Creatures love happiness,Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni, so if you don’t harm them with a stickyo daṇḍena na hiṁsati; in search of your own happiness,Attano sukhamesāno, after death you will find happiness.pecca so labhate sukhaṁ.
- Minor CollectionKhuddakanikāya
- Sayings of the Dhamma 129–145Dhammapada
10. The RodDaṇḍavagga
All tremble at the rod,Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa, all fear death.sabbe bhāyanti maccuno; Treating others like oneself,Attānaṁ upamaṁ katvā, neither kill nor incite to kill.na haneyya na ghātaye.
All tremble at the rod,Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa, all love life.sabbesaṁ jīvitaṁ piyaṁ; Treating others like oneself,Attānaṁ upamaṁ katvā, neither kill nor incite to kill.na haneyya na ghātaye.
Creatures love happiness,Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni, so if you harm them with a stickyo daṇḍena vihiṁsati; in search of your own happiness,Attano sukhamesāno, after death you won’t find happiness.pecca so na labhate sukhaṁ.
Don’t speak harshly,Māvoca pharusaṁ kañci, they may speak harshly back.vuttā paṭivadeyyu taṁ; For aggressive speech is painful,Dukkhā hi sārambhakathā, and the rod may spring back on you.paṭidaṇḍā phuseyyu taṁ.
If you still yourselfSace neresi attānaṁ, like a broken gong,kaṁso upahato yathā; you reach extinguishmentEsa pattosi nibbānaṁ, and know no conflict.sārambho te na vijjati.
As a cowherd drives the cowsYathā daṇḍena gopālo, to pasture with the rod,gāvo pājeti gocaraṁ; so too old age and deathEvaṁ jarā ca maccu ca, drive life from living beings.āyuṁ pājenti pāṇinaṁ.
The fool does not understandAtha pāpāni kammāni, the evil that they do.karaṁ bālo na bujjhati; But because of those deeds, that simpletonSehi kammehi dummedho, is tormented as if burnt by fire.aggidaḍḍhova tappati.
One who violently attacksYo daṇḍena adaṇḍesu, the peaceful and the innocentappaduṭṭhesu dussati; swiftly fallsDasannamaññataraṁ ṭhānaṁ, to one of ten bad states:khippameva nigacchati.
harsh pain; loss;Vedanaṁ pharusaṁ jāniṁ, the breakup of the body;sarīrassa va bhedanaṁ; serious illness;Garukaṁ vāpi ābādhaṁ, mental distress;cittakkhepaṁ va pāpuṇe.
hazards from rulers;Rājato vā upasaggaṁ, vicious slander;Abbhakkhānaṁ va dāruṇaṁ; loss of kin;Parikkhayaṁ va ñātīnaṁ, destruction of wealth;Bhogānaṁ va pabhaṅguraṁ.
or else their homeAtha vāssa agārāni, is consumed by fire.aggi ḍahati pāvako; When their body breaks up, that witless personKāyassa bhedā duppañño, is reborn in hell.nirayaṁ sopapajjati.
Not nudity, nor matted hair, nor mud,Na naggacariyā na jaṭā na paṅkā, nor fasting, nor lying on bare ground,Nānāsakā thaṇḍilasāyikā vā; nor wearing dust and dirt, or squatting on the heels,Rajojallaṁ ukkuṭikappadhānaṁ, will cleanse a mortal not free of doubt.Sodhenti maccaṁ avitiṇṇakaṅkhaṁ.
Dressed up they may be, but if they live well—Alaṅkato cepi samaṁ careyya, peaceful, tamed, committed to the spiritual path,Santo danto niyato brahmacārī; having laid aside violence toward all creatures—Sabbesu bhūtesu nidhāya daṇḍaṁ, they are a brahmin, an ascetic, a mendicant.So brāhmaṇo so samaṇo sa bhikkhu.
Can a person constrained by conscienceHirīnisedho puriso, be found in the world?koci lokasmi vijjati; Who shies away from blame,Yo niddaṁ apabodheti, like a fine horse from the whip?asso bhadro kasāmiva.
Like a fine horse under the whip,Asso yathā bhadro kasāniviṭṭho, be keen and full of urgency.Ātāpino saṁvegino bhavātha; With faith, ethics, and energy,Saddhāya sīlena ca vīriyena ca, immersion, and investigation of principles,Samādhinā dhammavinicchayena ca; accomplished in knowledge and conduct, mindful,Sampannavijjācaraṇā patissatā, give up this vast suffering.Jahissatha dukkhamidaṁ anappakaṁ.
While irrigators guide water,Udakañhi nayanti nettikā, fletchers bend arrows straight,Usukārā namayanti tejanaṁ; and carpenters bend timber straight,Dāruṁ namayanti tacchakā, those true to their vows tame themselves.Attānaṁ damayanti subbatā.