“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.”
Ayoge yuñjamattānaṁ, yogasmiñca ayojayaṁ; Atthaṁ hitvā piyaggāhī, pihetattānuyoginaṁ.
Chapter 16: The Beloved
Piyavagga
Verses 209–220 · 12 verses · English by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0)
Twelve verses on the beloved, and this is the chapter that explains grief. Its argument is that sorrow follows from affection — the one you love, the thing you cannot lose — and it does not tell the reader to love less so much as to see what they have taken on. Verses 209–211 are the ones most often quoted.
“Don’t ever get too close to those you like or dislike. For not seeing the liked is suffering, and so is seeing the disliked.”
Mā piyehi samāgañchi, appiyehi kudācanaṁ; Piyānaṁ adassanaṁ dukkhaṁ, appiyānañca dassanaṁ.
“Therefore don’t hold anything dear, for it’s bad to lose those you love. No ties are found in they who hold nothing loved or loathed.”
Tasmā piyaṁ na kayirātha, piyāpāyo hi pāpako; Ganthā tesaṁ na vijjanti, yesaṁ natthi piyāppiyaṁ.
“Sorrow springs from what we hold dear, fear springs from what we hold dear; one free from holding anything dear has no sorrow, let alone fear.”
Piyato jāyatī soko, piyato jāyatī bhayaṁ; Piyato vippamuttassa, natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
“Sorrow springs from attachment, fear springs from attachment; one free from attachment has no sorrow, let alone fear.”
Pemato jāyatī soko, pemato jāyatī bhayaṁ; Pemato vippamuttassa, natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
“Sorrow springs from relishing, fear springs from relishing; one free from relishing has no sorrow, let alone fear.”
Ratiyā jāyatī soko, ratiyā jāyatī bhayaṁ; Ratiyā vippamuttassa, natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
“Sorrow springs from desire, fear springs from desire; one free from desire has no sorrow, let alone fear.”
Kāmato jāyatī soko, kāmato jāyatī bhayaṁ; Kāmato vippamuttassa, natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
“Sorrow springs from craving, fear springs from craving; one free from craving has no sorrow, let alone fear.”
Taṇhāya jāyatī soko, taṇhāya jāyatī bhayaṁ; Taṇhāya vippamuttassa, natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.
“One accomplished in virtue and vision, firmly principled, and truthful, doing oneself what ought be done: that’s who the people love.”
Sīladassanasampannaṁ, dhammaṭṭhaṁ saccavedinaṁ; Attano kamma kubbānaṁ, taṁ jano kurute piyaṁ.
“One eager to realize the ineffable would be filled with awareness. Their mind not bound to pleasures of sense, they’re said to be heading upstream.”
Chandajāto anakkhāte, Manasā ca phuṭo siyā; Kāmesu ca appaṭibaddhacitto, Uddhaṁsototi vuccati.
“When a man returns safely after a long time spent abroad, family, friends, and loved ones celebrate his return.”
Cirappavāsiṁ purisaṁ, dūrato sotthimāgataṁ; Ñātimittā suhajjā ca, abhinandanti āgataṁ.
“Just so, when one who has done good goes from this world to the next, their good deeds receive them there, as family welcomes home one they love.”
Tatheva katapuññampi, asmā lokā paraṁ gataṁ; Puññāni paṭigaṇhanti, piyaṁ ñātīva āgataṁ. Piyavaggo soḷasamo.