Human Life and Problems Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda

Human Life and Problems
Venerable K. Sri Dhammananda

THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE
SAYINGS OF THE BUDDHA

Neither for the sake of oneself nor for the sake of another (does a wise person do any wrong); he should not cling to son, wealth, or kingdom (by doing wrong): by unjust means he should not seek his own success. Then (only) such a one is indeed virtuous, wise and righteous - 84

Though one should live a hundred years, immoral and uncontrolled, yet better, indeed, is a single day's life of one who is moral and contemplative. -110

Even an evil-doer sees good as long as evil ripens not; but when it bears fruit, then he sees the evil results. -119

Even a good person sees evil so long as good ripens not; but when it bears fruit then the good one sees the good results. -120

Whoever harms a harmless person, one pure and guiltless, upon that very fool the evil recoils like fine dust thrown against the wind. -125

Whoever, seeking his own happiness, harms with the rod other pleasure-loving beings experiences no happiness hereafter -131

So, when a fool does wrong deeds, he does not realize (their evil nature); by his own deeds the stupid man is tormented, like one burnt by fire. -136

He who with the rod harms the rodless and harmless, soon will come to one of these states according to his own evil actions:

He will be subject to acute pain, disaster, bodily injury, or even grievous sickness, or loss of mind, or oppression, or heavy accusation, or loss of relatives, or destruction of wealth, or ravaging fire. Upon the dissolution of the body such an unwise man will be born in suffering sates-138, 139, 140.

If one holds oneself dear, one should protect oneself well by guarding his mind. During every one of the three watches the wise man should keep vigil. -157

By oneself, indeed, is evil done; by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone; by oneself, indeed, is one purified. Purity and impurity depend on oneself. No one purifies another -165

Whoever, by good deed, covers (overcomes, negates) the evil done, such a one illumines this world like the moon freed from clouds -173

Ah, happily do we live, without hate amongst the hateful; amidst hateful men we dwell unhating. -197

Victory breeds hatred. The defeated live in pain. Happily the peaceful live, giving up victory and defeat. -201

From craving springs grief, from craving springs fear; for him who is wholly free from craving there is no grief, much less fear -216

Conquer anger by love. Conquer evil by good. Conquer the stingy by giving. Conquer the liar by truth.-223

As rust sprung from iron eats itself away when arisen, even so his own deeds lead the transgressor to states of woe. -240

There is no fire like lust, no grip like hate, no net like delusion, no river like craving. -251

Easily seen are others' faults, hard indeed to see are one's own. Like chaff one winnows others' faults, but one's own (faults) one hides, as a crafty fowler conceals himself by camouflage -252

Beings who are ashamed of what is not shameful, and are not ashamed of what is shameful, embrace wrong views, and go to a woeful state. -316

Beings who see fear in what is not to be feared, and see no fear in the fearsome, embrace false views and go to a woeful state. -317

Beings knowing wrong as wrong and what is right as right, embrace right views and go to a blissful state.

If you do not get a prudent companion who (is fit) to live with you, who behaves well and is wise, then like a king who leaves a conquered kingdom, you should live alone as an elephant does in the elephant forest. -329

- The Dhammapada

8 January 2023