In short: Chapter 16 of the Dhammapada, The Beloved (Piyavagga), verses 209 to 220. From what is dear comes grief and fear; the good deeds that greet us like relatives.
Applying yourself where you ought not, neglecting what you should be doing, forgetting your goal, you cling to what you hold dear, jealous of those devoted to their heart’s goal.
Dhammapada 209, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 209 | Ayoge yuñjamattānaṁ, | Applying yourself where you ought not, |
| yogasmiñca ayojayaṁ; | neglecting what you should be doing, | |
| Atthaṁ hitvā piyaggāhī, | forgetting your goal, you cling to what you hold dear, | |
| pihetattānuyoginaṁ. | jealous of those devoted to their heart’s goal. | |
| 210 | Mā piyehi samāgañchi, | Don’t ever get too close |
| appiyehi kudācanaṁ; | to those you like or dislike. | |
| Piyānaṁ adassanaṁ dukkhaṁ, | For not seeing the liked is suffering, | |
| appiyānañca dassanaṁ. | and so is seeing the disliked. | |
| 211 | Tasmā piyaṁ na kayirātha, | Therefore don’t hold anything dear, |
| piyāpāyo hi pāpako; | for it’s bad to lose those you love. | |
| Ganthā tesaṁ na vijjanti, | No ties are found in they who | |
| yesaṁ natthi piyāppiyaṁ. | hold nothing loved or loathed. | |
| 212 | Piyato jāyatī soko, | Sorrow springs from what we hold dear, |
| piyato jāyatī bhayaṁ; | fear springs from what we hold dear; | |
| Piyato vippamuttassa, | one free from holding anything dear | |
| natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ. | has no sorrow, let alone fear. | |
| 213 | Pemato jāyatī soko, | Sorrow springs from attachment, |
| pemato jāyatī bhayaṁ; | fear springs from attachment; | |
| Pemato vippamuttassa, | one free from attachment | |
| natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ. | has no sorrow, let alone fear. | |
| 214 | Ratiyā jāyatī soko, | Sorrow springs from relishing, |
| ratiyā jāyatī bhayaṁ; | fear springs from relishing; | |
| Ratiyā vippamuttassa, | one free from relishing | |
| natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ. | has no sorrow, let alone fear. | |
| 215 | Kāmato jāyatī soko, | Sorrow springs from desire, |
| kāmato jāyatī bhayaṁ; | fear springs from desire; | |
| Kāmato vippamuttassa, | one free from desire | |
| natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ. | has no sorrow, let alone fear. | |
| 216 | Taṇhāya jāyatī soko, | Sorrow springs from craving, |
| taṇhāya jāyatī bhayaṁ; | fear springs from craving; | |
| Taṇhāya vippamuttassa, | one free from craving | |
| natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ. | has no sorrow, let alone fear. | |
| 217 | Sīladassanasampannaṁ, | One accomplished in virtue and vision, |
| dhammaṭṭhaṁ saccavedinaṁ; | firmly principled, and truthful, | |
| Attano kamma kubbānaṁ, | doing oneself what ought be done: | |
| taṁ jano kurute piyaṁ. | that’s who the people love. | |
| 218 | Chandajāto anakkhāte, | One eager to realize the ineffable |
| Manasā ca phuṭo siyā; | would be filled with awareness. | |
| Kāmesu ca appaṭibaddhacitto, | Their mind not bound to pleasures of sense, | |
| Uddhaṁsototi vuccati. | they’re said to be heading upstream. | |
| 219 | Cirappavāsiṁ purisaṁ, | When a man returns safely |
| dūrato sotthimāgataṁ; | after a long time spent abroad, | |
| Ñātimittā suhajjā ca, | family, friends, and loved ones | |
| abhinandanti āgataṁ. | celebrate his return. | |
| 220 | Tatheva katapuññampi, | Just so, when one who has done good |
| asmā lokā paraṁ gataṁ; | goes from this world to the next, | |
| Puññāni paṭigaṇhanti, | their good deeds receive them there, | |
| piyaṁ ñātīva āgataṁ. | as family welcomes home one they love. |
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Questions people ask
What is chapter 16 of the Dhammapada about?
From what is dear comes grief and fear; the good deeds that greet us like relatives.
Which verses are in Dhammapada chapter 16?
Chapter 16, The Beloved (Piyavagga), contains verses 209 to 220.