Poems by Ajahn Buddhadasa

Mind Training Principles
Dukkha always occurs through three causes:
1. doing abundant evil in the past,
2. not doing any good right now, which is common,
3. not lifting the mind above worldly things.

There's no dukkha when three causes occur:
1. much supporting good done in the past,
2. right now, always doing only what is good,
3. keeping the mind upright, undeluded, & sober.

If you know how to train the mind even higher,
not messing around with pleasure & pain,
letting go of everything, freed of all moods,
done with sweet and bitter, calm and cool in Nibbana.

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The More One Brags Of Being Straight, The More Deeply Crooked One Ends Up
The straighter you try to be, the more deeply crooked
Turns out a hidden, secret enemy surprisingly nasty.
Wanting to be straight, to show off and succeed —
How straight is it really? Come on, be honest.

One brags “straight” according to what they praise
Too straight one sinks into the strict mess created
Wanting to be straight so that somebody will accept us
So that this little kid will grow up for once.

A mind clear enough to let it all go,
Not seeing a problem between straight and bent.
Beyond crooked & straight not deceived by “me” or “it”
So purely at peace, freed of the world, unburdened.

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Better For Being Cursed

Isn't it funny that I'm much better for being reviled?
It delights me the more that they curse me.
No matter how badly they lay into me, I don't mind.
Don't worry, things aren't as bad as they claim.

Whoever has something good, others will envy.
They'll look for something to pick apart and despise,
Once their mouths tire they'll clam up on their own.
As they get noisier, I challenge them to revile at will!

I'm someone who has benefited from being cursed.
All their nasty words have turned into blessings.
However they revile none of it turns out to be true,
So I get all the benefits of their curses, isn't it fun?!

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Why Were You Born?
Hey, tell me, why ever are we born here?
If you're still selfish, you won't believe anything I say!

How about a hint, so I can float my boat in the stream?
Basically, naturally, we are born simply to be people!

Come on! Is that really all there is to it?
If one fully lives up to the name, it's abundantly fruitful!

What sort of born is called “inhuman” ?
The birth that wastes the life one's been given!

How is one born so that this life isn't wasted?
Do not in any way transgress the duty of being human.

How is one born to the fullest standard of humanity?
Firmly commit to the duty of Dhamma people!

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Mocking Sky, Daring Earth

Earth and sky only give birth to Ego,
Endlessly deflating & inflating with evil & good
Never allowing even a moment's rest
As if dying within itself throughout the world.

For we lay down to die within their frame
Surrounding oneself with aimless desires
Pushed by the perverse power of ignorance
Because earth & sky squeeze & wring the heart.

Wanting nothing to do with them, I prefer voidness,
Not letting anything control heart and mind
Where's the value in good & evil, sky & earth,
When I have no need for a moment of Ego.

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Listen, You Anger Experts

Still getting angry? Stupidly, maliciously out-of-control?
Just because of grasping “me” anger cruelly erupts within.
Without any “me” to cherish or wish for any kind of thing,
how could you get angry at anyone? Please consider!

This is reason enough to keep a lid on this nasty “me.”
Don't let it give birth to itself as a seductive ghost,
possessing your heart till it's all messed up with “me,”
throwing tantrums and wreaking havoc on loved ones.

The tree of anger is deliciously sweet at its base
but most bitter poison overflows at the extremes.
Regard me kindly, please gather round and listen,
don't risk doing business with anger's severe punishment.

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Born To Be Human
How is one born in order to be born human?
Through doing ones duty singularly and supremely!

Whatever do you mean by singularly and supremely?
Well, there's no loophole for ghosts to cheer!

So that everybody praises one, is that what you mean?
Just so nobody can put you down is enough!

That's all? Where's the honor in that?
I was never about honor, how disgusting!

What's the point of being human without honor?
There's a greater humanity beyond honor and fame!

What? How? I'm desperate to know.
No intoxication with honor or fame is what lasts forever!

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Don't Mess Up
Brother, what good do you see in me?
Little brother, who can know the heart of another!

So why do we become intimate & love each other?
It's much more peaceful & easy than hating each other!

Brother, what do you want me to do?
Just don't mess anything up!

Is that enough for you to stand by me?
Well, if there's no dukkha, what more do you want!

Are you implying that I still suffer dukkha?
If you desire fame, status, or acceptance, there's dukkha for sure!

So if we aim for what is lowly happiness is assured?
All I'm asking is that you don't mess up; figure out the rest!

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Thai Identity

The Nation, Religion, and Royalty
together make up the broad “Thai Identity”
with mothers, fathers, teachers,
and the monks connecting all the virtues.

Hurry to summon Thai strength without doubts,
not turning away from morals as supporting action
extending long lives as a sign of merit
that upholds “Thainess” securely.

Not recklessly intoxicated with our fame
as if addicted to an opium of infatuation,
or will forever crush Thai without even knowing,
whoever aims to protect Thainess should consider well.

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The Demon In Delicious

For what reason is the world as hot as sleeping in fire?
Just because it doesn't have any coolness, of course!

For what reason, dear brother, is coolness lacking?
For the simple reason that people love heat before coolness.

I beg of you, tell me, why do they love heat so much more?
Because they think hot stuff is more delicious, they can't see!

When, then, will our hearts ever fall in love with coolness?
When we recognize the demonic side of all the hot stuff!

What must we do to see the demon in delicious things?
Listen to your parents, just a bit, from when you're young!

What if our parents don't understand any better than us?
Then, heat will teach you after it's burned you to a crisp!

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Shamed By Kittens
Born, we're afraid to die, so shamed by kittens,
whose lively eyes sparkle with joyful peace,
never thinking foolishly like us, who tremble
day and night struggling to insure against death.

The more we think, the more we suffer and imbed fear,
compounding our suffering with layers of confusion.
Getting older, we worry even more, drafting friends
and cronies to pray against death, yet keeping our fear.

How to conquer death never crosses such minds,
carrying on mindlessly, a silly sight to behold,
being Buddhist yet clutching at their “selves,”
hearts quaking in dread of death — shamed by kittens.

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Developed World
The worldly progress we call “developed,”
looks more like decaying in order to die out,
or at least, ending faster than natural.
Feeling dismayed, we try to protest.

“Accelerated development” is like accelerated suicide,
natural resources are ruined in a rush,
the results are more excessive than needed,
until total confusion reigns, peace totally lacking.

This world develops materially far beyond its wisdom
Unsatisfied, nobody thinks of stripping away the corruption,
of high technology running amok unnecessarily.
The more excited, the more depressed — developed world!

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How To Get What You Want?
Want to stop being foolish?
Then examine everything carefully.

Want Dhammic religion?
Then be tolerant and patient.

Want to realize the fruits of the path?
Then don't create any “self.”

Want to be happy everywhere?
Then share, aid, and support others.

Want to honor your parents?
Don't abandon the family's duties.

Want to be rich in goodness?
Don't do anything obsessively.

Want not to waste this human birth?
Then know how to be truly human.

Want to be cool?
Then bathe in the Dhamma.

Want to finish off karmic retribution?
Must have no “me” or “mine” left.

Not want any suffering to remain?
Must make it all free-void-empty.

Want to finish it once and for all?
Must realize remainderless quenching.

Want happiness without any pain?
Must Nibbanam paramam sukham.*

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(*) Nibbanam paramam sukham means “Nibbana is the supreme happiness.”

 

Seeing Holy Dukkhaness

Blind & silly when finding joy
Don't be fooled into suffering about it,
Though happy it's poisoned with impermanence,
See the dukkha-ness in each kind of joy.

While everything is poisoned by impermanence,
We go mad, like falling in love with a ghoul,
They delude & confuse most disgustingly:
This dukkha-ness means “revolting.”

Both “sukha” and “dukkha” are despicable,
The thickest prisons entrapping the heart,
Tricked by them like a fish by tasty bait,
Despite having eyes, still caught on the hook.

Seeing only the joy, not the dukkha within,
Like a fish crazy about lasting stability,
So used to its tricks they seem real
Until mind lets go seeing dukkha in sukha.


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Together without End
“Work with me, carry on with me, that’s what remains
together as partners, until sky and earth dissolve.
Work with me, carry on with me, that doesn’t die,
while all of you together without end.”

How are we to act that this will be so?
Well, enter into the gist of what He taught —
the undying, reachable every step and stage
as all that’s deathly is discarded, truly that’s it.

Any concoction or creation in this world:
don’t delight or cling to partner Him.
Mind empty and free of Ego-I, doesn’t fool
when no longer seeing anything as dying.

(*) nirandara, though commonly understood as “eternal,” more literally “without end,” which fits somewhat better with classic Buddha-Dhamma.



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More Progress = More Crazy

If we say, “the more progress, the more insane,”
It looks rather hard that we'll find any takers,
Because everyone likes progress that exceeds reality —
Progress like a spirit possession is even better!

The world progresses beyond its means and Nature breaks up
Many strange things changing the world sorrowfully,
Making humans into an extraordinary species
Caught up in killing both above and below the ground.

The more progress, the more it boils and bathes in blood;
The smarter, the more sinful, far worse than the stone age;
Creating tortuous problems proliferating endlessly,
The whole world clings to craziness as progress.


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Don't Be Shamed By The Chickens
If we compare ourselves with chickens we'll see,
They don't have headaches, insomnia, or ulcers.
They're free of nervous tension and mental disorders.
Chickens don't go crazy like we do every day.

The world's people take drugs by the ton,
While the chickens don't take even a speck.
They sleep tight, minds at ease one-hundred per cent.
Don't you feel a little embarrassed by the chickens?

Human birth gives us the right to be neurotic:
Should we count this as a blessing or a curse?
Please find some Dhamma before it's too late,
To live happily, no longer shamed by the chickens.

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There's Only Gain, Never Loss

Look well, there's only profit and never loss.
When losing a child or a spouse, one still receives
life's genuine knowledge that depends on no-one
how everything proceeds according to its evil and good.

This kind of knowledge brightens the heart,
seeing the way to Nibbana, the only true support.
Plunging forward to reach the goal of our lives,
don't get all bothered and make yourself suffer!

One ought to know only profit and never loss,
but end up losing because of misguided thinking.
Ponder carefully, there's only gain and no anxiety,
being “Truly Buddhist” at the pinnacle of Dhamma.


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Seeing Holy Dukkhaness

Blind & silly when finding joy
Don't be fooled into suffering about it,
Though happy it's poisoned with impermanence,
See the dukkha-ness in each kind of joy.

While everything is poisoned by impermanence,
We go mad, like falling in love with a ghoul,
They delude & confuse most disgustingly:
This dukkha-ness means “revolting.”

Both “sukha” and “dukkha” are despicable,
The thickest prisons entrapping the heart,
Tricked by them like a fish by tasty bait,
Despite having eyes, still caught on the hook.

Seeing only the joy, not the dukkha within,
Like a fish crazy about lasting stability,
So used to its tricks they seem real
Until mind lets go seeing dukkha in sukha.


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Fish Don't See Water
It's always been that fish never see the water
Flowing over their eyeballs day & night.

However you try there's no way to make
A fish see water — O, you Fish!

Human fish pass through the world the same way.
Has there ever been one who saw

The world clearly just as it is, without
getting caught in the world's tricky net?

The word “see” is taken in many ways;
Fools claim to see even a single hair.

Why don't they see this disease infested world?
If you wonder, ponder well, these fishy matters.

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