)I'm reproducing some of the verses that seemed particularly significant from an addiction perspective below... Obviously it's a rich and multi-layered text, so I'm sure I've missed out lots of stuff that would be more important to other readers... ch 1. Twin verses
(vs 7). As a strong wind blows down a tree, Mara the Tempter overwhelms weak people who, eating too much and working too little, are caught in the frantic pursuit of pleasure. As the strongest wind cannot shake a mountain, Mara cannot shake those who are self-disciplined and full of faith?
(vs 13). As rain seeps through an ill-thatched hut, passion will seep through and untrained mind. (vs 14) As rain cannot seep through a well-thatched hut, passion cannot seep through a well-trained mind
ch 6. The wise
(verse 87, 88, 89) They leave darkness behind and follow the light. They give up home and leave pleasure behind. Calling nothing their own, they purify their hearts and rejoice. Well-trained in the seven fields of enlightenment, their senses disciplined and free from attachment, they live in freedom, full of light
ch 7. The Saint
(verse 92, 93) Like the flights of birds in the sky, the path of the selfless is hard to follow. They have no possessions, but live on alms in a world of freedom. Like the flight of birds in the sky, their path is hard to follow. With their senses under control, temperate in eating, they know the meaning of freedom?. (verses 96,97) Wisdom has stilled their minds and their thoughts, words, deeds are filled with peace. Freed from illusion and from personal ties, they have renounced the world of appearance to find reality. Thus they have reached the highest.
ch 8. Thousands.
(verse 103) One who conquers himself is greater than another who conquers a thousand times a thousand men on the battlefield. (vs 104,105) Be victorious over yourself and not over others. When you attain victory over yourself, not even the gods can turn it into defeat.
ch 14. The Awakened One
(vs 186) Even a shower of gold cannot quench the passions. They are wise those who know that passions are passing and bring pain in their wake.
ch 15. Joy
(vs 202.203) There is no fire like lust, no sickness like hatred, no sorrow like separateness, no joy like peace. No disease is worse than greed, no suffering worse than selfish passion. Know this and seek nirvana as the highest joy.
ch 16 Pleasure
(vs 209). Don't run after pleasure and neglect the practice of meditation. If you forget the goal of life and get caught in the pleasures of the world, you will come to envy those who put meditation first.
(vs 210) Not seeing what is pleasant brings pain; seeing what is unpleasant brings pain. Therefore go beyond both pleasure and pain.
(vs 211) Don?t get selfishly attached to anything, for trying to hold onto it will bring you pain. When you have neither likes nor dislikes, you will be free.
(vs 212) Selfish attachment brings suffering; selfish attachment brings fear. Be detached and you will be free from suffering and fear.
(vs 213) Selfish bonds cause grief, selfish bonds cause fear. Be unselfish and you will be free from grief and fear.
(vs 214) Selfish enjoyments lead to frustration; selfish enjoyments lead to fear. Be unselfish and you will be free from frustration and fear.
(vs 215) Selfish desires give rise to anxiety, selfish desires give rise to fear. Be unselfish and you will be free from anxiety and fear.
(vs 216) Craving brings pain, craving brings fear. Don?t yield to cravings, and you will be free from pain and fear.
(vs 217) Those who have character and discrimination, who are honest and good and follow the dharma with devotion, win the respect of all the world.
(vs 218) If you long to know what is hard to know and can resist the temptations of the world, you will cross the river of life.
(vs 219, 220) As your family and friends receive you with joy when you return from a long journey, so will your good deeds receive you when you go from this life to the next, where they will be waiting for you with joy like your kinsmen.
ch 18 Impurity
(vs 246) They dig their own graves who kill, lie, get drunk or covet the wealth or spouse of another. Those who drink to intoxication are digging up their own roots. Any indiscipline brings evil in its wake. Know this and do not let greed and vice bring you lingering pain
(vs 254, 255) There is no path in the sky; there is no refuge in the world for those driven by their desires. But the disciples of the Buddha live in freedom. There is no path in the sky, there is no refuge for those driven by their desires. All is change in the world, but the disciples of Buddha are never shaken
ch 19. Established in the Dharma.
(vs 264) Shaving one?s head cannot make a monk of one who is undisciplined, untruthful, and driven by selfish desires. He is a real monk one who has extinguished all selfish desires, large or small
(vs 271,272) Not by rituals and resolutions, nor by much learning, nor by celibacy, nor even meditation can you find the supreme, immortal joy of nirvana until you have extinguished your self-will.
ch 20. The path
(vs 283) Cut down the whole forest of selfish desires, not just one tree only. Cut down the whole forest and you will be on your way to liberation.
(vs 284) If there is any trace of lust in your mind, you are bound to life like a suckling calf to its mother. (vs 285) Pull out every selfish desire as you would an autumn lotus with your hand. Follow the path to nirvana with a guide who knows the way.
ch 21 Varied verses
(vs 294) Kill mother lust and father self-will, kill the kings of carnal passions and you will be freed from sin. The true Brahmin has killed mother lust and father self-will; he has killed the kings of carnal passions and the ego that obstructs him on the path. Such a one is freed from sin?.. (vs 305)? Abiding joy will be yours when all selfish desires end
ch 25. The Bhikshu
(vs 367) Free from the desire to possess people and things, he does not grieve what is not?
(vs 369) Bhikshu, empty your boat! It will go faster. Cast out greed and hatred and reach nirvana. Overcome the five obstacles and rise about the five selfish attachments, and you will cross the river of life.
(vs 371) Meditate, bhikshu, meditate! Do not run after sense pleasures. Do not swallow a red-hot iron ball and then cry ?I am in great pain?.
26. The Brahmin
(vs 384) Cross the river bravely, conquer all your passions. Go beyond your likes and dislikes and all fetters will fall away.
(vs 390) That one I call a brahmin who clings not to pleasures. Do not cause sorrow to others, no more sorrow will come to you?
(vs 401) That one I call a brahmin who clings not to pleasure, no more than water to a lotus leaf or mustard seed to the tip of a needle. For such a one no ore sorrow will come, no more burden will fall.
(vs 404) That one I call a brahmin whose wants are few, who is detached from householders and homeless mendicants alike.
(vs 408) That one I call a brahmin who is ever true, ever kind. Such a one never asks what life can give, only ?what can I give life??
(vs 410) That one I call a brahmin who has found his heaven, free from every selfish desire, free from every impurity. Wanting nothing at all. Doubting nothing at all, master of both body and mind, such a one has gone beyond time and death.
(vs 418) That one I call a brahmin who has overcome the urge to possess even heavenly things and is free from all selfish attachments..
(vs 421) Possessing nothing, desiring nothing for their own pleasure, their own profit, they have become a force for good, working for the freedom of all