Buddhism · Sutta Pitaka · Minor Collection (Khuddaka)

Thag, poem 199

Subhūta · Subhūtattheragāthā

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PāliPali

When a person, wishing for a certain outcome, applies themselves where they ought not; not achieving what they worked for, they say: “That’s a sign of my bad luck.”

“Ayoge yuñjamattānaṁ, puriso kiccamicchako; Carañce nādhigaccheyya, ‘taṁ me dubbhagalakkhaṇaṁ’.

When a misfortune is extracted and beaten, to surrender it in part would be like losing at dice; but to surrender it all you’d have to be blind, not seeing the even and the uneven.

Abbūḷhaṁ aghagataṁ vijitaṁ, Ekañce ossajeyya kalīva siyā; Sabbānipi ce ossajeyya andhova siyā, Samavisamassa adassanato.

You should only say what you would do; you shouldn’t say what you wouldn’t do. The wise will recognize one who talks without doing.

Yañhi kayirā tañhi vade, yaṁ na kayirā na taṁ vade; Akarontaṁ bhāsamānaṁ, parijānanti paṇḍitā.

Just like a glorious flower that’s colorful but lacks fragrance; well-spoken speech is fruitless for one who does not act on it.

Yathāpi ruciraṁ pupphaṁ, vaṇṇavantaṁ agandhakaṁ; Evaṁ subhāsitā vācā, aphalā hoti akubbato.

Just like a glorious flower that’s both colorful and fragrant, well-spoken speech is fruitful for one who acts on it.

Yathāpi ruciraṁ pupphaṁ, Vaṇṇavantaṁ sugandhakaṁ; Evaṁ subhāsitā vācā, Saphalā hoti kubbato”ti. … Subhūto thero ….