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The Dhammapada - Affection - v 209 - v 220
buddhafoot
Veteran
It's been awhile - but it's time for more verses from the Dhammapada!
Piyavagga
Affection
Translated from the Pali by
Acharya Buddharakkhita
Alternate translation: Buddharakkhita Thanissaro
209. Giving himself to things to be shunned and not exerting where exertion is needed, a seeker after pleasures, having given up his true welfare, envies those intent upon theirs.
210. Seek no intimacy with the beloved and also not with the unloved, for not to see the beloved and to see the unloved, both are painful.
211. Therefore hold nothing dear, for separation from the dear is painful. There are no bonds for those who have nothing beloved or unloved.
212. From endearment springs grief, from endearment springs fear. From him who is wholly free from endearment there is no grief, whence then fear?
213. From affection springs grief, from affection springs fear. From him who is wholly free from affection there is no grief, whence then fear?
214. From attachment springs grief, from attachment springs fear. From him who is wholly free from attachment there is no grief, whence then fear?
215. From lust springs grief, from lust springs fear. From him who is wholly free from craving there is no grief; whence then fear?
216. From craving springs grief, from craving springs fear. From him who is wholly free from craving there is no grief; whence then fear?
217. People hold dear him who embodies virtue and insight, who is principled, has realized the truth, and who himself does what he ought to be doing.
218. One who is intent upon the Ineffable (Nibbana), dwells with mind inspired (by supramundane wisdom), and is no more bound by sense pleasures — such a man is called "One Bound Upstream." 18
219. When, after a long absence, a man safely returns from afar, his relatives, friends and well-wishers welcome him home on arrival.
220. As kinsmen welcome a dear one on arrival, even so his own good deeds will welcome the doer of good who has gone from this world to the next.
Piyavagga
Affection
Translated from the Pali by
Acharya Buddharakkhita
Alternate translation: Buddharakkhita Thanissaro
209. Giving himself to things to be shunned and not exerting where exertion is needed, a seeker after pleasures, having given up his true welfare, envies those intent upon theirs.
210. Seek no intimacy with the beloved and also not with the unloved, for not to see the beloved and to see the unloved, both are painful.
211. Therefore hold nothing dear, for separation from the dear is painful. There are no bonds for those who have nothing beloved or unloved.
212. From endearment springs grief, from endearment springs fear. From him who is wholly free from endearment there is no grief, whence then fear?
213. From affection springs grief, from affection springs fear. From him who is wholly free from affection there is no grief, whence then fear?
214. From attachment springs grief, from attachment springs fear. From him who is wholly free from attachment there is no grief, whence then fear?
215. From lust springs grief, from lust springs fear. From him who is wholly free from craving there is no grief; whence then fear?
216. From craving springs grief, from craving springs fear. From him who is wholly free from craving there is no grief; whence then fear?
217. People hold dear him who embodies virtue and insight, who is principled, has realized the truth, and who himself does what he ought to be doing.
218. One who is intent upon the Ineffable (Nibbana), dwells with mind inspired (by supramundane wisdom), and is no more bound by sense pleasures — such a man is called "One Bound Upstream." 18
219. When, after a long absence, a man safely returns from afar, his relatives, friends and well-wishers welcome him home on arrival.
220. As kinsmen welcome a dear one on arrival, even so his own good deeds will welcome the doer of good who has gone from this world to the next.
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Comments
Giving up cravings and attachments we always read about. Giving up affections, endearments, holding things dear - that makes one think about their whole life on a daily basis!
-bf
It is a difficult thing to understand, especially when we have lived our whole lives thinking that the more we have, the happier we will be. However, the more we have, the more we have to lose; and the more we lose, the more grief we will experience due to our attachment to, and craving for, those things.
Gain and loss are two sides of the same coin, and as long as we grasp one or the other, we will never be free from grief. Even so, there is more to this idea than simply giving up everything and crawling into some hole never again to enter society. There are wholesome ways in which to interact with the world, ways such as loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, and equanimity for example.
Nevertheless, not everyone is willing to give up their worldly happiness in exchange for a happiness that is completely free from conditions. One of the aspects of Right View is seeing the benefits of giving up that which leads to temporary happiness for that which leads to long-term happiness.
Jason
Ding!!!! Give that man a prize!
Actually, I'd say a moment at a time!
I like that new avatar. It's beautiful.
This really is one in the eye for Western sentimentalism that celebrates and pursues "intimate relationships". The Tathagata is pretty absolutist about this, isn't he?
As a Westerner, sometimes it's easy to ignore that part of the teaching. But attachment means "attachments" - not just some attachments.
But, then the Buddha gives references of As kinsmen welcome a dear one on arrival or When, after a long absence, a man safely returns from afar, his relatives, friends and well-wishers welcome him home - it seems like the teachings might be at odds with themselves. But, I believe it's coming to terms with being able to love and appreciate all things - yet not have "attachments".
-bf
In taking that decision and for that reason, the Tathagata 'condemned' himself to all the struggles and disappointments and pains that come with living, ageing, falling sick and dying. By those very events, he demonstrates the truth of these verses about attachment: even attachment to Turning the Wheel will entail suffering, just as a decision to 'fall in love', get married, have children will bring its sufferings.
I find that for things like affection, money etc. etc. and all that we may consider being part of our makeup of our definition of success, it is alright to be happily married, and it is also fine to be very rich. But from what I see, although honestly it doesn't come often, people have used such "burdens" for better purposes.
Bill Gates and his money goes into charity, and families are setup and great people born out of mutual love from the parents. The problem comes when you have to lose them, and the physiological response is the thing that the Buddha probably disliked.
I notice that the text also brings in non-attachment more than once to demostrate how it may be possible to live the best of both worlds like some kind of weird paradox.
It may be difficult for us to be non-attached to products out of conditioned existence. Yet at the end of the day, every Buddhist who has ever suffered from the loss of someone dear, despite all kinds of sadness and unwholesome feelings they ever feel, they are aware that it is only that which makes them human. The important thing is rather, knowing why we suffer.
Thus I see most if not all Buddhist sutras seeming to point towards non-attachment and loving-kindness rather than detachment and senseless self-sacrifice. For every Scripture I read (and I must say it's not much, my Scripture knowledge pure sucks - I don't read them unless something causes me to), I see a common theme to be understood.
I was so inspired when listening to some TNH on the Budddha's teaching on taking refuge in the island of self.