DHAMMAPADA Verses 188 - 192

DHAMMAPADA

XIV. (6) AggidattabrÈhmaÓa Vatthu

Verses 188 to 192 - The Story of Aggidatta

  

188.BahuÑ ve saraÓaÑ yanti,

      pabbatÈni vanÈni ca; 

          ŒrÈmarukkhacetyÈni,

          manussÈ bhayatajjitÈ.

189. NetaÑ kho saraÓaÑ khemaÑ,

      netaÑ saraÓamuttamaÑ; 

      NetaÑ saraÓamÈgamma,

      sabbadukkhÈ pamuccati. 

190. Yo ca buddhaÒca dhammaÒca,

      sa~ghaÒca saraÓaÑ gato; 

          CattÈri ariyasaccÈni,

          sammappaÒÒÈya passati. 

191. DukkhaÑ dukkhasamuppÈdaÑ,

      dukkhassa ca atikkamaÑ; 

          AriyaÑ caÔÔha~gikaÑ maggaÑ,

          dukkh|pasamagÈminaÑ. 

192.EtaÑ kho saraÓaÑ khemaÑ,

      etaÑ saraÓamuttamaÑ; 

      EtaÑ saraÓamÈgamma,

      sabbadukkhÈ pamuccati.

Verse 188. When threatened with danger, men go to many a refuge, - to mountains and forests, to parks and gardens, and to sacred trees.

Verse 189. But such a refuge is not a safe refuge, not the best refuge. One is not liberated from all evil consequences of existence (dukkha) for having come to such a refuge.

Verses 190 & 191. One, who takes refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Samgha, sees with Magga Insight the Four Noble Truths, viz., Dukkha, the Cause of Dukkha, the Cessation of Dukkha, and the Noble Path of Eight Constituents which leads to the Cessation of Dukkha.

Verses 192. This, indeed, is the safe refuge; this is the best refuge. Having come to this refuge, one is liberated from all dukkha.