Dhammapada

Vagga 13: Sukhavaggo | Verse: 197-199

1. Meter 2. Grammar 3. Vocabulary 4. Backstory 5. Translations

1. Meter

˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ¯ ¯ ¯

‖ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯ pathyā x 6

susukhaṃ vata jīvāma verinesu averino,

¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ¯ ¯ ¯

‖ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

verinesu manussesu viharāma averino. [197]

˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ¯ ¯ ¯

‖ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

susukhaṃ vata jīvāma āturesu anāturā,

¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ¯ ¯ ¯

‖ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

āturesu manussesu viharāma anāturā. [198]

˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ¯ ¯ ¯

‖ ¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

susukhaṃ vata jīvāma ussukesu anussukā

¯ ˘ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ¯ ¯ ¯

‖ ˘ ˘ ¯ ˘ | ˘ ¯ ˘ ¯

ussukesu manussesu viharāma anussukā. [199]

source: http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Buddhist-Texts/K2-Dhammapada-New/New-Dhammapada.pdf

2. Grammar

susukhaṃ vata jīvāma

in happiness NT.ACC.SG. (ADV.)

surely IND. let us live IMP.1.PL.

verinesu averino

among hateful M.LOC.PL.

peaceful M.NOM.PL.

Let us live happily, free from hate among the hateful!

verinesu manussesu

among hateful M.LOC.PL. people M.LOC.PL

viharāma anāturā

let us stay IMP.1.PL. healthy M.NOM.PL.

Let us stay peaceful among hateful people.

susukhaṃ vata jīvāma

in happiness NT.ACC.SG. (ADV.)

surely IND. let us live IMP.1.PL.

āturesu anāturā

among the afflicted M.LOC.PL.

healthy M.NOM.PL.

Let us live happily, unafflicted among the afflicted!

āturesu manussesu

among afflicted M.LOC.PL. people M.LOC.PL

viharāma anāturā

let us stay IMP.1.PL. healthy M.NOM.PL.

Let us stay healthy among afflicted people.

susukhaṃ vata jīvāma

in happiness NT.ACC.SG. (ADV.) surely IND. let us live IMP.1.PL.

ussukesu anussukā

among the zealously active M.LOC.PL.

unbusy M.NOM.PL.

Let us live happily, unbusy among the busy!

ussukesu manussesu

among zealously active M.LOC.PL. people M.LOC.PL

viharāma anussukā

let us stay IMP.1.PL. unconcerned M.NOM.PL.

Let us stay unconcerned among zealous people.

Let us live happily, free from hate among the hateful!Let us stay peaceful among hateful people.

Let us live happily, unafflicted among the afflicted!Let us stay healthy among afflicted people.

Let us live happily, unbusy among the busy!Let us stay unconcerned among zealous people.

3. Vocabulary quoted from Cone, A Dictionary of Pali or PTS Pali English Dictionary

susukhaṃ,

su, (indecl.) a particle, combd with adj., nouns, and certain verb forms, to express the notion of "well, happily, thorough" ; opp. du°. It often acts as simple intensive prefix (cp. saṃ°) in the sense of "very," and is thus also combd with concepts which in themselves denote a deficiency or bad quality

sukha, (adj.-n.) agreeable, pleasant, blest sukhaṃ nt. wellbeing, happiness, ease; ideal, success; acc. sukhaṃ comfortably, in happiness;

vata, (indecl.) part of exclamation: surely, certainly, indeed, alas!

jīvāma, Per K.R. Norman may be taken as imperative 1PL of Jīvati

Jīvati to live, be alive, live by, subsist on (c. instr. or nissāya).

verin bearing hostility, inimical, revengeful

averin, mfn., [= Avera] peaceable, mild, friendly

manussa, m., a human being, man.

viharāma, per KR Norman may be taken as imperative 1PL of viharati

Viharati to stay, abide, dwell, sojourn (in a certain place); in general: to be, to live; applied: to behave, lead a life

ātura, mfn., sick, ill; suffering, afflicted; wretched

anātura, mfn., not sick, healthy, well;

ussuka (often [wrongly] written ussukka), mfn., busy, zealously active; striving, eager (for); repining (for);

anussukā, mfn., not busy; quiet, unconcerned;

4. BackstoryThe Story of the Pacification of the Relatives of the Buddha

The Buddha uttered Verse (197) to (199) of this book, in the Sakyan country, with reference to his relatives who were quarrelling over the use of the water from the Rohini river.Kapilavatthu the town of the Sakyans and Koliya the town of the Kolyans were situated on either side of the Rohini river. The cultivators of both towns worked the fields watered by the Rohini river. One year, they did not have enough rain and finding that the paddy and other crops were beginning to shrivel up, cultivators on both sides wanted to divert the water from the Rohini river to their own fields. Those living in Koliya said that there was not enough water in the river for both sides, and that if only they could channel the water just once more to their fields that would be enough for the paddy to mature and ripen. On the other hand, people from Kapilavatthu argued that, in that case, they would be denied the use of the water and their crops would surely fail, and they would be compelled to buy from other people. They said that they were not prepared to go carrying their money and valuables to the opposite bank of the river in exchange for food.Both sides wanted the water for their own use only and there was much ill will between them due to abusive language and accusations on both sides. The quarrel that started between the cultivators came to the ears of the ministers concerned,

and they reported the matter to their respective rulers, and both sides prepared to go to war.The Buddha, surveying the world with his supernormal powers, saw his relatives on both sides of the river coming out to meet in battle and he decided to stop them. All alone, he went to them by going through the sky, and stopped immediately above the middle of the river. His relatives seeing him, powerfully and yet peacefully sitting above them in the sky, hid aside all their weapons and paid obeisance to the Buddha. Then, the Buddha said to them, "For the sake of some water, which is of little value, you should not destroy your lives which are of so much value and priceless. Why have you taken this stupid action? If I had not stopped you today, your blood would have been flowing like a river by now. You live hating your enemies, but I have none to hate; you are ailing with moral defilements, but I am free from them; you are striving to have sensual pleasures, but I do not strive for them."Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:

Verse 197: Indeed we live very happily, not hating anyone among those who hate; among men who hate we live without hating anyone.Verse 198: Indeed we live very happily, in good health among the ailing; among men who are ailing we live in good health.Verse 199: Indeed we live very happily, not striving (for sensual pleasures) among these who strive (for them); among those who strive (for them) we live without striving.

At the end of the discourse many people attained Sotapatti Fruition.

source: http://www.vipassana.info/Dhammapada_contents.htm

5. Translations

Narada Thera (K. Sri Dhammananda)

Ah, happily do we live without hate amongst the hateful; amidst hateful men we dwell unhating.

Ah, happily do we live in good health amongst the ailing; amidst ailing men we dwell in good health.

Ah, happily do we live without yearning (for sensual pleasures) amongst those who yearn (for them); amidst those who yearn (for them) we dwell without yearning.

Acharya Buddharakkhita

Happy indeed we live, friendly amidst the hostile. Amidst hostile men we

dwell free from hatred.

Happy indeed we live, friendly amidst the afflicted (by craving). Amidst

afflicted men we dwell free from affliction.

Happy indeed we live, free from avarice amidst the avaricious. Amidst the

avaricious men we dwell free from avarice.

Thanissaro BhikkhuHow very happily we live,

free from hostility

among those who are hostile.

Among hostile people,

free from hostility we dwell.

How very happily we live,

free from misery

among those who are miserable.

Among miserable people,

free from misery we dwell.

How very happily we live,

free from busyness

among those who are busy.

Among busy people,

free from busyness we dwell.

Ajahn MunindoWhile in the midst

of those who hate,to dwell free from hatingis happiness indeed.

While in the midstof those who are troubled,to dwell untroubledis happiness indeed.

While in the midstof those who are greedy,to dwell free from greedis happiness indeed.

Gil FronsdalAh, so happily we live,

Without hate among those with hate.Among people who hate

We live without hate.

Ah, so happily we live,Without misery among those in misery.

Among people in miseryWe live without misery.

Ah, so happily we live,Without ambition among those with ambition.

Among people who are ambitiousWe live without ambition.

K.R. Norman

We live very happily indeed without hate among those who hate; among men who hate we dwell without hate.

We live very happily indeed without disease among those who are diseased; among men who are diseased we dwell without disease.

We live very happily indeed without care among those who are full of care; among men who are full of care we dwell without care.