Paṇḍitavagga

Khuddakanikāya

Minor Collection

Dhammapada

Sayings of the Dhamma 76–89

Paṇḍitavagga

6. The Astute

Rādhattheravatthu

Nidhīnaṁva pavattāraṁ,

Regard one who sees your faults

yaṁ passe vajjadassinaṁ;

as a guide to a hidden treasure.

Niggayhavādiṁ medhāviṁ,

Stay close to one so intelligent and astute

tādisaṁ paṇḍitaṁ bhaje;

who curbs you when you need it.

Tādisaṁ bhajamānassa,

Sticking close to such an impartial person,

seyyo hoti na pāpiyo.

things get better, not worse.

Assajipunabbasukavatthu

Ovadeyyānusāseyya,

Advise and instruct;

asabbhā ca nivāraye;

curb wickedness:

Satañhi so piyo hoti,

for you shall be loved by the good,

asataṁ hoti appiyo.

and disliked by the bad.

Channattheravatthu

Na bhaje pāpake mitte,

Don’t mix with bad friends,

na bhaje purisādhame;

nor with the worst of men.

Bhajetha mitte kalyāṇe,

Mix with spiritual friends,

bhajetha purisuttame.

and with the best of men.

Mahākappinattheravatthu

Dhammapīti sukhaṁ seti,

Through joy in the teaching you sleep at ease,

vippasannena cetasā;

with clear and confident heart.

Ariyappavedite dhamme,

An astute person always delights in the teaching

sadā ramati paṇḍito.

proclaimed by the Noble One.

Paṇḍitasāmaṇeravatthu

Udakañhi nayanti nettikā,

While irrigators guide water,

Usukārā namayanti tejanaṁ;

fletchers bend arrows straight,

Dāruṁ namayanti tacchakā,

and carpenters bend timber straight,

Attānaṁ damayanti paṇḍitā.

the astute tame themselves.

Lakuṇḍakabhaddiyattheravatthu

Selo yathā ekaghano,

As the wind cannot stir

vātena na samīrati;

a solid mass of rock,

Evaṁ nindāpasaṁsāsu,

so too blame and praise

na samiñjanti paṇḍitā.

do not affect the wise.

Kāṇamātāvatthu

Yathāpi rahado gambhīro,

Like a deep lake,

vippasanno anāvilo;

clear and unclouded,

Evaṁ dhammāni sutvāna,

so clear are the astute

vippasīdanti paṇḍitā.

when they hear the teachings.

Pañcasatabhikkhuvatthu

Sabbattha ve sappurisā cajanti,

True persons give up everything,

Na kāmakāmā lapayanti santo;

they don’t cajole for the things they desire.

Sukhena phuṭṭhā atha vā dukhena,

Though touched by sadness or happiness,

Na uccāvacaṁ paṇḍitā dassayanti.

the astute appear neither depressed nor elated.

Dhammikattheravatthu

Na attahetu na parassa hetu,

Never wish for success by unjust means,

Na puttamicche na dhanaṁ na raṭṭhaṁ;

for your own sake or that of another,

Na iccheyya adhammena samiddhimattano,

desiring children, wealth, or nation;

Sa sīlavā paññavā dhammiko siyā.

rather, be virtuous, wise, and just.

Dhammassavanattheravatthu

Appakā te manussesu,

Few are those among humans

ye janā pāragāmino;

who cross to the far shore.

Athāyaṁ itarā pajā,

The rest just run around

tīramevānudhāvati.

on the near shore.

Ye ca kho sammadakkhāte,

When the teaching is well explained,

dhamme dhammānuvattino;

the people who practice accordingly

Te janā pāramessanti,

will cross over

maccudheyyaṁ suduttaraṁ.

Death’s dominion so hard to pass.

Pañcasataāgantukabhikkhuvatthu

Kaṇhaṁ dhammaṁ vippahāya,

Rid of dark qualities,

Sukkaṁ bhāvetha paṇḍito;

an astute person would develop the bright.

Okā anokamāgamma,

Having left home for homelessness

Viveke yattha dūramaṁ.

in seclusion, where joy is hard,

Tatrābhiratimiccheyya,

they’d long for satisfaction there.

hitvā kāme akiñcano;

Forsaking sensual pleasures, owning nothing,

Pariyodapeyya attānaṁ,

an astute person would cleanse themselves

cittaklesehi paṇḍito.

of mental corruptions.

Yesaṁ sambodhiyaṅgesu,

And those whose minds are rightly developed

sammā cittaṁ subhāvitaṁ;

in the awakening factors;

Ādānapaṭinissagge,

who, letting go of attachments,

anupādāya ye ratā;

delight in not grasping:

Khīṇāsavā jutimanto,

with defilements ended, brilliant,

te loke parinibbutā.

they are quenched in this world.

Paṇḍitavaggo chaṭṭho.