Chapter 15

Happiness

12 verses

1 Global #197

Happy indeed we live, friendly amid the haters. Among men who hate we dwell free from hate.
2 Global #198

Happy indeed we live, healthy amid the sick. Among men who are sick we dwell free from sickness.
3 Global #199

Happy indeed we live, content amid the greedy. Among men who are greedy we dwell free from greed.
4 Global #200

Happy indeed we live, we for whom there are no possessions (kiñcana-s). Feeders on rapture shall we be, like the gods of Brilliant Light.¹⁰
5 Global #201

Victory begets hatred, (for) the defeated one experiences suffering. The tranquil one experiences happiness, giving up (both) victory and defeat.
6 Global #202

There is no fire like lust, no blemish like demerit (kali), no suffering like the taking up of the (five) constituents (of conditioned existence), no happiness like peace.
7 Global #203

Hunger is the worst disease, conditioned existence the worst suffering. Knowing this as it really is (one realizes that) Nirvāṇa is the highest happiness.
8 Global #204

Health is the highest gain, contentment the greatest riches. The trustworthy are the best kinsmen, Nirvāṇa is the supreme happiness.
9 Global #205

Having enjoyed the flavour of solitude and tranquillity, free from sorrow and free from sin, one enjoys the rapturous flavour of the Truth (dhamma).
10 Global #206

Good it is to see the spiritually developed (ariya-s); to (actually) dwell with them is always happiness. By not seeing the spiritually immature, one indeed will be perpetually happy.
11 Global #207

By living in company with the spiritually immature one grieves for a long time. Association with the spiritually immature is always painful, like association with an enemy. Association with the wise is pleasant, like the coming together of relatives.
12 Global #208

(Therefore it is said:) Follow one who is wise, understanding, and learned, who bears the yoke of virtue, is religious and spiritually developed (ariya). Follow one of such a nature, as the moon follows the path of the stars.

Footnotes

10. The gods of Brilliant Light (abhassarā-deva-s) in Buddhist mythology are a class of gods occupying in the celestial hierarchy a place immediately above the various Brahmās. Their subjective or ‘psychological’ counterpart is the second jhāna or ‘absorption’.