At the Market of Nya Non

How pitiful are sentient beings in samsara!

Looking upward to the Path of Liberation,

how can one feel other than sorrow for those who do harm?

How foolish and sad it is to indulge in killing,

when by karma and good fortune one has human form.

 

How sad it is to do an act that, in the end, will hurt oneself.

How sad it is to build a wicked wall of meat,

made of one’s dying parents flesh?

 

How sad it is to see meat eaten and blood flowing!

How sad it is to know confusion and delusion fill the minds of men.

 

How sad it is to find but vice, not love, in people’s hearts.

How sad it is to see that blindness veils all beings

who cherish their vile deeds.

—Milarepa, at the market of Nya Non

The 5 Precepts

I vow to refrain from killing. I shall not kill, cause others to kill, or approve of anyone killing sentient beings. I regret, censure, reject, and abandon killing.

I vow to refrain from taking what is not freely given. I shall not take, cause others to take, or approve of anyone taking what is not freely given. I regret, censure, reject, and abandon taking what is not freely given.

I vow to refrain from sexual misconduct. I shall not engage, cause others to engage, or approve of anyone engaging in sexual misconduct. I regret, censure, reject, and abandon sexual misconduct.

I vow to refrain from harmful speech. I shall not harm, cause others to harm, or approve of anyone harming sentient beings through lying, divisive speech, harsh and abusive words, and idle chatter. I regret, censure, reject, and abandon harmful speech.

I vow to refrain from intoxication, leading to carelessness. I shall not become intoxicated, cause others to become intoxicated, or approve of anyone becoming intoxicated. I regret, censure, reject, and abandon intoxication, leading to carelessness.

Tame and Guarded

Wonderful, indeed, it is to subdue the mind, so difficult to subdue, ever swift, and seizing whatever it desires. A tamed mind brings happiness.

Let the discerning person guard the mind, so difficult to detect and extremely subtle, seizing whatever it desires. A guarded mind brings happiness.

—Buddha Shakyamuni, Udanavarga

Indeed

Much though we recite the sacred texts, but act not accordingly, we will be like foolish hoarders who only count the wealth of others. We shall not partake of the blessings of the holy life.

Little though we recite the sacred texts, if we put the Teaching into practice —forsaking attachment, aversion, and indifference, with true wisdom and emancipated mind, clinging to nothing of this or any other world— we shall partake indeed of the blessings of the holy life.

—Buddha Shakyamuni, Udanavarga

Here and Hereafter

The evil-doers grieve here and hereafter;

they grieve in both the worlds.

They lament and are afflicted, recollecting their own impure deeds.

The doers of good rejoice here and hereafter;

they rejoice in both the worlds.

They rejoice and exult, recollecting their own pure deeds.

—Buddha Shakyamuni, Udanavarga

Firm

Just as a storm throws down a weak tree, so does temptation overpower those who live for pleasure, are uncontrolled in their senses, immoderate in eating, indolent, and dissipated.

Just as a storm cannot prevail against a rocky mountain, so temptation can never overpower those who contemplate impurity, are controlled in their senses, moderate in eating, and filled with certainty and earnest effort.

—Buddha Shakyamuni, Udanavarga

Passion

Just as rain breaks through an ill-thatched house,

so passion penetrates an undeveloped mind.

Just as rain does not break through a well-thatched house,

so passion never penetrates a well-developed mind.

—Buddha Shakyamuni