The Dhammapada, in plain words
Verses from the Dhammapada, translated fresh from the Pāli, each with the story behind it, a plain explanation and one thing to try today.
Chapter 1 · Pairs Yamakavagga
- Dhammapada 1Experience is led by mind, with mind foremost, made by mind
- Dhammapada 2Experience is led by mind, with mind foremost, made by mind
- Dhammapada 3–4They insulted me, struck me, defeated me, robbed me
- Dhammapada 5Hatred never settles through hatred here
- Dhammapada 6Others do not understand: 'Here we are coming to an end
- Dhammapada 13As rain breaks through a poorly roofed house, passion breaks through an undeveloped mind
- Dhammapada 14As rain does not break through a well-roofed house, passion does not break through a well-developed…
- Dhammapada 16Here you rejoice, and after death you rejoice
- Dhammapada 18Here you are glad, and after death you are glad
Chapter 2 · Heedfulness Appamādavagga
- Dhammapada 21Heedfulness is the path to the deathless
- Dhammapada 24The reputation of one who is energetic and mindful, pure in deeds and thoughtful in action…
- Dhammapada 25Through effort and heedfulness, through restraint and taming, let the wise make an island that no…
- Dhammapada 27Do not give yourself to heedlessness or become attached to delight in sensual pleasures
Chapter 3 · The Mind Cittavagga
- Dhammapada 33The mind quivers and flits about, hard to guard, hard to restrain
- Dhammapada 35It is good to tame the mind, hard to hold, quick, landing wherever it wishes
- Dhammapada 36Let the wise guard the mind, very hard to see, very subtle, landing wherever it wishes
- Dhammapada 41Before long, this body will lie upon the earth, discarded, without consciousness, like a useless…
- Dhammapada 42Whatever an enemy might do to an enemy, or one who hates to one they hate, a wrongly directed mind…
- Dhammapada 43Neither mother nor father, nor any other relatives, can do as much for you as a rightly directed…
Chapter 4 · Flowers Pupphavagga
- Dhammapada 49As a bee takes nectar and flies away without harming a flower's color or scent, so let a sage move…
- Dhammapada 50Do not look at others' faults, or at what others have or have not done
- Dhammapada 51Like a lovely flower, colorful but without scent, well-spoken words bear no fruit for one who does…
- Dhammapada 52Like a lovely flower, colorful and fragrant, well-spoken words bear fruit for one who acts on them
- Dhammapada 53As many garlands can be made from a heap of flowers, so a mortal, once born, should do much that is…
- Dhammapada 54A flower's scent does not travel against the wind, nor does sandalwood's, tagara's, or jasmine's
Chapter 5 · The Fool Bālavagga
- Dhammapada 61If, as you go, you find no companion better than or equal to yourself, commit firmly to going alone
- Dhammapada 63A fool who recognizes their foolishness is, in that respect, wise
- Dhammapada 66Fools with little understanding go about as their own enemies, doing wrong actions that bear bitter…
- Dhammapada 67An action is not well done if, after doing it, you regret it, and meet its result weeping, with a…
- Dhammapada 68An action is well done if, after doing it, you do not regret it, and meet its result pleased and…
Chapter 6 · The Wise Paṇḍitavagga
- Dhammapada 76If you see someone who points out faults and speaks in correction, regard that wise person as a…
- Dhammapada 78Do not keep company with bad friends or with people of the lowest kind
- Dhammapada 79One who finds joy in the Dhamma sleeps at ease, with a very clear mind
- Dhammapada 80Irrigators guide water
- Dhammapada 81As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, so the wise are not shaken by blame or praise
- Dhammapada 82As a deep lake is clear and unclouded, so the wise become clear after hearing the teachings
- Dhammapada 83Good people let go everywhere
Chapter 8 · Thousands Sahassavagga
Chapter 9 · Evil Pāpavagga
- Dhammapada 116Hasten toward what is good
- Dhammapada 117If you do something wrong, do not do it again and again
- Dhammapada 118If you do good deeds, do them again and again
- Dhammapada 121Do not dismiss wrongdoing, thinking, 'It will not come to me
- Dhammapada 128Not in the sky, not in the middle of the sea, not by entering a cleft in the mountains: there is no…
Chapter 10 · The Rod Daṇḍavagga
- Dhammapada 129Everyone trembles at the rod
- Dhammapada 130Everyone trembles at the rod
- Dhammapada 131Beings seek happiness
- Dhammapada 132Beings seek happiness
- Dhammapada 133Do not speak harshly to anyone
- Dhammapada 135As a cowherd drives cattle to pasture with a rod, so aging and death drive the lives of living…
- Dhammapada 142Even if adorned, if you conduct yourself peaceably, peaceful, tamed, steadfast, living celibately…
Chapter 11 · Old Age Jarāvagga
Chapter 12 · Self Attavagga
- Dhammapada 157If you know yourself to be dear, keep yourself well guarded
- Dhammapada 158First establish yourself in what is fitting
- Dhammapada 159If you conduct yourself as you instruct others, then, well tamed, you should tame others
- Dhammapada 160You are your own protector
- Dhammapada 163Things that are bad and harmful to yourself are easy to do
- Dhammapada 165By yourself wrongdoing is done
- Dhammapada 166Do not neglect your own purpose for another's, however great
Chapter 13 · The World Lokavagga
- Dhammapada 170Look upon the world as a bubble, as a mirage
- Dhammapada 172If you were heedless before but are heedless no longer, you light up this world like the moon…
- Dhammapada 173One whose wrong action is covered by what is good lights up this world like the moon released from a…
- Dhammapada 177The stingy do not go to the world of the gods
Chapter 14 · The Buddha Buddhavagga
Chapter 15 · Happiness Sukhavagga
- Dhammapada 197How happily we live, without hatred among those who hate
- Dhammapada 200How happily we live, we who have nothing
- Dhammapada 201Victory gives rise to hatred
- Dhammapada 204Health is the greatest gain
- Dhammapada 205Having drunk in the taste of seclusion and the taste of peace, you are free of distress and…
- Dhammapada 206It is good to see the noble ones
- Dhammapada 207One who goes about in the company of fools sorrows for a long time
Chapter 16 · Affection Piyavagga
Chapter 17 · Anger Kodhavagga
- Dhammapada 221Give up anger
- Dhammapada 222One who holds back anger as it rises, like a chariot veering off course, I call a charioteer
- Dhammapada 223Overcome anger with non-anger
- Dhammapada 224Speak the truth
- Dhammapada 225Sages who are harmless, always restrained in body, go to the unfailing state, where, once they have…
- Dhammapada 227This is ancient, Atula, not something just of today
- Dhammapada 228There has never been, never will be, and is not now a person entirely blamed or entirely praised
- Dhammapada 232Guard against outbursts of speech
- Dhammapada 234The wise are restrained in body and restrained in speech
Chapter 18 · Impurity Malavagga
Chapter 19 · The Just Dhammaṭṭhavagga
Chapter 20 · The Path Maggavagga
Chapter 21 · Miscellaneous Pakiṇṇakavagga
- Dhammapada 290If, by giving up a little happiness, you could see abundant happiness, let the wise give up the…
- Dhammapada 291One who wants their own happiness by bringing suffering upon another is entangled in the bonds of…
- Dhammapada 300Those disciples of Gotama whose minds delight in harmlessness by day and by night always wake alert
Chapter 23 · The Elephant Nāgavagga
- Dhammapada 320Like an elephant in battle enduring an arrow shot from a bow, I will endure abusive words, for most…
- Dhammapada 326Before, this mind wandered wherever it wished, wherever it wanted, as it pleased
- Dhammapada 327Delight in heedfulness
- Dhammapada 328If you find a prudent companion to travel with, wise and living well, then, overcoming all dangers…
- Dhammapada 331Friends bring happiness when a need arises
Chapter 24 · Craving Taṇhāvagga
- Dhammapada 336From one who overcomes this wretched craving, hard to cross beyond in the world, sorrows fall away…
- Dhammapada 338As a tree, even cut down, grows again if its root remains strong and unharmed, so, if the underlying…
- Dhammapada 348Let go of what is before, let go of what is after, let go of what is between, crossing beyond…
Chapter 25 · The Monk Bhikkhuvagga
- Dhammapada 365Do not despise what you receive
- Dhammapada 368A bhikkhu who dwells in loving-kindness, with clear confidence in the Buddha's teaching, may reach…
- Dhammapada 376Keep company with good friends, whose livelihood is pure and who are tireless
- Dhammapada 377As jasmine sheds its wilted flowers, so shed passion and aversion, bhikkhus
- Dhammapada 381A bhikkhu full of gladness, with clear confidence in the Buddha's teaching, may reach the peaceful…
Chapter 26 · The Brahmin Brāhmaṇavagga
- Dhammapada 399One who endures insults, beating, and binding without ill will, whose strength is patience, whose…
- Dhammapada 405One who has laid down the rod toward beings, whether trembling or steady, who does not kill or cause…
- Dhammapada 406Without hostility among the hostile, at peace among those who take up the rod, not grasping among…
- Dhammapada 408One who speaks without harshness, clearly and truthfully, and assails no one with that speech: that…