DhammaPada verses 209–220 explore the danger of attachment to what is pleasing, how sorrow and fear arise from the beloved, affection, delight, sensual pleasures, and craving, who is dear to the people, who flows upstream, and on the importance of merit.
209
Ayoge yuñjamattānaṁ,
yogasmiñca ayojayaṁ;
Atthaṁ hitvā piyaggāhī,
pihetattānuyoginaṁ.
One who engages in what is |not suitable::to be avoided [ayoga]|,
and neglects what is suitable;
clinging to what is pleasing, having given up one’s true |welfare::good, benefit, profit [attha]|,
envies those |devoted to their own true welfare::practicing for one’s own development, engaging in meditation [attānuyogī]|.
210
Mā piyehi samāgañchi,
appiyehi kudācanaṁ;
Piyānaṁ adassanaṁ dukkhaṁ,
appiyānañca dassanaṁ.
Do not associate with the |beloved::dear, loved one [piya]|,
nor ever with the |unloved::disagreeable [appiya]|;
for the disappearance of the beloved is suffering,
and so too is the sight of the unloved.
211
Tasmā piyaṁ na kayirātha,
piyāpāyo hi pāpako;
Ganthā tesaṁ na vijjanti,
yesaṁ natthi piyāppiyaṁ.
Therefore, do not hold anything as beloved,
for separation from the beloved is painful;
there are no |bonds::ties, knots [ganthā]| for those
for whom there is neither |the beloved nor the unloved::pleasant and unpleasant [piyāppiya]|.
212
Piyato jāyatī soko,
piyato jāyatī bhayaṁ;
Piyato vippamuttassa,
natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
From the beloved arises |sorrow::grief, sadness [soka]|,
from the beloved arises |fear::panic, scare, dread, terror [bhaya]|;
for one who is freed from the beloved,
there is no sorrow—whence fear?
213
Pemato jāyatī soko,
pemato jāyatī bhayaṁ;
Pemato vippamuttassa,
natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
From |affection::dearness, fondness [pema]| arises sorrow,
from affection arises fear;
for one who is freed from affection,
there is no sorrow—whence fear?
214
Ratiyā jāyatī soko,
ratiyā jāyatī bhayaṁ;
Ratiyā vippamuttassa,
natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
From |delight::relish, liking, pleasure [rati]| arises sorrow,
from delight arises fear;
for one who is freed from delight,
there is no sorrow—whence fear?
215
Kāmato jāyatī soko,
kāmato jāyatī bhayaṁ;
Kāmato vippamuttassa,
natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
From |sensual pleasure::sense desire, wishing, wanting, delighting in [kāma]| arises sorrow,
from sensual pleasure arises fear;
for one who is free from sensual pleasure,
there is no sorrow—whence fear?
216
Taṇhāya jāyatī soko,
taṇhāya jāyatī bhayaṁ;
Taṇhāya vippamuttassa,
natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
From |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]| arises sorrow,
from craving arises fear;
for one who is free from craving,
there is no sorrow—whence fear?
217
Sīladassanasampannaṁ,
dhammaṭṭhaṁ saccavedinaṁ;
Attano kamma kubbānaṁ,
taṁ jano kurute piyaṁ.
Endowed with |virtue::morality, ethical conduct [sīla]| and |vision::realization [dassana]|,
firmly established in the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|, |knowing the [four] truths::who understands the reality, knowing the four noble truths by personal experience [saccavedī]|;
fulfilling one’s own duties,
such a person is held dear by the people.
218
Chandajāto anakkhāte,
Manasā ca phuṭo siyā;
Kāmesu ca appaṭibaddhacitto,
Uddhaṁsototi vuccati.
One who aspires for the |ineffable::indescribable, indefinable [anakkhāta]|,
and whose mind is |suffused::permeated, filled [phuṭa]| by it;
whose mind is unattached to sensual pleasures—
such a one is called ‘|one who flows upstream::going against the flow, rising above the current [uddhaṃsota]|.’
219
Cirappavāsiṁ purisaṁ,
dūrato sotthimāgataṁ;
Ñātimittā suhajjā ca,
abhinandanti āgataṁ.
When one who has been away for a long time,
returns safely from afar;
their relatives, friends, and well-wishers
welcome them back with |delight::happiness [abhinandati]|.
220
Tatheva katapuññampi,
asmā lokā paraṁ gataṁ;
Puññāni paṭigaṇhanti,
piyaṁ ñātīva āgataṁ.
In the same way, when one who has made |merit::good deeds, spiritual wealth [puñña]|
passes from this world to the next;
their merits welcome them,
like relatives welcoming a dear one home.
209
One who engages in what is |not suitable::to be avoided [ayoga]|,
and neglects what is suitable;
clinging to what is pleasing, having given up one’s true |welfare::good, benefit, profit [attha]|,
envies those |devoted to their own true welfare::practicing for one’s own development, engaging in meditation [attānuyogī]|.
210
Do not associate with the |beloved::dear, loved one [piya]|,
nor ever with the |unloved::disagreeable [appiya]|;
for the disappearance of the beloved is suffering,
and so too is the sight of the unloved.
211
Therefore, do not hold anything as beloved,
for separation from the beloved is painful;
there are no |bonds::ties, knots [ganthā]| for those
for whom there is neither |the beloved nor the unloved::pleasant and unpleasant [piyāppiya]|.
212
From the beloved arises |sorrow::grief, sadness [soka]|,
from the beloved arises |fear::panic, scare, dread, terror [bhaya]|;
for one who is freed from the beloved,
there is no sorrow—whence fear?
213
From |affection::dearness, fondness [pema]| arises sorrow,
from affection arises fear;
for one who is freed from affection,
there is no sorrow—whence fear?
214
From |delight::relish, liking, pleasure [rati]| arises sorrow,
from delight arises fear;
for one who is freed from delight,
there is no sorrow—whence fear?
215
From |sensual pleasure::sense desire, wishing, wanting, delighting in [kāma]| arises sorrow,
from sensual pleasure arises fear;
for one who is free from sensual pleasure,
there is no sorrow—whence fear?
216
From |craving::wanting, yearning, longing, attachment, lit. thirst [taṇha]| arises sorrow,
from craving arises fear;
for one who is free from craving,
there is no sorrow—whence fear?
217
Endowed with |virtue::morality, ethical conduct [sīla]| and |vision::realization [dassana]|,
firmly established in the |Dhamma::teachings of the Buddha that point to the nature of reality, the ultimate truth [dhamma]|, |knowing the [four] truths::who understands the reality, knowing the four noble truths by personal experience [saccavedī]|;
fulfilling one’s own duties,
such a person is held dear by the people.
218
One who aspires for the |ineffable::indescribable, indefinable [anakkhāta]|,
and whose mind is |suffused::permeated, filled [phuṭa]| by it;
whose mind is unattached to sensual pleasures—
such a one is called ‘|one who flows upstream::going against the flow, rising above the current [uddhaṃsota]|.’
219
When one who has been away for a long time,
returns safely from afar;
their relatives, friends, and well-wishers
welcome them back with |delight::happiness [abhinandati]|.
220
In the same way, when one who has made |merit::good deeds, spiritual wealth [puñña]|
passes from this world to the next;
their merits welcome them,
like relatives welcoming a dear one home.
Ayoge yuñjamattānaṁ,
yogasmiñca ayojayaṁ;
Atthaṁ hitvā piyaggāhī,
pihetattānuyoginaṁ.
Mā piyehi samāgañchi,
appiyehi kudācanaṁ;
Piyānaṁ adassanaṁ dukkhaṁ,
appiyānañca dassanaṁ.
Tasmā piyaṁ na kayirātha,
piyāpāyo hi pāpako;
Ganthā tesaṁ na vijjanti,
yesaṁ natthi piyāppiyaṁ.
Piyato jāyatī soko,
piyato jāyatī bhayaṁ;
Piyato vippamuttassa,
natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
Pemato jāyatī soko,
pemato jāyatī bhayaṁ;
Pemato vippamuttassa,
natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
Ratiyā jāyatī soko,
ratiyā jāyatī bhayaṁ;
Ratiyā vippamuttassa,
natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
Kāmato jāyatī soko,
kāmato jāyatī bhayaṁ;
Kāmato vippamuttassa,
natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
Taṇhāya jāyatī soko,
taṇhāya jāyatī bhayaṁ;
Taṇhāya vippamuttassa,
natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
Sīladassanasampannaṁ,
dhammaṭṭhaṁ saccavedinaṁ;
Attano kamma kubbānaṁ,
taṁ jano kurute piyaṁ.
Chandajāto anakkhāte,
Manasā ca phuṭo siyā;
Kāmesu ca appaṭibaddhacitto,
Uddhaṁsototi vuccati.
Cirappavāsiṁ purisaṁ,
dūrato sotthimāgataṁ;
Ñātimittā suhajjā ca,
abhinandanti āgataṁ.
Tatheva katapuññampi,
asmā lokā paraṁ gataṁ;
Puññāni paṭigaṇhanti,
piyaṁ ñātīva āgataṁ.