The Wise Person's Guide to Happiness: Insights from Buddha | Saying of Buddha 76

The Wise Person's Guide to Happiness: Insights from Buddha | Saying of Buddha 76

At one time, the Buddha, the Perfected One said: 

“Monks, a wise person who wishes for three kinds of happiness should take care of their ethical behavior. 

What three? 

'May I be be praised!’ 

‘May I become rich!’ 

‘When my body breaks up, after death, may I be born in a good place, a heavenly realm!’ 

A wise person who wishes for these three kinds of happiness should protect their ethical behavior.”

Then Buddha continued:

"Wishing for three kinds of happiness—

praise, wealth, and to delight in heaven after passing away—

the wise would take care of their ethical behavior.

Though you do no wrong,

if you associate with one who does,

you’re suspected of wrong,

and your bad traits grows.

Whatever kind of friend you make,

with whom you associate,

that’s how you become,

for so it is when you share your life.

The one who associates and the one associated with,

the one contacted and the one who contacts another,

are like an arrow smeared with poison

that contaminates the container.

The attentive, fearing contamination,

would never have bad friends.

A man who wraps

rotten fish in the grass wrapper

makes the grass stink—

So it is when associating with fools.

But one who wraps

Sandalwood incense in leaves

makes the leaves fragrant—

so it is when associating with the wise one.

So, knowing they’ll end up

like the wrapping, the wise

would avoid the fool or bad friends,

and befriend the wise or good friends.

The fool lead you to hell or a bad place,

the good help you to heaven or a good place.”

This is all Buddha said at that time.

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