Friday, April 24, 2015

The Illustrated Dhammapada (part-4)

The Illustrated Dhammapada (part-4)

Chapter 7, The Arahat: The Perfected One

90. The fever of passion exists not for him who has completed the journey, who is sorrowless and wholly set free, and has broken all ties.
91. The mindful ones exert themselves. They are not attached to any home; like swans that abandon the lake, they leave home after home behind. 
92. Those who do not accumulate and are wise regarding food, whose object is the Void, the Unconditioned Freedom -- their track cannot be traced, like that of birds in the air. 
93. He whose cankers are destroyed and who is not attached to food, whose object is the Void, the Unconditioned Freedom — his path cannot be traced, like that of birds in the air. 
94. Even the gods hold dear the wise one, whose senses are subdued like horses well trained by a charioteer, whose pride is destroyed and who is free from the cankers. 

95. There is no more worldly existence for the wise one who, like the earth, resents nothing, who is firm as a high pillar and as pure as a deep pool free from mud. 


96. Calm is his thought, calm his speech, and calm his deed, who, truly knowing, is wholly freed, perfectly tranquil and wise. 
97. The man who is without blind faith, who knows the Uncreate, who has severed all links, destroyed all causes (for karma, good and evil), and thrown out all desires — he, truly, is the most excellent of men.
98. Inspiring, indeed, is that place where Arahats dwell, be it a village, a forest, a vale, or a hill. 
99. Inspiring are the forests in which worldlings find no pleasure. There the passionless will rejoice, for they seek no sensual pleasures.

Chapter 8, The Thousands

100. Better than a thousand useless words is one useful word, hearing which one attains peace. 
101. Better than a thousand useless verses is one useful verse, hearing which one attains peace. 
102. Better than reciting a hundred meaningless verses is the reciting of one verse of Dhamma, hearing which one attains peace. 
103. Though one may conquer a thousand times a thousand men in battle, yet he indeed is the noblest victor who conquers himself. 
104-105. Self-conquest is far better then the conquest of others. Not even a god, an angel, Mara or Brahma can turn into defeat the victory of a person who is self-subdued and ever restrained in conduct. 
106. Though month after month for a hundred years one should offer sacrifices by the thousands, yet if only for a moment one should worship those of perfected minds that honor is indeed better than a century of sacrifice. 
107. Though for a hundred years one should tend the sacrificial fire in the forest, yet if only for a moment one should worship those of perfected minds, that worship is indeed better than a century of sacrifice. 
108. Whatever gifts and oblations one seeking merit might offer in this world for a whole year, all that is not worth one fourth of the merit gained by revering the Upright Ones, which is truly excellent. 
109. To one ever eager to revere and serve the elders, these four blessing accrue: long life and beauty, happiness and power. 
110. Better it is to live one day virtuous and meditative than to live a hundred years immoral and uncontrolled. 
111. Better it is to live one day wise and meditative than to live a hundred years foolish and uncontrolled. 
112. Better it is to live one day strenuous and resolute than to live a hundred years sluggish and dissipated. 
113. Better it is to live one day seeing the rise and fall of things than to live as hundred years without ever seeing the rise and fall of things. 
114. Better it is to live one day seeing the Deathless than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Deathless. 
115. Better it is to live one day seeing the Supreme Truth than to live a hundred years without ever seeing the Supreme Truth.

The Illustrated Dhammapada (part-4)

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