Lokavaggo : Chapter 13. The world
Chapter 13 of the Dhammapada is about the loka “the world“. The origin of loka means “space, open space“.
There are many different worlds in our environment, the world on earth, the secular world, and also this world and the next world or the heavenly world.
DhP.13-167
Hīnaṃ dhammaṃ na seveyya, inferior truth not follow pamādena na saṃvase; carelessness not to-live-with Micchādiṭṭhiṃ na seveyya, wrong-view not follow na siyā lokavaḍḍhano. not will-be follow world-increasing
Don’t follow wrong laws.
Don’t live carelessly.
Don’t follow wrong views.
Don’t go with the flow of the world.
explanation
It is not always a good deed because everyone else is doing it. In the public mind, more and more increase and improvement is a good. But this is a bottomless pit of “unsatisfied” desires.
DhP.13-168
Uttiṭṭhe nappamajjeyya, stand-up not-careless dhammaṃ sucaritaṃ care; truth good-deed does Dhammacārī sukhaṃ seti, truth-do-one easily lie-down asmiṃ loke paramhi ca. this world others' or
Do hard!
Truth, as do good deeds.
Do not be careless.
One who does the truth will live happily
in this world and in the next.
explanation
If people are left alone, they will drift towards the easy way. If we don’t consciously do our best, we can easily go down the wrong path.
DhP.13-169
Dhammaṃ care sucaritaṃ, truth does good-deed na naṃ duccaritaṃ care; not its bad-conduct does Dhammacārī sukhaṃ seti, truth-do-one easily lie-down asmiṃ loke paramhi ca. this world others' or
Do not do evil deeds,
do good deeds.
One who does the truth will live happily
in this world and in the next.
explanation
We are habituated to act on the emotional impulses of greed, anger and ignorance. To do the truth, this habit must be changed. Changing habits is a difficult task.
DhP.13-170
Yathā pubbuḷakaṃ passe, like foam see yathā passe marīcikaṃ; like see mirage Evaṃ lokaṃ avekkhantaṃ, like-this world look-down maccurājā na passati. king-of-death find
If you look at this world
as a bubble or a mirage,
you will not be found
by the king of death.
explanation
When you can see that all phenomena in the world are as impermanent as a bubble and as insubstantial as a mirage, you have reached the state of enlightenment.
DhP.13-171
171. Etha passathimaṃ lokaṃ, come look-at world cittaṃ rājarathūpamaṃ; painting king-chariot-as Yattha bālā visīdanti, there foolish sinking natthi saṅgo vijānataṃ. not-be attachment know-exactly
Now look at this world
like a king’s luxury car.
Foolish people are depressed,
but those who understand are not attached.
explanation
This world is full of glamour. Luxury cars, great houses, celebrity lifestyles. Foolish people feel depressed if they don’t have it. Even if they have it, the fear of losing it is still attached to them. In any case, their minds sink and they feel restless.
DhP.13-172
Yo ca pubbe pamajjitvā, one or formerly slothful pacchā so nappamajjati; after he not-slothful Somaṃ lokaṃ pabhāseti, he-this world to-illumine abbhā muttova candimā. cloud free-from-like moon
Even one who were be slothful before,
if he is no longer slothful,
he lights up the world like the moon
that came out of the clouds.
explanation
Who is a slothful person? It is someone who does not pay attention to themselves and cannot see calmly and objectively what they are doing, saying or thinking.
If you feel lazy, stretch your spine and move!
DhP.13-173
Yassa pāpaṃ kataṃ kammaṃ, who evil done action kusalena pidhīyati; by-good-action swept-away Somaṃ lokaṃ pabhāseti, he-this world to-illumine abbhā muttova candimā. cloud free-from-like moon
One’s sins are dispelled
by one’s good deeds.
He lights up the world like the moon
that came out of the clouds.
explanation
When you do something bad, regret, crying or apologising will not dispel the result of the bad action. The only way to dispel them is to do more good. Do not repeat your faults!
DhP.13-174
Andhabhūto ayaṃ loko, blind this world tanukettha vipassati; thin-here to-see-clearly Sakuṇo jālamuttova, bird net-free-from-like appo saggāya gacchati. few heaven goes
This world is dark and cannot be seen clearly.
Only a few people go to the heavenly world
like a bird that has escaped from a net.
explanation
Why is this world dark? Because we are blind. We do not have a clear understanding of what we know and what we do not know.
DhP.13-175
Haṃsādiccapathe yanti, swan-sun-path they-go ākāse yanti iddhiyā; in-the-air they-go by-magical-power Nīyanti dhīrā lokamhā, be-led-to wise world-from jetvā māraṃ savāhiniṃ. conquer mara sit-with-an-army
Swans fly towards the sun.
They fly with supernatural power.
Wises who have conquered Mara (vexations)
are guided out of the world.
explanation
“Flying with supernatural power“, I believe, means to travel freely to and from the other space, which is beyond our common conception of space. Specifically, I think it means entering the state of jhana and experiencing the world of “arūpa-brahma loka(spiritual world without material elements)”.
DhP.13-176
Ekaṃ dhammaṃ atītassa, one truth against musāvādissa jantuno; falsely-say person Vitiṇṇaparalokassa, gone-through-other-world natthi pāpaṃ akāriyaṃ. not-be evil not-duty
Someone who lies against the truth
will do any evil
without regard to the next world.
explanation
Those who do not want to sin, who do not want to do wrong, who want to live in peace and happiness, do not need to worry about the many evil deeds in this world. If you follow the one, “Don’t lie“, you will be a good person. Lying is the first step in any evil deed.
DhP.13-177
Na ve kadariyā devalokaṃ vajanti, not truly greedy heavenly-world goes bālā have nappasaṃsanti dānaṃ; foolish certainly not-praising donation Dhīro ca dānaṃ anumodamāno, wise and donation with-rejoicing teneva so hoti sukhī parattha. because-of he be happy next-world
A foolish or greedy one
who thinks that giving is a loss
will not go to the heavenly world.
The wises are glad to share.
That is why they will be happy
in the next world.
explanation
Stingy people do not want to give to others. They take everything alone – things, places, information – and in the end it is they who suffer the most. The help of other living beings is essential for people to survive. “Giving is a loss“, which excludes others and cuts off connections. Then we will not be able to get help from others. Already unhappy.
DhP.13-178
Pathabyā ekarajjena, ruler-of-the-earth sole-sovereignty saggassa gamanena vā; to-heaven going or Sabbalokādhipaccena, all-world-lordship sotāpattiphalaṃ varaṃ. state-of-a-sotāpanna better
It is better to be a sotāpanna
than to be an emperor of the earth,
than to go to the heavenly world
than to be ruler the universe.
explanation
Sotāpanna is an enlightened person who has attained the first stage of enlightenment. Sota(ear/stream) + āpanna(entered): It means that just by listening, one has entered the flow of enlightenment. As the name suggests, the first stage can be attained by simply hearing the teachings. More detail about the stage of enlightenment.
Lokavaggo terasamo niṭṭhito. world-chapter 13th finish
13. The world chapter is ended.