The Buddhist Way of Life : On sorrow and happiness; On Charity and Kindness

10. On sorrow and happiness; On Charity and Kindness

• Poverty gives rise to sorrow. 
• But removal of poverty does not necessarily give rise to happiness. 
• Not high standard of living but a high standard of culture is what gives happiness. 
• This is the Buddhist Way of Life. 
• Hunger is the worst of diseases. 
• Health is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches; trust is the best of relationships, Nibbana the highest happiness. 
• We must learn to live happily indeed, not hating those who hate us ! 
• We must learn to live happily indeed, free from ailments among the ailing men.
• We must learn to live happily indeed, free from greed among the greedy.
• Mankind is ruined by passion, just as fields are damaged by weeds : therefore charity done to the passionless brings great reward. 
• Mankind is damaged by vanity, just as fields are damaged by weeds. Therefore charity done to those who are free from vanity brings great reward. 
• Mankind is ruined by lust, just as fields are damaged by weeds. Therefore charity done to those who are free from Just brings great reward. 
• Charity to Dhamma exceeds all gifts. The sweetness of the Dhamma exceeds the Dhamma. The delight in the Dhamma exceeds all delights. 
• Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy. He who has given up both victory and defeat, he, the contented, is happy. 
• There is no fire like passion ; there is no losing throw like hatred; there is no pain like this body; there is no happiness higher than the rest. 
• Fix not your gaze upon the ill-words and ill-deeds of others, upon what others do or leave undone. Look rather at what by yourself have done or left undone. 
• Hard always is life for the modest, the seeker after purity, the detached, the retiring, the cleanly of life, the discerning. 
• Is there in the world a man so blameless that he gives no occasion for reproach, as a spirited horse gives no occasion for the stroke of the lash ? Like a spirited horse that needs not the lash be fiery, be fleet. 
• Do not speak harshly to anybody: those who are spoken to will answer thee in the same way. Angry speech is painful, blows for blows will touch thee. 
• Liberty, courtesy, good-will and unselfishness—these are to the world what the lynch-pin to the Chariot.
• This is the Buddhist Way of Life.