Zen in Ten: "Life Is Dear to All"
Dhammapada Verses 129-145: Dandavagga: Violence
Hello dear reader! This is the next post delineating the short verses in The Dhammapada, which is sometimes called the Buddhist Book of Proverbs. The Dhammapada is regarded as the most succinct expression of the Buddha's teachings found in the Pali canon. For your convenience, here are links to verses: 1-10, 11-20, 21-32, 33-43, 44-59, 60-75, 76-89, 90-99, 100-115, and 116-128. The quotes below are translated from the Pali by Acharya Buddharakkhita (accesstoinsight.org). Peace & bows from San Francisco!
129. All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.
130. All tremble at violence; life is dear to all. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.
131. One who, while himself seeking happiness, oppresses with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will not attain happiness hereafter.
132. One who, while (her)self seeking happiness, does not oppress with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will find happiness hereafter.
133. Speak not harshly to anyone, for those thus spoken to might retort. Indeed, angry speech hurts, and retaliation may overtake you.
134. If, like a broken gong, you silence yourself, you have approached Nibbana, for vindictiveness is no longer in you.
135. Just as a cowherd drives the cattle to pasture with a staff, so do old age and death drive the life force of beings (from existence to existence).
136. When a fool commits evil deeds, (they do) not realize (their evil nature). The witless person is tormented by their own deeds, like one burnt by fire.
137. He who inflicts violence on those who are unarmed, and offends those who are inoffensive, will soon come upon one of these ten states:
138-140 Sharp pain, or disaster, bodily injury, serious illness, or derangement of mind, trouble from the government, or grave charges, loss of relatives, or loss of wealth, or houses destroyed by ravaging fire; upon dissolution of the body that ignorant man is born in hell.
141. Neither going about naked, nor matted locks, nor filth, nor fasting, nor lying on the ground, nor smearing oneself with ashes and dust, nor sitting on the heels (in penance) can purify a mortal who has not overcome doubt.
142. Even though (they are) well-attired, yet if (they are) poised, calm, controlled and established in the holy life, having set aside violence towards all beings — (they), truly, are a holy person, a renunciate, a monk, (a nun).
143. Only rarely is there a (person) in this world who, restrained by modesty, avoids reproach, as a thoroughbred horse avoids the whip.
144. Like a thoroughbred horse touched by the whip, be strenuous, be filled with spiritual yearning. By faith and moral purity, by effort and meditation, by investigation of the truth, by being rich in knowledge and virtue, and by being mindful, destroy this unlimited suffering.
145. Irrigators regulate the waters, fletchers straighten arrow shafts, carpenters shape wood, and the good control themselves.