Home Page    Previous Chapter    Next Chapter

Chapter 15

Sukha Vagga
Happiness
(Text and Translation by Ven. Nàrada)

 

1. Susukham vata jivàma
            verinesu averino
Verinesu manussesu
            viharàma averino. 197.
2. Susukham vata jivàma
            àturesu anàturà
âturesu manussesu
            viharàma anàturà. 198.
3. Susukham vata jivàma
            ussukesu anussukà
Ussukesu manussesu
            viharàma anussukà. 199.

AMONGST THE HATEFUL BE WITHOUT HATE
AMONGST THE SICK BE IN GOOD HEALTH
AMONGST THE PASSIONATE BE WITHOUT PASSION

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

2. Ah, happily do we live in good health 1 amongst the ailing; amidst ailing men we dwell in good health. 198.

3. Ah, happily do we live without yearning (for sensual pleasures) amongst those who yearn (for them); amidst those who yearn (for them) we dwell without yearning. 199.

Story

    A quarrel arose between two tribes with regard to the waters of a boundary river. The Buddha admonished them to live without hate.

 

4. Susukham vata jivàma
            yesam no natthi kiñcanam
Pitibhakkhà bhañvissàma
            devà àbhassarà yathà. 200.

BE WITHOUT IMPEDIMENTS

4. Ah, happily do we live we who have no impediments. 2 Feeders of joy shall we be even as the gods of the Radiant Realm. 200.

Story

    One day the Buddha went to a village in quest of alms. Owing to the intervention of Màra, the Evil One, the Buddha could not obtain any food. To Màra who queried whether He was hungry, the Buddha explained the mental attitude of those who are free from impediments.

 

 

5. Jayam veram pasavati
            dukkham seti paràjito
Upasanto sukham seti
            hitvà jayaparàjayam. 201.

VICTORY BREEDS HATRED

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

Story

    A King was sad because he had been thrice defeated in battle. The Buddha commented on the evil consequences of both defeat and victory.

 

6. Natthi ràgasamo aggi
            natthi dosasamo kali
Natthi khandhasamà dukkhà
            natthi santiparam sukham. 202.

LUST IS A FIRE

6. There is no fire like lust, no crime like hate. There is no ill like the body, 3 no bliss higher than Peace (Nibbàna). 202.

Story

    Celebrating the marriage of a young woman her family invited the Buddha and the Sangha to the house for alms. While watching the bride serving the Buddha and His disciples with alms lust arose in the mind of the bride-groom. The Buddha, perceiving his thoughts, uttered this verse.

 

7. Jighacchà paramà rogà
            samkhàrà paramà dukhà
Etamñatvà yathàbhutam
            Nibbànam paramam sukham. 203.

HUNGER IS THE GREATEST AFFLICTION

7. Hunger 4 is the greatest disease. Aggregates 5 are the greatest ill. Knowing this as it really is, (the wise realize) Nibbàna, bliss supreme. 203.

Story

    A poor farmer came to hear the Buddha in a state of hunger. Before preaching the Buddha requested the steward to give some food to the hungry man. Some monks were indignant at the Buddha's action. Thereupon the Buddha uttered this verse.

 

8. Ñrogyaparamà làbhà
            santuññhi paramam dhanam
Vissàsaparamàñàti
            nibbànam paramam sukham. 204.

HEALTH IS PARAMOUNT

8. Health is the highest gain. Contentment is the greatest wealth. The trusty 6 are the best kinsmen. Nibbàna is the highest bliss. 204.

Story

    Owing to over-eating a King used to suffer. On the advice of the Buddha he ate moderately and became healthy. When the King mentioned that his health had improved the Buddha described four sources of happiness.

 

 

9. Pavivekarasam pitvà
            rasam upasamassa ca
Niddaro hoti nippàpo
            dhammapitirasam pibam. 205.

HAPPY IS HE WHO TASTES THE FLAVOUR OF TRUTH

9. Having tasted the flavour of seclusion and the flavour of appeasement, 7 free from anguish and stain becomes he, imbibing the taste of the joy of the Dhamma. 205.

Story

    Hearing that the Buddha would soon pass away, a monk meditated in solitude without joining the other monks in paying their respects to the Buddha. When questioned by the Buddha as to his attitude he replied that he was striving hard to attain Arahantship before the Buddha passed away. Thereupon the Buddha uttered this verse.

 

10. Sàdhu dassanam ariyànam
            sannivàso sadà sukhà
Adassanena bàlànam
            niccam eva sukhi siyà. 206.
11. Bàlasaïgatacàri hi
            digham addhàna socati
Dukkho bàlehi samvàso
            amitten' eva sabbadà.
Dhiro ca sukhasamvàso
            ñàtinam' va samàgamo. 207.
12. Tasmà hi:-
Dhirañ ca paññañ ca bahussutañ ca
            dhorayhasilam vatavantam àriyam
Tam tàdisam sappurisam sumedham
            bhajetha nakkhattapatham' va candimà. 208.

BLESSED IS THE SIGHT OF THE NOBLE
SORROWFUL IS ASSOCIATION WITH THE FOOLISH
ASSOCIATE WITH THE WISE

10. Good is the sight of the Ariyas: their company is ever happy. Not seeing the foolish, one may ever be happy. 206.

11. Truly he who moves in company with fools grieves for a long time. Association with the foolish is ever painful as with a foe. Happy is association with the wise, even like meeting with kinsfolk. 207.

12. Therefore:-

With the intelligent, the wise, 8 the learned, 9 the enduring, 10 the dutiful, 11 and the Ariya 12 - with a man of such virtue and intellect should one associate, as the moon (follows) the starry path. 208.

Story

    Once when the Buddha was unwell Sakka, King of the gods, assuming a human form, came to attend on the Buddha. The monks expressed surprise at the exemplary attitude of Sakka. Thereupon the Buddha uttered these verses.

End Notes

1 Free from the disease of passions.

2 Kiñcana, such as lust, hatred, and delusion which are hindrances to spiritual progress.

3 Pañcakkhandha the five Aggregates.

4 Ordinary diseases are usually curable by a suitable remedy, but hunger has to be appeased daily.

5 Here Samkhàra is used in the sense of khandha, the five Aggregates - namely: the body (rupa), feeling (vedanà), perception (saññà), mental states (samkhàrà), and consciousness (viññàua).

The so-called being is composed of these five constituent parts. Both khandha and samkhàrà are used to denote these five conditioned things. Excluding feeling and perception, the remaining fifty mental states are implied by the term saïkhàra in the five Aggregates.

6 Whether related or not.

7 Upasama, the bliss of Nibbàna resulting from the subjugation of passions.

8 Paññam = possessed of mundane and supramundane knowledge (Commentary).

9 Bahussutam = endowed with the teaching and the realization (Commentary).

10 Dhorayhasilam = literally, engaged in the bearing of the yoke (leading to Nibbàna) (Commentary).

11 Vatavantam = replete with morality (Sila) and ascetic practices (Dhutaïga).

12 Far removed from passions.