Dhammapada – Daily Sutta Reading

Dhp 311–314 from Niriya Vagga: Hell

Just as sharp-bladed grass,
if wrongly held,
wounds the very hand that holds it–
the contemplative life, if wrongly grasped,
drags you down to hell.

Any slack act,
or defiled observance,
or fraudulent life of chastity
bears no great fruit.

If something’s to be done,
then work at it firmly,
for a slack going-forth
kicks up all the more dust.

It’s better to leave a misdeed
undone.
A misdeed burns you afterward.
Better that a good deed be done
that, after you’ve done it,
won’t make you burn.

Read the entire translation of Dhammapada XXII . Hell by Bhikkhu Ṭhanissaro on DhammaTalks.org. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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Dhp 375 From… Bhikkhuvagga: Mendicants

This is the very start of the path
for a wise mendicant:
guarding the senses, contentment,
and restraint in the monastic code.

Read the entire translation of Dhammapada 360–382 Bhikkhuvagga: by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net.

Or read a different translation on SuttaFriends.org, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read in one of 24 other modern languages.

Dhp 302 From… Pakiṇṇakavagga:

Going forth is hard, it’s hard to be happy;
life at home is hard too, and painful,
it’s painful to stay when you’ve nothing in common.
A traveler is a prey to pain,
so don’t be a traveler,
don’t be prey to pain.

Read the entire translation of Dhammapada 290–305 Pakiṇṇakavagga: by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net.

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Dhp 334-336 From… Taṇhā Vagga: Craving

334. The craving of a person who lives negligently spreads like a creeping vine. Like a monkey who leaps from tree to tree in the forest seeking fruits, that person leaps from life to life, in this journey of misery.

335. Whoever is overcome by this miserable, wretched, and sticky craving, his sorrow grows like rapidly growing grass after rain.

336. Whoever overcomes this miserable, wretched craving that is difficult to overcome, from him sorrow falls away like water drips from a lotus leaf.

Read the entire translation of Dhammapada 24 Taṇhā Vagga: Craving (334-359) by Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnananda Thero on SuttaFriends.org.

Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read in 24 other modern languages.

Dhp 186–187 From… Buddhavagga: The Buddha

186. Even if it were raining money,
you’d not be sated in sensual pleasures.
An astute person understands that sensual pleasures
offer little gratification and much suffering.

187. Thus they find no delight
even in celestial pleasures.
A disciple of the fully awakened Buddha
delights in the ending of craving.

Read the entire translation of Dhammapada 179–196 Buddhavagga: by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net.

Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in one of 24 other modern languages.

Dhp 316-319 From… Chapter 22 Niraya Vagga: Hell

Ashamed of what’s not shameful,
not ashamed of what is,
beings adopting wrong views
go to a bad destination.

Seeing danger where there is none,
& no danger where there is,
beings adopting wrong views
go to a bad destination.

Imagining error where there is none,
and no error where there is,
beings adopting wrong views
go to a bad destination.

But knowing error as error,
and non-error as non-,
beings adopting right views
go to a good
destination.

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Dhp 273-276 From… Magga Vagga: The Path

273. Of all paths, the Noble Eight Fold Path is the best. Of all truths, the Four Noble Truth is the best. Of all things, the passionless state, Nibbāna, is the best. Of all humans, the one with eyes of the Dhamma, Buddha, is the best.

274. This is the only path for purifying one’s vision of truth; there is no other. Follow it and you will bewilder Māra.

275. By following the Noble Eight Fold Path you can put an end to suffering. I have taught you this path which pulls out arrows of defilements.

276. You, yourself, must make a strong effort to attain Nibbāna. Buddhas only point the way. Those who follow the path and those who meditate will be freed from Māra’s bonds.

Read the entire translation of Dhammapada 20 Magga Vagga: The Path (273-289) by Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnananda Thero on SuttaFriends.org. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read translations into 25 other modern languages on SuttaCentral.net.

Dhp 179–182 From… Buddhavagga: The Buddha

179. By what track can you trace that trackless Buddha of limitless range, whose victory nothing can undo, whom none of the vanquished defilements can ever pursue?

180. By what track can you trace that trackless Buddha of limitless range, in whom exists no longer, the entangling and embroiling craving that perpetuates becoming?

181. Those wise ones who are devoted to meditation and who delight in the calm of renunciation — such mindful ones, Supreme Buddhas, even the gods hold dear.

182. Hard is it to be born a man; hard is the life of mortals. Hard is it to gain the opportunity of hearing the Sublime Truth, and hard to encounter is the arising of the Buddhas.

Read the entire translation of Dhammapada 179–196 Buddhavagga: by Bhikkhu Ācāriya Buddharakkhita on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org, DhammaTalks.org, or Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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Dhp 6 From… Yamakavagga:

There are those who do not realize
that one day we all must die.
But those who do realize this
settle their quarrels.

Read the entire translation of Dhammapada 1–20 Yamakavagga: by Bhante Buddharakkhita on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on SuttaCentral.net, SuttaFriends.org, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

Or read a translation in Deutsch, Bengali, Català, Español, Indonesian, မြန်မာဘာသာ, Norsk, ру́сский язы́к, සිංහල, ไทย, Tiếng Việt, or 汉语.

Dhp 231–234 from… Kodhavagga: Anger

Guard against ill-tempered deeds,
be restrained in body.
Giving up bad bodily conduct,
conduct yourself well in body.

Guard against ill-tempered words,
be restrained in speech.
Giving up bad verbal conduct,
conduct yourself well in speech.

Guard against ill-tempered thoughts,
be restrained in mind.
Giving up bad mental conduct,
conduct yourself well in mind.

A sage is restrained in body
restrained also in speech,
in thought, too, they are restrained:
they are restrained in every way.

Read the entire translation of Dhammapada Chapter 17, Kodhavagga: by Bhikkhu Sujato on SuttaCentral.net. Or read a different translation on Sutta C entral.net, SuttaFriends.org, DhammaTalks.org, Ancient-Buddhist-Texts.net or AccessToInsight.org. Or listen on Voice.SuttaCentral.net. Or explore the Pali on DigitalPaliReader.online.

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