Dhammapada, Dhamma Verses (KN 2)

40
Paṇḍitavaggo
6. The Chapter about the Wise
Nidhīnaṁ va pavattāraṁ yaṁ passe vajjadassinaṁ,
One should regard someone who shows your faults just like one who points out hidden
treasure,
niggayhavādiṁ medhāviṁ tādisaṁ paṇḍitaṁ bhaje;
one should keep company with such a sagacious, learned person who reproves you;
tādisaṁ bhajamānassa seyyo hoti na pāpiyo. [76]
keeping company with such is (surely) better for you, not worse.
Ovadeyyānusāseyya, asabbhā ca nivāraye,
One should advise and instruct, and forbid whatever is vile,
sataṁ hi so piyo hoti, asataṁ hoti appiyo. [77]
for he is dear to the good, 1 (but) he is not dear to the bad.
Na bhaje pāpake mitte, na bhaje purisādhame,
One should not keep company with wicked friends, one should not keep company with
the ignoble,
bhajetha mitte kalyāṇe, bhajetha purisuttame. [78]
you should keep company with spiritual friends, you should keep company with superior
people. 2
Dhammapīti sukhaṁ seti, vippasannena cetasā,
The one who drinks Dhamma 3 lives well, with a clear mind,
Ar i yappavedite Dhamme sadā ramati paṇḍito. [79]
the wise one will always delight in the Dhamma that is made known by the Noble.
1
Although the theme of the good person is present, neither this verse nor the next mention the
paṇḍita.
2
This is a bit irregular: the first two lines are in the 3rd person singular, and the second two in the
2nd person (polite) plural. It is possible we should take the last two lines as being in middle voice,
but it would have been easy to write bhajeyya if the change of person wasn’t intended. Patna
reads bhajetha throughout, and Udānavarga reads bhaje, probably trying to regularise the
reading.
3
Comm: Dhammapayako Dhammaṁ pivanto ti attho... ariyasaccāni paṭivijjhanto; the one who
makes (others) drink Dhamma, who drinks Dhamma... who experiences the Noble truths. It seems
both causative and active meanings may be intended.