Buddha Quotes on Suffering, from the Dhammapada

“Intention is the leader of things; intention is first, they’re made by intention. If with corrupt intent you speak or act, suffering follows you, like a wheel, the ox’s foot.”

Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā; Manasā ce paduṭṭhena, bhāsati vā karoti vā; Tato naṁ dukkhamanveti, cakkaṁva vahato padaṁ.

“When the astute dispel negligence by means of diligence, ascending the palace of wisdom, sorrowless, they behold this generation of sorrow, as an attentive one on a mountain top beholds the fools below.”

Pamādaṁ appamādena, yadā nudati paṇḍito; Paññāpāsādamāruyha, asoko sokiniṁ pajaṁ; Pabbataṭṭhova bhūmaṭṭhe, dhīro bāle avekkhati.

“The fool imagines that evil is sweet, so long as it has not yet ripened. But as soon as that evil ripens, they fall into suffering.”

Madhuṁvā maññati bālo, yāva pāpaṁ na paccati; Yadā ca paccati pāpaṁ, atha dukkhaṁ nigacchati.

“At journey’s end, rid of sorrow; everywhere free, all ties given up, no fever is found in them.”

Gataddhino visokassa, vippamuttassa sabbadhi; Sabbaganthappahīnassa, pariḷāho na vijjati.

“If you do something bad, don’t do it again and again, don’t set your heart on it, for piling up evil is suffering.”

Pāpañce puriso kayirā, Na naṁ kayirā punappunaṁ; Na tamhi chandaṁ kayirātha, Dukkho pāpassa uccayo.

“Don’t speak harshly, they may speak harshly back. For aggressive speech is painful, and the rod may spring back on you.”

Māvoca pharusaṁ kañci, vuttā paṭivadeyyu taṁ; Dukkhā hi sārambhakathā, paṭidaṇḍā phuseyyu taṁ.

“harsh pain; loss; the breakup of the body; serious illness; mental distress;”

Vedanaṁ pharusaṁ jāniṁ, sarīrassa va bhedanaṁ; Garukaṁ vāpi ābādhaṁ, cittakkhepaṁ va pāpuṇe.

“Like a fine horse under the whip, be keen and full of urgency. With faith, ethics, and energy, immersion, and investigation of principles, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, mindful, give up this vast suffering.”

Asso yathā bhadro kasāniviṭṭho, Ātāpino saṁvegino bhavātha; Saddhāya sīlena ca vīriyena ca, Samādhinā dhammavinicchayena ca; Sampannavijjācaraṇā patissatā, Jahissatha dukkhamidaṁ anappakaṁ.

“Transmigrating through countless rebirths, I’ve journeyed without reward, searching for the house-builder; painful is birth again and again.”

Anekajātisaṁsāraṁ, sandhāvissaṁ anibbisaṁ; Gahakāraṁ gavesanto, dukkhā jāti punappunaṁ.

“Even if it were raining money, you’d not be sated in sensual pleasures. An astute person understands that sensual pleasures offer little gratification and much suffering.”

Na kahāpaṇavassena, titti kāmesu vijjati; Appassādā dukhā kāmā, iti viññāya paṇḍito.

“But such refuge is no sanctuary, it is no supreme refuge. By going to that refuge, you’re not released from all suffering.”

Netaṁ kho saraṇaṁ khemaṁ, netaṁ saraṇamuttamaṁ; Netaṁ saraṇamāgamma, sabbadukkhā pamuccati.

“suffering, suffering’s origin, suffering’s transcendence, and the noble eightfold path that leads to the stilling of suffering.”

Dukkhaṁ dukkhasamuppādaṁ, dukkhassa ca atikkamaṁ; Ariyaṁ caṭṭhaṅgikaṁ maggaṁ, dukkhūpasamagāminaṁ.

“Such refuge is a sanctuary, it is the supreme refuge. By going to that refuge, you’re released from all suffering.”

Etaṁ kho saraṇaṁ khemaṁ, etaṁ saraṇamuttamaṁ; Etaṁ saraṇamāgamma, sabbadukkhā pamuccati.

“When a person venerates the worthy— the Buddha or his disciple, who have transcended proliferation, and have left behind grief and lamentation,”

Pūjārahe pūjayato, buddhe yadi va sāvake; Papañcasamatikkante, tiṇṇasokapariddave.

“There is no fire like greed, no crime like hate, no suffering like the aggregates, no bliss beyond peace.”

Natthi rāgasamo aggi, Natthi dosasamo kali; Natthi khandhasamā dukkhā, Natthi santiparaṁ sukhaṁ.

“Hunger is the worst illness, conditions are the worst suffering. When one has known this as it is, extinguishment is the ultimate happiness.”

Jighacchāparamā rogā, saṅkhāraparamā dukhā; Etaṁ ñatvā yathābhūtaṁ, nibbānaṁ paramaṁ sukhaṁ.

“For one who consorts with fools grieves long. Painful is living with fools, like being stuck with your enemy. Happy is living with an attentive one, like meeting with your kin.”

Bālasaṅgatacārī hi, dīghamaddhāna socati; Dukkho bālehi saṁvāso, amitteneva sabbadā; Dhīro ca sukhasaṁvāso, ñātīnaṁva samāgamo.

“Don’t ever get too close to those you like or dislike. For not seeing the liked is suffering, and so is seeing the disliked.”

Mā piyehi samāgañchi, appiyehi kudācanaṁ; Piyānaṁ adassanaṁ dukkhaṁ, appiyānañca dassanaṁ.

“Sorrow springs from what we hold dear, fear springs from what we hold dear; one free from holding anything dear has no sorrow, let alone fear.”

Piyato jāyatī soko, piyato jāyatī bhayaṁ; Piyato vippamuttassa, natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.

“Sorrow springs from attachment, fear springs from attachment; one free from attachment has no sorrow, let alone fear.”

Pemato jāyatī soko, pemato jāyatī bhayaṁ; Pemato vippamuttassa, natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.

“Sorrow springs from relishing, fear springs from relishing; one free from relishing has no sorrow, let alone fear.”

Ratiyā jāyatī soko, ratiyā jāyatī bhayaṁ; Ratiyā vippamuttassa, natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.

“Sorrow springs from desire, fear springs from desire; one free from desire has no sorrow, let alone fear.”

Kāmato jāyatī soko, kāmato jāyatī bhayaṁ; Kāmato vippamuttassa, natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.

“Sorrow springs from craving, fear springs from craving; one free from craving has no sorrow, let alone fear.”

Taṇhāya jāyatī soko, taṇhāya jāyatī bhayaṁ; Taṇhāya vippamuttassa, natthi soko kuto bhayaṁ.

“Give up anger, get rid of conceit, and escape every fetter. Sufferings don’t befall one who has nothing, not clinging to name and form.”

Kodhaṁ jahe vippajaheyya mānaṁ, Saṁyojanaṁ sabbamatikkameyya; Taṁ nāmarūpasmimasajjamānaṁ, Akiñcanaṁ nānupatanti dukkhā.

“Those harmless sages, always restrained in body, go to the state that does not pass, where there is no sorrow.”

Ahiṁsakā ye munayo, niccaṁ kāyena saṁvutā; Te yanti accutaṁ ṭhānaṁ, yattha gantvā na socare.

“Know this, my man: they are unrestrained and wicked. Don’t let that greed and unrighteousness inflict pain on you for long.”

Evaṁ bho purisa jānāhi, pāpadhammā asaññatā; Mā taṁ lobho adhammo ca, ciraṁ dukkhāya randhayuṁ.

“When you all are practicing this, you’ll make an end of suffering. I have explained the path to you for extracting the thorn with wisdom.”

Etañhi tumhe paṭipannā, dukkhassantaṁ karissatha; Akkhāto vo mayā maggo, aññāya sallakantanaṁ.

“All conditions are impermanent— when this is seen with wisdom, one grows disillusioned with suffering: this is the path to purity.”

“Sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā”ti, yadā paññāya passati; Atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.

“All conditions are suffering— when this is seen with wisdom, one grows disillusioned with suffering: this is the path to purity.”

“Sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā”ti, yadā paññāya passati; Atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.

“All things are not-self— when this is seen with wisdom, one grows disillusioned with suffering: this is the path to purity.”

“Sabbe dhammā anattā”ti, yadā paññāya passati; Atha nibbindati dukkhe, esa maggo visuddhiyā.

“Seeking their own happiness by imposing suffering on others, intimate with enmity, they’re not freed from enmity.”

Paradukkhūpadhānena, attano sukhamicchati; Verasaṁsaggasaṁsaṭṭho, verā so na parimuccati.

“Going forth is hard, it’s hard to be happy; life at home is hard too, and painful, it’s painful to stay when you’ve nothing in common. A traveler is a prey to pain, so don’t be a traveler, don’t be prey to pain.”

Duppabbajjaṁ durabhiramaṁ, Durāvāsā gharā dukhā; Dukkhosamānasaṁvāso, Dukkhānupatitaddhagū; Tasmā na caddhagū siyā, Na ca dukkhānupatito siyā.

“A friend in need is a blessing; it’s a blessing to be content with whatever; good deeds are a blessing at the end of life, and giving up all suffering is a blessing.”

Atthamhi jātamhi sukhā sahāyā, Tuṭṭhī sukhā yā itarītarena; Puññaṁ sukhaṁ jīvitasaṅkhayamhi, Sabbassa dukkhassa sukhaṁ pahānaṁ.

“Whoever is beaten by this wretched craving, this attachment to the world, their sorrow grows, like grass in the rain.”

Yaṁ esā sahate jammī, taṇhā loke visattikā; Sokā tassa pavaḍḍhanti, abhivaṭṭhaṁva bīraṇaṁ.

“But whoever prevails over this wretched craving, so hard to get over in the world, their sorrows fall from them, like a drop from a lotus-leaf.”

Yo cetaṁ sahate jammiṁ, taṇhaṁ loke duraccayaṁ; Sokā tamhā papatanti, udabinduva pokkharā.

“A tree grows back even when cut down, so long as its roots are strong and undamaged; suffering springs up again and again, so long as the tendency to craving is not pulled out.”

Yathāpi mūle anupaddave daḷhe, Chinnopi rukkho punareva rūhati; Evampi taṇhānusaye anūhate, Nibbattatī dukkhamidaṁ punappunaṁ.

“People governed by thirst, crawl about like a trapped rabbit. Bound and fettered, for a long time they return to pain time and again.”

Tasiṇāya purakkhatā pajā, Parisappanti sasova bandhito; Saṁyojanasaṅgasattakā, Dukkhamupenti punappunaṁ cirāya.

“Besotted by lust they fall into the stream, like a spider caught in the web she wove. The attentive proceed, having cut this one too, unconcerned, having given up all suffering.”

Ye rāgarattānupatanti sotaṁ, Sayaṅkataṁ makkaṭakova jālaṁ; Etampi chetvāna vajanti dhīrā, Anapekkhino sabbadukkhaṁ pahāya.

“The gift of the teaching surmounts all other gifts; the taste of the teaching surmounts all other tastes; the joy of the teaching surmounts all other joys; the ending of craving surmounts all suffering.”

Sabbadānaṁ dhammadānaṁ jināti, Sabbarasaṁ dhammaraso jināti; Sabbaratiṁ dhammarati jināti, Taṇhakkhayo sabbadukkhaṁ jināti.

“Restraint of the body is good; good is restraint of speech; restraint of mind is good; everywhere, restraint is good. The mendicant restrained everywhere is released from all suffering.”

Kāyena saṁvaro sādhu, sādhu vācāya saṁvaro; Manasā saṁvaro sādhu, sādhu sabbattha saṁvaro; Sabbattha saṁvuto bhikkhu, sabbadukkhā pamuccati.

“Practice absorption, don’t be negligent! Don’t let the mind delight in the senses! Don’t heedlessly swallow a hot iron ball! And when it burns, don’t cry, “Oh, the pain!””

Jhāya bhikkhu mā pamādo, Mā te kāmaguṇe ramessu cittaṁ; Mā lohaguḷaṁ gilī pamatto, Mā kandi “dukkhamidan”ti dayhamāno.

“Mix with spiritual friends, who are tireless and pure of livelihood. Share what you have with others, being skillful in your conduct. And when you’re full of joy, you’ll make an end to suffering.”

Mitte bhajassu kalyāṇe, suddhājīve atandite; Paṭisanthāravutyassa, ācārakusalo siyā; Tato pāmojjabahulo, dukkhassantaṁ karissati.

“Nothing is better for a brahmin than to hold their mind back from attachment. From wherever a cruel wish recoils, right there suffering subsides.”

Na brāhmaṇassetadakiñci seyyo, Yadā nisedho manaso piyehi; Yato yato hiṁsamano nivattati, Tato tato sammatimeva dukkhaṁ.

“They understand for themselves the end of suffering in this life; with burden put down, detached: that’s who I declare a brahmin.”

Yo dukkhassa pajānāti, idheva khayamattano; Pannabhāraṁ visaṁyuttaṁ, tamahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.

“They’ve escaped the chain of both good and bad deeds; sorrowless, stainless, pure: that’s who I declare a brahmin.”

Yodha puññañca pāpañca, ubho saṅgamupaccagā; Asokaṁ virajaṁ suddhaṁ, tamahaṁ brūmi brāhmaṇaṁ.