Patna Dhammapada - 13: The Chapter about Refuge

Bahū ve śaraṇaṁ yānti parvvate ca vanāni ca,
° Many people shaken by fear go for refuge

vastūni rukkhacittāṇi, manuṣyā bhayatajjitā.
to mountains and woods, to places with beautiful trees.

Na etaṁ śaraṇaṁ khemmaṁ, na etaṁ śaraṇam uttamaṁ,
That is not a secure refuge, that is not the refuge supreme,

etaṁ śaraṇam āgamma sabbadukkhā pramuccati.
(nor) is it the refuge to come to that liberates from all suffering.

Bahuṁ ve saraṇaṁ yanti pabbatāni vanāni ca
° Many people shaken by fear go for refuge

ārāmarukkhacetyāni, manussā bhayatajjitā.
to mountains and woods, to tree shrines in pleasure parks.

Netaṁ kho saraṇaṁ khemaṁ, netaṁ saraṇam-uttamaṁ,
That is not a secure refuge, that is not the refuge supreme,

netaṁ saraṇam-āgamma sabbadukkhā pamuccati.
that is not the refuge to come to that liberates from all suffering.

Yo tu Buddhañ-ca Dhammañ-ca Saṅghaṁ ca śaraṇaṁ gato,
Whoever has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha,

cattāri ca arⁱyasaccāni yathābhūtāni paśśati.
and who sees as it really is the four noble truths.

Etaṁ ve śaraṇaṁ khemmaṁ, etaṁ śaraṇam uttamaṁ,
That is a secure refuge, that is the refuge supreme,

etaṁ śaraṇam āgamma sabbadukkhā pramuccati.
that is the refuge to come to that liberates from all suffering.

Yo ca Buddhañ-ca Dhammañ-ca Saṅghañ-ca saraṇaṁ gato,
Whoever has gone for refuge to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Saṅgha,

cattāri arⁱyasaccāni sammappaññāya passati.
and who sees with right wisdom the four noble truths.

Etaṁ kho saraṇaṁ khemaṁ, etaṁ saraṇam-uttamaṁ,
That is a secure refuge, that is the refuge supreme,

etaṁ saraṇam-āgamma sabbadukkhā pamuccati.
that is the refuge to come to that liberates from all suffering.

Gavāṁ ce taramāṇānāṁ, jihmaṁ gacchati puṅgavo,
If, when cows are crossing (a road), their leader goes crookedly,

sabbā tā jihmaṁ gacchanti, nette jihmagate sati.
they all will go crookedly, as their guide crookedly does go.

Evām eva manuṣyesu yo hoti śreṣṭhasammato,
So it is with humans, he who is agreed upon as chief,

sa ce adhammaṁ carati prāg eva itarā prajā.
if he lives unrighteously, so will other people.

Gavañ-ce taramānānaṁ, jimhaṁ gacchati puṅgavo,
If, when cows are crossing (a road), their leader goes crookedly,

sabbā tā jimhaṁ gacchanti, nette jimhaṁ gate sati;
they all will go crookedly, as their guide crookedly does go;

evam-eva manussesu, yo hoti seṭṭhasammato,
so it is with humans, he who is agreed upon as chief,

so ce adhammaṁ carati, pageva itarā pajā,
if he lives unrighteously, so will other people,

sabbaṁ raṭṭhaṁ dukhaṁ seti rājā ce hoti adhammiko.
the whole country will suffer if the king is unrighteous.

Gavāṁ ce taramāṇānāṁ, ujjuṁ gacchati puṅgavo,
If, when cows are crossing (a road), their leader goes straight,

sabbā tā ujjuṁ gacchanti, nette ujjugate sati;
they all will go straight, as their guide straight does go;

evām eva manuṣyesu, yo hoti śreṣṭhasammato,
so it is with humans, he who is agreed upon as chief,

sa ce va dhammaṁ carati prāg eva itarā prajā.
if he lives righteously, so will other people.

Gavañ-ce taramānānaṁ, ujuṁ gacchati puṅgavo,
If, when cows are crossing (a road), their leader goes straight,

sabbā tā ujuṁ gacchanti, nette ujugate sati.
they all will go straight, as their guide straight does go.

Evam-eva manussesu, yo hoti seṭṭhasammato,
So it is with humans, he who is agreed upon as chief,

so ce pi dhammaṁ carati, pageva itarā pajā,
if he lives righteously, so will other people,

sabbaṁ raṭṭhaṁ sukhaṁ seti rājā ce hoti dhammiko.
the whole country will be happy if the king is righteous.

Dhammaṁ care sucaritaṁ, na naṁ duccaritaṁ care,
One should live by Dhamma, with good conduct, not with bad conduct,

Dhammacārī sukhaṁ śeti assiṁ loke paramhi ca.
living by Dhamma one lives at ease in this world and the next.

Dhammaṁ care sucaritaṁ, na naṁ duccaritaṁ care,
One should live by Dhamma, with good conduct, not with bad conduct,

Dhammacārī sukhaṁ seti asmiṁ loke paramhi ca.
living by Dhamma one lives at ease in this world and the next.

Dhammaṁ care sucaritaṁ, na naṁ duccaritaṁ care,
One should live by Dhamma, with good conduct, not with bad conduct,

brahmacārī sukhaṁ śeti assiṁ loke paramhi ca.
living the holy life one lives at ease in this world and the next.

Dhammaṁ care sucaritaṁ, na naṁ duccaritaṁ care,
One should live by Dhamma, with good conduct, not with bad conduct,

Dhammacārī sukhaṁ seti asmiṁ loke paramhi ca.
living by Dhamma one lives at ease in this world and the next.

Dhammārāmo Dhammarato, Dhammaṁ anuvicintayaṁ,
The one who finds pleasure in the Dhamma, delights in Dhamma, reflects on Dhamma,

Dhammaṁ anussaraṁ bhikkhū, Dhammā na parihāyati.
the monastic who remembers Dhamma, does not abandon the Dhamma.

Dhammārāmo Dhammarato, Dhammaṁ anuvicintayaṁ,
The one who finds pleasure in the Dhamma, delights in Dhamma, reflects on Dhamma,

Dhammaṁ anussaraṁ bhikkhu, Saddhammā na parihāyati.
the monastic who remembers Dhamma, does not abandon the Good Dhamma.

Dhammo have rakkhati Dhammacārī,
The Dhamma protects the one who lives by the Dhamma,

Dhammo sucinno sukhāya dahāti,
the Dhamma well-practised is set on happiness, The phrase is unclear, this seems to be what is means. Cf. Pāḷi.

esānuśaṁso Dhamme sucinne,
this is the advantage of the Dhamma well-practised,

na doggatiṁ gacchati Dhammacārī.
he who lives by the Dhamma does not go to a bad destination.

Dhammo have rakkhati Dhammacāriṁ,
The Dhamma protects the one who lives by the Dhamma,

Dhammo suciṇṇo sukham āvahāti,
the Dhamma well-practised brings happiness,

esānisaṁso Dhamme suciṇṇe,
this is the advantage of the Dhamma well-practised,

na duggatiṁ gacchati Dhammacārī.
he who lives by the Dhamma does not go to a bad destination.

Dhammo have rakkhati brahmacārī,
The Dhamma protects the one who lives by the holy life,

Dhammo sucinno sukhāya dahāti,
the Dhamma well-practised is set on happiness,

esānuśaṁso Dhamme sucinne,
this is the advantage of the Dhamma well-practised,

na doggatiṁ gacchati brahmacārī.
he who lives the holy life does not go to a bad destination.

Dhammo have rakkhati Dhammacāriṁ,
The Dhamma protects the one who lives by the Dhamma,

Dhammo suciṇṇo sukham āvahāti,
the Dhamma well-practised brings happiness,

esānisaṁso Dhamme suciṇṇe,
this is the advantage of the Dhamma well-practised,

na duggatiṁ gacchati Dhammacārī.
he who lives by the Dhamma does not go to a bad destination.

Acarittā brahmaceraṁ, aladdhā yovvane dhanaṁ,
Not having lived the holy life, not having gained wealth in their youth,

jinnakroñcā va jhāyanti jhīnamacche va pallare.
they waste away like herons in a small lake devoid of fish.

Acaritvā brahmacarⁱyaṁ, aladdhā yobbane dhanaṁ,
Not having lived the holy life, not having gained wealth in their youth,

jiṇṇakoñcā ca jhāyanti khīṇamacche va pallale.
they waste away like herons in a small lake devoid of fish.

Acarittā brahmaceraṁ, aladdhā yovvane dhanaṁ,
Not having lived the holy life, not having gained wealth in their youth,

śenti cāpādhikinno vā, porāṇāni anutthunaṁ.
they lie like (shafts) scattered from a bow, wailing about things in the past.

Acaritvā brahmacarⁱyaṁ, aladdhā yobbane dhanaṁ,
Not having lived the holy life, not having gained wealth in their youth,

senti cāpātikhittā va, purāṇāni anutthunaṁ.
they lie like (shafts) shot from a bow, wailing about things in the past.

Ujjujjanti satīmanto na nikete ramanti te,
The mindful ones who are striving do not delight in a dwelling,

haṁsā va pallaraṁ hettā, okam okaṁ jahanti te.
like geese who abandon a lake, they abandon fondness for homes.

Uyyuñjanti satīmanto na nikete ramanti te,
The mindful ones who are striving do not delight in a dwelling,

haṁsā va pallalaṁ hitvā, okam-okaṁ jahanti te.
like geese who abandon a lake, they abandon fondness for homes.

Haṁsā va ādiccapathe, vehāyasaṁ yānti iddhiyā,
As geese go through the path of the sky, they go through the sky by their power,

niyyānti dhīrā lokamhi, Mārasenaṁ pramaddiya.
the wise are led out in the world, after crushing Māra and his army.

Haṁsādiccapathe yanti, ākāse yanti iddhiyā,
Geese Pāḷi doesn’t have a word in this verse indicating comparison. go through the path of the sky, they go through the firmament by their power,

nīyanti dhīrā lokamhā, jetvā Māraṁ savāhanaṁ.
the wise are led out of The case is different in Pāḷi, giving a very different meaning. the world, after beating Māra and his host.

Kin nu hāśo, kim ānando, niccaṁ prajjalite sati,
Why this laughter, why this joy, when the world is constantly burning,

andhakāramhi prakkhittā, pradīpaṁ na gaveṣatha.
when thrown into darkness, do you not seek for a light?

Ko nu hāso, kim-ānando, niccaṁ pajjalite sati,
Why this laughter, why this joy, when the world is constantly burning,

andhakārena onaddhā, padīpaṁ na gavesatha?
when enveloped by darkness, do you not seek for a light?

Praccantimaṁ vā nagaraṁ guttaṁ sāntarabāhiraṁ,
As a town in the border districts is guarded on the inside and the outside,

evaṁ rakkhatha āttānaṁ, khaṇo vo mā upaccagū,
so one should protect oneself, and you should not let the moment pass,

khaṇātītā hi śocanti nirayamhi samappitā.
for when the chance has passed they grieve when consigned to the underworld.

Nagaraṁ yathā paccantaṁ guttaṁ santarabāhiraṁ,
As a border town is guarded on the inside and the outside,

evaṁ gopetha attānaṁ, khaṇo vo mā upaccagā,
so one should watch over oneself, and you should not let the moment pass,

khaṇātītā hi socanti nirayamhi samappitā.
for when the chance has passed they grieve when consigned to the underworld.

Na muṇḍabhāvā śamaṇo, avrato alikaṁ bhaṇaṁ,
Not through being shaven is one an ascetic, (if) one lacks vows, speaks lies,

icchālobhasamāpanno, śamaṇo kiṁ bhaviṣyati.
and is endowed with greed and desire, how will one be an ascetic?

Na muṇḍakena samaṇo, abbato alikaṁ bhaṇaṁ,
Not through a shaven head is one an ascetic, (if) one lacks vows, speaks lies,

icchālobhasamāpanno, samaṇo kiṁ bhavissati?
and is endowed with greed and desire, how will one be an ascetic?

Yo tu śameti pāpāni, aṇutthūlāni sabbaśo –
The one who quenches wicked deeds, small and great, in every way –

śamaṇā eva pāpānāṁ śamaṇo ti pravuccati.
through the appeasing of wicked deeds he is said to be an ascetic.

Yo ca sameti pāpāni, aṇuṁ-thūlāni sabbaso –
The one who quenches wicked deeds, small and great, in every way –

samitattā hi pāpānaṁ samaṇo ti pavuccati.
through the quenching of wicked deeds he is said to be an ascetic.

Yassa chattrīśatiṁ sotā mānāphassamayā bhriśā,
For the one in whom thirty-six streams consisting of contact with conceit are strong,

vāhā vahanti dudriṣṭiṁ saṅkappā ggredhaniśśitā.
the one with wrong view is carried off by the flow of his greedy intentions.

Yassa chattiṁsatī sotā manāpassavanā bhusā,
For the one in whom thirty-six streams flow pleasantly and strong,

vāhā vahanti duddiṭṭhiṁ saṅkappā rāganissitā.
the one with wrong view is carried off by the flow of his passionate intentions.

Krodhaṁ jahe, viprajaheya mānaṁ,
One should abandon anger, one should abandon conceit,

saṁyojanaṁ sabbam atikrameyā,
one should overcome every fetter,

taṁ nāmarūpamhi asajjamānaṁ,
without clinging to mind and bodily form,

akiñcanaṁ nānupatanti dukkhā.
sufferings never do befall the one having no possessions.

Kodhaṁ jahe, vippajaheyya mānaṁ,
One should abandon anger, one should abandon conceit,

saṁyojanaṁ sabbam-atikkameyya,
one should overcome every fetter,

taṁ nāmarūpasmiṁ asajjamānaṁ,
without clinging to mind and bodily form,

akiñcanaṁ nānupatanti dukkhā.
sufferings never do befall the one having no possessions.