The Awakened Mind — The Dhammapada

Some people become untraceable once they win the inner war. The Awakened one cannot be conquered again. Desire with its traps cannot lead him astray. Even the gods envy people who stay awake, meditate, grow wise, and love quiet time away from the crowd. Being born human is rare. Hearing the true teaching is rare. Becoming Buddha is rare. The teaching is simple: do not sin, do good, and clean your mind. Patience is the highest penance. Long-suffering is the highest peace. Someone who hits others is not a real holy man. Someone who insults others is not a real ascetic.

You cannot fill lust with gold. Smart people know lust tastes short and hurts after. Even heaven's pleasures do not satisfy someone fully awake. That person delights only in destroying desire. When people are scared, they run to mountains, forests, groves, and sacred trees. But those are not safe shelters. Pain does not end there.

Real safety is refuge in Buddha, the Law, and the community, with clear sight of the four holy truths: pain, where pain comes from, how pain ends, and the eightfold path that quiets pain. That refuge frees you from all pain. A Buddha is hard to find. Where one appears, that land prospers. Honoring those who crossed the flood of sorrow brings merit no one can measure.