Buddhism's "The Book of the Ones"

John D. Ireland (trans.), Vagga Sutra (Itivuttaka: "This Was Said (by the Buddha)," 1.24-27); Dhr. Seven, Crystal Quintero (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

§ 24. A Heap of Bones

This was said by the Blessed One... "Meditators, the skeletons of a single person, wandering on and running through the Wheel of Life and Death (samsara) for an aeon (kalpa), would create a heap of bones as large as this Mount Vepulla, if there were someone to collect them and if the collection were not destroyed."
 

The bones of a single person

Accumulated in a single aeon

Would make a heap

The size of a mountain —

So said the Great Sage.
 

He declared it to be

As great as Mount Vepulla

To the north of Vulture's Peak

In the hill-fort of Magadha.
 

But when one sees with perfect wisdom

The Four Noble Truths as they are —

Suffering, the origin of suffering,

The overcoming of suffering,
 

And the Noble Eightfold Path

Leading to the cessation of suffering —

Having merely run on

Seven times at most,
 

By destroying all fetters

One makes an end of suffering.

§ 25. Lying {Iti 1.25; Iti 18} 
This was said by the Blessed One... "Meditators, I say that for an individual who transgresses in one thing, there is no harmful deed whatsoever one would not do. What is that one thing? It is this, meditators: deliberately telling a lie."
 

There is no harm that cannot be done

By a person who deliberately lies,

Who transgresses in one thing,

Taking no account of the next world.

§ 26. Giving  {Iti 1.26; Iti 18} 

Dana in Thailand: woman gives to Theravada monks and novices (Bugphai/flickr.com)

.

This was said by the Blessed One... "Meditators, if beings knew -- as I directly know and see -- the result of giving and sharing, they would not eat [a single morsel] without having given, nor would they allow the stain of stinginess to obsess them and take root in their minds/hearts. Even if it were their last morsel, their last mouthful, they would not eat without having shared it, if there were someone to share it with. But, meditators, as beings do not know, as I know, the result of giving and sharing, they eat without having given, and the stain of stinginess obsesses them and takes root in their minds/hearts."
 

If beings only knew —

So said the Great Sage —

How the result of sharing

Is of such great fruit,
 

With a gladdened mind/heart,

Rid of the stain of stinginess,

They would duly give to noble ones

Who make what is given fruitful.
 

Having given much food as offerings

To those most worthy of offerings,

The donors go to heaven

On departing the human state.
 

Having gone to heaven they rejoice,

And enjoying pleasures there,

The unselfish experience the result

Of generously sharing with others.

§ 27. The Development of Loving-kindness {Iti 1.27; Iti 19}

This was said by the Blessed One... "Meditators, whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future rebirth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the mind-release of loving-kindness. The mind-release of loving-kindness surpasses them and shines forth, bright and brilliant.

"Just as the radiance of all the stars does not equal a sixteenth part of the moon's radiance, but the moon's radiance surpasses them and shines forth, bright and brilliant, even so, whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future birth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the mind-release of loving-kindness...

 

"Just as in the last month of the rainy season, in the autumn, when the sky is clear and free of clouds, the sun, on ascending, dispels the darkness of space and shines forth, bright and brilliant, even so, whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future birth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the mind-release of loving-kindness...

 

"And just as in the night, at the moment of dawn, the morning star shines forth, bright and brilliant, even so, whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future birth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the mind-release of loving-kindness. The mind-release of loving-kindness surpasses them and shines forth, bright and brilliant."

 

For one who mindfully develops

Boundless loving-kindness

Seeing the destruction of clinging,

The fetters are worn away.
 

If with an uncorrupted mind

One pervades just one being

With loving kindly thoughts,

One makes some merit thereby.

But a noble one produces
An abundance of merit
By having a compassionate mind
Towards all living beings.

Those royal seers who conquered
The earth crowded with beings
Went about performing sacrifices:
The horse sacrifice, the man sacrifice,

The water rites, the soma sacrifice,
And that called "the Unobstructed."
But these do not share even a sixteenth part
Of a well cultivated mind of love,

Just as the entire starry host
Is dimmed by the moon's radiance.
One who does not kill
Nor cause others to kill,
 
Who does not conquer
Nor cause others to conquer,
Kindly towards all beings —
Has enmity for none.

 

This, too, is the meaning of what was said by the Blessed One. Thus I heard.