10. Faith (UV-KG10)

Faith, modesty, morality, charity, these virtues are lauded by holy men; by them one goes to the world of the gods; this road, I declare, leads to the land of the gods.

The avaricious go not to the world of the gods (devas), for the fool commends not charity: they who are steadfast rejoice greatly in charity, also they enjoy happiness in the other (world).

Faith is the greatest treasure of man in this (world), for he who in this (world) observes this law finds happiness: truth has the sweetest of all flavours, and to live according to knowledge is, I declare, the best of lives.

If the wise man has faith in the doctrine of the Arhats that leads to nirvāṇa, and if he listens respectfully, he will acquire that knowledge.

By earnestness one is saved from the ocean, and by faith from out the river; by earnestness misery is removed; by wisdom one is purified.

The Bhixu whose associate is faith and who is full of wisdom will cut off all his bonds for the sake of attaining nirvāṇa.

The wise man who has real faith, morality, wisdom, and who does keep them present in his mind, casts off all sins; he, I declare, is in the good way.

He who has perfect faith and morality, who casts off all avarice, and is liberal, wheresoever he goes, he will be honoured.

The wise man in this world holds fast to faith and wisdom; these are his greatest treasures; he casts aside all other riches.

He who likes to look on holy men, who delights to hear the Law, who has cast away the stains of avarice, he must be called “faithful.”

One must lay up provisions of faith; for it is not possible to deprive one of his lot of merit, and one need have no fear of the robbing of thieves. Happy are the Śramanas who have acquired it, and happy is the wise man when he meets with (such) a Śramana.

Men give according to their inclination or according to their faith. He whose mind is made unhappy by what another eats and drinks finds no composure by day or night.

He who has put an end to this (feeling), as he would cut off the top of a tala-tree, finds composure by day and by night.

One must not associate with him who is without faith, for he is like a dried-up well, which, if it be dug out, only gives muddy, dirty water.

Let the wise associate with the faithful, who are like a great and limpid river, like a cool and untroubled lake.

The Muni is affected by those who have kindly feelings, or by those who have them not; have then nothing to do with the unfaithful, and associate with the faithful.

Chapter on Faith, the Tenth.

Translated by Woodville Rockhill.

1975, Udânavarga: a collection of verses from the Buddhist canon compiled by Dharmatrâta, Oriental Press, Amsterdam (reprint of original from 1883).

Translated (into Tibetan) by the Indian Pandit Vidyaprabhakara and the Lotsāva Bande-rin-tchen-mtchog; revised and arranged by the corrector, the Lotsāva Bande-dpal-brtsegs.

Original taken from University of Oslo, faculty of humanities.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Yasoj and Ayya Vimala.