Sayings of Buddha - Dhammapada

In all things the primordial element is mind. Mind predominates. Everything proceeds from mind.

If a man speaks or acts with an evil mind, suffering follows him as the wheel follows the hoof of the bullock that pulls the cart.

Mind predominates. Everything proceeds from mind. In all things the primordial element is the mind. If a man Speaks or acts with a purified mind, happiness accompanies Him as closely as his inseparable shadow.

"He has insulted me, he has beaten me, he has humiliated me he has robbed me." Those who nourish thoughts such as these never appease their hatred."

For, in truth, in this world hatred is not appeased by hatred; hatred is appeased by love alone. This is the eternal law.

Many are those who are not aware that one day we all must die. And those who are aware of it appease their quarrels. 

Just as the strong wind uproots a feeble tree, so Mara Overwhelms the man who lives only in pursuit of pleasure, Who does not control is senses, who knows not how to Moderate his appetite, who is lazy and wastes his energies.

He who puts on the, yellow robe while he is yet impure, lacking in self-Control, and lacking in loyalty, truly he is unworthy to wear the yellow robe of the monk. 

But he who has discarded all impurity, who is firmly attached to the precepts of morality, who knows how to moderate his appetite and who is loyal, he, truly is worthy to wear the yellow robe.

Those who take error for truth and the truth for error, will never attain the supreme goal, for they, are led astray by vain desires, and false views

Vigilance is the way that leads to immortality(or Nirvana). Negligence is the way that leads to death. Those negligent not die. Those who are who are vigilant do not die. Those who are negligent are dead already.

Having fully understood what vigilance is, the sages delight in it and take their pleasure in the presence of the Great Ones. 

Those who are intelligent, meditative, persevering, who ceaselessly struggle with themselves, attain to Nirvana, which is the supreme felicity.

Whosoever can sustain his zeal, remain pure in his actions, act wisely, restrain his passions, live according to the Law ( or to morality), he shall see his renown increase.

By his effort, his vigilance, his discipline and self-mastery, the intelligent man should create for himself an island, which no flood can submerge

The fools, devoid of intelligence, give themselves up to negligence. The true sage guards vigilance as his most precious treasure.

Do not let yourself fall into carelessness, nor into the pleasures of the senses. He who, is vigilant and given to meditation acquires a great happiness.

The intelligent man who by his vigilance has dispelled negligence, mounts to the heights of wisdom whence he looks upon the many afflicted as one on a mountain looks down upon the people of the plain.

Vigilant among those who are negligent, perfectly awake among those who sleep, the intelligent man advances like a rapid steed leaving behind a weary horse.

Vigilance is admired. Negligence is reproved. By vigilance, Indra become the highest among the gods.

The Bhikkhu who delights in vigilance and who shuns negligence advances like a fire consuming all bonds, both small and great.

The Bhikkhu who takes pleasure in vigilance and who shuns negligence can no longer fall. He draws near to Nirvana.

Just as the arrow-maker straightens his arrows, so also the intelligent man straightens his thoughts, wavering and fickle, difficult to keep straight, difficult to master.

Just as a fish cast out of the water, our mind quivers and gasps when it leaves behind the kingdom of Mara.

Difficult to master and unstable is the mind, forever in search of pleasure. It is good to govern it. A mind that is controlled brings happiness.

The sage should remain master of his thoughts, for they are subtle and difficult to seize and always in search of pleasure. A mind that is well guided brings happiness.

Wandering afar, solitary, bodiless and hidden in the deep cave of the heart, such is the mind. Whosoever succeeds in bringing it under control liberates himself from the fetters of Mara-

The intelligence Of One whose id is unstable, who is ignorant of the true Law, and whose faith is wavering will never be able to develop.

If a man's thoughts are not agitated if his mind is not troubled by desire, if he no longer cares for good and evil, this man, wide awake, knows nothing of fear.

Observing that the body is as fragile as a jar, and fortifying the mind like a city at arms, one should attack Mara with the blade of intelligence and should guard carefully whatever has been won. 

Before long this body will be lying on the earth, abandoned, as. lifeless as a piece of old wood.

Whatever an enemy may do to an enemy, whatever a hater may do lo a hater, the harm caused by a misdirected mind is even greater still.

Neither mother nor father nor any other kinsman can do so much good as a well-directed mind.

Who will conquer this world of illusion and the kingdom Of Yama¹ and the world of the gods? Who will discover the path of the Law as the skilled gardener discovers the rarest of flowers ?

The disciple on the right path will conquer this world of illusion and the kingdom of Yama and the world of the gods. He will discover the path of the Law as the skilled gardener discovers the rarest of flowers.

Knowing his body to be as impermanent as foam and as illusory as a mirage, the disciple on the right path will shatter the flowery arrow of Mara and will rise beyond the reach of the King of Death.

Death carries away the man who seeks only the flowers of sensual pleasure just as torrential floods carry away a sleeping village.

Death, the destroyer, overcomes the man who seeks only the flowers of sensual pleasure before he can satisfy himself.

The sage should go from door 10 door in his village, as the bee gathers honey from the flowers without bringing harm to their colours or their fragrance.

Do not criticise others for what they do or have not done, but be aware of what, Yourself, You do or have not done. 

Just as a beautiful flower which is radiant yet lacks fragrance, so are the beautiful words of one who does not act accordingly.

Just as a beautiful flower which is both radiant and sweetly scented, so are the beautiful words of one who acts accordingly.

Just as many garlands can be made from a heap of flowers, so a mortal can accumulate much merit by good deeds.

The fragrance of flowers, even that of sandalwood or incense, even that of jasmine, cannot go against the wind; but the sweet fragrance of intelligence goes against the wind. All around the man if intelligence spreads the fragrance of his virtue.

No fragrance, not even that id sandalwood or incense, nor of the lotus nor of jasmine, can be compared with the fragrance of intelligence.

Weak is the fragracne of incense or sandalwood compared to that of a virtuos man which reaches up to the highest of divinities.

Mara cannot discover the way that those beings follow who lead a life of perfect purity and which are liberated by their total knowledge.

AS the beautiful scented lily rises by the wayside, even so the disciple of the Perfectly Enlightened One,¹ radiant with intelligence, rises from the blind and ignorant multitude.

Long is the night for one who sleeps not, long is the ,road for one who is weary, long is the cycle of births, for the fool who knows not the true law.

If a man cannot find a companion who is superior or even his equal, he should resolutely follow a solitary path; for no good can come from companionship with a fool.

The fool torments himself by thinking, mine, this wealth is mine." How can he and riches, who does not possess himself ?

The fool who recognises his foolishness is at least wise in that. But the fool who thinks he is intelligent, is a fool indeed.

Even if the fool serves an intelligent man through his life, he will nevertheless remain ignorant of truth, just as the spoon knows not the taste of soup.

If an intelligent man serves a wise man, if only for t moment, he will quickly understand the truth, just a, the tongue instantly perceives the savour of the soup,

The fools, those who are ignorant, have no worse enemies than themselves; bitter is the fruit they gather from their evil actions.

The evil action which one repents later brings only, regrets and the fruit one reaps will be tears and lamentations. 

The good action one does not need to repent later brings no regret and 'he fruit One reaps will be contentment and satisfaction.

As long as the evil action has not borne its fruits, the fool imagines that it is as sweet as honey. But when this action bears its fruits, he reaps only suffering.

Though month after month the fool takes his food with the tip of a blade Of ¹ Kusa grass, he is not for all that worth a sixteenth Part of one who has understood the truth.

An evil action does not yield its fruits immediately, just as milk does not at once turn sour, but like a fire covered with ashes, even so smoulders the evil action.

Whatever vain knowledge a fool may have been able to acquire, it leads, him only to his ruin, for it breaks his head and destroys his worthier nature.

The foolish monk thirsts after reputation, and a high rank among the Bhikkhus, after authority in the monastery and veneration from ordinary men.

"Let ordinary men and holy ones esteem highly what I have done,. let them obey me!" This is the longing of the fool, whose pride increases more and more.

One path leads to earthly gain and quite another leads to Nirvana. Knowing this, the Bhikkhu, the disciple of the Perfectly Enlightened One, longs no more for honour, but rather cultivates solitude. 

We should seek the company of the sage who shows us our faults, as if he were showing us a hidden treasure; it is best to cultivate relations with such a man because he cannot be harmful to us. He will bring us only good.

One who exhorts us to good and dissuades us from doing evil is appreciated, esteemed by the just man and hated by the unjust.

Do not seek the company or friendship of men of base character, but let us consort with men of worth and let us seek friendship with the best among men.

He who drinks directly from the source of the Teaching lives happy in serenity of mind. The sage delights always in the Teaching imparted by the noble disciples of the Buddha.

Those who build waterways lead the water where they want; those who make arrows straighten them; carpenters shape their wood; the sage controls himself.

No more than a mighty rock can be shaken by the wind, can the sage be moved by praise or blame.

The sage who has steeped himself in the Teaching, becomes perfectly peaceful like a deep lake, calm and clear.

Wherever he may be, the true sage renounces all pleasures. Neither sorrow nor happiness can move him.

Neither for his own sake, nor for the sake of others does the sage desire children, riches or domains. He does not aim for his own success by unjust ways. Such a man is virtuous, wise and just.

Few men cross to the other shore. Most men remain and do no more than run up and down along shore.

But those who live according to the Teaching cross beyond the realm of Death, however difficult may be the passage.

The sage will leave behind the dark ways of but he will following the way of light. He will his home for the homeless life and in solitude will seek the joy which is so difficult to find.

Having renounced all desires and attachments of the senses, the sage will cleanse himself of all the taints of the mind.

One whose mind is well established in all the degrees of knowledge, who, detached from all things delights in his renunciation, and who has mastered his appetites, he is resplendent, and even in this world he attains Nirvana.

No sorrow exists for one who has completed his journey, who has let fall all cares, who is free in all his parts, who has cast off all bonds.

Those who are heedful strive always and, like swans leaving their lakes, leave one home after another.

Those who amass nothing, who eat moderately, who have Perceived the emptiness of all things and who have attained unconditioned liberation, their path is as difficult to trace as that of a bird in the air.

One for whom all desires have Passed away and who has perceived the emptiness of all things, who cares little for food, who has attained unconditioned liberation, his path is as difficult as that of trace as that of a bird in the air.

Even the Gods esteem one whose senses are controlled as horses by the Charioteer one who is purged of a[, Pride and freed from all Corruption.

One who fulfils his duty is as immovable as the earth itself. He is as firm as a celestial pillar, pure as an unmuddied lake. and for him the cycle of births is completed.

Calm are the thoughts, the words and the acts of one who has, liberated himself by the true knowledge and has achieved a perfect tranquillity.

The greatest among men is he who is not credulous but has the sense of the Uncreated, who has cut, an ties, who has destroyed all occasion for rebirth.

Whether village or forest, plain or mountain, wherever the adepts may dwell, that place is always delightful.

Delightful are the forests which are shunned by the multitude. There, the adept who is free from passion, will find happiness, for he seeks not after pleasure.

Better than a thousand words devoid of meaning is a single meaningful word which can bring tranquillity to one who hears it.

Better than a thousand verses devoid of meaning is a single meaningful verse which can bring tranquillity one who hears it.

Better than the repetition of a hundred verses devoid, of meaning is the repetition of a single verse of the Teaching which can bring tranquillity to one who hears it.

The greatest conqueror is not he who is victorious over thousands of men in battle, but he who is victorious over himself.

The victory that one wins over oneself is of value than victory over all the peoples.

No god, no Gandharva¹, nor Mara nor Brahma² can change that victory to defeat.

if, month after month, for a hundred years one offers sacrifices by the thousand, and if for a single one offers homage to, a being full of wisdom single homage is worth more than all those countless sacrifices.

If for a hundred years a man tends the flame on Agni’s altar, and if, for a single instant, he renders homage to a man who has mastered his nature, this brief  homage has more value than all his long devotions.

Whatever the sacrifices and ablations a man in this world may offer throughout a whole year in order to acquire merit, that is not worth even a quarter of the homage offered to a just man.

For one who is respectful to his elders, four things increase. long life, beauty, happiness and strength.

A single day spent in good conduct and meditation is worth more than a hundred years spent in immorality and dissipation.

A single day of wisdom and meditation is worth more than a hundred years spent in foolishness and dissipation.

A single day of strength and energy is worth more than a hundred years spent in indolence and inertia.

A single day lived in the perception that all things appear and disappear is worth more than a hundred years spent not knowing that they appear and disappear.

A single day spent in contemplation of the path of immortality is worth more than a hundred years lived in ignorance, of the path of immortality.

A single day spent in contemplation of the supreme Truth is worth more than a hundred years lived in ignorance of the supreme Truth.

Hasten towards the good, leave behind all evil thoughts, for to do good without enthusiasm is to have a mind, which delights in evil.

If one does an evil action, he should not persist in it, he should not delight in it. For full of suffering is the accumulation of evil.

If one does a good action, he should persist in it and take delight in it- Full of happiness is the accumulation of good.

As long as his evil action has not yet ripened, an evildoer may experience contentment. But when it ripens, the Wrongdoer knows unhappiness.

As long as his good action has not Yet ripened, one who does good May experience unhappiness. But when it ripens, the good man knows happiness.

Do not treat evil lightly, saying, "That will not touch me". A jar is filled drop by drop; even so the fool fills himself little by little with wickedness.

Do not treat good lightly, saying, "That will not touch me". A jar is filled drop by drop; even so the sage fills himself little by little with goodness.

The merchant who is carrying many precious goods and who has but few companions, avoids dangerous

roads, and a man who loves his life is wary of poison. Even so should one act regarding evil. 

A hand that has no wound can carry poison with impunity, act likewise, for evil cannot touch the righteous man.

If you offend one who is pure, innocent and defenceless, the insult will fall back on you, as if you threw dust against the wind.

Some are reborn here on earth, evil-doers go to the worlds of Niraya,^l the just go to the heavenly worlds, but those who have freed themselves from all desire attain Nirvana.

Neither in the skies, nor in the depths of the ocean, nor in the rocky caves, nowhere upon earth does there exist a place where a man can find refuge from his evil actions.

Neither in the skies, nor in the depths of the ocean, nor in the rocky caves, nowhere upon earth does there exist a place where a man can hide from death.

All tremble when faced with punishment; all fear death- Seeing others as ourselves, do not strike, do not cause another to strike.

All tremble when faced with punishment, life is dear to all. Seeing others as ourselves', do not strike, do not cause another to strike.

Whosoever hurts creatures eager for happiness for the sake of his own happiness, nevertheless will not obtain it after his death.

Whosoever does not hurt creatures eager for happiness for the sake of his own happiness, will obtain it after death.

Never speak harsh words to anyone, for they will be returned to you. Angry words cause suffering and one who utters them will bear them in return.

If you remain as silent as a broken gong, you have

already entered Nirvana, for violence no, longer abides in you.

As the cowherd, with his stick, drives the herd to pasture, so old age and death drive the life out of all living beings.

The fool does evil without knowing it, he is consumed and tormented by his actions as by a fire.

One who does harm to one who does none, one who offends one who offends not, will soon suffer one Of the ten states that follow:

He will endure intense pain, he will suffer disastrous losses and terrible injury, serious illness, madness.

Or he will come in conflict with authority, he will be the object of gross calumny, he will lose his near ones or his possessions.

Or else fire will destroy his dwelling-place, and at the time of the dissolution of his body he will be reborn in Hell.

Neither going naked or with matted hair, nor remaining dirty, nor fasting, nor sleeping on the bare ground, nor smearing the body with ashes, nor the practice of ascetic postures, can purity the mortal who has not cast away all doubt.

However richly he is dressed, if a man cultivates tranquility of mind, if he is calm, resigned, master of himself, pure, if he does no harm to any creature, he is a Brahmin, he is an ascetic, he is a Bhikku.

Is there in this world a man beyond reproach that merits no blame, as a thoroughbred needs no blow from the whip ?

Like a spirited horse, be quick and eager for the goal. By trust, virtue, energy, meditation, the quest for truth, perfection of knowledge and conduct, by faith destroy in you all suffering.

Those who build waterways lead the water where they  Want; those who make arrows straighten them; carpenters shape their wood; the sage controls himself.

One has the impression that these things were written for rather primitive people, The series of calamities that will befall you if you do harm is quite amusing.

Why this joy, this gladness, when the world is forever burning ? O you who are enveloped in shadows, why do you not seek the light?

See then this poor decorated form, this mass of corruptible elements, of infirmities and vain desires in which nothing is lasting or stable.

This fragile body is but a nest of misery, of decrepitude and corruption; for life ends in death.

What pleasure is there in contemplating these white bones strewn like gourds in autumn ?

In this fortress made of bone and covered with flesh and blood, only pride and jealousy, dissolution and death are established.

Even the gorgeous chariots of kings are worn out in the end; It is the same with this body which at last is worn out with age,, but the true Law is never worn out and so one sage can pass it on to another.

The ignorant man grows older like a bullock; his weight increases but not his intelligence.

Many times have I passed in vain through the cycle of births in search of the builder of this house. And how painful is this cycle of births

At last, I have found you, builder, never again shall you build this house that is my body. All the beams are shattered and the ridge of the roof has crumbled. 

My liberated mind has attained the extinction of all desires.

Those who have not lived a life of self-control and who, in their youth, have not known how to gather the true riches, perish like aged herons beside a lake with no fish.

Those who have not lived a life of self-control and who, in their youth, have not known how to gather the true riches are like shattered bows; they grieve for their lost strength.

If a man holds himself dear, let him guard himself closely. The sage should watch through one of the three vigils of his existence (youth,. maturity, or old age).

One, should begin by establishing oneself in the right path; then, one will be able to advise others. Thus the sage is above all reproach.

If on puts into, practice what, he teaches to others, being master of himself, he can very well guide others,, for in truth it is difficult to master oneself.

In truth, one is one's own master, for what other master can there be ? By mastering oneself,, one acquires a mastery which Is difficult to achieve.

The evil done by himself, originated by himself, emanating from him, crushes the fool as the diamond crushes a hard gem.

Just as the creeper clings to the Sal free, even so one entrapped by his own evil actions does to himself the harm his enemy would wish him.,

It is so easy to d o oneself wrong I and harm, but how difficult it is to do what is good and profitable!

The fool who, because of his wrong his views, rejects the teachings of the adepts, the Noble Ones and the Just, brings about his own destruction, as the fruit of the bamboo kills the plant.

Doing evil, one harms oneself, avoiding evil, one purifies oneself, purity and impurity depend on ourselves no one can purify another.

No man should neglect his supreme Good to follow another, however great. Knowing clearly what is best line of conduct, he should not swerve from it.

Do not follow the way of evil. Do not cultivate indolence of mind. Do not choose wrong views. Do not be of those who linger in the world.

Arise. Cast off negligence. Follow the teaching of wisdom. The sage knows happiness in this world and the other.

Follow the teaching of wisdom and no, hat of evil. The sage knows happiness in this world and the other.

One who looks upon the world as a bubble or a mirage, Yama the King of Death cannot find him.

Come, look upon the world as the brightly-coloured chariot of a Raja, which attracts the foolish but where, in truth there is nothing attractive.

one who, having been negligent, becomes vigilant, illumines the earth like the moon coming forth from behind the clouds.

One whose good actions efface the evil he who illumines the earth like the moon coming behind the clouds.

The world is wrapped in darkness and few are those who find their way, who, like a bird escaping from a net, soar up towards heaven.

The swans take the path of sun. Those who Possess occult powers fly through the air. The sages leave this world after defeating Mara and his army of evil.

No evil is impossible to him who transgresses one law of the Doctrine, who utters falsehood and who disdains the higher world.

In truth, misers do not attain to the world of the gods and fools do not know the happiness of giving. But the sage delights in giving and thus knows happiness in the other world.

Rather than ruling the earth, rather than reaching heaven, rather than reigning over the worlds, it is better to enter the upward current.

He whose victory has never been surpassed nor even equalled - which path can lead to Him, the Pathless, the -Awakened One who dwells within the Infinite ? 

One in whom there is neither greed nor desire, how can he be led astray ? Which path can lead to Him, the Pathless, the Awakened One who dwells within the Infinite ? 

Even the gods envy the sages given to meditation, the Awakened Ones, the Vigilant who live with delight in renunciation and solitude. 

It is difficult to attain to human birth. It is difficult to live this mortal life. It is difficult to obtain the good fortune of hearing the True Doctrine. And difficult indeed is the advent of the Awakened Ones. 

Abstain from evil,. cultivate good and purify your mind. This is the leaching of the Awakened Ones. 

Of all ascetic practices patience is the best, of all states the most perfect is Nirvana, say -the Awakened Ones. He who harms others is not a monk. He who oppresses others is not a true aycetic. 

Neither to offend, nor to do wrong to anyone, to practice discipline according to the Law, to be moderate in eating, to live in seclusion, and to merge oneself in the higher consciousness, this is the teaching of the Awakened Ones.

Even a rain of gold would not be able to quench the thirst of desire, for It is insatiable and the origin of sorrows. This the sage knows.

Even the pleasures of heaven are without savour for the sage. The disciple of the Buddha, of the Perfectly Awakened One, rejoices only in the, extinction of all desire.

Impelled by fear, men seek refuge in many places, in the mountains, in the forests, in the groves, in sanctuaries.

But this is not a safe refuge; this is not the supreme refuge. Coming to this refuge does not save a man from all sufferings.

One who takes refuge in the Buddha, in the Dhamma ^l and the Sangha ² , with perfect knowledge, perceives the Four Noble Truths.

Suffering, the origin of suffering, the cessation of suffering and the Noble Eightfold Path which leads to cessation of suffering.

In truth, this is the sure refuge, this is the sovereign refuge. To choose this refuge is to be liberated from all suffering.

It is difficult to meet the Perfectly Noble One.,

a being is not born, everywhere. And where such a sage is born, those around him live in happiness.

Happy is the birth of the Buddhas, happy the teaching of the true Law. Happy is the harmony of the Sangha, happy the discipline of the United.

One cannot measure the merit of the man who reveres those who are worthy of reverence, whether the Buddha or his disciples, those who are free from all desire and all error, those who have overcome all obstacles and who have crossed beyond suffering and grief.

Among those who hate, happy are we to live without hatred. Among those who. hate, let us live free from hatred.

Among those who suffer, happy are we to live without suffering. Among men who suffer, let us live free from suffering.

Among those who are full of greed, happy are we to live without greed. Among the greedy, let us live free from greed.

Happy indeed are we who own nothing. We shall feed upon delight like the radiant gods.

Victory engenders enmity, and one who is vanquished lives in distress. The man of peace lives in gladness, disdaining both victory and defeat.

There is no greater fire than lust, no greater misfortune than hatred. There is no greater misery than existence, no bliss greater than the Supreme Peace.

Hunger is the worst malady; existence is the worst calamity. One who has understood this realises that Nirvana is the supreme Happiness.

Health is the greatest acquisition, contentment the greatest treasure. A faithful friend is the best companion and Nirvana the Supreme Happiness.

Having tasted the sweetness of solitude and the Supreme Peace, a man is liberated from suffering and evil, for he partakes of the sweetness of devotion to the Truth.

It is good to contemplate the Noble Ones, to live near them is an endless happiness. One could be always happy by avoiding the sight of fools.

One who frequents fools is bound to suffer long; the company of fools is as painful as that of enemies. To live in the company of the sages is to share the happiness of one who lives among his kinsmen.

Seek therefore the company of the sage who is steadfast, learned, wise, devoted and noble. Follow the example of such a good and wise being, as the moon follows the path of the stars.

One who gives himself entirely to what is unprofitable, who does not give himself to what is profitable, who sacrifices true knowledge for the sake of pleasure, will envy those who have chosen the path of self-knowledge.

Therefore do not seek after pleasure, much less what is unpleasant, for it is painful to be deprived of what is pleasing and equally painful to see what is unpleasant.

Therefore one should hold nothing dear, for the loss of what one loves is painful. No bondage exists for those who have neither love nor hatred.

What is pleasing gives rise to grief, what is pleasing gives rise to fear. One who is freed from what is pleasing, who feels no grief, what has he to fear ?

Affection gives rise to grief, affection gives rise to fear. One who is freed from affection, who feels no grief, what has he to fear ?

Attachment gives rise to grief, attachment gives rise to fear. One who is freed from attachment, who feels no grief, what has he to fear ?

Desire -gives rise to grief, desire gives rise to fear. One who is freed from desire, who feels no grief, what has he to fear

Craving gives rise to grief; craving gives rise to fear.

One who is freed from craving, who feels no grief, what has he to fear ?

One holds dear a man, who acts rightly, possesses intuition, who is righteous and knows the Truth, who fulfils his duly.

One who aspires to the ineffable Peace, one whose mind is awakened, whose thoughts are not entangled in the net of desire, that one is said to be "bound upstream" (towards perfection).

Just as, after a long absence, a man returning safely home is received by his kinsmen and friends who welcome him, even so it is with one who acts rightly when he passes from this world to the other, his own good actions welcome him like a kinsman.

One should cast away anger, one should reject pride, one should break all bonds. One who is not attached to name or form, who possesses nothing, is delivered from suffering.

Whosoever masters rising anger, as one who controls a moving chariot, that one indeed is worthy of being called a good charioteer. Others merely hold the reins.

Oppose anger with serenity, evil with good; conquer a miser by generosity and a liar by the truth.

Speak the truth; do not give way to anger, give the little you possess to one who asks of you; by these three attributes, men can approach the gods.

The sages who are void of violence, who are always in control of their senses, attain that imperishable state where pain is no more.

Those who are always vigilant and who discipline themselves day and night, whose minds are always turned towards Nirvana, will see their impurities disappear for ever.

Not only today but since ancient times, they have always been criticised, those who remain silent, those who speak much and those who speak little. None here below escapes criticism.

There has never been and never will be, nor is there now, one who receives only blame or only praise.    

If a man is praised by the sages, who have observed him day after day, for being intelligent, without reproach, endowed with knowledge and virtue, who then would dare to blame him who is as pure as gold ? Even the gods and Brahma, praise him.

Be on your guard against the wrath of the body. Control your actions, and leaving behind wrong ways of acting, practice perfect conduct in action.

Be on your guard against wrath in speech. Control your words, and leaving behind wrong ways of speaking, practise good conduct in speech.

Be on your guard against wrath of mind. Control your thoughts, and leaving behind wrong ways of thinking, practice good conduct in thought.

The sages whose actions are controlled, whose words are controlled and whose thoughts are controlled, they in truth are perfectly controlled.

Now, you are like a withered leaf, the messengers of Yama await you. It is the eve of your departure, and you have made no provision for your journey!

Quickly make for yourself an island of refuge, strive hard and become wise. When you are cleansed and purified of all impurity, you will enter the heavenly home of the Noble Ones.

Now your days are numbered, you are in the presence of the God of death. You have no resting-place on the road, no provision for the journey.

Quickly make for yourself an island of refuge, strive hard and become wise. When you are cleansed and purified of all impurity, you will be reborn no more, you will no more be subject to decay.

Just as the smith refines the silver, so also, little by little from moment to moment, the wise man purifies himself of his impurities.

When rust appears on iron, the iron itself is corrupted by it. So also, a man's evil actions corrupt him and lead him to his doom.

Lack of repetition impairs the effect of mantras.¹ Neglect impairs the solidity of houses. Indolence impairs the beauty of the body. Lack of attention is the downfall of one who watches.

Misconduct is the taint of a woman. Meanness is the, taint of one who gives. Wrong-doing is a taint in this; world and the other.

The greatest of all taints is ignorance. Cleanse your-, selves of that taint alone and you will be free of all taints, 0 Bhikkhus.

Life is easy for one who is impudent as a crow, malicious, boastful, presumptuous and corrupt.

Life is hard for the modest one who seeks purity, who is detached, unassuming and whose judgment is correct..

Already in this world he is uprooted, the one who destroys life, who lies, who takes what he has given, who covets the wife of another and who directed to drink.

Know that evil things are difficult to master. Let not cravings and wickedness subject you to endless suffering.

Each one gives according to his faith or his liking; if you are discontented with the food and drink offered by another, you will not achieve concentration by. night or by day.

But the one who uproots and destroys in himself the very root of such a feeling of resentment, achieves concentration by night and by day.

There is no fire like the fire of craving, no grip like that of hatred. There is no snare like that of delusion no torrent like desire.

It is easy to see the faults of others, but difficult to perceive our own shortcomings. We winnow the faults of others like chaff, but we hide our own like the wily gambler concealing his foul throw.

One who always criticises the faults of others and is irritated by them, far from becoming free of faults, increases his own vices.

There is no track in the sky, no Samana¹ outside the true path. Man delights in vanity. The Tathagatas² have overcome these obstacles.

There is no track in the sky, no Samana outside the true path. No conditioned thing can last, but the Buddhas remain for ever immutable.

A man is not just if he judges arbitrarily. The wise man is one who distinguishes the just from the unjust, who judges others in full knowledge according to law and equity; this guardian of the Law is called a just man.

The sage is not the man who speaks most. The man who is compassionate, friendly, fearless, is called a sage,.

It is not by much speaking that the Doctrine is upheld, but he who has studied the Doctrine, even little, and mentally realised it, he alone upholds it. He does not neglect it.

A man is not a Thera¹ because his hair is grey. He is ripe in years but he has aged fruitlessly.

But one who possesses the truth, virtue, non-violence and self-mastery, who is free from all impurity, who is wise, is indeed a Thera.

Neither eloquence nor a beautiful appearance grace a man who is jealous, selfish, deceitful. But one in whom such faults are completely uprooted and destroyed, that wise man is fully graced by them.

As for the man who is undisciplined and untruthful, his shaven head does not make him an ascetic. Full of desire and greed, how can he be a Samana ?

He who is purged of all evil, both great and small, can be called a Samana, for he is purified of all evil.

A man is not a Bhikkhu simply because he takes alms for his food. The observance of vows is not enough to make him a Bhikkhu.

But he who is above both good and evil, who leads a pure life, who walks with understanding in this world, he can be called a Bhikkhu.

One who observes silence does not by that become a sage, if he is ignorant and foolish, but he who can weigh good and evil as in a balance and make his choice, him one can call, a sage.

He who by contemplation measures this world and the other, he is a sage.

A man who does harm to living creatures does not become a Noble One. One who practises nonviolence towards all creatures is called a Noble One.

It is neither by moral precepts and observances, nor by a wide knowledge, nor by practising meditation, nor by a solitary life, nor by thinking, 'I have attained the bliss of liberation which is unknown to those who live in the world", that one can be called a Bhikkhu. Be on your guard, 0 Bhikkhus, until you have attained the extinction of all desire.

The best of all paths is the Eightfold Path; the best of all truths is the Fourfold Truth; the best of all states is freedom from, attachment, the best among men is the One who sees the Buddha.

Truly, this is the Path; there is -no other which leads to purification of vision. Follow than Path and Mara will be confounded.

By following 'this Path, you put an end to suffering. This path I have made known, since I learned to remove the thorns (of life).

The effort must come from oneself. The Tathagatas only point out the Path. Those who meditate and tread this Path are delivered from the bondage of Mara.

"All conditioned things are impermanent." When one has seen that by realisation, he is delivered from sorrow. That is the Path of purity.

"All conditioned things are subject to suffering." When one has, seen that by realisation, he is delivered from sorrow. That is the Path of purity.

"All things are insubstantial." When one has seen that by realisation, he is delivered from sorrow. That is the Path of purity.

He who though young and strong, does not act when it is time to act, is given to indolence, and his mind  is full of vain thoughts; one who is so indolent will not find the Path of wisdom.

Moderation in, speech, control of abstention from evil actions, thus these three modes ,of action are to be purified first of all, to attain the path shown by the sages.

From meditation wisdom springs, without meditation wisdom declines. Knowing the two paths of progress and decline, a man should choose the Path which will inc),ease his wisdom.

Cut down all the forest (of desires) and not one tree alone; for, from this forest springy fear. Cut down this forest of trees and, undergrowth, 0 Bhikkhus. Be. free from desire.

As long as one has not rooted out of oneself entirely the desire of a man for a woman, the mind is captive, as dependent as a suckling on its mother.

Root out self-love, as one plucks with his hand an autumn lotus. Cherish only the Path of the peace of Nirvana that the Sugata¹ has taught us.

"Here shall I live in the rainy season; I shall stay there in the, winter and elsewhere in the summer." Thus thinks the fool and knows not What may befall him.

And this man who is attached to his children and his, cattle, is seized by death and carried off, as a sleeping village is swept away by torrential floods.

Neither children, nor father, nor family can save us. When death seizes us, our kinsmen cannot save us.

Knowing this perfectly, the intelligent man, guided by good,conduct, does not delay in faking up the path which leads to Nirvana.

If renouncing the slightest happiness enables him to realise a greater one,, the intelligent man should renounce the lesser for the sake of the greater.

If he seeks his own happiness by harming others, bound by hate, he remains the slave of 'hatred.

To neglect what should be done and to do what should be neglected, is to in crease in arrogance and negligence.

To be constantly mindful of the true nature of the body, not to seek what is evil, to pursue with perseverance what is good, is to have right understanding thus, all one impurity disappears.

Having killed his father (ego), his mother (desire) and the two warrior kings (wrong views), having destroyed the kingdom (of 'the senses) and all its dependencies, the Brahmin lives free from evil.

Having killed father, mother, the two warrior kings and the tiger (mental hindrances), the Brahmin lives free from evil.

The disciples of Gautama are alert and truly awakened, for day and night, their attention is turned to the Buddha, the Dhamma ¹ and the Sangha. ¹

The disciples of Gautama are alert and truly awakened, for, day and night, their attention remains fixed on the Doctrine.

The disciples of Gautama are alert and truly awakened for day and night, their attention remains fixed on the Sangha.

The disciples of Gautama are alert and truly awakened for, day and night, they remain aware of the true nature of the body.

The disciples of Gautama are alert and truly awakened for, day and night, they delight in compassion.

The disciples of Gautama are alert and truly awakened for, day and night, they take pleasure in meditation.

it is hard to renounce the. world; it is equally hard to enjoy the world. Difficult and sorrowful is household life. It is painful to, be with those who are not our equals and it is painful to wander in the cycle of births. Therefore, do not follow after sorrow, nor be a wanderer without a goal.

The man who is full of faith and goodness, who possesses glory and wealth, is revered wherever he goes.

Men of goodness shine afar like the snowy peaks of the Himalayas. Whereas wicked men are no more visible than arrows shot in the night.

The man who eats alone, sleeps alone, walks alone untiring in his self-mastery, will delight in the solitary life of the forests.

One who speaks untruth goes to Hell like one who, when he has done a thin , says: "I did not do it." Both, after death, will share the same fate, for these are men of evil.

Though they wear the yellow robe, those who are dissolute and evil-natured, their evil actions will cause them to be reborn in Hell.

It would be better to swallow a red-hot iron ball than to live on alms while leading a dissolute life.

Four punishments await the unscrupulous man who covets the wife of another: shame, troubled sleep, condemnation and Hell.

So he acquires an evil reputation and an evil birth; brief is the Pleasure of the anxious pair, heavy the punishment of the lawgivers Let no man therefore seek the wife of another.

Just, as Kusa grass cuts the hand if wrongly handled, so also asceticism wrongly understood leads to Niraya.

A duty carelessly fulfilled, a rule wrongly observed and a virtuous life followed out of fear, none of these will! bring good results.

If a thing is to be done, do it with zeal. An ascetic with lax habits will stir up the dust (of the passions).

An evil deed is better left undone, for he who does it will be tormented by it. It is better, to do a good deed, for he who does it will not have cause to repent it.

As a frontier city is well fortified both within and without, so one should guard Oneself, so as not to waste a single moment of wakefulness; for those who lose this opportunity, even if only for a moment, will suffer indeed for it when in Hell.

Those who feel shame when there is no cause for, and those who feel no shame when there is

cause to be ashamed, the .se deluded ones are destined to a painful state.

Those who are afraid of what should not be feared, and those who do not fear what is to be feared, these deluded ones are destined to a painful state.

Those who see evil, where there is none, and those who do not see it where it is, these deluded ones are destined to a painful state.

Those who recognise evil to be evil, and good to he good, these who have right judgment are bound to enjoy happiness.

As the elephant on the battlefield endures the arrow shot from the bow, so also shall I patiently bear insult, for truly there are many of evil mind in the world.

It is a tamed elephant that is led to the battlefield; one whom the Raja rides. The best among men is he who patiently bears insult.

Trained mules are excellent, as also the thoroughbreds of Sindh and the mighty tuskers. Better yet is the man who has brought himself under control.

Not by mounting one of these animals does one attain the unexplored path, but by mastering oneself. By that mastery one attains it.

In the mating season it is difficult to control the mighty elephant Dhanapalako¹. When he is chained he refuses to eat he yearns only to be once more a wild elephant of the forest.

When a man is slothful and gluttonous, always sleepy and rolling from side to side like a fat hog in the mud-this fool is compelled to be born over and over again.

Once this mind wandered where it would from one thing to another, according to its pleasure, but now I shall master it completely as the mahout with his goad masters the elephant, in rut. 

Delight in vigilance, guard carefully your mind. Lift Yourself out of evil as the elephant sunk in a swamp.

If for company you find a prudent friend, who leads a good life, who is intelligent and self-controlled, overcoming all obstacles, do not hesitate to set out with, him joyfully and courageously.

And if you do not meet with such a friend, who leads a good life, who is intelligent and self-controlled, then' like a king renouncing a kingdom he has conquered, or like a solitary elephant in the forest follow your path alone.

It is better to live alone, for one cannot take a as a companion. It is better to live alone and dc evil, carefree, like the elephant in the jungle.

It is good to have friends when need arises. it is to be satisfied with what one has. It is good, at the hour of death, to have acquired merit. It is good, leave all grief behind you.

In this world it is a joy to respect one's mother, it a joy to respect one's father, it is a joy to honour the monks; it is a joy to revere the Brahmins ^1.

It is a joy to live purely throughout one's life. It is joy to have a steadfast faith. It is a joy to acquire wisdom. It is a joy to abstain from all evil.

The craving of a heedless man grows like the Maluva creeper. Like a monkey seeking fruits in the forest, he leaps from life to life.

For one who in the world is overcome by the craving that clings, his miseries increase like Birana grass after the rains.

For one who in this world can overcome this craving that clings and is so difficult to master, his sorrows fall away like water from a lotus leaf.

To all who are gathered here, I say for your welfare: pull out the roots of your craving, as you uproot Birana grass. Do not let Mara crush You again and again as a flood crushes a reed.

As a free, though felled, springs up once more if the roots remain intact, even so sorrow evil return again and again until all craving is rooted out.

The misguided man, who cannot resist the thirty-six strong currents of craving, is swept away by the flood of his eagerness for pleasure.

Everywhere these currents flow and the creeper (of craving) springs up and increases. Wherever you see it springing up, cut out its roots ) with the force of wisdom.

Allowing their minds to be attracted by the enjoyment of transient objects, men who crave pleasure become a prey to birth and to decay.

Beset by craving, men run around like a hare in trap. Bound by the chains of attachment, they come again and again to sorrow.

Beset by craving, men run around like a hare in a, ; trap. Therefore, 0 Bhikkhu, desiring deliverance from, passion, destroy your craving.

One who, delivered from craving, yet runs back to it, lo, he is like a freed man who returns to bondage.

What the wise call a strong bond is not made bf iron, wood or rope, but the craving for jewels and ornaments, for wife and children, is a far stronger bond.

The wise say that it pulls you downward, and though it seems to be loose. it is hard to be rid of. This too the wise cut off; renouncing the pleasures of the senses, free from craving, they take to the homeless life.

Those who are bound by their passions are drawn back into the stream, like a spider caught in his own, web. This too the wise cut off, renouncing the pleasures of the senses, free from craving, they take to the homeless life.

Be free from the past, be free from the future, be free from the present. Cross over to the other shore of I existence, when the mind is wholly delivered, you shall come no more to birth and death.

One who is troubled by evil thoughts, who is controlled by his passions, who seeks only pleasure, his craving grows steadily; he makes his bonds strong indeed.

One who delights in subduing evil thoughts, who is vigilant and can distinguish impurities, he will put an end to his cravings, he shall break the bonds of Mara.

He who has reached the goal, who is without fear and free from craving and impurity, he has plucked out the thorns of existence; this is his last in carnation.

One who is free from craving, unattached, who he words and their meanings, who knows the arrangement of The texts in their sequence, he indeed has put on his last body. He alone is called "The Man of Great Wisdom.

I have vanquished all, I know all; unconditioned, all-renouncing, delivered by the extinction of craving, having understood all by myself, whom shall I call my teacher ?

The gift of Truth excels all gifts, the savour of Truth excels all savours; delight in Truth excels all delights; deliverance from craving overcomes all suffering.

Riches ruin the fool, but not one who seeks the other shore. BY craving for riches, the tool ruins himself and others with him.

Weeds are the bane of the fields; passion the bane of mankind. Therefore whatever is given, to those freed from passions yields abundant fruit.

Weeds are the bane of the fields, haired the bane of mankind. Therefore whatever is given to those freed from haired yields abundant fruit.

Weeds are the bane of the fields, delusion the bane of mankind. Therefore whatever is given to those freed from delusion yields abundant fruit.

Weeds are the bane of the fields, desires the bane of mankind. Therefore whatever is given to those freed from desires yields abundant fruit.

To control the eye is good; to control the ear is good, to control the nose and the tongue is good.

It is good to control one's actions, words, mind. Control in all things is good. The Bhikkhu who controls himself entirely is delivered from all suffering.

The man who is master over his hands, his feet and his tongue, who controls himself wholly, who delights in meditation, who is calm and leads a solitary life, can be called a Bhikkhu.

The Bhikkhu who is master over his tongue and is moderate in speech, who is modest, who luminously interprets the Doctrine, in truth his words are as sweet as honey.

The Bhikkhu who lives by the Doctrine, who delights in the Doctrine, who meditates on the Doctrine, who knows the Doctrine thoroughly, surely cannot fall away from the Doctrine.

The Bhikkhu should not treat his own progress (in wisdom and goodness) lightly, nor envy the progress of others, for the Bhikkhu who is envious cannot achieve concentration.

Even if the progress he has made is slight, the Bhikkhu should not despise it, if his life is pure and his effort persevering, the gods themselves shall praise him for it. 

One who is not attached to name and form, who does not think, "This belongs to me", and who does not grieve over what does not exist, he, in truth, iv called a Bhikkhu.

The Bhikkhu who lives a life of loving kindness and who is filled with faith in the teaching of the Enlightened One, that Bhikkhu will attain the peace of Nirvana, the supreme bliss from which every conditioned element has vanished.

Empty this boat, 0 Bhikkhu; once lightened, the boat of your body will sail more lightly and having rejected desire and hatred you shall enter Nirvana.

Break the five bonds (belief in the ego, doubt, belief in vain rites and ceremonies, craving and bad will) Renounce these five other bonds (the desire to live in the world of forms, the desire to live in the subtle world, pride, restlessness and ignorance). Cultivate these five (faith, energy, mindfulness, meditation, and wisdom). The Bhikkhu who is thus five times free iv said to be "he who has crossed over the flood".

Meditate, 0 Bhikkhus, do not be negligent. Your minds should not turn towards the pleasures of the senses, for it by negligence you swallowed a red-hot iron ball, when you felt the burning you would lament, crying, "Oh, how painful it is!"

For one without knowledge there is no meditation; without meditation there is no knowledge. One in whom there is both meditation and knowledge is near to Nirvana.

The Bhikkhu who has entered the abode of emptiness, the Bhikkhu of serene mind, enjoys delight beyond the human, in the clear vision of the Doctrine.

Each time that he concentrates on the appearance and disappearance of all conditioned things, he enjoys the happiness and the delight of those who have attained immortality.

These things are for the wise Bhikkhu the very basis of the religious life: mastery of the senses, contentment, conduct according to the code of discipline, association with noble friends who lead a life of constant purity.

The Bhikkhu should be cordial, kind and polite, thus in the fullness of his joy, he will put an end to suffering.

Just as the jasmine sheds its faded petals, so also the Bhikkhu sheds desire and hatred.

Calm in action, calm in speech, calm in mind, serene, emptied of all earthly appetites, this Bhikkhu is called "The Serene One".

Let him arouse himself, let him examine himself,- thus self-guarded and vigilant, the Bhikkhu will live in happiness.

In truth, one is one's own protector, one's own refuge. Know therefore how to control yourself as the horse-dealer controls a noble steed.

Filled with gladness and faith by the teaching of the Buddha, the Bhikkhu attains the state of perfect peace, The Brahmin cessation of all compounded existence.

The young Bhikkhu who consecrates himself to the Teaching of the Enlightened One illumines this world like the moon coming forth from behind the clouds.

Strive, O Brahmin ! seal up the current (of craving, cast away all pleasures of the senses knowing how to uproot the elements of existence you shall know the uncreated.

When the Brahmin has attained the summit of two paths(concentration and insight), all bonds fall away and he possesses the knowledge.

One for whom neither the inner nor the outer exist, neither one nor the other, who is free from fear and bondage, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

One who is given to meditation and is freed of impurities, who is without stain, who has fulfilled his duty who has attained the highest goal, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

By day the sun shines; by night the moon. In his armour the warrior shines; in meditation the Brahmin radiant.

The man who has rejected evil is a Brahmin. One whose behaviour is disciplined is a monk; an ascetic is one who is purged of impurities.

One should not strike a Brahmin, and the Brahmin should not strike back. Shame on one who strikes a Brahmin. Shame on the Brahmin who strikes back.

For a Brahmin there is nothing better than to restrain the mind from the pleasures of life. As he removes bad intentions, so he appeases his sufferings.

One who does no evil by act, word or thought, the man who is restrained in these three, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

Whosoever teaches you the Doctrine of the Perfectly Enlightened One, render him homage and venerate him as the Brahmin does the sacred fire.

Neither by matted hair, nor ancestry, !nor by birth does one become a Brahmin. One in whom abide truth and righteousness, he is pure, he is a true Brahmin.

What value has your matted hair, 0 foolish man ? What value has the antelope skin you wear? Within, you lies a jungle of passions, you have only the appearance of purity.

The man dressed in cast-off robes, who is emaciated, whose veins stand out on his body, who- meditates' alone in the forest, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

But I do not call him a Brahmin, although he is brahmin origin or born of a brahmin mother, he who' is rich and arrogant. He who possesses nothing, who is attached to nothing, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

He who has broken all bonds, who no longer fears anything, who has overcome all ties, who is liberated, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

One who little by little has broken the thong (of mind) and the straps (of attachment), who has cut the chain (of doubt) with its links (of evil tendencies) and who has rejected the yoke (of ignorance), who is enlightened, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

He who is without resentment, who bears reproaches, blows and chains, whose patience is his true strength, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

He who is free from anger, who is faithful to his faith, good and without craving, who has mastered himself and taken a body for the last time, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

He who is no more attached to the pleasures of the senses than a drop of water to the lotus leaf, or a mustard seed to the point of a needle, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

He who, in this life, has, realised the cessation of suffering, who has, laid down the burden and has liberated himself (from the yoke of attachment), him I consider to be a Brahmin.

The intelligent man, gifted with profound wisdom, discerning the good and the evil path, who has attained the supreme goal, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

One who seeks the company neither of householders nor of monks, who has no home and few needs, him I consider lo be a Brahmin.

One who does no harm to an creature, whether strong or weak, who does not kill nor cause to be killed, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

Friendly amid the unfriendly, calm amid the violent, unselfish amid the selfish, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

He from whom passion and hatred, pride and pretence have fallen away, as a mustard seed falls from the point of a needle, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

One who speaks only words that are sweet, instructive, true, and who offends no one, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

One who in this world takes nothing but what he is given, whether it be little or much, short or long, good or bad, him I confider to be a Brahmin.

One who has no more desires in this world or the other, who has no more craving, who is free, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

One in whom desire exists no more, one who has attained the perfection of knowledge, who has cast of away all doubt and who has sounded the depths immortality, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

One who in this world has broken all ties (of good and evil) and who is delivered from grief, from taints and impurities, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

One who, like the moon, is spotless, pure, clear, serene, from whom the thirst of earthly desires has vanished, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

One who has escaped from the cycle of births, this muddy path, this thorny road, and who has attained the other shore, is given to meditation, void of desire, free from doubt detached from all things and at peace, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

One in whom all passion is destroyed and who, renouncing worldly pleasures, has left the household life and taken to the homeless life, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

He in whom all craving is dead and who, renouncing worldly pleasures, has left the household life, who has quenched the thirst of becoming, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

One who has rejected all earthly ties and has gone beyond all heavenly ties, who is delivered from all ties, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

One who has put aside liking and disliking, who is indifferent, who is freed from all attachment and all fetters, who has conquered all the worlds, this hero I consider to be a Brahmin.

He who possesses the perfect knowledge of the birth and death of all beings and who is freed from all ties, he is a Blessed One, an Awakened One, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

He whose future state is unknown to the gods, the demigods and mortals, who is without desire and without impurity, who has become an adept, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

He who no longer possesses anything, neither past nor present nor future, who owns nothing, who no longer clings to anything, that one I consider to be a Brahmin. 

The Noble, the Excellent, the Hero, the great Sage, the Victor, the Impassive, the Pure, the Enlightened, him I consider to be a Brahmin.

One who knows his previous lives, one who perceives the heavens and the hells, who has come to the end of births, who has attained perfect vision, the Sage accomplished in all accomplishments, him in truth I consider to be a Brahmin.