Chapter 1

We are what we have thought: our lives are built on our thoughts, made up of our thoughts. If someone speaks or acts with a corrupt thought, suffering follows them, just as the wheel follows the ox that pulls the cart.

We are what we have thought: our lives are built on our thoughts, made up of our thoughts. If someone speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows them like a shadow that never leaves.

“He insulted me, he hit me, he beat me, he robbed me”—in those who hold onto such thoughts, hatred never fades.

“He insulted me, he hit me, he beat me, he robbed me”—in those who let go of such thoughts, hatred fades away.

Hatred is never ended by hatred; hatred ends only through love. This is an ancient law.

Most people do not realize that we all must come to an end here; but those who do realize it stop their quarrels at once.

Anyone who lives chasing pleasure, with unrestrained senses, eating without limit, lazy and weak, will surely be overthrown by Mara, the tempter, as the wind topples a frail tree.

Anyone who lives without chasing pleasure, with well-controlled senses, moderate in eating, faithful and strong, will not be overthrown by Mara, any more than the wind can topple a mountain of rock.

Whoever wishes to wear the yellow robe without first being cleansed of wrongdoing, and who ignores self-control and truth, is unworthy of the yellow robe.

But whoever has been cleansed of wrongdoing, is firmly grounded in every virtue, and holds to self-control and truth, is indeed worthy of the yellow robe.

Those who mistake the false for the true, and the true for the false, never reach the truth; they chase empty desires.

Those who recognize the true as true and the false as false reach the truth; they follow worthy desires.

Just as rain leaks through a poorly thatched roof, passion will break into an unreflecting mind.

Just as rain cannot leak through a well-thatched roof, passion cannot break into a well-reflecting mind.

The wrongdoer grieves in this world and grieves in the next; he grieves in both. He grieves and suffers when he sees the harm of what he has done.

The virtuous person rejoices in this world and rejoices in the next; he rejoices in both. He delights and rejoices when he sees the purity of what he has done.

The wrongdoer suffers in this world and suffers in the next; he suffers in both. He suffers when he thinks of the wrong he has done; he suffers even more as he continues down the wrong path.

The virtuous person is happy in this world and happy in the next; he is happy in both. He is happy when he thinks of the good he has done; he is even happier as he continues down the good path.

A thoughtless person, even if he can recite long passages of the teaching, but does not put it into practice, has no real share in the spiritual life—he is like a cowherd counting someone else’s cows.

A follower of the teaching, even if he can recite only a little of it, but has let go of passion, hatred, and delusion, and possesses true knowledge and a calm mind, attached to nothing in this world or the next—he truly has a share in the spiritual life.