Dhammapada Verses on Suffering

“Intention is the leader of things; intention is first, they’re made by intention. If with corrupt intent you speak or act, suffering follows you, like a wheel, the ox’s foot.”

“When the astute dispel negligence by means of diligence, ascending the palace of wisdom, sorrowless, they behold this generation of sorrow, as an attentive one on a mountain top beholds the fools below.”

“The fool imagines that evil is sweet, so long as it has not yet ripened. But as soon as that evil ripens, they fall into suffering.”

“At journey’s end, rid of sorrow; everywhere free, all ties given up, no fever is found in them.”

“If you do something bad, don’t do it again and again, don’t set your heart on it, for piling up evil is suffering.”

“Don’t speak harshly, they may speak harshly back. For aggressive speech is painful, and the rod may spring back on you.”

“harsh pain; loss; the breakup of the body; serious illness; mental distress;”

“Like a fine horse under the whip, be keen and full of urgency. With faith, ethics, and energy, immersion, and investigation of principles, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, mindful, give up this vast suffering.”

“Transmigrating through countless rebirths, I’ve journeyed without reward, searching for the house-builder; painful is birth again and again.”

“Even if it were raining money, you’d not be sated in sensual pleasures. An astute person understands that sensual pleasures offer little gratification and much suffering.”

“But such refuge is no sanctuary, it is no supreme refuge. By going to that refuge, you’re not released from all suffering.”

“suffering, suffering’s origin, suffering’s transcendence, and the noble eightfold path that leads to the stilling of suffering.”

“Such refuge is a sanctuary, it is the supreme refuge. By going to that refuge, you’re released from all suffering.”

“When a person venerates the worthy— the Buddha or his disciple, who have transcended proliferation, and have left behind grief and lamentation,”

“There is no fire like greed, no crime like hate, no suffering like the aggregates, no bliss beyond peace.”

“Hunger is the worst illness, conditions are the worst suffering. When one has known this as it is, extinguishment is the ultimate happiness.”

“For one who consorts with fools grieves long. Painful is living with fools, like being stuck with your enemy. Happy is living with an attentive one, like meeting with your kin.”

“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.”

“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.”

“Sorrow springs from attachment, fear springs from attachment; one free from attachment has no sorrow, let alone fear.”

“Sorrow springs from relishing, fear springs from relishing; one free from relishing has no sorrow, let alone fear.”

“Sorrow springs from desire, fear springs from desire; one free from desire has no sorrow, let alone fear.”

“Sorrow springs from craving, fear springs from craving; one free from craving has no sorrow, let alone fear.”

“Give up anger, get rid of conceit, and escape every fetter. Sufferings don’t befall one who has nothing, not clinging to name and form.”

“Those harmless sages, always restrained in body, go to the state that does not pass, where there is no sorrow.”

“Know this, my man: they are unrestrained and wicked. Don’t let that greed and unrighteousness inflict pain on you for long.”

“When you all are practicing this, you’ll make an end of suffering. I have explained the path to you for extracting the thorn with wisdom.”

“All conditions are impermanent— when this is seen with wisdom, one grows disillusioned with suffering: this is the path to purity.”

“All conditions are suffering— when this is seen with wisdom, one grows disillusioned with suffering: this is the path to purity.”

“All things are not-self— when this is seen with wisdom, one grows disillusioned with suffering: this is the path to purity.”

“Seeking their own happiness by imposing suffering on others, intimate with enmity, they’re not freed from enmity.”

“Going forth is hard, it’s hard to be happy; life at home is hard too, and painful, it’s painful to stay when you’ve nothing in common. A traveler is a prey to pain, so don’t be a traveler, don’t be prey to pain.”

“A friend in need is a blessing; it’s a blessing to be content with whatever; good deeds are a blessing at the end of life, and giving up all suffering is a blessing.”

“Whoever is beaten by this wretched craving, this attachment to the world, their sorrow grows, like grass in the rain.”

“But whoever prevails over this wretched craving, so hard to get over in the world, their sorrows fall from them, like a drop from a lotus-leaf.”

“A tree grows back even when cut down, so long as its roots are strong and undamaged; suffering springs up again and again, so long as the tendency to craving is not pulled out.”

“People governed by thirst, crawl about like a trapped rabbit. Bound and fettered, for a long time they return to pain time and again.”

“Besotted by lust they fall into the stream, like a spider caught in the web she wove. The attentive proceed, having cut this one too, unconcerned, having given up all suffering.”

“The gift of the teaching surmounts all other gifts; the taste of the teaching surmounts all other tastes; the joy of the teaching surmounts all other joys; the ending of craving surmounts all suffering.”

“Restraint of the body is good; good is restraint of speech; restraint of mind is good; everywhere, restraint is good. The mendicant restrained everywhere is released from all suffering.”

“Practice absorption, don’t be negligent! Don’t let the mind delight in the senses! Don’t heedlessly swallow a hot iron ball! And when it burns, don’t cry, “Oh, the pain!””

“Mix with spiritual friends, who are tireless and pure of livelihood. Share what you have with others, being skillful in your conduct. And when you’re full of joy, you’ll make an end to suffering.”

“Nothing is better for a brahmin than to hold their mind back from attachment. From wherever a cruel wish recoils, right there suffering subsides.”

“They understand for themselves the end of suffering in this life; with burden put down, detached: that’s who I declare a brahmin.”

“They’ve escaped the chain of both good and bad deeds; sorrowless, stainless, pure: that’s who I declare a brahmin.”