Dhammapada 6- The Wise

A reading of the sixth chapter of the Dhammapada as translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. The Dhammapada is a canonical Buddhist text written in a poetic style. Each chapter bears many listens over time, and is somewhat like the Tao Teh Ching, delivering ancient wisdom and inspiring the contemplative life. Listen at the beginning of your own meditation practice, or any time of day as a source of inspiration. Enjoy!

Transcript

Dhammapada 6.

The Wise Regard him as one who points out treasure,

The wise one who,

Seeing your faults,

Rebukes you.

Stay with this sort of sage,

For the one who stays with a sage of this sort,

Things get better,

Not worse.

Let him admonish,

Instruct,

Deflect you,

Away from poor manners.

To the good he's endearing,

To the bad he's not.

Don't associate with bad friends,

Don't associate with the low.

Associate with admirable friends,

Associate with the best.

Drinking the Dhamma,

Refreshed by the Dhamma.

One sleeps at ease,

With clear awareness and calm,

And the Dhamma revealed by the noble ones,

The wise person always delights.

Irrigators guide the water,

Fletchers shape the arrow shaft,

Carpenters shape the wood.

The wise control themselves.

As a single slab of rock won't budge in the wind,

So the wise are not moved by praise,

By blame.

Like a deep lake,

Clear,

Unruffled,

And calm,

So the wise become clear,

Calm,

On hearing words of the Dhamma.

Everywhere,

Truly,

Those of integrity stand apart,

They,

The good,

Don't chatter in hopes of favor or gains.

When touched now by pleasure,

Now pain,

The wise give no sign of high or low.

One who wouldn't,

Not for his own sake,

Nor that of another,

Hanker for wealth,

A son,

A kingdom,

His own fulfillment,

By unrighteous means,

He is righteous,

Rich in virtue,

Discernment.

Few are the people who reach the far shore.

These others simply scurry along this shore.

But those who practice Dhamma in line with the well-taught Dhamma will cross over the realm of death so hard to transcend.

Forsaking dark practices,

The wise person should develop the bright,

Having gone from home to no home,

In seclusion,

So hard to enjoy.

There,

He should wish for delight,

Discarding sensuality.

He who has nothing,

He should cleanse himself,

Wise,

Of what defiles the mind,

Whose minds are well-developed in the factors for self-awakening,

Who delight in non-clinging,

Relinquishing grasping,

Resplendent,

Their effluence ended,

They,

In the world,

Are unbound.