13. The World (DHP167-178)

Minor Collection

Sayings of the Dhamma 167–178

13. The World

Don’t resort to lowly things,

don’t abide in negligence,

don’t resort to wrong views,

don’t perpetuate the world.

Get up, don’t be heedless,

live by principle, with good conduct.

For one of good conduct sleeps at ease,

in this world and the next.

Live by principle, with good conduct,

don’t conduct yourself badly.

For one of good conduct sleeps at ease,

in this world and the next.

Look upon the world

as a bubble

or a mirage,

then the King of Death won’t see you.

Come, see this world decked out

like a fancy royal chariot.

Here fools founder,

but the discerning are not chained.

He who once was heedless,

but turned to heedfulness,

shines upon this world

like the moon freed from clouds.

Someone whose bad deed

is supplanted by the good,

shines upon this world,

like the moon freed from clouds.

Blind is the world,

few are those who clearly see.

Only a handful go to heaven,

like a bird freed from a net.

Swans fly by the sun’s path,

psychic sages fly through space.

The attentive leave the world,

having vanquished Māra with his legions.

When a personage, spurning the hereafter,

transgresses in just one thing—

lying—

there is no evil they would not do.

The miserly don’t ascend to heaven,

it takes a fool to not praise giving.

The attentive celebrate giving,

and so find happiness in the hereafter.

The fruit of stream-entry is better

than being the one king of the earth,

than going to heaven,

than lordship over all the world.