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Dhammapada 167–178

Lokavagga

13. The World · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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lowlyHīnaṁ thingdhammaṁ notna should resort toseveyya,
by negligencepamādena notna should abidesaṁvase;
wrong viewMicchādiṭṭhiṁ notna should resort toseveyya,
notna should besiyā perpetuator of the worldlokavaḍḍhano.

Don’t resort to lowly things, don’t abide in negligence, don’t resort to wrong views, don’t perpetuate the world.

one should get upUttiṭṭhe should not be heedlessnappamajjeyya,
dhammadhammaṁ good conductsucaritaṁ should livecare;
one of good conductDhammacārī at easesukhaṁ sleepsseti,
in thisasmiṁ worldloke in the nextparamhi andca.

Get up, don’t be heedless, live by principle, with good conduct. For one of good conduct sleeps at ease, in this world and the next.

by principleDhammaṁ one should livecare with good conductsucaritaṁ,
notna itnaṁ badlyduccaritaṁ one should conduct oneselfcare;
one of good conductDhammacārī at easesukhaṁ sleepsseti,
in thisasmiṁ worldloke in the nextparamhi andca.

Live by principle, with good conduct, don’t conduct yourself badly. For one of good conduct sleeps at ease, in this world and the next.

asYathā a bubblepubbuḷakaṁ one would look uponpasse,
asyathā one would look uponpasse a miragemarīcikaṁ;
thusEvaṁ the worldlokaṁ one who regardsavekkhantaṁ,
the King of Deathmaccurājā notna seespassati.

Look upon the world as a bubble or a mirage, then the King of Death won’t see you.

comeEtha see thispassathimaṁ worldlokaṁ,
decked outcittaṁ like a fancy royal chariotrājarathūpamaṁ;
hereYattha foolsbālā foundervisīdanti,
there is nonatthi chainsaṅgo for the discerningvijānataṁ.

Come, see this world decked out like a fancy royal chariot. Here fools founder, but the discerning are not chained.

whoYo butca previouslypubbe having been heedlesspamajjitvā,
afterwardspacchā heso is not heedlessnappamajjati;
thisSomaṁ worldlokaṁ illuminespabhāseti,
from cloudsabbhā like freedmuttova mooncandimā.

He who once was heedless, but turned to heedfulness, shines upon this world like the moon freed from clouds.

whoseYassa badpāpaṁ donekataṁ deed,kammaṁ,
by the goodkusalena is supplanted;pidhīyati;
heSomaṁ worldlokaṁ shines upon,pabhāseti,
from cloudsabbhā freed likemuttova the moon.candimā.

Someone whose bad deed is supplanted by the good, shines upon this world, like the moon freed from clouds.

blind becomeAndhabhūto thisayaṁ worldloko,
few heretanukettha clearly seesvipassati;
birdSakuṇo like freed from netjālamuttova,
fewappo to heavensaggāya gogacchati.

Blind is the world, few are those who clearly see. Only a handful go to heaven, like a bird freed from a net.

swans by the sun's pathHaṁsādiccapathe they goyanti,
through the skyākāse they goyanti by psychic poweriddhiyā;
they are led outNīyanti the attentivedhīrā from the worldlokamhā,
having vanquishedjetvā Māramāraṁ with his legionssavāhiniṁ.

Swans fly by the sun’s path, psychic sages fly through space. The attentive leave the world, having vanquished Māra with his legions.

oneEkaṁ dhammadhammaṁ of one who has transgressedatītassa,
of a liarmusāvādissa of a personjantuno;
of one who has transcended the next worldVitiṇṇaparalokassa,
there is notnatthi evilpāpaṁ not to be doneakāriyaṁ.

When a personage, spurning the hereafter, transgresses in just one thing— lying— there is no evil they would not do.

notNa indeedve miserly oneskadariyā to the heaven worlddevalokaṁ they govajanti,
foolsBālā indeedhave they do not praisenappasaṁsanti givingdānaṁ;
the attentive oneDhīro andca givingdānaṁ celebratinganumodamāno,
by that very thingTeneva heso ishoti happysukhī in the hereafterparattha.

The miserly don’t ascend to heaven, it takes a fool to not praise giving. The attentive celebrate giving, and so find happiness in the hereafter.

over the earthPathabyā by sole kingshipekarajjena,
of heavensaggassa by goinggamanena orvā;
by lordship over all the worldSabbalokādhipaccena,
the fruit of stream-entrysotāpattiphalaṁ is bettervaraṁ.
the chapter on the worldLokavaggo the thirteenthterasamo.

The fruit of stream-entry is better than being the one king of the earth, than going to heaven, than lordship over all the world.

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