suffering,
etaṁ ñatvā yathābhūtaṁ, Nibbānaṁ paramaṁ sukhaṁ. [203]
knowing this as it really is, (know) Nibbāna is the supreme good.
Ārogyaparamā lābhā, santuṭṭhi paramaṁ dhanaṁ,
Health is the supreme gain, content the supreme wealth,
vissāsā paramā ñāti, Nibbānaṁ paramaṁ sukhaṁ. [204]
confidence the supreme kin, Nibbāna the supreme good.
Pavivekarasaṁ pitvā, rasaṁ upasamassa ca,
Savouring the taste of solitude, and the taste of peace,
niddaro hoti nippāpo, Dhammapītirasaṁ pivaṁ. [205]
he is fearless, faultless, savouring the joyful taste of Dhamma.
Sāhu dassanam-ariyānaṁ, sannivāso sadā sukho,
Meeting with Dassana normally means seeing, but in the application here and below must mean meeting with. See also the usage in 210 below. the noble is good, living together (with them) is always pleasant,
adassanena bālānaṁ niccam-eva sukhī siyā. [206]
through not meeting foolish people one will constantly be happy.
Bālasaṅgatacārī hi dīgham-addhāna’ socati,
For he who consorts with fools grieves for a long time,
dukkho bālehi saṁvāso amitteneva sabbadā,
dwelling with fools is always suffering as it is with enemies,
dhīro ca sukhasaṁvāso ñātīnaṁ va samāgamo. [207]
the wise one dwells happily as with an assembly of kin.
tasmā hi,
therefore,
dhīrañ-ca paññañ-ca bahussutañ-ca,
the firm, the wise and the learned,
dhorayhasīlaṁ vatavantam-ariyaṁ –
the virtuous, dutiful and noble –
taṁ tādisaṁ sappurisaṁ sumedhaṁ
* (accompany) such a true and intelligent person
bhajetha nakkhattapathaṁ va candimā. [208]
as the moon accompanies the course of the stars.
Sukhavaggo Paṇṇarasamo
The Chapter about Happiness, the Fifteenth
Related Verses from the Dhammapada
Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā,
Mind precedes thoughts, mind is their chief, (their quality is) made by mind,
manasā ce pasannena bhāsati vā karoti vā,
if with pure mind one speaks or acts,
tato naṁ sukham-anveti chāyā va anapāyinī. [2]
through that, happiness follows him like a shadow which does not depart.
Mā pamādam-anuyuñjetha mā kāmaratisanthavaṁ,
Do not cultivate heedlessness, do not be acquainted with delight in sensual pleasure,
appamatto hi jhāyanto pappoti vipulaṁ sukhaṁ. [27]
for the heedful one, meditating, (surely) attains great happiness.
Dunniggahassa lahuno yatthakāmanipātino,
* For the mind that is difficult to subdue, flighty, flitting wherever it will,
cittassa damatho sādhu, cittaṁ dantaṁ sukhāvahaṁ. [35]
restraint is good, a restrained mind brings happiness.
Sududdasaṁ sunipuṇaṁ yatthakāmanipātinaṁ,
Hard to see, very subtle, flitting wherever it will,
cittaṁ rakkhetha medhāvī, cittaṁ guttaṁ sukhāvahaṁ. [36]
the sage should guard the mind, a guarded mind brings happiness.
Dhammapīti sukhaṁ seti, vippasannena cetasā,
The one who drinks Dhamma lives well, with a clear mind,
Ariyappavedite Dhamme sadā ramati paṇḍito. [79]
the wise one will always delight in the Dhamma that is made known by the Noble.
Sabbattha ve sappurisā cajanti,
True people surely everywhere renounce,
na kāmakāmā lapayanti santo;
the good do not talk of desiring sense-pleasures;
sukhena phuṭṭhā atha vā dukhena,
when touched by pleasure or by suffering,
noccāvacaṁ paṇḍitā dassayanti. [83]
the wise show neither elation or depression.
Abhivādanasīlissa niccaṁ vaddhāpacāyino,
For the one who is constantly worshipping honourable elders,
cattāro dhammā vaḍḍhanti: āyu vaṇṇo sukhaṁ balaṁ. [109]
four things increase: the length of life, beauty, happiness, and strength.
Puññañ-ce puriso kayirā, kayirāthetaṁ punappunaṁ,
If a person should make merit, he should do it again and again,
tamhi chandaṁ kayirātha, sukho puññassa uccayo. [118]
let him place his intention there, there is an increase of happiness for the one who has made merit.
Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni yo daṇḍena vihiṁsati,
One who harms with a stick beings who desire happiness,
attano sukham-esāno, pecca so na labhate sukhaṁ. [131]
while seeking happiness for himself, won’t find happiness after death.
Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni yo daṇḍena na hiṁsati,
One who harms not with a stick beings who desire happiness,
attano sukham-esāno, pecca so labhate sukhaṁ. [132]
while seeking happiness for himself, will find happiness after death.
Uttiṭṭhe nappamajjeyya, Dhammaṁ sucaritaṁ care,
One should strive, not be heedless, one should live by Dhamma, with good conduct,
Dhammacārī sukhaṁ seti asmiṁ loke paramhi ca. [168]
living by Dhamma one lives at ease in this world and the next.
Dhammaṁ care sucaritaṁ, na naṁ duccaritaṁ care,
One should live by Dhamma, with good conduct, not with bad conduct,
Dhammacārī sukhaṁ seti asmiṁ loke paramhi ca. [169]
living by Dhamma one lives at ease in this world and the next.
Na ve kadariyā devalokaṁ vajanti,
The miserly go not to the world of the gods,
bālā have nappasaṁsanti dānaṁ,
fools surely do not praise giving,
dhīro ca dānaṁ anumodamāno,
but the wise one rejoices in giving,
teneva so hoti sukhī parattha. [177]
and through that he is happy hereafter.
Dullabho purisājañño, na so sabbattha jāyati,
A person of good breed is rare, that one is not born everywhere,
yattha so jāyate dhīro, taṁ kulaṁ sukham-edhati. [193]
wherever that wise one is born, that family gains happiness.
Sukho Buddhānam-uppādo, sukhā Saddhammadesanā,
The arising of the Buddhas is good, the teaching of the True Dhamma is good,
sukhā Saṅghassa sāmaggī, samaggānaṁ tapo sukho. [194]
the harmony of the Saṅgha is good, devotion to harmony is good.
Mattāsukhapariccāgā, passe ce vipulaṁ sukhaṁ,
If, by renouncing a small good, he might see a good that is large,
caje mattāsukhaṁ dhīro, sampassaṁ vipulaṁ sukhaṁ. [290]
the wise one should renounce that small good, seeing the good that is extensive.
Paradukkhūpadānena attano sukham-icchati,
One who desires happiness for oneself by causing suffering for another,
verasaṁsaggasaṁsaṭṭho, verā so na parimuccati. [291]
being associated thus with hatred, is not fully released from that hatred.
Idaṁ pure cittam-acāri cārikaṁ
Formerly this wandering mind wandered
yenicchakaṁ yatthakāmaṁ yathāsukhaṁ,
through desire, pleasure and happiness,
tad-ajjahaṁ niggahessāmi yoniso,
(but) today I will control it wisely,
hatthim-pabhinnaṁ viya aṅkusaggaho. [326]
like one with goad an elephant in rut.
Atthamhi jātamhi sukhā sahāyā,
Friends are good whenever need arises,
tuṭṭhī sukhā yā itarītarena,
being content with everything is good,
puññaṁ sukhaṁ jīvitasaṅkhayamhi,
at the break-up of life merit is good,
sabbassa dukkhassa sukhaṁ pahāṇaṁ. [331]
the abandoning of all suffering is good.
Sukhā matteyyatā loke, atho petteyyatā sukhā,
Respecting one’s mother is good in the world, also respecting one’s father is good,
sukhā sāmaññatā loke, atho brahmaññatā sukhā. [332]
respecting ascetics is good in the world, also respecting (true) brahmins is good.
Sukhaṁ yāva jarā sīlaṁ, sukhā saddhā patiṭṭhitā,
Virtuous conduct till old age is good, the establishing of faith is good,
sukho paññāya paṭilābho, pāpānaṁ akaraṇaṁ sukhaṁ. [333]
the acquisition of wisdom is good, doing nothing wicked is good.
Saritāni sinehitāni ca
* There are flowing streams of affection and
sŏmanassāni bhavanti jantuno,
mental happinesses for a person,
te sātasitā sukhesino,
pleasure-dependent they seek happiness,
te ve jātijarūpagā narā. [341]
those people undergo both birth and old age.
Mettāvihārī yo bhikkhu, pasanno Buddhasāsane,
That monastic who dwells in loving-kindness, with faith in Buddha’s dispensation,
adhigacche padaṁ santaṁ, saṅkhārūpasamaṁ sukhaṁ. [368]
should attain the state of peace, the joy in stilling of (all) conditions.
Attanā codayattānaṁ, paṭimāsettam-attanā,
By oneself one should censure self, by oneself one should be controlled,
so attagutto satimā sukhaṁ bhikkhu vihāhisi. [379]
he who guards himself, mindful, will live happily, monastic.
Pāmojjabahulo bhikkhu, pasanno Buddhasāsane,
The monastic, having much happiness, with faith in the dispensation of the Buddha,
adhigacche padaṁ santaṁ, saṅkhārūpasamaṁ sukhaṁ. [381]
could attain to the state of peace, happy in the stilling of (all) conditions.