The Dhammapada

Thought determines destiny; pure thoughts bring happiness, evil thoughts bring suffering.

Earnestness is the path to immortality; thoughtlessness leads to spiritual death.

The mind must be guarded and controlled to achieve happiness and liberation.

Virtue spreads like the fragrance of flowers; discretion and proper living cultivate spiritual beauty.

Fools lack wisdom and suffer consequences; evil deeds bear bitter fruit in time.

Wise people cultivate knowledge, follow virtue, and remain unshaken by praise or blame.

The Arhat has transcended suffering through freedom from desires and attachments.

Self-conquest surpasses all external victories; virtuous living brings greater rewards.

Evil accumulates gradually like water filling a pot; righteous acts lead to happiness.

Harm to innocent beings brings severe karmic consequences and suffering.

Life is impermanent and ends in death; virtue alone remains eternal.

One must master oneself; self is both lord and obstacle to liberation.

The world is fleeting and deceptive; wise ones do not become attached to it.

The Buddha is awakened and free from desire; taking refuge in him brings deliverance.

True happiness comes from freedom from greed and desire, not from external pleasures.

Clinging to pleasure and passion brings suffering; freedom brings peace.

Anger must be overcome by love and wisdom; virtues protect against blame.

Ignorance is the worst impurity; disciplined living purifies the mind.

True justice and wisdom come from understanding truth and virtue, not external signs.

The eightfold path leads to the cessation of suffering and enlightenment.

Various teachings on virtue, the Buddha's disciples, and the difficulty of spiritual practice.

Careless living and evil deeds lead to hell; vigilance protects against downfall.

Patient endurance and self-discipline are virtues; the tamed mind achieves Nirvana.

Craving and thirst are the root of suffering; wisdom destroys desire and bondage.

The mendicant practices restraint and meditation to attain peace and liberation.

The true Brahmana achieves perfection through wisdom, virtue, and conquest of desires.