Letter to a Friend
(Nāgārjuna's Suhṛllekha) (123 verses)
“In the tender embrace of dawn, where wisdom whispers like a gentle breeze, Nāgārjuna’s Letter to a Friend (Suhṛllekha) unfolds as a timeless song, guiding a king — and all who listen — toward the radiant truth of awakening. With the grace of Manjushri’s wisdom and the warmth of compassionate action, these verses weave a path through the fleeting mists of saṃsāra, inviting us to cultivate virtues, tame the mind, and glimpse the ineffable reality where emptiness and love intertwine. Like chalk glowing brighter under moonlight, this noble text beckons us to step lightly yet purposefully, aligning our hearts with the profound harmony of the Two Truths, toward a liberation that shines for all beings.”
Last update: August 24, 2025
Nāgārjuna’s Letter to a Friend (Sanskrit: Suhṛllekha) is a concise yet profound text written by the 2nd-century Indian Buddhist philosopher Nāgārjuna, addressed to a king, often identified as a friend or a ruler from the Sātavāhana dynasty. Composed in verse, it serves as a guide to Buddhist ethics, practice, and philosophy, blending practical advice with deep insights into the path to liberation. The text is accessible to laypeople and monastics alike, emphasizing virtuous conduct, mindfulness, and the cultivation of wisdom to overcome suffering and attain enlightenment.
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A. Key Themes and Content
Ethical Conduct (Śīla): Nāgārjuna stresses the importance of moral discipline as the foundation of spiritual progress. He advises the king to avoid harmful actions (e.g., killing, stealing, lying) and to cultivate virtues like generosity, patience, and compassion. These align with the Buddhist concept of karma, where wholesome actions lead to positive outcomes.
Mindfulness and Meditation (Samādhi): The text encourages practices such as mindfulness of breathing and contemplation of impermanence to develop mental clarity and stability. Nāgārjuna urges the king to guard the mind against attachment, anger, and delusion.
Wisdom (Prajñā): Central to Nāgārjuna’s philosophy, particularly his Madhyamaka school, is the concept of emptiness (śūnyatā). In the letter, he introduces the idea that phenomena lack inherent existence, encouraging insight into the interdependent nature of reality to transcend suffering.
The Six Perfections (Pāramitās): Nāgārjuna outlines the Bodhisattva path, which includes generosity, ethical conduct, patience, effort, meditation, and wisdom. These practices are framed as essential for both personal liberation and the benefit of others.
Practical Advice for a Ruler: As the letter is addressed to a king, Nāgārjuna offers guidance on righteous governance, urging the king to rule with justice, protect the Dharma, and support the monastic community while balancing worldly duties with spiritual aspirations.
Impermanence and Renunciation: The text frequently reflects on the fleeting nature of life, wealth, and power, encouraging detachment from worldly pleasures and dedication to the path of liberation.
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B. Structure
The Letter to a Friend consists of 123. verses, though the exact number varies slightly in different translations. It is written in a poetic, exhortative style, blending encouragement with doctrinal exposition. The tone is warm and personal, reflecting Nāgārjuna’s intent to guide his friend toward spiritual awakening.
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C. Historical and Philosophical Context
Author: Nāgārjuna is one of the most influential figures in Mahāyāna Buddhism, known for his Madhyamaka philosophy, which emphasizes the “Middle Way” between eternalism and nihilism. His works, including the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, explore emptiness (śūnyatā) and dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda).
Audience: The letter was likely written for a lay ruler, making it a practical application of Buddhist principles to everyday life, distinct from Nāgārjuna’s more technical philosophical treatises.
Significance: The text bridges ethical living with profound metaphysical insights, making it a key work in Mahāyāna literature. It remains widely studied in Tibetan, Chinese, and other Buddhist traditions.
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D. Notable Translations and Commentaries
Tibetan Tradition: The Suhṛllekha is part of the Tibetan Buddhist canon, with commentaries by figures like Je Tsongkhapa and the Dalai Lama. A well-known translation is Nagarjuna’s Letter to a Friend by the Padmakara Translation Group, which includes commentary by Kangyur Rinpoche.
English Translations:
– Nagarjuna’s Letter to King Gautamiputra by Lozang Jamspal, Ngawang Samten Chophel, and Peter Della Santina (1978).
– Advice from a Spiritual Friend by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, which includes the Suhṛllekha alongside other texts.
– The Padmakara Translation Group’s version (2013), noted for its clarity and accompanying commentary.
Commentaries: Traditional commentaries elaborate on the verses, often connecting them to broader Mahāyāna teachings. Modern scholars and teachers, like Thich Nhat Hanh, also reference the text in discussions of applied Buddhism.
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E. Key Quotes
On ethical conduct: “Abandon killing, stealing, and misconduct; protect your mind with mindfulness and virtue.”
On impermanence: “Like a flash of lightning in the sky, life is fleeting—reflect on this and practice diligently.”
On wisdom: “All phenomena are empty of inherent existence; realizing this, one transcends the cycle of birth and death.”
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F. Relevance Today
The Letter to a Friend remains a timeless guide for integrating Buddhist principles into daily life. Its emphasis on ethical living, mental discipline, and wisdom resonates with modern practitioners seeking balance in a complex world. For leaders, it offers insights into compassionate and just governance, while for individuals, it provides a roadmap to inner peace and liberation.
The Suhṛllekha is a poetic epistle addressed to a king, blending practical advice for a lay ruler with profound Mahāyāna insights. It progresses from foundational ethical teachings to meditative practices, philosophical wisdom, and the ultimate goal of Buddhahood. The verses are organized to guide the reader systematically through the Buddhist path, making it accessible yet deeply rooted in Madhyamaka philosophy. The text emphasizes the cultivation of discriminative awareness (prajñā, wisdom discerning reality’s empty nature) [T2] ⇐⇒ together with ethical conduct, and compassion (karuṇā) [T1] ⇐⇒ in accord with the Union of the Two Truths [U2T], tailored to a king balancing worldly and spiritual duties.
The text is divided into nine thematic sections based on shifts in focus, such as ethical instructions, meditative practices, contemplations of suffering, and Mahāyāna aspirations. Each section builds on the previous one, culminating in a vision of Universal Liberation (Universal Awakening). The summaries highlight key teachings and their relevance to the king’s spiritual journey.
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Section 1: Homage to Acting in accord with Reality as it is [U2T / Uopp] - Verses: 1–3
Summary: Nāgārjuna opens with a homage [T1] to Mañjughoṣa [T2] [U2T] and invites the king, a virtuous friend, to heed these verses, which distill the Buddha’s teachings. He humbly acknowledges the simplicity of his words but emphasizes their alignment with the “Holy Way.” The metaphor of chalk gleaming brighter under moonlight suggests that even familiar teachings can inspire anew when contemplated deeply.
Homage to [T1]
the Gentle and Glorious Youth (Mañjugosha / wisdom) [T1] [U2T]
1. Listen now to these few lines of noble song
That I’ve composed for those with many virtues, fit for good,
To help them yearn for merit springing from
The sacred words of He Who’s Gone to Bliss.
2. The wise will always honor and bow down
To Buddha statues, though they’re made of wood;
So too, although these lines of mine be poor,
Do not feel scorn, they teach the Holy Way.
3. While you have surely learned and understood
The Mighty Buddha’s many lovely words,
Is it not so that something made of chalk
By moonlight lit shines gleaming whiter still?
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Section 2: Cultivating Foundational External Virtues, the Basis – Verses: 4–14
Summary: This section outlines the core practices for a virtuous life [T1], emphasizing the six recollections (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, generosity, morality, gods), the ten wholesome deeds, and avoidance of intoxicants. Nāgārjuna stresses generosity, discipline, and the eight-branched vow (lay precepts), warning against negative traits like stinginess and pride. He underscores carefulness as the path to “deathlessness” and cites examples like Nanda and Aṅgulimāla, who transformed through heedfulness.
4. [The six recollections – Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, generosity, morality, gods:]
Six things there are the Buddhas have explained,
And all their virtues you must keep in mind:
The Buddha, Dharma, Sangha, bounteous acts,
And moral laws and gods — each one recall.
5. [The ten wholesome deeds – Abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, divisive speech, harsh speech, idle chatter, covetousness, ill will, wrong views:]
With body, speech, and mind always rely
On wholesome deeds, the tenfold virtuous path.
Avoiding liquor (intoxicants) at all costs, thus find
True joy to lead a life of virtuous deeds.
6. [Generosity:]
Possessions are ephemeral and essenceless–
Know this and give them generously to monks,
To brahmins, to the poor, and to your friends:
Beyond there is no greater friend than gift.
7. [Discipline:]
Keep your vows unbroken, undegraded,
Uncorrupted, and quite free of stain.
Just as the earth’s the base for all that’s still or moves,
On discipline, it’s said, is founded all that’s good.
8. [Six Paramitas:]
Generosity and discipline, patience, diligence,
Concentration, and the wisdom that knows thusness–
Those measureless perfections, make them grow,
And be a Mighty Conqueror who’s crossed saṃsāra’s sea.
9. Those who show their parents great respect
With Brahma or a Master will be linked;
By venerating them they’ll win repute,
In future they’ll attain the higher realms.
10. [Eight-branched vow (lay precepts) – Abstaining from killing, stealing, sexual activity (or misconduct), lying, intoxicants (e.g., liquor), eating at improper times (e.g., after noon), dancing, singing, music, and shows, and using high or luxurious beds and adornments (e.g., garlands, perfumes, cosmetics):]
Eschew all harm, don’t steal, make love, or lie,
Abstain from drink, untimely greed for food,
Indulging in high beds, and singing too,
Refrain from dancing, all adornments shun.
11. For men and women who keep this eight-branched vow
And emulate the vows the Arhats took,
Their wish to nurture and to cleanse will grant
Them handsome bodies as celestial gods.
12. [Warning against negative traits like stinginess and pride:]
Stinginess and cunning, greed and sloth
And arrogance, attachment, hate, and pride
(“I’ve breeding, good looks, learning, youth, and power”)–
Such traits are seen as enemies of good.
13. [Carefulness as the path to “deathlessness”:]
Carefulness is the way to deathlessness,
While carelessness is death, the Buddha taught.
And thus, so that your virtuous deeds may grow,
Be careful, constantly and with respect.
14. [Examples like Nanda and Aṅgulimāla, who transformed through heedfulness:]
Those who formerly were careless
But then took heed are beautiful and fair,
As is the moon emerging from the clouds,
Like Nanda, Angulimala, Darshaka, Udayana.
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Section 3: Cultivating more subtle Internal Virtues (ex. mental discipline and patience) required for future Insight into Reality as it is – Verses: 15–24
Summary: Nāgārjuna advises on mental discipline, urging the king to abandon resentment and cultivate patience, which leads to non-returner status. He compares thoughts to impermanent drawings (on water, sand, stone) to guide emotional responses. Speech should be wholesome, and one should aspire to move “from light to light.” The section warns against sensual pleasures, likening them to chains that bind one to saṃsāra, and praises those who control their senses as truly brave.
15. [Cultivate Patience:]
Hard to practise, patience knows no peer,
So never allow yourself a moment’s rage.
Avoid all anger and you will become
A Non-Returner, so the Buddha said.
16. [Abandon resentment:]
“He’s abused me, struck, defeated me,
And all my money too he has purloined!”
To harbor such resentment leads to strife;
Give up your grudge and sleep will easily come.
17. [Comparing thoughts to impermanent drawings (on water, sand, stone) to guide emotional responses:]
Understand your thoughts to be like figures drawn
On water, sandy soil, or carved in stone.
Of these, for tainted thoughts the first’s the best,
While when you long for Dharma, it’s the last.
18. [Speech should be wholesome:]
Three kinds of speech are used by humankind,
And these the Victor variously described:
Like honey, sweet; like flowers, true; like filth,
Improper speech–the last of these eschew.
19. [One should aspire to move “from light to light”:]
Some there are who go from light to light,
And some whose end from dark is darkness still,
While some from light to dark, or dark to light
End up, thus four, of these be as the first.
20. Men, like mangoes, can be sour and yet look ripe,
Some though ripe look green,
and others green Are sour indeed,
while others still look ripe And ripe they are:
from this know how to act.
21. [Warning against sensual pleasures:]
Do not gaze on others’ wives, but if you do,
Regard them as your mother, child, or sib,
Depending on their age. Should lust arise,
Think well: they are by nature unclean filth.
22. Guard this fickle mind as you would do
Your learning, children, treasure, or your life.
Renounce all sensual pleasure as if it were
A viper, poison, weapon, foe, or fire.
23. The pleasures we desire will bring us ruin,
They’re like the kimba fruit, the Buddha said.
Eschew them, it’s their chains that tightly bind
The worldly in saṃsāra’s prison-house.
24. [Parise to those who control their senses:]
Of he whose fickle senses are controlled–
These six that never cease to dart at things–
And he who’s fought and conquered many foes,
The first is truly brave, the wise have said.
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Section 4: Cultivating Meditative Contemplation and Discriminative Awareness – Gradually directing the mind to analyze phenomena’s impermanence, dependent origination, interdependence [T1] ⇐⇒ and lack of inherent existence [T2] [U2T] – Verses: 25–31
Summary: This section encourages discriminative awareness (prajñā) through contemplation of the body’s impermanent and impure nature (e.g., a “pot of filth” with nine openings). Nāgārjuna advises seeing others’ wives as kin to avoid lust and understanding phenomena’s “thusness”. He warns against attachment to worldly concerns (gain, loss, etc.) and performing evil deeds, even for loved ones, as their karmic consequences are borne alone.
25. [Antidotes to distractions like lust:]
Regard a young girl’s body on its own,
Its smell so foul, its openings nine– a pot
Of filth, insatiable, and clothed with skin.
Regard too her adornments on their own.
26. A man with leprosy, consumed by germs,
Will stand before the fire for comfort’s sake
But still find no relief, so know the same is true
For those attached to the pleasures they desire.
27. [Understanding phenomena’s “thusness” – Union of
dependent origination, impermanence ⇐⇒ and emptiness [U2T]:]
In order that you see the absolute,
Get used to truly understanding things.
No other practice is there such as this
Possessed of special virtues such as these.
28. [Cultivate virtues and wisdom together – in accord with reality as it is:]
To those possessed of breeding, learning, handsome looks,
Who have no wisdom, neither discipline, you need not bow.
But those who do have these two qualities,
Though lacking other virtues, you should revere.
29. [Warning against attachment to the eight worldly concerns – gain, loss, pleasure, pain, praise, blame, fame, and disgrace:]
You who know the world, take gain and loss,
Or bliss and pain, or kind words and abuse,
Or praise and blame – these eight mundane concerns–
Make them the same, and don’t disturb your mind.
30. [Warning against performing evil deeds, even for loved ones:]
Perform no evil, even for the sake
Of brahmins, bhikshus, gods, or honored guests,
Your father, mother, queen, or for your court.
The ripened fruit in hell’s for you alone.
31. Although performing wrong and evil deeds
Does not at once, like swords, create a gash,
When death arrives, those evil acts will show,
Their karmic fruit will clearly be revealed.
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Section 5: More virtuous skillful means to deepen the mind’s stability and compassion while preparing it for profound insight into tathatā (suchness) [U2T] – Verses: 32–41
Summary: Nāgārjuna lists the seven noble riches (faith, ethics, etc.) as superior to material wealth and praises contentment as supreme. He advises avoiding harmful behaviors (gambling, drinking) and unvirtuous wives, while honoring supportive ones. Food should be taken as medicine, and the king is urged to practice mindfulness day and night, cultivating the four immeasurables (love, compassion, joy, equanimity) for spiritual progress.
32. [Seven Noble Riches:]
Faith and ethics, learning, bounteousness,
A flawless sense of shame and decency,
And wisdom are the seven riches Buddha taught.
Know, other common riches have no worth.
33. [Avoiding harmful behaviors:]
Gambling, public spectacles and shows,
And indolence, bad company, strong drink,
And nightly prowls–these six will lead to lower realms
And damage your good name, so give them up.
34. [Praising contentment as supreme:]
Of all great wealth, contentment is supreme,
Said he who taught and guided gods and men.
So always be content; if you know this
Yet have no wealth, true riches you’ll have found.
35. Kind Sir, to own a lot brings so much misery,
There’s no such grief for those with few desires.
The more the naga lords possess of heads,
The more their headaches, the more they have of cares.
36. [Choose your spouse carefully:]
A murderess who sides with enemies,
A queen who holds her husband in contempt,
A thieving wife who steals the smallest thing–
It’s these three kinds of wife you must avoid.
37. A wife who like a sister follows you,
Affectionate like a true and loving friend,
Supportive like a mother, obedient like a maid–
She must be honored like a family god.
38. [Take food as medicine:]
Take food as medicine, in the right amount,
Without attachment, without hatefulness:
Don’t eat for vanity, for pride or ego’s sake,
Eat only for your body’s sustenance.
39. [Practicing mindfulness day and night:]
O Knowledgeable One, recite all day
And in the first and last watch of the night.
Then in between these two sleep mindfully
So that your slumbers are not spent in vain.
40. [Cultivating the Four Immeasurables – Loving-kindness (metta), compassion (karuṇā), sympathetic joy (muditā), equanimity (upekṣā):]
Constantly and perfectly reflect
On love, compassion, joy, impartiality.
And should you not attain the higher state,
At least you will find bliss in Brahma’s world.
41. [Cultivating the Four Samadhis (four dhyānas):]
The four samadhis, which in turn discard
Pursuit of pleasure, joy and bliss and pain,
Will lead to fortune equal to the gods’
In Brahma, Light, Great Virtue, or Great Fruit.
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Section 6: Direct cultivation of wisdom (prajñā) through teachings on emptiness, the Four Noble Truths, and the five aggregates – Verses: 42–54
Summary: This section deepens the focus on wisdom [U2T], explaining how great deeds are determined by intent and how minor evils cannot taint vast good. Nāgārjuna lists the five hindrances (lust, doubt, etc.) and five powers (faith, mindfulness, etc.) that lead to liberation. He introduces the Four Noble Truths, the five aggregates’ emptiness, and the three fetters blocking freedom, urging study and discipline to realize right view.
42. Great good and evil deeds are of five kinds,
Determined by their constancy, their zeal,
Their lack of counteragent, their perfect fields.
So strive in this respect to practise good.
43. A pinch of salt can give its salty taste
To a little water, but not to the Ganges stream.
So know that, likewise, minor evil deeds
Can never change a mighty source of good.
44. [Five hindrances – wildness (restlessness or agitation), remorse (regret or guilt), hateful thoughts (ill will or aversion), dullness-somnolence (sloth and torpor), and doubt (uncertainty or indecision):]
Wildness and remorse, and hateful thoughts,
And dullness-somnolence, and yearning lust,
And doubt are hindrances–please know these five
Are thieves that steal the gem of virtuous deeds.
45. [Five powers – faith (confidence in the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha), diligence (effort or energy in practice), mindfulness (clear awareness of the present moment), concentration (one-pointed focus of the mind), and wisdom (discriminative awareness or insight into reality):]
With faith and diligence and mindfulness,
And concentration, wisdom, five in all,
You must strive hard to reach the “highest state”:
As “powers” these “forces” take you to the “peak.”
46. [Meditation of Karma, Death and Impermanence:]
“I’m not beyond my karma, the deeds I’ve done;
I’ll still fall ill, age, die, and leave my friends.”
Think like this again and yet again
And with this remedy avoid all arrogance.
47. [Perverted views:]
If higher birth and freedom is your quest,
You must become accustomed to right views.
Those who practise good with inverse views
Will yet experience terrible results.
48. Know this truth: that men are ever sad,
Impermanent, devoid of self, impure.
Those who do not have close mindfulness,
Their view four times inverted, head for ruin.
49. [Five aggregates:]
Form is not the self, the Buddha taught,
And self does not have form, nor dwell in form,
While form dwells not in self.
Thus you must see
The four remaining aggregates are empty too.
50. The aggregates are not a simple whim,
From neither time nor nature do they come,
Nor by themselves, from God, or without cause;
Their source, you ought to know, is ignorance,
From karmic deeds and craving have they come.
51. [Three fetters:]
To feel that one is ethically superior,
To view one’s body wrongly, and to doubt–
With these three fetters, you should understand,
The way through freedom’s city gates is blocked.
52. [Study, discipline and concentration:]
Freedom will depend on you alone
And there is no one else, no friend can help.
So bring endeavor to the Four Noble Truths
With study, discipline, and concentration.
53. [Three trainings:]
Train always in superior discipline,
Superior wisdom, and superior mind.
Monks’ vows exceed a hundred and five tens,
Yet they are all included in these three.
54. [Mindfulness:]
My lord, the Buddha taught close mindfulness
Of body as the single path to tread.
Hold fast and guard it well, for all the Dharma
Is destroyed by loss of mindfulness.
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Section 7: Meditation of Death and Impermanence, and the Precious Human Life - Verses: 55–76
Summary: Nāgārjuna vividly describes life’s fragility (like “windblown bubbles”) and the body’s decay into “ash, dust, or slime.” He warns of cosmic impermanence (e.g., Mount Meru’s destruction) and saṃsāra’s lack of essence. Rebirth as a human is rare, and wasting it is foolish. The king is urged to rely on holy beings and the “four great wheels” (virtuous conditions) to escape saṃsāra’s cycle, marked by shifting relationships and endless suffering.
55. [Meditation of Death and Impermanence:]
With all its many risks, this life endures
No more than windblown bubbles in a stream.
How marvellous to breathe in and out again,
To fall asleep and then awake refreshed.
56. This body ends as ash, dry dust, or slime,
And ultimately shit, no essence left.
Consumed, evaporated, rotted down–
Thus know its nature: to disintegrate.
57. The ground, Mount Meru, and the oceans too
Will be consumed by seven blazing suns;
Of things with form no ashes will be left,
No need to speak of puny, frail man.
58. It’s all impermanent, devoid of self,
So if you’re not to stay there refugeless
And helpless, drag your mind away, O King,
From plantain-like saṃsāra, which has no core.
59. [Meditation of the Precious Human Life – difficult to get, a rare opportunity not to be wasted:]
Harder, harder still than that a turtle chance upon
The opening in a yoke upon a great and single sea
Is rebirth as a human after rebirth as a beast;
So heed the sacred Dharma, King, and make your life bear fruit.
60. More stupid yet than one who throws some slops
Into a golden vessel all bejewelled
Is he who’s gained a precious human birth
And wastes it in an evil, sinful life.
61. To dwell in places that befit the task,
To follow and rely on holy beings,
Aspiring high, with merit from the past–
These four great wheels are yours for you to use.
62. The virtuous friend in whom to place your trust
Has brought pure conduct to perfection, said the Lord.
So follow holy beings, many are they
Who relied upon the Buddhas and found peace.
63. To be reborn with false beliefs, or yet
As animals, or pretas, or in hell,
Deprived of Buddha’s words, barbarians
In border lands, or reborn dull and dumb,
64. Or born among the long-lived gods–
Of these eight defective states that give no opportunity
You must be free, and, finding opportunity,
Be diligent, to put a stop to birth.
65. O Gentle Sir, to make your disenchantment grow
With this saṃsāra, source of many pains–
Desires frustrated, death, ill health, old age–
Please heed its defects, even just a few.
66. Men who’ve fathered sons in turn are sons,
And mothers likewise daughters.
Bitter foes Turn into friends, the converse too is true.
Because of this saṃsāra’s never sure.
67. Know that every being has drunk more milk
Than all the four great oceans could contain,
And still, by emulating common folk,
They’ll circle, drinking ever more and more.
68. A heap of all the bones each being has left
Would reach to Meru’s top or even higher.
To count one’s mother’s lineage with pills
The size of berries, the earth would not suffice.
69. Indra, universally revered,
Will fall again to earth through action’s force.
And he who ruled the universe as king
Will be a slave within saṃsāra’s wheel.
70. For ages it was rapture to caress
The lovely breasts and waists of heaven’s maids,
Now one will bear the terrible caress–
The crush, the slash, and tear–of hell’s machine.
71. For years you might have stayed on Meru’s crest
Delighting as it yielded underfoot,
But think now of the torment that will strike:
To wade through glowing coals and rotten flesh.
72. Those who in the Joyous Garden played,
And in Beauty’s Grove were served by heaven’s maids,
Will come to woods of trees with swordlike leaves
And cut their hands and feet, their ears and nose.
73. Among the golden lotuses and lovely maids
They bathed in heaven’s Gently Flowing Pool,
But into hell’s own waters will they plunge,
The scalding, caustic River None Can Ford.
74. Kamaloka god, one gains such bliss,
As Brahma, bliss that’s free from all desire;
But know that after that comes constant pain:
As firewood one feeds Avici’s flames.
75. One who was reborn as sun or moon,
Whose body’s light lit whole worlds far below,
Will then arrive in states of darkest gloom,
His outstretched hands will be invisible.
76. So thus it is you’ll ail, and knowing this
Please seize the lamp of merit’s triple form,
For otherwise you’ll plunge and go alone
In deepest dark unlit by sun or moon.
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Section 8: Meditation on the Suffering in Lower Realms - Verses: 77–97
Summary: This section details the horrific sufferings in lower realms (hells, pretas, animals) to instill fear of unvirtuous actions. Hell beings endure tortures like burning and impalement, pretas suffer insatiable hunger, and animals face slaughter and servitude. Nāgārjuna attributes these to greed and evil deeds, urging the king to avoid stinginess and cultivate virtue to prevent such rebirths.
77. [For Hell Being:]
For beings who indulge in evil deeds
There’s constant pain in these and other hells:
Reviving Hell, Black Line, and Intense Heat,
And Crushing, Screaming, Torment Unsurpassed.
78. Some are squeezed and pressed like sesame,
Others likewise ground like finest flour,
Some are cut and carved as if with saws,
Others hacked with axes, razor-honed.
79. Others still are forced to swallow draughts
Of burning molten bronze that flares and sparks,
Some impaled and threaded onto skewers–
Barbed and fiercely blazing stakes of steel.
80. Some, whom savage dogs with iron fangs
Will rip to shreds, in dread throw up their hands,
And others, powerless, are pecked by crows
With sharpened beaks of steel and razor claws.
81. Some there are who roll about and wail,
Devoured by worms and multicoloured grubs,
Ten thousand buzzing flies and bees that leave
Great stings and bites unbearable to touch.
82. Some, in heaps of blazing red hot coals,
Are burned without a break, their mouths agape.
And some are boiled in cauldrons made of iron,
Cooked like dumplings, heads turned upside down.
83. The very instant that they cease to breathe
The wicked taste the boundless pains of hell.
And he who hearing this is not afraid
A thousandfold is truly diamond hard.
84. If simply seeing pictures of the hells
And hearing, thinking, reading of them scares,
Or making sculpted figures, need we say
How hard to bear the ripened fruit will be?
85. Of all the forms of happiness there are,
The lord is bliss where craving’s fully spent.
So too, of all the misery there is,
The pain in Torment Unsurpassed is worst.
86. For one whole day on earth three hundred darts
Might strike you hard and cause you grievous pain,
But that could never illustrate or match
A fraction of the smallest pain in hell.
87. The frightful pains and torments just described
Are lived and felt throughout a billion years.
Until those evil deeds are fully spent
One will not die and shed this life in hell.
88. The seeds of these the fruits of evil deeds
Are sinful acts of body, speech, and mind.
Work hard therefore and muster all your skill
To never stray a hair’s breadth into sin
89. [For Animals:]
For animals there’s multifold distress–
They’re slaughtered, tied up, beaten, and the rest.
For those denied the virtue that brings peace
There’s agony as one devours another.
90. Some of them are killed just for their pearls,
Their wool, or bones, their meat or skins and fur,
And other helpless beasts are forced to work,
They’re kicked or struck with hands, with whips and goads.
.
91. [For Pretas / Hungry Ghosts:]
For pretas too there’s not the slightest break
In suffering from their unfulfilled desires.
What dire misery they must endure
From hunger, thirst, cold, heat, fatigue, and fear.
92. Some, their mouths like needles’ eyes, their bellies
Huge as mountains, ache from want of food.
They do not even have the strength to eat
Discarded scraps, the smallest bits of filth.
93. Some, their naked bodies skin and bone,
Are like the dried-out tops of tala trees.
And some have mouths that belch forth fire by night:
Into their burning mouths sand falls as food.
94. A few unlucky ones don’t even find
Some dirt to eat–pus, excrement, or blood.
They hit each other in the face and eat
The pus that festers from their swollen necks.
95. For hungry ghosts the summer moon’s too hot,
In wintertime the sun is far too cold,
Fine trees in orchards wilt and lose their fruit,
And simply from their gaze great streams run dry.
96. And some have bodies bound by that tight noose,
Their karmic store of previous evil deeds,
Now borne as constant misery and pain;
For five, ten thousand years they will not die.
97. The cause of these the pretas’ varied woes
And all such kindred torments one might get
Is being greedy, this the Buddha said:
Stinginess is not for the sublime.
.
.
.
.
Section 9: Generating renunciation for any rebirths in saṃsāra. The Mahāyāna Path and Aspiration for Buddhahood - Verses: 98–123
Summary: The final section shifts to the Mahāyāna vision, warning against attachment to even heavenly pleasures, which are impermanent. Nāgārjuna explains saṃsāra’s six realms and the goal of nirvāṇa, achieved through discipline, concentration, and wisdom. He teaches dependent origination (the 12 links), the Eightfold Path, and the Four Noble Truths, emphasizing mind-taming as the root of Dharma. The text concludes with aspirations for the king to become a Bodhisattva like Chenrezig or Amitābha, guiding others to Buddhahood and attaining fearlessness.
98. [Even the Higher Realms are Impermanent / Unsatisfactory / Suffering:]
Even in the higher realms the pains of death
Are more intense than is their greatest bliss.
And so good people who reflect on this
Don’t crave the higher realms, which soon must end.
99. Their bodies’ colours cease to charm and please,
Their seats grow hard, their flowered wreaths do wilt,
Their clothes are stained, and on their bodies now appear
Rank drops of sweat they never had before.
100. These five are signs that herald death in heaven,
Appearing to the gods in their abodes.
They’re not unlike the signs of death that warn
Of coming death in humans on the earth.
101. Those gods who transmigrate from heavenly worlds
And do not have some little virtue left
Will tumble, helpless, to their just abodes
As beasts or hungry spirits or in hell.
102. The asuras begrudge the gods their splendor,
Their inbred loathing thus torments their minds.
Though clever, they’re obscured as all their kind,
And so it is they cannot see the truth.
103. Saṃsāra is like this, and thus we are reborn
As gods, as humans, denizens in hell,
As ghosts or animals; but you should know
That birth’s not good, a pot of many ills.
104. Give up your efforts trying to stop all this
As if your hair or clothes had just caught fire;
Just do your best to not be born again (renunciation):
No greater goal or need is there than this.
105. [Requirements for Nirvāṇa:]
With discipline and concentration, wisdom too,
Attain nirvāṇa, peaceful, disciplined, immaculate,
Unageing, deathless, inexhaustible, and quite distinct
From earth and water, fire, wind, sun, and moon.
106. Mindfulness, discernment, diligence, a joyful mind,
And flexibility, concentration, evenness–
These seven limbs are elements that lead to Buddhahood,
They gather virtue and attain the state beyond all pain.
107. Lacking wisdom, concentration fails,
And without concentration, wisdom too.
For someone who has both, saṃsāra’s sea
Fills no more than the print left by a hoof.
108. The Kinsman of the Sun did well pronounce
With silence on the fourteen worldly points.
On these you must not ponder or reflect,
With them your mind will never be at peace.
.
109. [12 links:]
From ignorance comes action, and from that
Comes consciousness, thence name-and-form appears.
From that arise the six sense faculties,
Whence contact comes, thus did the Buddha teach.
110. And then from contact feeling comes to be,
And based on feeling, craving will appear.
Again from craving grasping will be born,
And then becoming, and from this there’s birth.
111. Then once there’s birth, comes misery untold,
And sickness, ageing, wants frustrated, death,
Decay, in short the whole great mass of pain.
If birth is stopped, all this will be no more.
112. Within the treasury of Buddha’s words
There’s none so precious, so profound as this.
And those who see that things dependently arise
Do see the Buddha, perfect knower of the truth.
.
113. [Eightfold Path:]
Perfect view and livelihood, with effort,
Mindfulness and concentration, perfect speech,
And conduct, perfect thought – the path’s eight limbs–
To find true peace, please meditate on these.
114. To take birth is to suffer, and to crave
Is its immense and universal source.
Make craving cease and freedom will be yours,
To achieve that take the Eightfold Noble Path.
.
115. [Four Noble Truths:]
For you to see these same Four Noble Truths
You must strive hard to practise constantly.
Even worldly men with fortune in their laps,
Through knowledge, crossed that river, troubled states;
116. And even those who realised the truth
Did not fall from the heavens, nor emerge
Like crops of corn from earth’s dark depths, but once
Were ruled by kleshas and were ordinary men.
.
117. [Tame the mind:]
O Fearless One, what need to tell you more?
For here’s the counsel that will truly help:
The vital point is tame your mind, for mind’s
The root of Dharma, so the Buddha said.
118. It’s hard enough for monks to follow perfectly
All these instructions that I’ve given you.
Yet practise excellence, the very pith
Of one of these, and give your life its sense.
.
119. [Dedication to Universal Liberation:]
Rejoicing in the virtuous deeds of all,
Now dedicate your three good kinds of acts
To all that they may come to Buddhahood.
Then by this mass of virtuous deeds may you,
120. In boundless lives in worlds of gods and men,
Be master of the yoga of all excellence,
And like sublime Chenrezig, may you work
To guide the many feeble, stricken souls.
121. And thus may you take many rebirths and dispel all ills,
Old age, desire, and hatred in a perfect Buddhafield.
May you have infinite life, as a Protector of the World
Like Buddha Amitabha, Sublime Lord of Boundless Light.
122. And springing from your wisdom, discipline, and bounty, may your fame
And stainless virtues spread throughout the gods’ realms, in the sky
And on the earth, and may you firmly quell the carefree ways
Of gods and men whose sole delight and joy is pretty girls.
123. And once you’ve reached the Mighty Buddha state, removing fear
And birth and death for hosts of stricken and afflicted souls,
Then let mere name be stilled, beyond the world, and reach
The never-changing level, free from fear, that knows no wrong.
This completes the Letter to a Friend written by the Sublime Master Nagarjuna to a friend, King Surabhibhadra. It was translated, corrected, and authenticated by the learned Indian abbot Sarvajñanadeva and the great reviser and translator Venerable Paltsek.
Nāgārjuna’s Letter to a Friend (Suhṛllekha), addressed to King Surabhibhadra, stands as a luminous beacon of Mahāyāna Buddhist wisdom, weaving together practical guidance and profound philosophical insight in a mere 123 verses. This poetic epistle, with its warm and exhortative tone, serves not only as a personal counsel to a royal friend but also as a universal manual for anyone seeking to navigate the turbulent waters of saṃsāra toward the shore of liberation. As we reflect on the text’s culmination, its enduring relevance and transformative power come into sharp focus, offering a roadmap for ethical living, mental clarity, and ultimate awakening that resonates across centuries and contexts.
The Suhṛllekha unfolds as a carefully structured journey, guiding the king—and by extension, all readers—through the foundational pillars of Buddhist practice: ethical conduct (śīla), mental discipline (samādhi), and discriminative awareness (prajñā).
– From the outset, Nāgārjuna grounds his advice in the ten wholesome deeds, generosity, and mindfulness, urging the king to build a life of virtue amidst worldly duties (verses 4–15).
– He then elevates the discourse to the cultivation of patience, renunciation, and insight into the body’s impermanence and impurity, fostering detachment from fleeting pleasures (verses 16–31).
– The text’s middle sections confront the stark realities of saṃsāra’s suffering — through vivid depictions of lower realms and cosmic impermanence — instilling a sense of urgency to escape cyclic existence (verses 55–97).
– Finally, Nāgārjuna unveils the Mahāyāna vision, where the Bodhisattva path, rooted in compassion and wisdom, leads to nirvāṇa and the aspiration to guide all beings to Buddhahood (verses 98–123).
– This progression mirrors the Buddhist path itself, making the text both a practical guide and a philosophical treatise.
At its core, the Suhṛllekha is a call to awaken discriminative awareness (prajñā) — the wisdom that discerns the empty [T2] ⇐⇒ interdependent [T1] nature of all phenomena [U2T].
– Nāgārjuna introduces Madhyamaka concepts like emptiness [T2] (verses 49–50) ⇐⇒ and dependent origination [T1] (verses 109–111) in an accessible manner ⇐⇒ urging the king to see through the illusions of self and permanence [Illusory].
– This insight, paired with the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path (verses 113–114), empowers practitioners to transcend suffering [T2] ⇐⇒ while remaining engaged in compassionate action [T1] [U2T]. The text’s emphasis on mind-taming as “the root of Dharma” (verse 117) underscores the centrality of mental transformation, a teaching that resonates with modern mindfulness practices and psychological insights.
What sets the Suhṛllekha apart is its ability to balance the immediate [T1] and the ultimate [T2] [U2T]. For a king entangled in governance, Nāgārjuna offers practical advice — cultivate contentment, honor virtuous companions, avoid unwholesome actions — while never losing sight of the transcendent goal of nirvāṇa, described as “peaceful, disciplined, immaculate” (verse 105). The text’s vivid imagery, from life as “windblown bubbles” (verse 55) to hell’s torturous cauldrons (verse 82), serves not to frighten but to awaken a sense of spiritual urgency, urging the reader to seize the rare opportunity of human birth (verse 59). Yet, this urgency is tempered by boundless compassion, as Nāgārjuna envisions the king as a Bodhisattva akin to Chenrezig or Amitābha, dispelling the ills of countless beings across infinite lives (verses 120–121).
The Suhṛllekha’s final verses (119–123) soar into a Mahāyāna aspiration, dedicating all virtuous deeds to the enlightenment of all beings. This universal vision transforms the personal into the collective, aligning with the Bodhisattva ideal of working tirelessly for others’ liberation. Nāgārjuna’s closing call for the king to reach a “never-changing level, free from fear” (verse 123) encapsulates the text’s ultimate promise: a state beyond birth and death, where wisdom and compassion converge in perfect harmony. This vision is not reserved for monastics but extended to a lay ruler, affirming that liberation is accessible to all who tread the path with diligence and heart.
In today’s world, the Suhṛllekha remains profoundly relevant. Its teachings on ethical living, mental clarity, and compassion offer timeless guidance for navigating personal and societal challenges. Leaders can draw from its counsel on just governance and contentment, while individuals find solace in its emphasis on impermanence and the power of a disciplined mind. The text’s integration of discriminative awareness (prajñā) with practical action bridges the gap between philosophy and lived experience, making it a vital resource for modern practitioners, whether Buddhist or secular.
Ultimately, Nāgārjuna’s Letter to a Friend is a testament to the transformative potential of the Dharma. It invites us to look within, to tame the mind, and to act with wisdom and kindness in a world marked by impermanence and suffering. By following its teachings, we not only liberate ourselves but also become beacons of hope, guiding others toward the same fearless, awakened state. As Nāgārjuna’s verses echo through time, they remind us that the path to Buddhahood begins with a single step — a mindful, compassionate choice to live in harmony with the truth.
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Revised Conclusion to Nāgārjuna’s Letter to a Friend (Suhṛllekha)
Nāgārjuna’s Letter to a Friend (Suhṛllekha) is a masterful Mahāyāna epistle that guides King Surabhibhadra — and all practitioners — through a progressive path of virtues, contemplation, and wisdom, aligning actions with the true nature of reality as revealed by the Union of the Two Truths [U2T].
From the opening homage to Mañjughoṣa (verse 1),
– invoking wisdom (prajñā, T2, emptiness),
– to the cultivation of merit through ethical conduct (Section 2, verse 5, T1, dependent origination), mental discipline (Section 3, verse 15),
– and contemplative insight (Section 4, verse 29),
the text methodically purifies the mind.
– Sections 5–6 advance this with meditative practices (verse 40) and direct teachings on emptiness (verses 49–50),
– while Sections 7–8 instill urgency through Lamrim-like meditations on death, impermanence, precious human life (verses 55–59), and lower-realm suffering (verses 77–97).
– The first part of Section 9 (verses 98–104) urges renunciation of saṃsāra’s higher realms (verse 104),
– culminating in verses 105–123, which outline the path to nirvāṇa (verse 105) and the Bodhisattva aspiration to guide all beings to Buddhahood (verses 119–123).
This progression reflects the Lamrim’s structure — Taking Refuge (verse 4), Karma and Its Effects (verses 31, 46), Renunciation (verses 22, 104), and contemplations of impermanence and suffering — tailored to a lay ruler’s context.
Each step uses skillful means (upāya, T1) like ethical action and compassion (akin to Avalokiteśvara’s karuṇā) to prepare the mind for Mañjughoṣa’s wisdom [T2], realizing that phenomena, dependently arisen and empty, lack inherent existence.
The necessity of this gradual approach stems from the initially incomprehensible nature of tathatā — the non-dual reality of dependent origination, impermanence, and emptiness — requiring a purified mind to grasp (verse 50).
– Verses 105–123 elevate this to the Mahāyāna ideal, where the king, acting conventionally without attachment to absolutes [T1], aspires to become a Bodhisattva like Chenrezig or Amitābha (verses 120–121), embodying U2T by uniting compassionate action with insight into emptiness.
For a king balancing worldly duties, this path offers practical guidance — contentment (verse 34), just governance (verse 37), and mind-taming (verse 117) — while pointing to the ultimate goal of a “never-changing level, free from fear” (verse 123).
Today, the Suhṛllekha remains a timeless guide, resonating with practitioners seeking to integrate ethics, mindfulness, and compassion in a transient world, using conventional practices to awaken to the ineffable reality of tathatā, fulfilling the Mahāyāna vision of liberation for all.