6. The Chapter about Grief (PDHP84-95)

Patna Dhammapada

6. The Chapter about Grief

Whatever griefs or lamentations there are, and the many kinds of suffering in the world,

these all arise because of love, without loves, these do not originate.

Therefore they are happy and free from grief, who are without love for anything in the world,

therefore those wanting what is griefless, dust-free, should not have love for anything in the world.

For the one who has reached his goal, who grieves not, being released on all sides,

who has abandoned all the knots, no consuming fever is found.

For those who have no stores, those who comprehend food aright,

like the birds in the sky, their footprint is hard to find.

His mind is calm, his speech and his actions are also calm,

liberated by right knowledge, such a one is truly peaceful.

For the one whose senses are balanced, like horses well-trained by their charioteer,

who has abandoned conceit, who is without pollutants—even the gods envy such a one.

They lead one trained into a crowd, a king mounts one who has been trained,

amongst humans one trained is best, the one who can endure reproof.

Noble are the well-trained horses, the well-bred horses from Sindh,

and the great tusker elephants, and even more noble than that is the one who has trained himself.

Not by these vehicles can one reach that place,

as one through training himself well, being trained by the training, goes.

Just as solid rock is not shaken by the wind,

so the wise are not shaken by blame or praise.

The one who, while still impure, would wear the renunciant’s robe,

unendowed with restraint and truth, is not worthy of the renunciant’s robe.

The one who, steady in virtue, throws out any impurity,

endowed with restraint and truth, is indeed worthy of the renunciant’s robe.

The Chapter about Grief