[382] 2.
Just as a fine thoroughbred, yoked at the yoke,
a bearer of the burden,
though hard-pressed by an excessive load,
does not evade its harness —
so those who are filled with wisdom,
as the ocean is filled with water,
do not despise others:
this is the very noble dhamma among living beings.
When the time comes, fallen under the sway of time,
gone under the sway of this or that state of existence,
people undergo suffering (dukkha),
and those men sorrow.
Elated by what brings pleasure,
cast down by what brings pain,
fools are struck down by both,
not seeing it as it really is.
But those who, in pain, in pleasure, and in between,
have passed beyond the seamstress (i.e., craving, taṇhā),
stand firm like Indra's pillar (indakhīla):
they are neither elated nor cast down.
Not in gain nor in loss,
not in status nor in renown,
not in blame nor in praise,
not in pain nor in pleasure —
nowhere do they cling,
as a drop of water does not cling to a lotus leaf;
everywhere the wise are happy,
everywhere unvanquished.
Loss in accordance with the Dhamma
and gain contrary to the Dhamma:
loss in accordance with the Dhamma is better
than gain contrary to the Dhamma.
Status for those of little understanding
and disrepute for the discerning:
disrepute for the discerning is better,
not status for those of little understanding.
Praise from the witless
and censure from the discerning:
censure from the discerning is better
than praise from fools.
Pleasure made of sensuality
and pain born of seclusion:
pain born of seclusion is better
than pleasure made of sensuality.
Life contrary to the Dhamma
and death in accordance with the Dhamma:
death in accordance with the Dhamma is better
than life contrary to the Dhamma.
Those who have abandoned sensual desire and anger,
their minds (citta) at peace toward this or that state of existence,
wander in the world unattached;
for them there is nothing dear or disagreeable.
Having developed the factors of awakening (bojjhaṅga),
the faculties and the powers,
and having attained the supreme peace,
they attain final Nibbāna, free of taints (āsava).
The Elder Godatta.
Summary (uddāna):
Revata and Godatta —
these two elders of great spiritual power;
in the Chapter of the Fourteens
there are twenty-eight verses.
The Chapter of the Fourteens (Cuddasakanipāta) is concluded.
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Theragāthā: The Chapter of the Sixteens (Soḷasakanipāta)
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.