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Verses

Respect for The Dhamma

Dhamma-gārava

[sn 6.2]
ye ca atītā sambuddhā – ye ca buddhā anāgatā
yo c'etarahi sambuddho – bahunnaṃ soka-nāsano

Pāli POS Grammar English
ye pron masc.nom.pl whoever, whatever, whichever, those who
ca ind and
atītā pp masc.nom.pl past, gone past
sambuddhā noun masc.nom.pl Awakened Ones, Buddhas, who are wide awake
ye pron masc.nom.pl whoever, whatever, whichever, those who
ca ind and
buddhā noun masc.nom.pl Buddhas, Awakened Ones
anāgatā adj masc.nom.pl not come, future
yo pron masc.nom.sg whoever, whatever, whichever
c'etarahi ind and now, and at present
sambuddho noun masc.nom.sg Awakened One, Buddha, who is wide awake
bahunnaṃ adj masc.gen.pl of many, much, lots (of), a lot (of), great, large
soka- noun grief, sorrow, sadness
nāsano noun masc.nom.sg removing; eradicating; destroying

Whichever Buddhas of the past, whichever Buddhas of the future, and the present Buddha – removing the grief of many (beings)

sabbe saddhamma-garuno – vihariṃsu viharanti ca
ath'āpi viharissanti – esā buddhāna dhammatā

Pāli POS Grammar English
sabbe pron masc.nom.pl all
saddhamma- noun true Teaching, true doctrine, true nature of things
garuno adj masc.nom.pl respecting, revering
vihariṃsu verb aor.3.pl they lived, dwelt
viharanti verb pr.3.pl they live, stay, remain, continue
ca ind and
atha-api ind and even
viharissanti verb fut.3.pl they will live, stay, remain, continue
esā noun fem.nom.sg this
buddhānaṃ noun masc.gen.pl of Buddhas
dhammatā noun fem.nom.sg nature, character, characteristic, attribute

All who lived, who are living now and even who will live - are all revering the true teaching - that is the nature of all Buddhas.

tasmā hi atta-kāmena – mahattam-abhikaṅkhatā
saddhammo garu-kātabbo – saraṃ buddhāna sāsanaṃ

Pāli POS Grammar English
tasmā ind adv therefore, that is why, lit. from that
hi ind indeed, certainly, truly, definitely
atta-kāmena noun masc.ins.sg by wanting self-liberation, desiring one's own good lit. wanting self
mahattam- nt greatness; illustriousness
abhikaṅkhatā pp masc.ins.sg by one longing, aspiring; lit. wished (for)
saddhammo noun masc.nom.sg true Teaching, true Doctrine, true nature of things
garu-kātabbo ptp masc.nom.sg should be respected. (adj), worthy of esteem.
saraṃ prp masc.nom.sg remembering; recollecting
buddhānaṃ noun masc.gen.pl of Buddhas
sāsanaṃ noun masc.acc.sg teaching

Therefore indeed those who are desiring their own welfare, aspiring for greatness, should respect the true Dhamma, recollecting the Buddhas' Teaching.

[TH 8.195] dhammika-theragāthā
na hi dhammo adhammo ca – ubho sama-vipākino
adhammo nirayaṃ neti – dhammo pāpeti suggatiṃ

Pāli POS Grammar English
na ind not
hi ind indeed, certainly, truly, definitely
dhammo noun masc.nom.sg the Teaching
adhammo noun masc.nom.sg false teaching, against the Teaching
ca ind and
ubho pron masc.nom.sg both
sama- adj like, equal (to), same (as), identical (to)
vipākino adj masc.nom.sg ripening , resulting, having consequences
adhammo noun masc.nom.sg false teaching, against the Teaching
nirayaṃ noun masc.acc.sg hell, lit. gone down
neti verb pr.3.sg leads, carries away, takes away
dhammo noun masc.nom.sg the Teaching
pāpeti verb pr.3.sg helps (to), brings (to), leads (to), lit. causes to go (to)
suggatiṃ noun fem.acc.sg state of happiness, good destination, heaven lit. going well

The Dhamma and non-Dhamma – both have not the same result. A false teaching leads to hell, the Dhamma leads to a good destination.

dhammo have rakkhati dhamma-cāriṃ
dhammo suciṇṇo sukham-āvahāti
esā'nisaṃso dhamme suciṇṇe,
na duggatiṃ gacchati dhammacārī.

Pāli POS Grammar English
dhammo noun masc.nom.sg the Teaching
have ind indeed, surely
rakkhati verb pr.3.sg protects, guards
dhammacāriṃ noun masc.acc.sg who lives the Dhamma, who practices the Teaching who walks in truth
dhammo noun masc.nom.sg the Teaching
suciṇṇo pp as adj masc.nom.sg well practised, made a habit of
sukham- noun nt.acc.sg ease, comfort, happiness, pleasure
āvahāti verb pr.3.sg procures, brings, leads (to), is conducive (to)
esa- pron masc.nom.sg this, he, it
ānisaṃso noun masc.nom.sg profit, benefit, advantage, good result
dhamme noun masc.loc.sg in the Teaching
suciṇṇe adj masc.loc.sg in well practised, made a habit of
na ind not
duggatiṃ noun fem.acc.sg state of misery, bad destination, hell, lit. going badly
gacchati verb pr.3.sg goes, walks, moves, wanders around
dhammacārī noun masc.nom.sg who lives the Dhamma, who practices the Teaching who walks in truth

The Dhamma guards who lives in line with it, and leads to happiness when practiced well. This is the benefit of well-practiced Dhamma. Who practices the Dhamma does not go to the bad destination.

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