The Wise

If you meet a wise person who shows you your faults the way a guide points to buried treasure, and isn't afraid to correct you, stay close to them. Your life will be better for it, not worse.

Should one find a man who points out faults and who reproves, let him follow such a wise and sagacious person as one would a guide to hidden treasure. It is always better, and never worse, to cultivate such an association.

Let the wise person advise, teach, and warn against what's harmful. Good people will love them for it; only the foolish will resent them.

Let him admonish, instruct and shield one from wrong; he, indeed, is dear to the good and detestable to the evil.

Don't make companions of those who do harm or drag you down. Choose friends who are good and decent; keep company with the very best people you can find.

Do not associate with evil companions; do not seek the fellowship of the vile. Associate with the good friends; seek the fellowship of noble men.

One who drinks deeply of the Dhamma lives happily, with a tranquil mind. The wise always delight in the teaching made known by the Noble Ones.

He who drinks deep the Dhamma lives happily with a tranquil mind. The wise man ever delights in the Dhamma made known by the Noble One (the Buddha).

Those who manage water channel the rivers; fletchers straighten the arrow shaft; carpenters shape the wood; and the wise shape themselves.

Irrigators regulate the rivers; fletchers straighten the arrow shaft; carpenters shape the wood; the wise control themselves.

Just as a solid rock stands unmoved by the storm, the wise are not shaken by praise or blame.

Just as a solid rock is not shaken by the storm, even so the wise are not affected by praise or blame.

On hearing the teaching, the wise become calm and clear, like a lake that is deep, still, and undisturbed.

On hearing the Teachings, the wise become perfectly purified, like a lake deep, clear and still.

The good let go of clinging to everything and do not chatter on out of craving for pleasure. Touched now by joy, now by sorrow, the wise show neither giddy highs nor crushing lows.

The good renounce (attachment for) everything. The virtuous do not prattle with a yearning for pleasures. The wise show no elation or depression when touched by happiness or sorrow.

Truly virtuous and wise is the one who would do no wrong for their own sake or anyone else's, who does not crave children, wealth, or power, and refuses to win success by unjust means.

He is indeed virtuous, wise, and righteous who neither for his own sake nor for the sake of another (does any wrong), who does not crave for sons, wealth, or kingdom, and does not desire success by unjust means.

Few among people ever cross to the farther shore. The rest simply run up and down the bank where they started.

Few among men are those who cross to the farther shore. The rest, the bulk of men, only run up and down the hither bank.

But those who live by the teaching, exactly as it was well taught, will cross over the realm of death, so hard to cross.

But those who act according to the perfectly taught Dhamma will cross the realm of Death, so difficult to cross.

Leaving the dark path behind, let the wise cultivate the bright one. Having gone forth from home into homelessness, let them seek that delight in solitude which so few know how to enjoy.

Abandoning the dark way, let the wise man cultivate the bright path. Having gone from home to homelessness, let him yearn for that delight in detachment, so difficult to enjoy. Giving up sensual pleasures, with no attachment, let the wise man cleanse himself of defilements of the mind.

There let the wise seek their delight, setting sensual cravings aside and owning nothing, and let them cleanse the mind of all that defiles it.

Abandoning the dark way, let the wise man cultivate the bright path. Having gone from home to homelessness, let him yearn for that delight in detachment, so difficult to enjoy. Giving up sensual pleasures, with no attachment, let the wise man cleanse himself of defilements of the mind.

Those whose minds are fully matured in the factors of awakening, who let go of grasping and delight in not clinging, free of the inner stains and bright with wisdom, have found freedom in this very life.

Those whose minds have reached full excellence in the factors of enlightenment, who, having renounced acquisitiveness, rejoice in not clinging to things — rid of cankers, glowing with wisdom, they have attained Nibbana in this very life. [10]