Chapter XIV The Buddha (The Awakened)

  1. He whose conquest is not conquered again, into whose conquest no one

    in this world enters, by what track can you lead him, the Awakened, the Omniscient, the trackless?

  2. He whom no desire with its snares and poisons can lead astray, by

    what track can you lead him, the Awakened, the Omniscient, the trackless?

  3. Even the gods envy those who are awakened and not forgetful, who are

    given to meditation, who are wise, and who delight in the repose of retirement (from the world).

  4. Difficult (to obtain) is the conception of men, difficult is the

    life of mortals, difficult is the hearing of the True Law, difficult is the birth of the Awakened (the attainment of Buddhahood).

  5. Not to commit any sin, to do good, and to purify one's mind, that is

    the teaching of (all) the Awakened.

  6. The Awakened call patience the highest penance, long-suffering the

    highest Nirvana; for he is not an anchorite (pravragita) who strikes others, he is not an ascetic (sramana) who insults others.

  7. Not to blame, not to strike, to live restrained under the law, to be

    moderate in eating, to sleep and sit alone, and to dwell on the highest thoughts,--this is the teaching of the Awakened.

  8. There is no satisfying lusts, even by a shower of gold pieces; he

    who knows that lusts have a short taste and cause pain, he is wise;

  9. Even in heavenly pleasures he finds no satisfaction, the disciple

    who is fully awakened delights only in the destruction of all desires.

  10. Men, driven by fear, go to many a refuge, to mountains and forests,

    to groves and sacred trees.

  11. But that is not a safe refuge, that is not the best refuge; a man is

    not delivered from all pains after having gone to that refuge.

  12. He who takes refuge with Buddha, the Law, and the Church; he who,

    with clear understanding, sees the four holy truths:--

  13. Viz. pain, the origin of pain, the destruction of pain, and the

    eightfold holy way that leads to the quieting of pain;--

  14. That is the safe refuge, that is the best refuge; having gone to

    that refuge, a man is delivered from all pain.

  15. A supernatural person (a Buddha) is not easily found, he is not born

    everywhere. Wherever such a sage is born, that race prospers.

  16. Happy is the arising of the awakened, happy is the teaching of the

    True Law, happy is peace in the church, happy is the devotion of those who are at peace.

195, 196. He who pays homage to those who deserve homage, whether the awakened (Buddha) or their disciples, those who have overcome the host (of evils), and crossed the flood of sorrow, he who pays homage to such as have found deliverance and know no fear, his merit can never be measured by anybody.