Dhammapada 290

Mattāsukhapariccāgā passe ce vipulaṃ sukhaṃ Caje mattāsukhaṃ dhīro sampassaṃ vipulaṃ sukhaṃ.

If by renouncing a lesser happiness one may realize a greater happiness,let the wise man renounce the lesser, having regard for the greater.

- Dhammapada 290

"Monks, there are these two searches: ignoble search & noble search.

And what is ignoble search? There is the case where a person, being subject himself to birth, seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to birth. Being subject himself to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, he seeks [happiness in] what is likewise subject to illness... death... sorrow... defilement." ....

"And what is the noble search? There is the case where a person, himself being subject to birth, seeing the drawbacks of birth, seeks the unborn, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. Himself being subject to aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeing the drawbacks of aging... illness... death... sorrow... defilement, seeks the aging-less, illness-less, deathless, sorrow-less, undefiled, unexcelled rest from the yoke: Unbinding. This is the noble search." ...

"So, at a later time, while still young, a black-haired young man endowed with the blessings of youth in the first stage of life — and while my parents, unwilling, were crying with tears streaming down their faces — I shaved off my hair & beard, put on the ochre robe and went forth from the home life into homelessness." ...

Source : MN 26 Ariyapariyesana Sutta: The Noble Search; http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.026.than.htmlPainting Source : Bhikshu Vimalo , Katmandu, Nepal

- Posted by CFFong