In short: Chapter 6 of the Dhammapada, The Astute (Paṇḍitavagga), verses 76 to 89. The value of a wise friend who points out faults, and the wise who stay steady like a rock in the wind.
Regard one who sees your faults as a guide to a hidden treasure. Stay close to one so intelligent and astute who curbs you when you need it. Sticking close to such an impartial person, things get better, not worse.
Dhammapada 76, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 76 | Nidhīnaṁva pavattāraṁ, | Regard one who sees your faults |
| yaṁ passe vajjadassinaṁ; | as a guide to a hidden treasure. | |
| Niggayhavādiṁ medhāviṁ, | Stay close to one so intelligent and astute | |
| tādisaṁ paṇḍitaṁ bhaje; | who curbs you when you need it. | |
| Tādisaṁ bhajamānassa, | Sticking close to such an impartial person, | |
| seyyo hoti na pāpiyo. | things get better, not worse. | |
| 77 | Ovadeyyānusāseyya, | Advise and instruct; |
| asabbhā ca nivāraye; | curb wickedness: | |
| Satañhi so piyo hoti, | for you shall be loved by the good, | |
| asataṁ hoti appiyo. | and disliked by the bad. | |
| 78 | Na bhaje pāpake mitte, | Don’t mix with bad friends, |
| na bhaje purisādhame; | nor with the worst of men. | |
| Bhajetha mitte kalyāṇe, | Mix with spiritual friends, | |
| bhajetha purisuttame. | and with the best of men. | |
| 79 | Dhammapīti sukhaṁ seti, | Through joy in the teaching you sleep at ease, |
| vippasannena cetasā; | with clear and confident heart. | |
| Ariyappavedite dhamme, | An astute person always delights in the teaching | |
| sadā ramati paṇḍito. | proclaimed by the Noble One. | |
| 80 | Udakañhi nayanti nettikā, | While irrigators guide water, |
| Usukārā namayanti tejanaṁ; | fletchers bend arrows straight, | |
| Dāruṁ namayanti tacchakā, | and carpenters bend timber straight, | |
| Attānaṁ damayanti paṇḍitā. | the astute tame themselves. | |
| 81 | Selo yathā ekaghano, | As the wind cannot stir |
| vātena na samīrati; | a solid mass of rock, | |
| Evaṁ nindāpasaṁsāsu, | so too blame and praise | |
| na samiñjanti paṇḍitā. | do not affect the wise. | |
| 82 | Yathāpi rahado gambhīro, | Like a deep lake, |
| vippasanno anāvilo; | clear and unclouded, | |
| Evaṁ dhammāni sutvāna, | so clear are the astute | |
| vippasīdanti paṇḍitā. | when they hear the teachings. | |
| 83 | Sabbattha ve sappurisā cajanti, | True persons give up everything, |
| Na kāmakāmā lapayanti santo; | they don’t cajole for the things they desire. | |
| Sukhena phuṭṭhā atha vā dukhena, | Though touched by sadness or happiness, | |
| Na uccāvacaṁ paṇḍitā dassayanti. | the astute appear neither depressed nor elated. | |
| 84 | Na attahetu na parassa hetu, | Never wish for success by unjust means, |
| Na puttamicche na dhanaṁ na raṭṭhaṁ; | for your own sake or that of another, | |
| Na iccheyya adhammena samiddhimattano, | desiring children, wealth, or nation; | |
| Sa sīlavā paññavā dhammiko siyā. | rather, be virtuous, wise, and just. | |
| 85 | Appakā te manussesu, | Few are those among humans |
| ye janā pāragāmino; | who cross to the far shore. | |
| Athāyaṁ itarā pajā, | The rest just run around | |
| tīramevānudhāvati. | on the near shore. | |
| 86 | Ye ca kho sammadakkhāte, | When the teaching is well explained, |
| dhamme dhammānuvattino; | the people who practice accordingly | |
| Te janā pāramessanti, | will cross over | |
| maccudheyyaṁ suduttaraṁ. | Death’s dominion so hard to pass. | |
| 87 | Kaṇhaṁ dhammaṁ vippahāya, | Rid of dark qualities, |
| Sukkaṁ bhāvetha paṇḍito; | an astute person would develop the bright. | |
| Okā anokamāgamma, | Having left home for homelessness | |
| Viveke yattha dūramaṁ. | in seclusion, where joy is hard, | |
| 88 | Tatrābhiratimiccheyya, | they’d long for satisfaction there. |
| hitvā kāme akiñcano; | Forsaking sensual pleasures, owning nothing, | |
| Pariyodapeyya attānaṁ, | an astute person would cleanse themselves | |
| cittaklesehi paṇḍito. | of mental corruptions. | |
| 89 | Yesaṁ sambodhiyaṅgesu, | And those whose minds are rightly developed |
| sammā cittaṁ subhāvitaṁ; | in the awakening factors; | |
| Ādānapaṭinissagge, | who, letting go of attachments, | |
| anupādāya ye ratā; | delight in not grasping: | |
| Khīṇāsavā jutimanto, | with defilements ended, brilliant, | |
| te loke parinibbutā. | they are quenched in this world. |
← Chapter 5: The Fool · Chapter 7: The Perfected Ones →
Try it
Choose one verse from this chapter and carry it through today, or make your own teaching card with a verse for how you feel. Or read 10 real Buddha quotes, verified.
Questions people ask
What is chapter 6 of the Dhammapada about?
The value of a wise friend who points out faults, and the wise who stay steady like a rock in the wind.
Which verses are in Dhammapada chapter 6?
Chapter 6, The Astute (Paṇḍitavagga), contains verses 76 to 89.