A Patipada paraphrase in 12 lines

Discussion
1

Not killing or stealing or raping or lying
Guarding the senses that are doors to the mind
Frequenting a quiet place
Purify the mind of all bad thoughts

Thinking the good they feel joy and pleasure
Thoughts subsiding they feel joy and pleasure
Joy subsiding they feel pleasure
Pleasure subsiding the mind is tranquil (pure)

Tranquil mind knows freedom from influence
Tranquil mind knows freedom from being*
Tranquil mind knows freedom from ignorance
Tranquil mind knows freedom from suffering

*not being, both, none.

3 Likes
2

Ok, ive got it down to six:

Patipada in 6 lines:

Cultivate four things:
Truthfulness
Carefulness
Seclusion and
A tranquil Mind.
A tranquil Mind knows Freedom.

1 Like
3

Patipada in one line:

Freedom is truth, care, a quiet place, and a tranquil mind.

4

Seems like you are on your way to reinventing the zen direct transmission path. :blush:

12 lines → 6 lines → 1 line → flower turning in hand and a smile…

3 Likes
5

lol! Yes!

This process has really deepened my symapthy for the zen/chan approach.

Non-grasping or detachment, or tranquility or whatever-you-want-to-call-it is the teaching of the buddha and the fundemental textual trope for it in the early corpus boils down to 1. Being good. 2. Thinking good and 3. Calming down.

Metta.

2 Likes
6

Harm none and abide
Carefully in seclusion-
Tranquil mind is free.

2 Likes
7

Understanding how Things come to be
No longer an engine of becoming
One is set free

4 Likes