BURNING
Those absorbed in such accusations as:
"He/She/They abused, hurt, did me or us wrong "
whether right or wrong!, such foolish ones only prolong
own pain by being obsessed by
their
own anger.
However!!!
Those freed of these accusations:
"He/She/They abused, hurt, did me or us wrong "
noting: whether right or wrong - so what!!! -
such clever ones stop own pain by relinquishing all anger.
Dhammapada
Illustration 3+4
Background Story 3+4
FUEL ON FIRE
?
Not by anger is Hate ever quenched.
Only by Kindness is Hate always quenched.
This Ancient Law is an Eternal ... Truth ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 5 Background Story
5
GRAPPING
THE WHEEL
The crowd often does not know how
to control themselves here & now.
The wise who do know this necessity
of self-control end their quarrels.
Their disputes all cease there & then.
Dhammapada
Illustration 6 Background Story
6
DRIFTING
Whoever lives in search & urge for pleasure & beauty,
unguarded in senses, immoderately indulging,
lazy, lethargic, inactive, dulled into apathy;
Such ones Mara sweeps away like breaking a
branch of a tiny bush ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 7 Background Story
7
SMILING MOUNTAIN
Whoever lives cooled by genuine disgust,
guarded in senses, moderately enjoying,
alert, active, aware, exerting energetic effort;
Such one Mara find immovable like the wind
the mighty mountain ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 8 Background Story
8
HUMAN DUST
The impure person, uncontrolled, immoral, keeping secrets
not honest, is neither worthy nor fit for the yellow robe.
Dhammapada
Illustration 9 Background
Story 9
HUMAN TREASURE
The straight person, restrained, keeping precepts, open
honest, is both worthy & fit for the yellow robe.
Dhammapada
Illustration 10 Background
Story 10
CONFUSED
Those who mistakes the relative to be both essential
& absolute and mistakes the essential and absolute to
be relative never attains to neither the essential nor
the absolute ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 11 Background
Story 11
ASSURED
Those who see the essential in the essential and
the absolute in the absolute, discriminating what
is merely relative, attains to the essential & absolute
truth.
Dhammapada
Illustration 12 Background
Story 12
PRONE
Exactly as rain penetrate and enter
a house with a leaky roof, even so do
all desire, greed, and urge of craving
penetrate and enter the undeveloped,
unrefined mind.
Dhammapada
Illustration 13 Background
Story 13
REFINED
Exactly as rain cannot neither penetrate
nor enter a house with a tight roof, even so
cannot any desire, greed, nor urge of craving
penetrate nor enter the well developed, well
refined mind.
Dhammapada
Illustration 14 Background
Story 14
DOING BAD
Here and now the bad-doer suffers... Even so
after passing away and reemerging, the doer of
wrong reaps only pain and regret ...
So both here and there the fool with wrong &
evil behavior badly done suffers from the
inevitable results of prior actions.
Dhammapada
Illustration 15 Background Story
15
DOING GOOD
Here and now the good-doer rejoices... Even so
after passing away and reemerging, the doer of
good reaps only joy and satisfaction ...
So both here and there the wise with merit well
done enjoys the purity of prior actions.
Dhammapada
Illustration 16 Background Story
16
REMORSE
Here he suffers. So too after death he suffers.
The evil-doer having done wrong suffers pain,
regret & remorse both places!
Remembering, looking back, seeing & thinking:
"Oh I have done bad actions of evil nature" he suffers
the pain of the worlds of only suffering even more ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 17 Background Story
17
REJOICING
Here he rejoices. So too after death he rejoices.
The one having done good works rejoices both places!
Remembering, looking back, seeing & thinking:
"Oh I have done good works, well done" he enjoys
the bliss of the happy worlds even more ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 18 Background Story
18
INTELLECTUAL
Although as expert reciting the Holy Scriptures,
writing & speaking much sense, if not living and
actually acting according to this very same Dhamma,
such one enjoys not even a fraction of the Noble life!
Dhammapada
Illustration 19 Background
Story 19
PRACTICAL
Even when a novice does not recite the Holy Scriptures,
and neither writes nor speaks much sense, if always living
and actually acting according to this Dhamma such one
certainly enjoys the whole of the Noble life ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 20 Background
Story 20
Chapter II: Alertness -
Appamâda
HEEDLESS
Careful seriousness is the way to the deathless state.
Careless shallowness is the way to repeated death.
The careful one becomes undying while the careless
is as if already dead ... (again)!!!
Dhammapada
Illustration 21
Background
Story 21+22+23
HEEDFUL
The clever ones knows that very seriousness to
make the difference, knows it to be the choice select.
Carefully they make themselves joy rejoicing in
the Noble state.
Dhammapada
Illustration 22 Background
Story 21+22+23
EXPERTS
They who meditate regularly
They who endure enthusiastically
They who exert effort
These wise ones attain Nibbana;
The supreme Peace, the sublime Bliss.
Dhammapada
Illustration 23 Background
Story 21+22+23
SPREADING FAME
One who exerts effort,
one who is alert and always aware,
one who does good deeds voluntarily & deliberately,
one who is kind and considerate in all dealings,
one who is restrained & controlled,
one who lives according to the real truth of Dhamma,
carefully & seriously,
the Fame of such one grows ever & exceedingly.
Dhammapada
Illustration 24 Background Story
24
SAFETY
By arousing and inspiring oneself to
putting forth stable & energetic effort;
By meticulous carefulness;
By well trained, well restrained self-control,
the wise & clever ones make themselves an
island safe no flood nor fever can ever overwhelm.
Dhammapada
Illustration 25 Background Story
25
GUARDING versus DRIFTING
Fools, ignorants drift carelessly around to and fro.
The clever one meticulously guard own long-grown
thorough carefulness as the greatest treasure.
Dhammapada
Illustration 26 Background
Story 26+27
THE REAL BLISS
So do not give in to the carelessness of only
playful indulgence in pleasures of the senses,
since serious practice of meditation results verily
in profound Bliss, Yeah!, the immense happiness
of Nibbana ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 27 Background
Story 26+27
CLEAR-SIGHTED, ABOVE
& ALOOF
When the clever one develops carefulness,
thereby leaving carelessness, it is as if climbing
a staircase made of
Insight, step by step ...
Such wise one gazes joyfully down as from a mountaintop
- called certainty - on the simple folk stressing around below.
Dhammapada
Illustration 28 Background Story
28
ADVANTAGE
Careful among the careless,
wide awake among the sleeping slumbers,
the clever one leaves them all behind like
a racer outpaces the turtles.
Dhammapada
Illustration 29 Background Story
29
SERIOUSLY
By being seriously careful, Sakka!
king of the gods attained his supremacy.
Always is carefulness praised by all.
Always is carelessness blamed by all.
Dhammapada
Illustration 30 Background Story
30
CONQUEROR
Enjoying the results of being both serious
and meticulously careful, seeing acute and
terrible danger in any even minor sign of slack
carelessness, the Bhikkhu burns his way right through
all obstructing fetters, be they mighty or minor
Dhammapada
Illustration 31 Background Story
31
SMELLING THE LIGHT
The Bhikkhu who delights in carefulness,
and views with fear the danger of sloppy
carelessness just simply cannot fall away,
but is indeed quite near Nibbana.
Dhammapada
Illustration 32 Background Story
32
Chapter
III: Mind - Citta
JUMPING MONKEY
This flickering, fleeting and fickle mind,
difficult to guard, hard to control are thoughts,
the clever one therefore makes the mind straight
and stable just as a Fletcher line up an uneven
arrow shaft.
Dhammapada
Illustration 33 Background
Story 33 + 34
SHAKING THE CHAIN
Like a fish hauled on land
flutter and flaps all trembling,
exactly & even so do mind when forced
out of Mara's field of lusty fever.
Dhammapada
Illustration 34 Background
Story 33 + 34
TAMING
Advantageous is the taming of the thoughts,
which otherwise set off suddenly, shifts and cross,
coming and going in all directions ...
The tamed & calmed mind is therefore a bringer
of first peace, then bliss.
Dhammapada
Illustration 35 Background Story
35
GUARDING
Thoughts are of a exceedingly subtle nature,
hard to see, invisible, untouchable, momentary,
emerging & jumping when & wherever they like!
The clever one therefore observes and guards these
ever changing thoughts. Guarded thoughts brings
happiness ...!!!
Dhammapada
Illustration 36 Background Story
36
DAMPENING
Thoughts all by themselves wander,
light as fantasies, though still hidden in mind.
Those who subdue thoughts are freed from
the bondage of temptation.
Dhammapada
Illustration 37 Background Story
37
STEADYING
The one whose mind is not steady,
who does not know what is true Dhamma,
whose faith wavers - such one never
attains perfected
Insight.
Dhammapada
Illustration 38 Background
Story 38_39
NEITHER ATTRACTED NOR
REPELLED = FEARLESS
The one whose mind is not drawn into any lust,
whose mind is neither strained by any aversion,
whose mind is both beyond good and evil, for
such awakened one there is no fear ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 39 Background
Story 38_39
KNOWING TIME
Knowing this body to be fragile as a clay-pot,
making this very thought firm as a city, one
should attack Mara with this weapon of wisdom,
guard thereafter carefully what is conquered
Dhammapada
Illustration 40 Background Story
40
THE ALTAR OF THE TEMPLE
Soon this body will fall to the ground,
rejected, without any consciousness,
useless like a rotten log of wood ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 41 Background Story
41
MAKER
OF CATASTROPHES
Whatever an enemy might do to an enemy,
or one who hates to another blinded by hate,
the mind wrongly directed by false or evil view,
may do to oneself, yet even far much worse!!!
Dhammapada
Illustration 42 Background Story
42
WONDER
Neither mother nor father, nor any other family member
can do you any better, than a well directed mind.
Dhammapada
Illustration 43 Background Story
43
Chapter IV: Flowers - Puppha
WHO?
Who will fully comprehend this earth-world together
with the lower painful and higher divine worlds as well?
Who will investigate all the 37 sublime Dhammas, even as an
expert plucks delicate flowers? Who?
Dhammapada
Illustration 44 Background
Story 44_45
BE BUDDHIST
The training disciple will conquer by full comprehension this,
the lower and the divine worlds as well! The training disciple
will directly experience these 37 states, even as an expert
enjoys a well-composed bouquet of flowers.
Dhammapada
Illustration 45 Background
Story 44_45
MOMENTARY
Whosoever knows this body
to be as temporary as a bubble,
as insubstantial as the mirror image,
such one will break the flower tipped
arrows of Mara and cannot be seen by
this King of Death ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 46 Background Story
46
SURPRISE
Death carries off the man while distracted
by gathering flowers of sensual pleasures,
exactly & even so as a great flood carries
away a sleeping village.
Dhammapada
Illustration 47 Background Story
47
OFF GUARD
Death sweeps away the man distracted,
not yet had his fill of sensual pleasures,
even as he gathers these flowers.
Dhammapada
Illustration 48 Background Story
48
SWEET & SILENT
Harmless to the flower, it scent & color
the bee gathers its honey. Even & exactly
so should the wandering Bhikkhu visit the
villages.
Dhammapada
Illustration 49 Background Story
49
WRONG versus RIGHT ATTENTION
What others do, did, or left undone is irrelevant!
Do not search after their faults, but rather look
carefully upon own flaws and for what you yourself
do, did or left undone...
Dhammapada
Illustration 50 Background Story
50
SPILLED MILK
As the flower, which is beautiful in color, but lacking scent,
even & exactly so is the well spoken true word upon one,
who neither reflects, nor acts upon it
Dhammapada
Illustration 51 Background
Story 51_52
THE SEED SUPREME
As the beautiful flower, lovely both in color and scent,
even & exactly so, is the well spoken true word, fruitful
for one who reflects and acts accordingly.
Dhammapada
Illustration 52 Background
Story 51_52
THE PRECIOUS POSSIBILITY
Just as one can make many varied bouquets from a single
big bunch of flowers, a mortal among the humans can
make many kinds of merit by various good deeds.
Dhammapada
Illustration 53 Background Story
53
THE FAIRY
FIELD
The scent of flowers does not diffuse against the wind,
whether it is of jasmine or incense of sandalwood.
The fragrance of good deed does however waft against the wind.
The kindness of the good & pure perfumes all directions with
this perfume of pure goodness.
Dhammapada
Illustration 54 Background
Story 54_55
UNDEFILED
Above and beyond all varieties of perfume,
whether of rose, of sandalwood or of lotus,
the fragrance of a virtuous moral stands supreme.
Dhammapada
Illustration 55 Background
Story 51_52
TRANSCENDING
Weak is the smell of rose, jasmine and any orchid
when compared to the virtuous men, which excels
even among the divine.
Dhammapada
Illustration 56 Background Story
56
INVISIBLE
Those who are possessed of moral,
living alert and aware, who are freed though
perfected
Insight cannot never ever be found
by Mara
Dhammapada
Illustration 57 Background Story
57
THE LIGHT IN THE DARK
Even in a heap of rubbish dumped on the road,
may the lotus grow, with this sublime fragrance
delighting the mind.
Even & exactly so, may the Noble Disciple of the
Awakened Ones shine forth his wisdom among the
blinded mess of simple people
Dhammapada
Illustration 58 + 59 Background
Story 58_59
Chapter V: Fools -
Băla
LOONG
Long is samsara for the simpleton not knowing the Dhamma.
Long is the night for one who keeps Awake.
Long is the mile for one who is tired.
Long is the chain of rebirth for one who is unaware of the true Dhamma.
Dhammapada
Illustration 60
Background
Story 60
IDEAL SOLITUDE
Avoid going along with fools. Should one fail
to find one better or equal as companion,
then one should continue this journey alone.
There can be no friendship with fools.
Dhammapada
Illustration 61 Background Story
61
ONE IS
NOT ONE'S OWN!
"I have sons, I have wealth" thinks the fool
unknowingly causing himself worry. When
he has not even a self of his own, how much
less then any sons, and how much less then
any stable wealth ?
Dhammapada
Illustration 62 Background Story
62
DISCOVERING THE TREASURE
The fool, who recognizes his own foolishness,
thereby becomes wise. But the simpleton, who
deceives himself to be a wise one, is verily a fool.
Dhammapada
Illustration 63 Background Story
63
BLOCKED OR OPEN
en when the fool follows the wise lifelong,
he cannot understand the truth just as the spoon
cannot taste the soup..
However, when the intelligent even for few moments
listen to the wise, he grasps the truth as the tongue
immediately taste the soup.
Dhammapada
Illustration 64+65 Background
Story 64 + 65
ONE'S OWN ENEMY
The worst enemy of the simple fool is himself!
This his self commit the doings from which he
reaps the result of bitter pain.
Dhammapada
Illustration 66 Background Story
66
BITTER FRUIT
That action which one regrets is not good
Experiencing the result of such ill deed, one
later weeps with a tearful face.
Dhammapada
Illustration 67 Background Story
67
SWEET FRUIT
That action, which one does not regret, is good.
Experiencing the result of such beneficial deed,
one is pleased and happy.
Dhammapada
Illustration 68 Background Story
68
CAUSE, DELAY, EFFECT
Initially, the taste of the bad deed appears as sweet
as honey to the fool. Later, however, when the evil
result ripens, he grieves in pain.
Dhammapada
Illustration 69 Background Story
69
USELESS PAIN
Even though the fool starve himself, month after month,
eating only from the tip of a straw of grass, he is not worth
a 16th fraction of one who have well comprehended the real
truth of Dhamma.
Dhammapada
Illustration 70 Background Story
70
SMOULDERING SMUDGE
Just as fresh milk do not sour just at once, then the evil
action does not ripen immediately. Rather it burns the fool
after a long smoldering like embers covered with ashes.
Dhammapada
Illustration 71 Background Story
71
ABUSE
Whatever power, fame or skill the fool acquires, misused,
it destroys his future, as if cleaving his head.
Dhammapada
Illustration 72 Background Story
72
NAME & FAME
Fools seeks false reputation,
want to take the lead among Bhikkhus,
urge for authority over monasteries and
is attached to the respect of families.
Dhammapada
Illustration 73 Background
Story 73 + 74
PUFFED PRIDE + POWER
= POISON
Puffing up his pride, ambition for power drives up his greed.
He wishes: "Let both layman and monk know that I alone did this.
Let them be under my control alone, both in all things to be done
and in all things not to be done ..."
Dhammapada
Illustration 74 Background
Story 73 + 74
THE NOBLE
WAY IS FOR NIBBANA, NOTHING ELSE!
One way is to gain name and fame.
Quite another is the way to Nibbana!
Seeing this, let the Bhikkhu, the true disciple
of the Buddha, reject both name, fame and gain,
seeking only the comfort & bliss of solitary seclusion.
Dhammapada
Illustration 75 Background Story
75
Chapter VI:
The Wise - Pandita
HIDDEN TREASURE
One should follow the one giving intelligent critique,
since he is revealing a hidden treasure. For all those
following such wise one, it all grows better not worse.
Dhammapada
Illustration 76 Background Story
76
LIKED & HATED
The one who advises, instructs and restrain others
from all improper behavior becomes loved by the good,
while hated by the bad & foolish.
Dhammapada
Illustration 77 Background Story
77
ADVANTAGEOUS COMPANY
Avoid going along with wrong doers.
Do not associate with fools. Rather
accompany the Good and cultivate
friendship with the Wise & Noble.
Dhammapada
Illustration 78 Background Story
78
CLEARED CALM
The one who drinks Dhamma sleeps at ease,
calmed & cleared. The intelligent ones enjoys
the delight of the Teaching of the Noble
Dhammapada
Illustration 79 Background Story
79
STILLED
Canal makers direct the water.
Arrow makers straighten their shafts.
Carpenters plane their pieces of wood.
But The Wise & Noble tame their Mind.
Dhammapada
Illustration 80 Background Story
80
UNSHAKEABLE
Like solid rock is not moved by any storm,
even & exactly so remain the wise unshaken
whether praised or blamed.
Dhammapada
Illustration 81 Background Story
81
DEEP
Even as the deep lake is still & clear
even & exactly so do hearing the Dhamma
calm the wise.
Dhammapada
Illustration 82 Background Story
82
INVARIABLE
The clever let go of all,
withdrawing silently and still,
such wise ones whether touched
by success or sorrow remains unstirred
unperturbed and all the same.
Dhammapada
Illustration 83 Background Story
83
CLEAN
Neither for oneself nor for another
should one wish for sons, wealth or estate
gained by unfair means. Only so do one
remain upright, straight, virtuous & righteous.
Dhammapada
Illustration 84 Background Story
84
RARE
Few indeed are those who reach the other shore.
Most merely run to & fro along this bank ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 85 Background
Story 85_86
BEYOND
But those who listen and act accordingly
when the depth of Dhamma is revealed,
they indeed cross beyond this realm of
Death so hard to overcome
Dhammapada
Illustration 86 Background
Story 85_86
SUPREME STEP
Leaving the Dark, adopting the Light state,
the clever one leaves home for the homeless state.
The joy of solitary seclusion is otherwise hard to find.
Dhammapada
Illustration 87 Background
Story 87_88_89
PURGED
There they seek the great delight
of being attached to nothing.
Freed from all urge of any sensing,
the wise purge his mind of all impurity.
Dhammapada
Illustration 88 Background
Story 87_88_89
ENLIGHTENED
Those whose minds have been well developed & perfected
by the seven links to Enlightenment, the seven wings to Awakening;
Who are without even any trace of Clinging;
Lacking all mental Fermentation, shining radiant
quite bright & clear, verily, these Wise have gained
Nibbana even when still in this very world.
Dhammapada
Illustration 89 Background
Story 87_88_89
Chapter
VII: The Arahat - Arahanta
FREED
For him who has completed this journey.
For him who is untouched by any pain or sorrow.
For him who is in every-way wholly freed.
For him who has broken all chains.
For such one, no Suffering is ever Possible!
Dhammapada
Illustration 90 Background Story
90
DETACHED
Those who are aware will not to cling to any house.
Home after home they leave, like swans that take
off from many various lakes.
Dhammapada
Illustration 91 Background Story
91
ULTRA LIGHT
No accumulation = No trace:
Who neither have any store of unripened results,
nor any store of physical matter;
Who is released into the uncaused & signless void;
Verily, they leave no trace, even as a bird fly through air.
Dhammapada
Illustration 92 Background Story
92
UNCONTAMINATED
The one cleared of all mental fermentation;
who is independent of all 4 nutriments;
whose abiding is the unconditioned & void release,
is untraceable, just like a bird in the air.
Dhammapada
Illustration 93 Background Story
93
COOLED
One whose senses have been guarded & calmed,
like horses well tamed by the trainer, whose pride,
conceit & mental fermentation are all uprooted,
Even the Divine Devas love such one.
Dhammapada
Illustration 94 Background Story
94
BALANCED
Like the Earth, the Noble shows no resentment.
Like the deep dug pillar, firm in vows, pious & pure.
Like the pool clear & cool, free from mud.
Such one has ended this round.
Dhammapada
Illustration 95 Background Story
95
Thera
Sariputta in memoriam
The Captain of the Faith...
The General of the Dhamma!
CALM
Calm is his mind.
Calm is his speech.
Calm is his action.
So is the Tranquility;
So is the Equanimity;
of one freed by the
Insight
of right knowledge.
Dhammapada
Illustration 96 Background Story
96
EATING FUTURE
The one who does not desire anything,
but directly know even the uncreated;
not satisfied such one breaks off any
possibility for rebirth by swallowing
what he has made. Such one is the Supreme!
- A Courageous Conqueror ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 97 Background Story
97
RADIANT
Whether in village or forest, on land, in the sea
or the mountain; where Arahats dwell all is
indeed delightful and fine.
Dhammapada
Illustration 98 Background Story
98
SOLITARY
Delighting are the forests, where the passionate
folk do not haunt their common banal pleasures.
There the cooled ones find the Bliss not of this World.
Dhammapada
Illustration 99 Background Story
99
Chapter VIII: Thousands - Sahassa
EXACT ELEVATION
Even a thousand words will not work
if lacking meaning, essence, or relevance.
Better is a few words, exact & clear,
promoting peace & calm.
Dhammapada
Illustration 100
Background
Story 100
Comments:
Look before you leap.
Think before you speak.
ULTRA-CUT
Even a thousand sentences can be meaningless.
Better is a single sentence, whereby one is released.
Dhammapada
Illustration 101 Background
Story 101
POINTING OUT
Even reciting a hundred verses made of words of no meaning.
Better is a single word of Dhamma, whereby one awakens.
Dhammapada
Illustration 102 Background
Story 102_103
CONQUEROR
Even after having defeated a million men,
one is better off by conquering oneself.
Dhammapada
Illustration 103 Background
Story 102_103
VICTORY
Victory over self is superior to victory over others.
Winning self-control & you are forever in power!
Dhammapada
Illustration 104 Background
Story 104_105
UNDEFEATABLE
Neither a God, Demon, Devil nor Brahma
can undo the victory of one who has won
self-control ....
Dhammapada
Illustration 105 Background
Story 104_105
USELESS
Though a man, month after month offer a thousand pieces of
money, even for a hundred years, he better honor even for
a single moment a Noble, who have trained himself.
Dhammapada
Illustration 106 Background
Story 106
ATTENDING to the IRRELEVANT
Though a man, day after day, should burn a sacrifice,
bathe ceremoniously or do whatever ritual he better
honor even for a single instant the Noble disciple of
the Buddha, who is well-trained, & well-restrained ...
Dhammapada
Illustration 107 Background
Story 107
EMPTY RITUAL
Whatsoever daily offer, sacrifice or oblation made even for year,
the resulting merit is not worth a quarter of reverence for those
straight, upright and righteous.
Dhammapada
Illustration 108 Background
Story 108
REGULAR REVERENCE
For one in the habit of honoring and respecting
with salutation the Elders four things increase:
Age, Beauty, Happiness & Power!!!
Dhammapada
Illustration 109 Background
Story 109
CLEAN & COMPOSED
Even if one should live a hundred years,
if immoral & uncontrolled, better it would be
to live but just a single day morally & meditating
Dhammapada
Illustration 110 Background
Story 110
WISER
Even if one should live a hundred years,
if unwise & distracted, better it would be
to live but just a single day meditating & possessed of
Insight
Dhammapada
Illustration 111 Background
Story 111
ACTIVE
Even if one should live a hundred years,
if lazy & idle, better it would be
to live but just a single day striving
with all one got.
Dhammapada
Illustration 112 Background
Story 112
DISAPPEARANCE
Even if one should live a hundred years, not comprehending
the emergence and disappearance of all phenomena,
better it would be to live but just a single day clearly
seeing the arising and passing away of all conditions.
Dhammapada
Illustration 113 Background
Story 113
STATE
Even if one should live a hundred years,
without yet tasting the deathless state,
better it would be to live but just a single day
touching this deathless blissful state.
Dhammapada
Illustration 114 Background
Story 114
CRUCIAL
Even if one should live a full hundred years,
if not reflecting on the Buddha-Dhamma supreme,
better it would be to live but just a single day pondering
the sublimity of the Dhamma.
Dhammapada
Illustration 115 Background
Story 115
Chapter IX Evil - Pâpa
INSTANTLY
Act NOW on the instant, hasting to do the good.
While delaying the advantageous action,
the mind slides back & down towards evil.
Dhammapada
Illustration 116
Background
Story 116
NO REPEATS
Should one do bad, one should avoid repeating it again & again,
by denying mind any satisfaction therein, since the accumulation
of ill habit brings great misery.
Dhammapada
Illustration 117
Background
Story 117
SYNERGY
Should one do good, then one should strive to repeat it again & again,
by longing after the pleasure of merit therein, since the accumulation
of good habit brings great, radiant and prolonged bliss.
Dhammapada
Illustration 118
Background
Story 118
ROTTEN FRUIT
Even so long the results of bad action has not yet matured,
the wrong doer may live in luck. However, when the sour fruit
of evil action falls, the wrong doer experiences only pain.
Dhammapada
Illustration 119
Background
Story 119_120
SWEET FRUIT
Even so long the results of good action has not yet matured,
the good doer may live in vain. However, when the sweet fruit
of good action falls, the good doer experiences only happiness.
Dhammapada
Illustration 120
Background
Story 119_120
LITTLE BY LITTLE </
