Dhp XXI : Miscellany

If, by forsaking

a limited ease,

he would see

an abundance of ease,

the enlightened man

would forsake

the limited ease

for the sake

of the abundant.

He wants his own ease

by giving others dis-ease.

Intertwined in the inter-

action of hostility,

from hostility

he’s not set free.

In those who

reject what should,

& do what shouldn’t be done

–heedless, insolent–

effluents grow.

But for those who

are well-applied, constantly,

to mindfulness immersed in the body;

don’t indulge

in what shouldn’t be done;

& persist

in what should

–mindful, alert–

effluents come to an end.

Having killed mother & father,

two warrior kings,

the kingdom & its dependency–

the brahman, untroubled, travels on.

Having killed mother & father,

two learned kings,

&, fifth, a tiger–

the brahman, untroubled, travels on.

They awaken, always wide awake:

Gotama’s disciples

whose mindfulness, both day & night,

is constantly immersed

in the Buddha.

They awaken, always wide awake:

Gotama’s disciples

whose mindfulness, both day & night,

is constantly immersed

in the Dhamma.

They awaken, always wide awake:

Gotama’s disciples

whose mindfulness, both day & night,

is constantly immersed

in the Sangha.

They awaken, always wide awake:

Gotama’s disciples

whose mindfulness, both day & night,

is constantly immersed

in the body.

They awaken, always wide awake:

Gotama’s disciples

whose hearts delight, both day & night,

in harmlessness.

They awaken, always wide awake:

Gotama’s disciples

whose hearts delight, both day & night,

in developing the mind.

Hard

is the life gone forth,

hard to delight in.

Hard

is the miserable

householder’s life.

It’s painful

to stay with dissonant people,

painful to travel the road.

So be

neither traveler

nor pained.

The man of conviction

endowed with virtue,

glory, & wealth:

wherever he goes

he is honored.

The good shine from afar

like the snowy Himalayas.

The bad don’t appear

even when near,

like arrows shot into the night.

Sitting alone,

resting alone,

walking alone,

untiring.

Taming himself,

he’d delight alone–

alone in the forest.