Dhammapada

Vagga 13: Sukhavaggo | Verse: 197-199

1.
Me

2. Gr
ammar

3. Vo
cabulary

4. Bac
kstory

5.
ions

ter

1. Meter

pathy x 6

susukha vata jvma verinesu averino,

|

verinesu manussesu viharma averino. [197]

|

susukha vata jvma turesu antur,

|

turesu manussesu viharma antur. [198]

|

susukha vata jvma ussukesu anussuk

|

ussukesu manussesu viharma anussuk. [199]

source: http://www.ancient-buddhist-texts.net/Buddhist-Texts/K2-Dhammapada-New/NewDhammapada.pdf

2. Grammar
susukha

vata

jvma

in happiness
NT.ACC.SG. (ADV.)

surely IND.

let us live IMP.1.PL.

verinesu

averino

among hateful
M.LOC.PL.

peaceful M.NOM.PL.

Let us live happily, free from hate among the hateful!

Translat

verinesu

manussesu

among hateful M.LOC.PL.

people M.LOC.PL

viharma

antur

let us stay IMP.1.PL.

healthy M.NOM.PL.

Let us stay peaceful among hateful people.

susukha

vata

jvma

in happiness NT.ACC.SG. surely IND.

(ADV.)

let us live IMP.1.PL.

turesu

antur

among the afflicted

M.LOC.PL.

healthy M.NOM.PL.

Let us live happily, unafflicted among the afflicted!

turesu

manussesu

among afflicted M.LOC.PL.

people M.LOC.PL

viharma

antur

let us stay IMP.1.PL.

healthy M.NOM.PL.

Let us stay healthy among afflicted people.

susukha

vata

jvma

in happiness NT.ACC.SG. (ADV.)

surely IND.

let us live IMP.1.PL.

ussukesu

anussuk

among the zealously active

M.LOC.PL.

unbusy M.NOM.PL.

Let us live happily, unbusy among the busy!

ussukesu

manussesu

among zealously active M.LOC.PL.

people M.LOC.PL

viharma

anussuk

let us stay IMP.1.PL.

unconcerned M.NOM.PL.

Let us stay unconcerned among zealous people.

Let us live happily, free from hate among the hateful!
Let us stay peaceful among hateful people.
Let us live happily, unafflicted among the afflicted!
Let us stay healthy among afflicted people.
Let us live happily, unbusy among the busy!
Let us stay unconcerned among zealous people.
3. Vocabulary
quoted from Cone, A Dictionary of Pali or PTS Pali English Dictionary
susukha,
su, (indecl.) a particle, combd with adj., nouns, and certain verb forms, to
express the notion of "well, happily, thorough" ; opp. du. It often acts as simple
intensive prefix (cp. sa) in the sense of "very," and is thus also combd with
concepts which in themselves denote a deficiency or bad quality
sukha, (adj.-n.) agreeable, pleasant, blest sukha nt. wellbeing, happiness,
ease; ideal, success; acc. sukha comfortably, in happiness;
vata, (indecl.) part of exclamation: surely, certainly, indeed, alas!
jvma, Per K.R. Norman may be taken as imperative 1PL of Jvati
Jvati to live, be alive, live by, subsist on (c. instr. or nissya).
verin bearing hostility, inimical, revengeful
averin, mfn., [= Avera] peaceable, mild, friendly

manussa, m., a human being, man.

viharma, per KR Norman may be taken as imperative 1PL of viharati
Viharati to stay, abide, dwell, sojourn (in a certain place); in general: to be, to
live; applied: to behave, lead a life
tura, mfn., sick, ill; suffering, afflicted; wretched
antura, mfn., not sick, healthy, well;
ussuka (often [wrongly] written ussukka), mfn., busy, zealously active; striving, eager
(for); repining (for);
anussuk, mfn., not busy; quiet, unconcerned;

4. Backstory
The Story of the Pacification of the Relatives of the Buddha
The Buddha uttered Verse (197) to (199) of this book, in the Sakyan country, with
reference to his relatives who were quarrelling over the use of the water from the
Rohini river.
Kapilavatthu the town of the Sakyans and Koliya the town of the Kolyans were
situated on either side of the Rohini river. The cultivators of both towns worked the
fields watered by the Rohini river. One year, they did not have enough rain and
finding that the paddy and other crops were beginning to shrivel up, cultivators on
both sides wanted to divert the water from the Rohini river to their own fields.
Those living in Koliya said that there was not enough water in the river for both
sides, and that if only they could channel the water just once more to their fields
that would be enough for the paddy to mature and ripen. On the other hand, people
from Kapilavatthu argued that, in that case, they would be denied the use of the
water and their crops would surely fail, and they would be compelled to buy from
other people. They said that they were not prepared to go carrying their money and
valuables to the opposite bank of the river in exchange for food.
Both sides wanted the water for their own use only and there was much ill will
between them due to abusive language and accusations on both sides. The quarrel
that started between the cultivators came to the ears of the ministers concerned,

and they reported the matter to their respective rulers, and both sides prepared to
go to war.
The Buddha, surveying the world with his supernormal powers, saw his relatives
on both sides of the river coming out to meet in battle and he decided to stop them.
All alone, he went to them by going through the sky, and stopped immediately
above the middle of the river. His relatives seeing him, powerfully and yet
peacefully sitting above them in the sky, hid aside all their weapons and paid
obeisance to the Buddha. Then, the Buddha said to them, "For the sake of some
water, which is of little value, you should not destroy your lives which are of so
much value and priceless. Why have you taken this stupid action? If I had not
stopped you today, your blood would have been flowing like a river by now. You
live hating your enemies, but I have none to hate; you are ailing with moral
defilements, but I am free from them; you are striving to have sensual pleasures,
but I do not strive for them."
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Verse 197: Indeed we live very happily, not hating anyone among
those who hate; among men who hate we live without hating anyone.
Verse 198: Indeed we live very happily, in good health among the
ailing; among men who are ailing we live in good health.
Verse 199: Indeed we live very happily, not striving (for sensual
pleasures) among these who strive (for them); among those who strive
(for them) we live without striving.
At the end of the discourse many people attained Sotapatti Fruition.
source: http://www.vipassana.info/Dhammapada_contents.htm

5. Translations
Narada Thera (K. Sri Dhammananda)
Ah, happily do we live without hate amongst the hateful; amidst
hateful men we dwell unhating.
Ah, happily do we live in good health amongst the ailing; amidst ailing
men we dwell in good health.

Ah, happily do we live without yearning (for sensual pleasures)

amongst those who yearn (for them); amidst those who yearn (for them) we
dwell without yearning.
Acharya Buddharakkhita
Happy indeed we live, friendly amidst the hostile. Amidst hostile men we
dwell free from hatred.
Happy indeed we live, friendly amidst the afflicted (by craving). Amidst
afflicted men we dwell free from affliction.
Happy indeed we live, free from avarice amidst the avaricious. Amidst the
avaricious men we dwell free from avarice.

Thanissaro Bhikkhu
How very happily we live,
free from hostility
among those who are hostile.
Among hostile people,
free from hostility we dwell.
How very happily we live,
free from misery
among those who are miserable.
Among miserable people,
free from misery we dwell.
How very happily we live,
free from busyness
among those who are busy.
Among busy people,
free from busyness we dwell.

Ajahn Munindo

While in the midst

of those who hate,
to dwell free from hating
is happiness indeed.
While in the midst
of those who are troubled,
to dwell untroubled
is happiness indeed.
While in the midst
of those who are greedy,
to dwell free from greed
is happiness indeed.
Gil Fronsdal
Ah, so happily we live,
Without hate among those with hate.
Among people who hate
We live without hate.
Ah, so happily we live,
Without misery among those in misery.
Among people in misery
We live without misery.
Ah, so happily we live,
Without ambition among those with ambition.
Among people who are ambitious
We live without ambition.
K.R. Norman
We live very happily indeed without hate among those who hate;
among men who hate we dwell without hate.

We live very happily indeed without disease among those who are
diseased; among men who are diseased we dwell without disease.
We live very happily indeed without care among those who are full of
care; among men who are full of care we dwell without care.