Let lesser pleasures fall away,
For greater happiness to rise.
Do not cause another suffering
Just to make your own heart smile.
[Pre-Chorus]
Do what should be done with mindfulness,
Leave what should never be pursued.
Know the body, know the mind,
And let wisdom guide your every move.
[Chorus]
Happiness without harming others,
Happiness with a heart of peace.
Awake by night and awake by daylight,
Let the Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha be your guide.
Happiness without harming others,
Cultivate the mind and wake within.
Train yourself beyond delusion,
Walk the path where peace begins.
[Verse 2]
Do not destroy another person
Through anger, hatred, fear, or pride.
Destroy the roots of inner craving,
Let wisdom be your guiding light.
[Chorus]
Happiness without harming others,
Happiness with a heart of peace.
Awake by night and awake by daylight,
Let the Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha be your guide.
Happiness without harming others,
Cultivate the mind and wake within.
Train yourself beyond delusion,
Walk the path where peace begins.
[Bridge]
The virtuous shine from distant places,
Like mountains rising clear and high.
True goodness does not need to boast,
Its light is seen by every eye.
[Final Verse]
Sit alone without distraction,
Walk alone without fear.
Train the heart with steady effort,
Let the path of peace grow clear.
[Ending]
Happiness without harming others,
Mindfulness in all we do.
With compassion, wisdom, practice,
May the peaceful heart shine through.
The Pakiṇṇaka Vagga: True Happiness Does Not Depend on the Suffering of Others
The Pakiṇṇaka Vagga, the twenty-first chapter of the Dhammapada, teaches about choosing greater and more lasting happiness, avoiding harm to others, maintaining mindfulness, cultivating the mind, and training oneself to overcome defilements.
The Buddha teaches that if a wise person sees that a greater happiness can arise by giving up a lesser happiness, that person should be willing to abandon the lesser happiness for the greater good.
This teaching emphasizes the value of long-term wisdom over immediate gratification. What feels pleasant in the present moment may not necessarily be beneficial in the long run.
One Should Not Seek Happiness Through Another Person's Suffering
The Buddha warns that a person who seeks happiness for himself or herself by causing suffering to others becomes entangled in hostility and cannot easily escape from hostility.
This teaching emphasizes non-harming as an important foundation for harmonious living. Happiness built upon another person's suffering carries the seeds of conflict within it.
True happiness therefore cannot be understood merely as personal pleasure. It should also be considered in relation to the well-being of others.
Mindfulness and Clear Comprehension
The Pakiṇṇaka Vagga distinguishes between actions that should be done and actions that should not be done.
Those who neglect what ought to be done and engage in what ought not to be done allow the defilements and taints to increase.
By contrast, those who cultivate mindfulness and clear comprehension, maintain mindfulness of the body, and continually apply effort to what should be done do not indulge in harmful actions. Their defilements gradually come to an end.
The Symbolic Meaning of “Killing Parents and Kings”
The passage uses striking expressions concerning “killing one's mother and father” and “killing kings.” These should not be understood as instructions to physically harm people.
Within the language of Buddhist teaching, these expressions function as symbolic or figurative language, pointing toward the destruction of inner bonds, obstacles, and mental defilements.
The deeper message is that the greatest obstacles to liberation are found within the mind rather than in external enemies.
Mindfulness of the Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha, and Body
The Buddha praises those whose mindfulness is continually directed toward the Buddha, Dhamma, Saṅgha, and the body, day and night.
Such people are described as followers of Gotama who remain awake and fully awakened in their conduct.
The teaching also emphasizes delight in non-harming and mental cultivation. These practices encourage a life based on mindfulness rather than anger, craving, confusion, and heedlessness.
Life in the Household and Relationships
The Pakiṇṇaka Vagga also recognizes that ordination can be difficult, household life can bring suffering, and living together with people of incompatible dispositions can create difficulties.
The teaching can be understood as an invitation to examine the causes of suffering within different ways of life and relationships, rather than as a simplistic judgment about one lifestyle being suitable for everyone.
Good People Shine Even from Afar
The Buddha compares a virtuous person to the Himalayas, which can be seen even from a great distance.
An unworthy person, however, may remain unnoticed even when sitting nearby, like an arrow shot at night.
The comparison emphasizes that true human value comes from character and conduct rather than physical proximity or outward status.
A person endowed with faith and virtue can earn respect wherever he or she goes.
Training Oneself in Solitude
The chapter concludes by encouraging monks to cultivate solitary practice: sitting alone, sleeping alone, traveling alone, training oneself without laziness, and finding joy in secluded places.
The deeper purpose is not simply physical isolation. It is to create conditions in which the mind can be carefully observed, trained, and liberated from attachment.
Central Message
The central message of the Pakiṇṇaka Vagga may be summarized as:
Do not seek your own happiness by causing suffering to others. Maintain mindfulness of body and mind, do what should be done, abandon what should not be done, and train yourself until attachment and the defilements gradually come to an end.
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