Dhammapada, Dhamma Verses (KN 2)

84
Sukhavaggo
15. The Chapter about Happiness
Susukhaṁ vata jīvāma verinesu averino,
Let us live truly happily, without hatred, amongst those who have hatred,
verinesu manussesu viharāma averino. [197]
amongst humans who have hatred let us live without hatred.
Susukhaṁ vata jīvāma āturesu anāturā,
Let us live truly happily, without sickness, amongst those who are sick, 1
āturesu manussesu viharāma anāturā. [198]
amongst humans who have sickness let us live without sickness.
Susukhaṁ vata jīvāma ussukesu anussukā
Let us live truly happily, without longing, amongst those who are longing, 2
ussukesu manussesu viharāma anussukā. [199]
amongst humans who are longing let us live without longing.
Susukhaṁ vata jīvāma yesaṁ no natthi kiñcanaṁ,
We live truly happily enough having no possessions ourselves, 3
pītibhakkhā bhavissāma devā Ābhassarā yathā. [200]
we will feed on joy like the gods of Streaming Light. 4
Jayaṁ veraṁ pasavati, dukkhaṁ seti parājito,
The victor generates hatred, the defeated one finds suffering,
upasanto sukhaṁ seti, hitvā jayaparājayaṁ. [201]
the one at peace lives happily, having abandoned victory and defeat.
1
Comm: kilesāturesu; amongst those who are sick with defilements.
2
Comm: pañcakāmaguṇapariyesane; seeking the five strands of sense pleasure.
3 Comm: rāgādīsu kiñcanesu; with no possessions like passion and so forth.
4
The Ābhassara devas are traditionally positioned at the seventeenth level of existence, at the top
of the three levels said to correspond to the second absorption.