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Dhammapada 179–196

Buddhavagga

14. The Buddhas · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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whoseYassa conquer·past participlejitaṁ not·be undonenāvajīyati,
conquer·past participleJitaṁ whoseyassa not·down·gonoyāti anyonekoci in the worldloke;
thatTaṁ Buddha·endless·rangebuddhamanantagocaraṁ,
not·trackApadaṁ by whatkena trackpadena would·leadnessatha.

He whose victory may not be undone, a victory unrivaled in all the world; by what track would you trace that Buddha, who leaves no track in his infinite range?

of whomYassa weaverjālinī clingervisattikā,
cravingTaṇhā not·benatthi anywherekuhiñci to leadnetave;
himTaṁ Buddha·infinite·rangebuddhamanantagocaraṁ,
without·trackApadaṁ by whatkena trackpadena you will leadnessatha.

Of craving, the weaver, the clinger, he has none: so where can he be traced? By what track would you trace that Buddha, who leaves no track in his infinite range?

whoYe absorption·intentjhānapasutā wise onesdhīrā,
in the peace of renunciationnekkhammūpasame delightingratā;
gods·evenDevāpi themtesaṁ envypihayanti,
the fully awakened onessambuddhānaṁ the mindful onessatīmataṁ.

The attentive intent on absorption, who love the peace of renunciation, the Buddhas, ever mindful, are envied by even the gods.

hardKiccho human·gainmanussapaṭilābho,
hardkicchaṁ of mortalsmaccāna lifejīvitaṁ;
hardKicchaṁ true teaching·hearingsaddhammassavanaṁ,
hardkiccho Buddhas·arisingbuddhānamuppādo.

It’s hard to gain a human birth; the life of mortals is hard; it’s hard to hear the true teaching; the arising of Buddhas is hard.

all·evilSabbapāpassa not·doingakaraṇaṁ,
of the goodkusalassa undertakingupasampadā;
own·mind·purificationSacittapariyodapanaṁ,
thisetaṁ of the Buddhasbuddhāna instructionsāsanaṁ.

Not to do any evil; to embrace the good; to purify one’s mind: this is the instruction of the Buddhas.

patient acceptanceKhantī ultimateparamaṁ fervortapo patient acceptancetitikkhā,
extinguishmentNibbānaṁ ultimateparamaṁ sayvadanti Buddhasbuddhā;
noNa indeedhi forth·gopabbajito another·injureparūpaghātī,
norNa asceticsamaṇo ishoti anotherparaṁ apart·hurtviheṭhayanto.

Patient acceptance is the ultimate fervor. Extinguishment is the ultimate, say the Buddhas. No true renunciate injures another, nor does an ascetic hurt another.

not·speaking illAnūpavādo not·doing harmanūpaghāto,
in the monastic codePātimokkhe andca restraintsaṁvaro;
moderationMattaññutā andca in eatingbhattasmiṁ,
remote + andPantañca lodgingssayanāsanaṁ;
in the higher mindAdhicitte andca commitmentāyogo,
thisEtaṁ of the Buddhasbuddhāna instructionsāsanaṁ.

Not speaking ill nor doing harm; restraint in the monastic code; moderation in eating; staying in remote lodgings; commitment to the higher mind— this is the instruction of the Buddhas.

notNa by a rain of coinskahāpaṇavassena,
satisfactiontitti in sensual pleasureskāmesu is foundvijjati;
of little gratificationAppassādā sufferingdukhā sensual pleasureskāmā,
thusiti apart·knowviññāya an astute personpaṇḍito.

Even if it were raining money, you’d not be sated in sensual pleasures. An astute person understands that sensual pleasures offer little gratification and much suffering.

evenApi in celestialdibbesu in pleasureskāmesu,
delightratiṁ theyso do not attainnādhigacchati;
delighting in the ending of cravingTaṇhakkhayarato ishoti,
a disciple of the fully awakened Buddhasammāsambuddhasāvako.

Thus they find no delight even in celestial pleasures. A disciple of the fully awakened Buddha delights in the ending of craving.

manyBahuṁ indeedve refugesaraṇaṁ they goyanti,
mountainspabbatāni forest grovesvanāni andca;
to shrines in tended parksĀrāmarukkhacetyāni,
those peoplemanussā driven by fearbhayatajjitā.

So many go for refuge to mountains and forest groves, to shrines in tended parks; those people are driven by fear.

not + thatNetaṁ indeedkho refugesaraṇaṁ sanctuarykhemaṁ,
not + thatnetaṁ refuge·supremesaraṇamuttamaṁ;
not + thatNetaṁ refuge·to·gonesaraṇamāgamma,
all·sufferingsabbadukkhā forth·releasepamuccati.

But such refuge is no sanctuary, it is no supreme refuge. By going to that refuge, you’re not released from all suffering.

whoYo andca Buddha + andbuddhañca teaching + anddhammañca,
Saṅgha + andsaṅghañca refugesaraṇaṁ gonegato;
fourCattāri noble·truthsariyasaccāni,
with right understandingsammappaññāya seespassati.

One gone for refuge to the Buddha, to his teaching and to the Saṅgha, sees the four noble truths with right understanding:

sufferingDukkhaṁ suffering·origindukkhasamuppādaṁ,
of sufferingdukkhassa andca transcendenceatikkamaṁ;
nobleAriyaṁ eightfoldcaṭṭhaṅgikaṁ pathmaggaṁ,
suffering·stilling·leading todukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.

suffering, suffering’s origin, suffering’s transcendence, and the noble eightfold path that leads to the stilling of suffering.

suchEtaṁ indeedkho refugesaraṇaṁ sanctuarykhemaṁ,
itetaṁ supreme refugesaraṇamuttamaṁ;
suchEtaṁ having gone to refugesaraṇamāgamma,
from all sufferingsabbadukkhā is releasedpamuccati.

Such refuge is a sanctuary, it is the supreme refuge. By going to that refuge, you’re released from all suffering.

hard·to findDullabho a thoroughbred manpurisājañño,
notna heso everywheresabbattha is bornjāyati;
whereYattha heso is bornjāyati attentive onedhīro,
thattaṁ familykulaṁ happiness·prospersukhamedhati.

It’s hard to find a thoroughbred man: they’re not born just anywhere. A family where that attentive one is born prospers in happiness.

happySukho Buddha·arisingbuddhānamuppādo,
happysukhā true Dhamma·teachingsaddhammadesanā;
happySukhā of the Saṅghasaṅghassa harmonysāmaggī,
of the harmonioussamaggānaṁ strivingtapo happysukho.

Happy, the arising of Buddhas! Happy, the teaching of Dhamma! Happy is the harmony of the Saṅgha, and the striving of the harmonious is happy.

venerate·worthyPūjārahe venerate·causativepūjayato,
Buddhasbuddhe oryadi orva disciplessāvake;
proliferation·transcendedPapañcasamatikkante,
left behind·grief·lamentationtiṇṇasokapariddave.

When a person venerates the worthy— the Buddha or his disciple, who have transcended proliferation, and have left behind grief and lamentation,

thoseTe such·liketādise veneratingpūjayato,
out·gonibbute not·whereakutobhaye;
notNa can besakkā meritpuññaṁ together·reckonsaṅkhātuṁ,
this much·evenimettamapi by anyonekenaci.
Buddha·chapterBuddhavaggo the fourteenthcuddasamo.
first·recitation sectionPaṭhamabhāṇavāraṁ.

quenched, fearing nothing from any quarter— the merit of one venerating such as these, cannot be calculated by anyone, saying it is just this much.

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