Ovāda Pāṭimokkha: the heart of the Buddhas' teaching

Three Dhammapada verses that sum up the teaching of all the Buddhas, with the meaning

The Ovāda Pāṭimokkha is a set of three verses that sum up the heart of the Buddha's teaching. They are verses 183 to 185 of the Dhammapada, in the chapter on the Buddhas. The verses call this the teaching of all the Buddhas, not of one alone.

The three verses

Sabbapāpassa akaraṇaṁ,
kusalassa upasampadā;
Sacittapariyodapanaṁ,
etaṁ buddhāna sāsanaṁ.

Not doing any evil, taking up what is good, purifying one's own mind: this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Dhp 183

Khantī paramaṁ tapo titikkhā,
Nibbānaṁ paramaṁ vadanti buddhā;
Na hi pabbajito parūpaghātī,
Na samaṇo hoti paraṁ viheṭhayanto.

Patience, enduring what is hard, is the highest practice. The Buddhas say nibbāna is the highest. One who injures others is no true renunciant; one who troubles others is no ascetic.

Dhp 184

Anūpavādo anūpaghāto,
Pātimokkhe ca saṁvaro;
Mattaññutā ca bhattasmiṁ,
Pantañca sayanāsanaṁ;
Adhicitte ca āyogo,
Etaṁ buddhāna sāsanaṁ.

Not speaking ill, not doing harm, restraint under the Pāṭimokkha code, moderation in food, a secluded place to sit and sleep, and devotion to the higher mind: this is the teaching of the Buddhas.

Dhp 185

The main points in brief

The three verses are often summed up in three parts: three principles (1–3), four ideals (4–7) and six methods (8–13).

1. Do no evil at all
2. Take up what is good
3. Purify your own mind
4. Patience and endurance
5. Nibbāna as the highest goal
6. Not injuring others
7. Not troubling others
8. Not speaking ill of others
9. Not harming others by deed
10. Restraint under the code of training
11. Moderation in eating
12. Living in a quiet, secluded place
13. Devotion to training the mind

Machine translation from: Dhammapada 183–185, The Buddhas