13. Understanding Contempt (ITI13)

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, one who has not directly known and fully understood contempt, who has not detached his mind from it and abandoned it, is incapable of destroying suffering. But one who has directly known and fully understood contempt, and who has detached his mind from it and abandoned it, is capable of destroying suffering.”

Humankind is possessed by contempt,
Bound by contempt and delighted with being;
Not fully understanding contempt,
They come again to renewal of being.

But those who have abandoned contempt,
And who by destroying contempt are freed,
Have conquered the bondage of contempt
And overcome all suffering.

Translated from the Pali by John D. Ireland.

Digital Transcription Source: BPS Transcription Project

Extracted from The Udāna & the Itivuttaka, translated and introduced by John D. Ireland. Published in 1997.

The complete book, including introduction and notes by the translator, is available from the Buddhist Publication Society.

ISBN 955–24-0164-X

Copyright © 1997 by John D. Ireland.

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For free distribution. This work may be republished, reformatted, reprinted and redistributed in any medium. However, any such republication and redistribution is to be made available to the public on a free and unrestricted basis, and translations and other derivative works are to be clearly marked as such.

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