Indian stream·Pāli Tipiṭaka·Dhammapada·Chapter XV. Happiness.

Chapter XV. Happiness.

CHAPTER XV.

HAPPINESS.

197Let us live happily then, not hating those who hate us! among men who hate us let us dwell free from hatred!

198Let us live happily then, free from ailments among the ailing! among men who are ailing let us dwell free from ailments!

199Let us live happily then, free from greed among the greedy! among men who are greedy let us dwell free from greed!

200Let us live happily then, though we call nothing our own! We shall be like the bright gods, feeding on happiness!

201Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy. He who has given up both victory and defeat, he, the contented, is happy.
[198. The ailment here meant is moral rather than physical. Cf. Mahâbh. XII, 9924, sa*m*pra*s*ânto nirâmaya*h*; 9925, yo 'sau prâ*n*ântiko rogas tâ*m* t*ri*sh*n*â*m* tya*g*ata*h* sukham.

200The words placed in the mouth of the king of Videha, while his residence Mithilâ was in flames, are curiously like our verse; cf. Mahâbh. XII, 9917,
Susukha*m* vata *g*îvâmi yasya me nâsti ki*ñk*ana, Mithilâyâm pradîptâyâ*m* na me dahyati ki*ñk*ana. 'I live happily, indeed, for I have nothing; while Mithilâ is in flames, nothing of mine is burning.' Cf. Muir, Religious sentiments, p. 106. The âbhassara, i.e. âbhâsvara, 'the bright gods,' are frequently mentioned. Cf. Burnouf, Introd. p. 611.

201This verse is ascribed to Buddha, when he heard of the defeat of A*g*âta*s*atru by Prasena*g*it. It exists in the Northern or Sanskrit and in the Southern or Pâli texts, i.e. in the Avadâna-*s*ataka, in the Sa*m*yutta-nikâya. See Feer, Comptes Rendus, 1871, p. 44. and Journal As. 1880, p. 509. In the Avadâna-*s*ataka, the Sanskrit version is--
*G*ayo vairam prasavati, du*h*kha*m* sete parâ*g*ita*h* Upa*s*ânta*h* sukha*m* *s*ete hitvâ *g*ayaparâ*g*ayam.]

202There is no fire like passion; there is no losing throw like hatred; there is no pain like this body; there is no happiness higher than rest.

203Hunger is the worst of diseases, the body the greatest of pains; if one knows this truly, that is Nirvâ*n*a, the highest happiness.
[202. I take kali in the sense of an unlucky die which makes a player lose his game. A real simile seems wanted here, as in verse 251, where, for the same reason, I translate graha by 'shark,' not by 'captivitas,' as Dr. Fausböll proposes. The same scholar translates kali in our verse by 'peccatum.' If there is any objection to translating kali in Pâli by 'unlucky die,' I should still prefer to take it in the sense of the age of depravity, or the demon of depravity. To judge from Abhidhânappadîpikâ, 1106, kali was used for parâ*g*aya, i.e. loss at game, a losing throw, and occurs in that sense again in verse 252. The Chinese translation has, 'there is no distress (poison) worse than hate.' A similar verse occurs Mahâbh. *S*ântip. 175, v. 35. 'Body' for khandha is a free translation, but it is difficult to find any other rendering. The Chinese translation also has 'body.' According to the Buddhists each sentient being consists of five khandhas (skandha), or aggregates, the organized body (rûpakhandha) with its four internal capacities of sensation (vedanâ), perception (sa*ñgñ*â), conception (sa*m*skâra), knowledge (vi*gñ*âna). See Burnouf, Introd. pp. 589, 634; Lotus, p. 335.

203Sa*m*skâra is the fourth of the five khandhas, but the commentator takes it here, as well as in verse 255, for the five khandhas together, in which case we can only translate it by 'body.' See also verse 278. Childers proposes 'organic life'. (Notes on Dhammapada, p. 1). There is, however, another sa*m*skâra, that which follows inimediately upon avidyâ, 'ignorance,' as the second of the nidânas, or 'causes of existence,' and this too might be called the greatest pain, considering that it is the cause of birth, which is the cause of all pain. Sa*m*skâra seems sometimes to have a different and less techninal meaning, being used in the sense of conceptions, plans, desires, as, for instance, in verse 368, where sa n khârâna*m* khayam is used much like ta*m*hâkhaya. Again, in his comment on verse 75, Buddhaghosa says, upadhiviveko sa n khârasa n ga*n*ika*m* vinodeti; and again, upadhiviveko *k*a nirupadhînâ*m* puggalâna*m* visa n khâragatânâm.
For a similar sentiment, see Stanislas Julien, Les Avadânas, vol. i. p. 40, 'Le corps est la plus grande source de souffrance,' &c. I should say that the khandhas in verse 202 and the sa n khâras in verse 203 are nearly, if not quite, synonymous. I should prefer to read *g*iga*kkh*â-paramâ as a compound. *G*iga*kkh*â, or as it is written in one MS., diga*kkh*â (Sk. *g*ighatsâ), means not only 'hunger,' but 'appetite; desire.']

204Health is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches; trust is the best of relationships, Nirvâ*n*a the highest happiness.

205He who has tasted the sweetness of solitude and tranquillity, is free from fear and free from sin, while he tastes the sweetness of drinking in the law.

206The sight of the elect (Arya) is good, to live with them is always happiness; if a man does not see fools, he will be truly happy.

207He who walks in the company of fools suffers a long way; company with fools, as with an enemy, is always painful; company with the wise is pleasure, like meeting with kinsfolk.

208Therefore, one ought to follow the wise, the intelligent, the learned, the much enduring, the dutiful, the elect; one ought to follow a good and wise man, as the moon follows the path of the stars.
[204. Childers translates, 'the best kinsman is a man you can trust.'

205Cf. Suttanipâta, v. 256.

208I should like to read sukho *k*a dhîrasa*m*vâso.]

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