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Dhammapada 76–89

Paṇḍitavagga

6. The Astute · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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as to a hidden treasureNidhīnaṁva a guidepavattāraṁ,
one whoyaṁ seespasse as one who sees faultsvajjadassinaṁ;
one who speaks rebukinglyNiggayhavādiṁ intelligentmedhāviṁ,
suchtādisaṁ wise personpaṇḍitaṁ one should associate withbhaje;
suchTādisaṁ for one associatingbhajamānassa,
betterseyyo it ishoti notna worsepāpiyo.

Regard one who sees your faults as a guide to a hidden treasure. Stay close to one so intelligent and astute who curbs you when you need it. Sticking close to such an impartial person, things get better, not worse.

he should advise and instructOvadeyyānusāseyya,
wickednessasabbhā andca he should curbnivāraye;
for by the goodSatañhi heso lovedpiyo ishoti,
by the badasataṁ he ishoti dislikedappiyo.

Advise and instruct; curb wickedness: for you shall be loved by the good, and disliked by the bad.

notNa should associate withbhaje badpāpake friendsmitte,
norna should associate withbhaje the worst of menpurisādhame;
should mix withBhajetha friendsmitte spiritualkalyāṇe,
should mix withbhajetha the best of menpurisuttame.

Don’t mix with bad friends, nor with the worst of men. Mix with spiritual friends, and with the best of men.

joy in the teachingDhammapīti at easesukhaṁ you sleepseti,
with clearvippasannena heartcetasā;
proclaimed by the Noble OneAriyappavedite in the teachingdhamme,
alwayssadā delightsramati astute personpaṇḍito.

Through joy in the teaching you sleep at ease, with clear and confident heart. An astute person always delights in the teaching proclaimed by the Noble One.

water indeedUdakañhi they guidenayanti irrigators,nettikā,
fletchersUsukārā they bendnamayanti arrow;tejanaṁ;
timberDāruṁ they bendnamayanti carpenters,tacchakā,
themselvesAttānaṁ they tamedamayanti the astute.paṇḍitā.

While irrigators guide water, fletchers bend arrows straight, and carpenters bend timber straight, the astute tame themselves.

a rockSelo asyathā solidekaghano,
by the windvātena notna is stirredsamīrati;
so tooEvaṁ with blame and praisenindāpasaṁsāsu,
notna are affectedsamiñjanti the wisepaṇḍitā.

As the wind cannot stir a solid mass of rock, so too blame and praise do not affect the wise.

just asYathāpi a lakerahado deepgambhīro,
clearvippasanno uncloudedanāvilo;
soEvaṁ teachingsdhammāni having heardsutvāna,
they become clearvippasīdanti the astutepaṇḍitā.

Like a deep lake, clear and unclouded, so clear are the astute when they hear the teachings.

everywhereSabbattha indeedve true personssappurisā give upcajanti,
notNa desiring sense pleasureskāmakāmā cajolelapayanti the goodsanto;
by happinessSukhena touchedphuṭṭhā thenatha orvā by sadnessdukhena,
notNa depressed or elateduccāvacaṁ the astutepaṇḍitā appeardassayanti.

True persons give up everything, they don’t cajole for the things they desire. Though touched by sadness or happiness, the astute appear neither depressed nor elated.

notNa for one's own sakeattahetu notna of anotherparassa sakehetu,
notNa should wish for childrenputtamicche notna wealthdhanaṁ notna nationraṭṭhaṁ;
notNa should wishiccheyya by unjust meansadhammena success for oneselfsamiddhimattano,
heSa virtuoussīlavā wisepaññavā justdhammiko should besiyā.

Never wish for success by unjust means, for your own sake or that of another, desiring children, wealth, or nation; rather, be virtuous, wise, and just.

fewAppakā thosete among humansmanussesu,
whoye peoplejanā gone to the far shorepāragāmino;
but thisAthāyaṁ otheritarā folkpajā,
just runs around on the near shoretīramevānudhāvati.

Few are those among humans who cross to the far shore. The rest just run around on the near shore.

whoYe andca indeedkho well explainedsammadakkhāte,
in the teachingdhamme practicing accordinglydhammānuvattino;
theyTe peoplejanā will cross overpāramessanti,
Death’s dominionmaccudheyyaṁ so hard to passsuduttaraṁ.

When the teaching is well explained, the people who practice accordingly will cross over Death’s dominion so hard to pass.

darkKaṇhaṁ qualitydhammaṁ having rid ofvippahāya,
brightSukkaṁ would developbhāvetha astute personpaṇḍito;
from homeOkā having gone to homelessnessanokamāgamma,
in seclusionViveke whereyattha joy is harddūramaṁ.

Rid of dark qualities, an astute person would develop the bright. Having left home for homelessness in seclusion, where joy is hard,

there satisfaction would desireTatrābhiratimiccheyya,
having forsakenhitvā sensual pleasureskāme owning nothingakiñcano;
would cleansePariyodapeyya themselvesattānaṁ,
from mental corruptionscittaklesehi an astute personpaṇḍito.

they’d long for satisfaction there. Forsaking sensual pleasures, owning nothing, an astute person would cleanse themselves of mental corruptions.

of thoseYesaṁ in the awakening factorssambodhiyaṅgesu,
rightlysammā mindcittaṁ well developedsubhāvitaṁ;
in letting go of attachmentsĀdānapaṭinissagge,
not graspinganupādāya whoye delightratā;
with defilements endedKhīṇāsavā brilliantjutimanto,
theyte in the worldloke quenchedparinibbutā.
the chapter on the astutePaṇḍitavaggo sixthchaṭṭho.

And those whose minds are rightly developed in the awakening factors; who, letting go of attachments, delight in not grasping: with defilements ended, brilliant, they are quenched in this world.

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