15. Sukhavaggo : Chapter 15. Ease
“Sukha” means ease, comfort, happiness, suffering-free state of mind.
DhP.15-197
Susukhaṃ vata jīvāma, well-easy surely life verinesu averino; hostility not-hostility Verinesu manussesu, hostility in-the-people viharāma averino. lives not-hostility
Take it easy.
In a hostile world, without hostility.
Live without enmity among hostile people.
explanation
No war in history has ever been fought for honest reasons. All wars have been caused by a series of meaningless and mere excuses. If we fight, we will not own anything. We will only get hurt and die.
DhP.15-198
Susukhaṃ vata jīvāma, well-easy surely life āturesu anāturā; ill not-miserable Āturesu manussesu, ill in-the-people viharāma anāturā. lives not-ill
Take it easy.
In a sick world, without worries.
Live without troubles among a sick people.
explanation
“Sick” here means not just illness, but a wide range of “afflictions and troubles“. It is based on the view that all illnesses are caused by mental affliction.
DhP.15-199
Susukhaṃ vata jīvāma, well-easy surely life ussukesu anussukā; energetic not-energetic Ussukesu manassesu, energetic in-the-people viharāma anussukā. lives not-energetic
Take it easy.
In an exciting world, without passion.
Live quietly among exciting people.
explanation
We think that feeling high is a good mood, we try to find enjoyment and excitement. The state of high tension is temporary. To maintain that state, we are constantly looking for exciting stimuli. Then there is no ease of mind.
DhP.15-200
Susukhaṃ vata jīvāma, well-easy surely life yesaṃ no natthi kiñcanaṃ; what we not something Pītibhakkhā bhavissāma, feeding-on-joy there-will-be devā ābhassarā yathā. gods radiant like
Take it easy.
If you have none,
you will have no hindrances.
You will feed on joy
and live as brightly as the gods.
explanation
Those who have no greed, hostility or ignorance have nothing to lose. So there is no fear or anxiety. Even if they have no food, they can live on joy. Because someone will always give such a person what they need.
DhP.15-201
Jayaṃ veraṃ pasavati, victory hatred give-birth-to dukkhaṃ seti parājito; with-suffering lie-down defeat Upasanto sukhaṃ seti, calmed easy lie-down hitvā jayaparājayaṃ. leave victory-defeat
Winning makes enemies.
Losing sinks you into suffering.
One who has abandoned win-lose
is calm and easy-going.
explanation
Human society is built on the principle of competition. It is a win-lose dualism: if you win, you create enemies out of resentment; if you lose, you want to get back at them out of spite. Neither is happy. The Buddha’s teaching is to live to win in both cases. Therefore, whatever you do, do not aim to win or to gain an advantage for yourself, but think of the purpose of being useful to the other person. That way you can both win.
DhP.15-202
Natthi rāgasamo aggi, nothing lust-equal fire natthi dosasamo kali; nothing anger-equal distress Natthi khandhasamā dukkhā, nothing bulk-equal suffering natthi santiparaṃ sukhaṃ. nothing peace-other easy
No fire is greater than passion.
No agony greater than hatred.
No suffering is greater than kandha.
There is no peace except for ease.
explanation
“Khandha” means “heaps, aggregates, collections, groupings”. The Buddha said that human beings are made up of “pañca-kkhandha (the five aggregates)”. These are rūpa (form), vedanā (sensation), saññā (perception, thought), saṅkhāra (reaction) and viññāṇa (consciousness). We are always worrying about our bodies and our minds. This is attachment and becomes suffering.
DhP.15-203
Jighacchāparamā rogā, hunger-the-most illness saṅkhāraparamā dukhā; reaction-the-most suffering Etaṃ ñatvā yathābhūtaṃ, this having-known as-it-is nibbānaṃ paramaṃ sukhaṃ. nirvana the-most easy
Hunger is the greatest illness.
Reaction is the greatest suffering.
Knowing this as it is
that is the greatest ease and nirvana.
explanation
Saṅkhāra (reaction) is the urge in the mind to do something.
When we experience something, we perceive it against what we have already experienced. At this time, people perceive things in their own way, giving them their own colouring of likes and dislikes. We cannot understand the facts as they are. We assume that this prejudiced perception is a fact and decide on our next action (reaction).
DhP.15-204
Ārogyaparamā lābhā, health-the-most gain santuṭṭhiparamaṃ dhanaṃ; contentment-the-most wealth Vissāsaparamā ñāti, trust-the-most relative nibbānaṃ paramaṃ sukhaṃ. nirvana the-most easy
Health is the best value.
Contentment is the best property.
Trust is the best kinship.
Nirvana is the best ease.
explanation
Being healthy is the best value for living. Being ill costs money, makes you sick and is a loss for people.
When we think of property, money, houses, land, power and honor come to mind, but what people actually want is not the material possessions themselves, but the satisfaction they obtain from them. So rather than managing a vast amount of possessions, it is better to manage the mind so that one can be content with a few things.
Satisfaction mainly expresses feelings of joy and achievement.
Contentment expresses a feeling of being dissatisfied with the current situation.
If there is trust, you do not need to be a relative to get help.
More than health, property and trust, there is a supreme peace of mind. That is nirvana. Health, property and trust will one day be useless and mean nothing, but nirvana is a peaceful mind that lasts forever.
DhP.15-205
Pavivekarasaṃ pitvā, solitude-taste enjoy rasaṃ upasamassa ca; taste quiet and Niddaro hoti nippāpo, free-from-fear be sinless dhammapītirasaṃ pivaṃ. truth-joy-taste and enjoy
Taste and enjoy solitude and peace.
With a fearless and sinless mind,
taste and enjoy the joys of the Dhamma.
explanation
A happy life is one in which the mind is autonomous and not dependent on anything else, living each day with a peaceful mind. It is not about gaining power, honour, property or popularity. Even if you become an erudite, in the end you will die and forget everything.
DhP.15-206
Sāhu dassanamariyānaṃ, well seeing-noble-man sannivāso sadā sukho; living-with always easy Adassanena bālānaṃ, not-seeing fools niccameva sukhī siyā. constant-even easy will-be
It is good to meet the saints.
It is always easy
if you can live with them.
If you don’t meet fools,
you will be always at ease.
explanation
Good people attract good people. Bad people attract bad people. You can tell what kind of person you are by looking at the people around you. Be careful if you are around only bad people. You may be a bad person. Stop doing bad deeds and do good deeds.
DhP.15-207
Bālasaṅgatacārī hi, immature-come-together really dīghamaddhāna socati; long-time mourn Dukkho bālehi saṃvāso, suffring fools living-with amitteneva sabbadā; not-friend-just everytime Dhīro ca sukhasaṃvāso, wise but easy-living-with ñātīnaṃva samāgamo. relative -as meeting-with
Being with fools makes you miserable for a long time.
Spending time with fools is painful,
like being with an enemy all the time.
With the wise,
it is as peaceful as meeting a relative.
explanation
It can be said that a person’s destiny is determined by the people they associate with. Therefore, if you want to live in peace and tranquillity, you need to choose the people you associate with.
Some people say that is not good because it discriminates against people, or that everyone should associate with everyone equally. We do not disagree with that opinion and those who think so should do so.
The Buddha is not saying “don’t associate with fools“. However, Buddha said that it is painful to associate with fools for those trying to achieve their spiritual goals. You learn nothing new, nothing important, nothing good. You just stagnate and eventually become one of the foolish ones.
DhP.15-208
Tasmā hi – therefore certainly Dhīrañca paññañca bahussutañca, wise-and wisdom-and many-hearer-and dhorayhasīlaṃ vatavantamariyaṃ; patient dedication-saint Taṃ tādisaṃ sappurisaṃ sumedhaṃ, he like-this righteous-man wise bhajetha nakkhattapathaṃva candimā. to-be-followed star-prth-as moon
Therefore,
wise, enlightened and intelligent
patient, devoted, noble.
Associate with these truly good and wise people.
As the moon follows the path of the stars.
explanation
If you cannot find such a wise person, take Buddha’s teachings and precepts as your good friends.
Sukhavaggo pannarasamo niṭṭhito. ease-chapter 15th finish
15. The ease chapter is ended.