In short: Chapter 14 of the Dhammapada, The Buddhas (Buddhavagga), verses 179 to 196. How rare a human birth and a Buddha are, and the verse that sums up all the Buddhas' teaching.
He whose victory may not be undone, a victory unrivaled in all the world; by what track would you trace that Buddha, who leaves no track in his infinite range?
Dhammapada 179, the chapter's first verse.
Pāli and English translation by Bhikkhu Sujato, from SuttaCentral. The introduction is ANEW's.
The verses in Pāli and English
| Verse | Pāli | English |
|---|---|---|
| 179 | Yassa jitaṁ nāvajīyati, | He whose victory may not be undone, |
| Jitaṁ yassa noyāti koci loke; | a victory unrivaled in all the world; | |
| Taṁ buddhamanantagocaraṁ, | by what track would you trace that Buddha, | |
| Apadaṁ kena padena nessatha. | who leaves no track in his infinite range? | |
| 180 | Yassa jālinī visattikā, | Of craving, the weaver, the clinger, he has none: |
| Taṇhā natthi kuhiñci netave; | so where can he be traced? | |
| Taṁ buddhamanantagocaraṁ, | By what track would you trace that Buddha, | |
| Apadaṁ kena padena nessatha. | who leaves no track in his infinite range? | |
| 181 | Ye jhānapasutā dhīrā, | The attentive intent on absorption, |
| nekkhammūpasame ratā; | who love the peace of renunciation, | |
| Devāpi tesaṁ pihayanti, | the Buddhas, ever mindful, | |
| sambuddhānaṁ satīmataṁ. | are envied by even the gods. | |
| 182 | Kiccho manussapaṭilābho, | It’s hard to gain a human birth; |
| kicchaṁ maccāna jīvitaṁ; | the life of mortals is hard; | |
| Kicchaṁ saddhammassavanaṁ, | it’s hard to hear the true teaching; | |
| kiccho buddhānamuppādo. | the arising of Buddhas is hard. | |
| 183 | Sabbapāpassa akaraṇaṁ, | Not to do any evil; |
| kusalassa upasampadā; | to embrace the good; | |
| Sacittapariyodapanaṁ, | to purify one’s mind: | |
| etaṁ buddhāna sāsanaṁ. | this is the instruction of the Buddhas. | |
| 184 | Khantī paramaṁ tapo titikkhā, | Patient acceptance is the ultimate fervor. |
| Nibbānaṁ paramaṁ vadanti buddhā; | Extinguishment is the ultimate, say the Buddhas. | |
| Na hi pabbajito parūpaghātī, | No true renunciate injures another, | |
| Na samaṇo hoti paraṁ viheṭhayanto. | nor does an ascetic hurt another. | |
| 185 | Anūpavādo anūpaghāto, | Not speaking ill nor doing harm; |
| Pātimokkhe ca saṁvaro; | restraint in the monastic code; | |
| Mattaññutā ca bhattasmiṁ, | moderation in eating; | |
| Pantañca sayanāsanaṁ; | staying in remote lodgings; | |
| Adhicitte ca āyogo, | commitment to the higher mind— | |
| Etaṁ buddhāna sāsanaṁ. | this is the instruction of the Buddhas. | |
| 186 | Na kahāpaṇavassena, | Even if it were raining money, |
| titti kāmesu vijjati; | you’d not be sated in sensual pleasures. | |
| Appassādā dukhā kāmā, | An astute person understands that sensual pleasures | |
| iti viññāya paṇḍito. | offer little gratification and much suffering. | |
| 187 | Api dibbesu kāmesu, | Thus they find no delight |
| ratiṁ so nādhigacchati; | even in celestial pleasures. | |
| Taṇhakkhayarato hoti, | A disciple of the fully awakened Buddha | |
| sammāsambuddhasāvako. | delights in the ending of craving. | |
| 188 | Bahuṁ ve saraṇaṁ yanti, | So many go for refuge |
| pabbatāni vanāni ca; | to mountains and forest groves, | |
| Ārāmarukkhacetyāni, | to shrines in tended parks; | |
| manussā bhayatajjitā. | those people are driven by fear. | |
| 189 | Netaṁ kho saraṇaṁ khemaṁ, | But such refuge is no sanctuary, |
| netaṁ saraṇamuttamaṁ; | it is no supreme refuge. | |
| Netaṁ saraṇamāgamma, | By going to that refuge, | |
| sabbadukkhā pamuccati. | you’re not released from all suffering. | |
| 190 | Yo ca buddhañca dhammañca, | One gone for refuge to the Buddha, |
| saṅghañca saraṇaṁ gato; | to his teaching and to the Saṅgha, | |
| Cattāri ariyasaccāni, | sees the four noble truths | |
| sammappaññāya passati. | with right understanding: | |
| 191 | Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ, | suffering, suffering’s origin, |
| dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ; | suffering’s transcendence, | |
| Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ, | and the noble eightfold path | |
| dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ. | that leads to the stilling of suffering. | |
| 192 | Etaṁ kho saraṇaṁ khemaṁ, | Such refuge is a sanctuary, |
| etaṁ saraṇamuttamaṁ; | it is the supreme refuge. | |
| Etaṁ saraṇamāgamma, | By going to that refuge, | |
| sabbadukkhā pamuccati. | you’re released from all suffering. | |
| 193 | Dullabho purisājañño, | It’s hard to find a thoroughbred man: |
| na so sabbattha jāyati; | they’re not born just anywhere. | |
| Yattha so jāyati dhīro, | A family where that attentive one is born | |
| taṁ kulaṁ sukhamedhati. | prospers in happiness. | |
| 194 | Sukho buddhānamuppādo, | Happy, the arising of Buddhas! |
| sukhā saddhammadesanā; | Happy, the teaching of Dhamma! | |
| Sukhā saṅghassa sāmaggī, | Happy is the harmony of the Saṅgha, | |
| samaggānaṁ tapo sukho. | and the striving of the harmonious is happy. | |
| 195 | Pūjārahe pūjayato, | When a person venerates the worthy— |
| buddhe yadi va sāvake; | the Buddha or his disciple, | |
| Papañcasamatikkante, | who have transcended proliferation, | |
| tiṇṇasokapariddave. | and have left behind grief and lamentation, | |
| 196 | Te tādise pūjayato, | quenched, fearing nothing from any quarter— |
| nibbute akutobhaye; | the merit of one venerating such as these, | |
| Na sakkā puññaṁ saṅkhātuṁ, | cannot be calculated by anyone, | |
| imettamapi kenaci. | saying it is just this much. |
← Chapter 13: The World · Chapter 15: Happiness →
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Questions people ask
What is chapter 14 of the Dhammapada about?
How rare a human birth and a Buddha are, and the verse that sums up all the Buddhas' teaching.
Which verses are in Dhammapada chapter 14?
Chapter 14, The Buddhas (Buddhavagga), contains verses 179 to 196.