The Beloved
These verses look at what happens when we hold things dear. Sorrow and fear, they say, spring from what we love, from attachment, relishing, desire and craving; one who is free of these has no sorrow, let alone fear. Not seeing what we like is painful, and so is seeing what we dislike. The chapter also says that people love someone who is virtuous, truthful and does what ought to be done. It ends with a homecoming: just as family and friends celebrate a traveller’s safe return, good deeds welcome the person who has done them.
A note on these verses. Verse 211 says “don’t hold anything dear”, which can read harshly; verse 220 speaks of good deeds receiving a person in the next world.
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · public domain (CC0) · about 1 min · on SuttaCentral
209Applying yourself where you ought not,neglecting what you should be doing,forgetting your goal, you cling to what you hold dear,jealous of those devoted to their heart’s goal.
210Don’t ever get too closeto those you like or dislike.For not seeing the liked is suffering,and so is seeing the disliked.
211Therefore don’t hold anything dear,for it’s bad to lose those you love.No ties are found in they whohold nothing loved or loathed.
212Sorrow springs from what we hold dear,fear springs from what we hold dear;one free from holding anything dearhas no sorrow, let alone fear.
213Sorrow springs from attachment,fear springs from attachment;one free from attachmenthas no sorrow, let alone fear.
214Sorrow springs from relishing,fear springs from relishing;one free from relishinghas no sorrow, let alone fear.
215Sorrow springs from desire,fear springs from desire;one free from desirehas no sorrow, let alone fear.
216Sorrow springs from craving,fear springs from craving;one free from cravinghas no sorrow, let alone fear.
217One accomplished in virtue and vision,firmly principled, and truthful,doing oneself what ought be done:that’s who the people love.
218One eager to realize the ineffablewould be filled with awareness.Their mind not bound to pleasures of sense,they’re said to be heading upstream.
219When a man returns safelyafter a long time spent abroad,family, friends, and loved onescelebrate his return.
220Just so, when one who has done goodgoes from this world to the next,their good deeds receive them there,as family welcomes home one they love.