Treasury of Truth (Dhammapada) Chapter 15, Happiness

Verse 197. Happiness

We the unhating live
happily midst the haters,
among the hating humans
from hatred dwell we free.

Explanation: Among those who hate, we live without hating, When they hate we live without hating, We live happily among those who hate.

Verse 198. Without Sickness Among The Sick

We who are healthy live
happily midst the unhealthy,
among unhealthy humans
from ill-health dwell we free.

Explanation: Among those sick, afflicted by defilements, we, who are not so afflicted, live happily. Among the sick, we live, unafflicted, in extreme happiness.

Verse 199. Not Anxious Among The Anxious

We the unfrenzied live
happily midst the frenzied,
among the frenzied humans
from frenzy dwell we free.

Explanation: Among the anxious men and women, who ceaselessly exert themselves in pursuit of worldly things. We, who do not make such a feverish effort to pursue the worldly, live happily. Among those who seek the worldly, among men who seek pleasure, we live without seeking pleasure.

Verse 200. Happily They Live - Undefiled

We for whom there’s nought
live indeed so happily,
joy-stained we’ll be
like resplendent gods.

Explanation: Happily we live, who have no property to worry about. Feeding on joy we live like deities of the Heaven of radiance.

Verse 201. Happy About Both Victory And Defeat

Victory gives rise to hate,
those defeated lie in pain,
happily rest the Peaceful
surrendering victory-defeat.

Explanation: Victory brings hatred into being. The defeated person lives in misery. But the person, whose mind is calm and tranquil, lives happily as he has risen above both victory and defeat.

Verse 202. Happiness Tranquilizes

There’s no fire like lust,
no evil like aversion,
no dukkha like the aggregates,
no higher bliss than Peace.

Explanation: There is no fire like passion. There is no crime like anger. There is no pain like the personalized aggregate of phenomena. There is no higher happiness than the supreme peace.

Verse 203. Worst Disease And Greatest Happiness

Hunger is the greatest ill,
the greatest dukkha - conditionedness,
knowing this reality at it is:
Nibbana bliss supreme.

Explanation: The most severe disease is hunger. The worst of pain is in component things. If this is realistically appreciated, Nibbana is the highest bliss.

Verse 204. Four Supreme Acquisitions

Health’s the greatest gain,
contentment, best of wealth,
trusting’s best of kin,
Nibbana bliss supreme.

Explanation: Of acquisitions, good health is the foremost. Of wealth, the greatest is peace of mind. Of kinsmen, the trustworthy are the best. The highest bliss is Nibbana.

Verse 205. The Free Are The Purest

Having drunk of solitude
and tasted Peace Sublime,
free from sorrow, evil-free,
one drinks of Dhamma’s joy.

Explanation: He has savoured the taste of solitude. He has also experienced the flavour of tranquillity arising from the absence of blemishes. Enjoying the sweetness of the realistic awareness he is unaffected by blemishes and is bereft of evil.

Verse 206. Pleasant Meetings

So fair’s the sight of Noble Ones,
ever good their company,
by relating not to fools
ever happy one may be.

Explanation: Seeing nobles ones is good. Living with them is always conducive to happiness. Associating with the ignorant is like keeping company with enemies.

Verse 207. Happy Company

Who moves among fool’s company
must truly grieve for long,
for ill the company of fools
as ever that of foes,
but weal’s a wise one’s company
as meeting of one’s folk.

Explanation: A person who keeps company with the ignorant will grieve over a long period of time. Association with the ignorant is like keeping company with enemies - it always leads to grief. Keeping company with the wise is like a reunion with one’s kinfolk - it always leads to happiness.

Verse 208. The Good And The Wise

Thus go with the steadfast, wise, well-versed,
firm of virtue, practice-pure,
Ennobled ‘Such’, who’s sound, sincere,
as moon in wake of the Milky Way.

Explanation: The moon keeps to the path of the stars. In exactly the same way, one must seek out the company of such noble persons who are non-fluctuating, endowed with deep wisdom, greatly learned, capable of sustained effort, dutiful, noble, and are exalted human beings.