The Path of the Dhamma - Buddha

Contributed by: Sadaf Shaikh on 2nd Jan 2004 at http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/thepointofview

I was reading about the life and teachings of Buddha and I thought I'd share some of his most profound sayings meant to guide his followers in their everyday life. "The path of the Dhamma" or Dhammapada in short, consists of 423 verses in Pali uttered by the Buddha on some 305 occasions for the benefit of a wide range of human beings. These sayings were selected and compiled into one book as being worthy of special note on account of their beauty and relevance for moulding the lives of future generations of Buddhists. These are some of the verses concerning the topic "Human Mind".

Cittavagga - The Mind(verses 33-43)
The fickle, unsteady mind, so hard to guard, so hard to control, the wiseman straightens, as the fletcher straightens the arrow.
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Like a fish that is drawn from its watery abode and thrown upon land, even so does this mind flutter. Hence should the realm of the passions beshunned.
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The mind is hard to check. It is swift and wanders at will. To control it is good. A controlled mind is conducive to happiness.
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The mind is very hard to perceive, extremely subtle and wanders at will. Let the wise person guard it; a guarded mind is conducive to happiness.
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Faring far, wandering alone, bodiless, lying in a cave, is the mind. Those who subdue it are freed from the bond of Mara.
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He whose mind is not steadfast, he who knows not true doctrine, he whose confidence wavers - the wisdom of such a one will never be perfect.
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He whose mind is not soaked (by lust), he who is not affected (by haunt), he who has transcended both good and evil - for such a vigilant one there is no fear.
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Realising that this body is (as fragile) as a jar, establishing this mind(as firm) as a (fortified) city, he should attack Mara with the weapon ofwisdom. He should guard his conquest and be without attachment.
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Before long, alas! This body will lie upon the ground, cast aside, devoid of consciousness, even as a useless charred log.
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Whatever (harm) a foe may do to a foe, or a hater to a hater, an ill-directed mind can do one far greater (harm).
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What neither mother, nor father, nor any other relative can do, a well-directed mind does and thereby elevates one.
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The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it.