Le Dhammapada Canonique — 26 Vaggas et 423 Versets
Le Dhammapada est le joyau suprême de la littérature éthique bouddhiste, contenant 423 versets sublimes répartis en 26 Vaggas thématiques. Des Versets Jumeaux d'ouverture sur la pureté mentale jusqu'à la description finale du véritable Brahmane, chaque vagga offre un enseignement intemporel pour la méditation et une vie pleinement consciente.
Vagga
The Twin Verses (Yamaka Vagga)
Ten contrasting pairs demonstrating how mind precedes all experience: defiled thought brings suffering like a cartwheel following the ox, while purified mind brings joy like an inseparable shadow.
Heedfulness (Appamāda Vagga)
Exalts heedfulness and vigilance as the path to the Deathless (Nibbāna), while heedlessness is the path to spiritual death.
The Mind (Citta Vagga)
Explores the wavering, restless nature of the mind like a fish quivering out of water, teaching that a tamed mind brings true peace.
Flowers (Puppha Vagga)
Uses the imagery of flowers to illustrate life: just as bees take nectar without harming the flower, the wise move through life; the perfume of virtue travels against the wind.
The Fool (Bāla Vagga)
Analyzes the tragic traits of the foolish person: long is the night to the sleepless, long is samsara to the fool; a spoon never tastes the soup, just as a fool never understands Dhamma.
The Wise (Paṇḍita Vagga)
Praises the qualities of the truly wise: like a solid rock unshakeable by the wind, the wise remain unmoved by blame or praise, serene like a deep calm lake.
The Arahant (Arahanta Vagga)
Portrays the state of the fully enlightened Arahants who have traversed the journey, ended suffering, untied all bonds, and fly through the sky of voidness unattached like swans.
The Thousands (Sahassa Vagga)
Better than a thousand meaningless words is one word that brings peace; better than conquering a thousand men in battle is conquering oneself.
Evil (Pāpa Vagga)
Hasten towards good and restrain mind from evil; drop by drop water pot fills, drop by drop the fool accumulates evil; nowhere in the universe can one escape the fruit of evil deeds.
The Rod / Punishment (Daṇḍa Vagga)
All tremble at punishment, all fear death; seeing others as oneself, one should neither kill nor cause to kill; the golden rule of universal empathy.
Old Age (Jarā Vagga)
Contemplates the inevitable decay of youth and beauty: this painted puppet body, a heap of sores, decays; looking upon bleached bones cast away like gourds in autumn, what delight is there?
The Self (Atta Vagga)
One is one's own master, what other master could there be? By self-taming one gains a master difficult to find; by oneself is evil done, by oneself is one purified.
The World (Loka Vagga)
Look upon the world as a bubble, look upon it as a mirage; the king of death does not see the one who looks upon the world thus; better than ruling the earth is the fruit of stream-entry.
The Awakened One (Buddha Vagga)
Whose victory cannot be undone, trackless like birds in the sky; difficult is birth as a human, rare is the arising of a Buddha; to refrain from all evil, to cultivate the good, to purify one's mind—this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
Happiness (Sukha Vagga)
How joyfully we live, free from hatred among the hating, free from greed among the greedy; health is the greatest gain, contentment the greatest wealth, trust the best relation, and Nibbāna the supreme bliss.
Affection / The Dear (Piya Vagga)
From affection springs grief, from affection springs fear; for one freed from affection there is no grief, whence fear? Overcoming attachment brings true freedom.
Anger (Kodha Vagga)
Conquer anger with non-anger, conquer evil with good, conquer the stingy with giving, conquer the liar with truth; whoever checks rising anger like a rolling chariot is a true charioteer.
Impurities (Mala Vagga)
Like a withered leaf you stand, the messengers of death draw near; blow away your impurities gradually like a smith blows away the dross of silver; ignorance is the greatest impurity.
The Righteous (Dhammaṭṭha Vagga)
Not by arbitrariness is one righteous; one who judges impartially with Dhamma is established in righteousness; grey hair alone does not make an elder, but truth and harmlessness.
The Path (Magga Vagga)
Of paths the Eightfold is the best; you yourself must make the effort, the Buddhas are only teachers; by insight seeing all conditioned things as impermanent, one crosses suffering.
Miscellaneous (Pakiṇṇaka Vagga)
If by renouncing a lesser pleasure one sees a greater joy, the wise man renounces the lesser; ever wakeful and mindful by day and night are Gotama's disciples.
Woeful States / Hell (Niraya Vagga)
The liar goes to hell, and also the one who having done wrong says 'I did not do it'; seeing danger where there is none and blindness to true danger leads to woeful realms.
The Great Elephant (Nāga Vagga)
Like an elephant enduring arrows in battle, I shall endure abuse, for the world is ill-behaved; better it is to walk alone than with a fool, solitary like the Matanga elephant in the forest.
Craving (Taṇhā Vagga)
The craving of a thoughtless man grows like a creeper; cut off the stream of craving, cut down the forest of desire; the gift of Dhamma excels all gifts, the flavor of Dhamma excels all flavors.
The Monk (Bhikkhu Vagga)
Restraint of eye is good, restraint of ear is good, restraint of mind is good; the monk calm in body, calm in speech, calm in mind, who has relinquished worldly joys, is truly peaceful.
The Holy Ascetic / Brahmin (Brāhmaṇa Vagga)
Not by matted hair, nor by lineage, nor by birth is one a holy person; in whom there is truth and Dhamma, he is pure, he is a true Brahmin; who is harmless, detached, and free from desire.