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Dhammapada 1–20

Yamakavagga

1. Pairs · Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato, SuttaCentral

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mind-precededManopubbaṅgamā thingsdhammā,
mind-firstmanoseṭṭhā mind-mademanomayā;
with mindManasā ifce with corruptpaduṭṭhena,
you speakbhāsati orvā you actkaroti orvā;
thenTato himnaṁ suffering followsdukkhamanveti,
like a wheelcakkaṁva of the oxvahato the footpadaṁ.

Intention is the leader of things; intention is first, they’re made by intention. If with corrupt intent you speak or act, suffering follows you, like a wheel, the ox’s foot.

intention-ledManopubbaṅgamā thingsdhammā,
mind-firstmanoseṭṭhā mind-mademanomayā;
with mindManasā ifce with purepasannena,
speaksbhāsati orvā actskaroti orvā;
thenTato himnaṁ happiness followssukhamanveti,
like a shadowchāyāva never leavinganapāyinī.

Intention is the leader of things; intention is first, they’re made by intention. If with pure intent you speak or act, happiness follows you like a shadow that never leaves.

abusedAkkocchi memaṁ hitavadhi memaṁ,
beatajini memaṁ robbedahāsi meme;
whoYe andca suchtaṁ bear a grudgeupanayhanti,
hatredveraṁ for thosetesaṁ notna is laid to restsammati.

“They abused me, they hit me! They beat me, they robbed me!” For those who bear such a grudge, hatred is never laid to rest.

abusedAkkocchi memaṁ hitavadhi memaṁ,
beatajini memaṁ robbedahāsi from meme;
whoYe andca thattaṁ do not hold a grudgenupanayhanti,
hatredveraṁ is laid to rest for themtesūpasammati.

“They abused me, they hit me! They beat me, they robbed me!” For those who bear no such grudge, hatred is laid to rest.

notNa indeedhi by hatredverena hatredsverāni,
are laid to rest heresammantīdha everkudācanaṁ;
by loveAverena andca are laid to restsammanti,
thisesa teachingdhammo ancientsanantano.

For never is hatred laid to rest by hate, it’s laid to rest by love: this is an ancient teaching.

othersPare andca notna understandvijānanti,
we heremayamettha restrain ourselvesyamāmase;
they whoYe andca theretattha understandvijānanti,
therebytato are laid to restsammanti conflictsmedhagā.

When others do not understand, let us, who do understand this, restrain ourselves in this regard; for that is how conflicts are laid to rest.

contemplating the beautifulSubhānupassiṁ dwellingviharantaṁ,
in the facultiesindriyesu unrestrainedasaṁvutaṁ;
in eatingBhojanamhi immoderatecāmattaññuṁ,
lazykusītaṁ lacking energyhīnavīriyaṁ;
themTaṁ indeedve strikes downpasahati Māramāro,
windvāto like a treerukkhaṁva feebledubbalaṁ.

Those who contemplate the beautiful, their faculties unrestrained, immoderate in eating, lazy, lacking energy: Māra strikes them down like the wind, a feeble tree.

contemplating the uglyAsubhānupassiṁ dwellingviharantaṁ,
in the facultiesIndriyesu well-restrainedsusaṁvutaṁ;
in foodBhojanamhi andca knowing moderationmattaññuṁ,
faithfulSaddhaṁ of energetic effortāraddhavīriyaṁ;
themTaṁ indeedve cannot overwhelmnappasahati Māramāro,
the windVāto as a rocky mountainselaṁva mountainpabbataṁ.

Those who contemplate the ugly, their faculties well-restrained, eating in moderation, faithful and energetic: Māra cannot strike them down, like the wind, a rocky mountain.

not free of stainsAnikkasāvo the ocher robekāsāvaṁ,
whoyo the robevatthaṁ would wearparidahissati;
bereftApeto of self-control and truthdamasaccena,
notna theyso is worthy of the ocher robekāsāvamarahati.

One who, not free of stains themselves, would wear the robe stained in ocher, bereft of self-control and truth: they are not worthy of the ocher robe.

whoeverYo andca with stains vomited outvantakasāvassa,
in ethicssīlesu well composedsusamāhito;
possessed ofUpeto with self-control and truthdamasaccena,
theysa trulyve is worthy of the ocher robekāsāvamarahati.

One who’s purged all their stains, steady in ethics, possessed of self-control and of truth, they are truly worthy of the ocher robe.

in the inessentialAsāre thinking it is essentialsāramatino,
in the essentialsāre and seeing it as inessentialcāsāradassino;
theyTe the essentialsāraṁ do not realizenādhigacchanti,
wrong thoughts are their habitatmicchāsaṅkappagocarā.

Thinking the inessential is essential, seeing the essential as inessential; they don’t realize the essential, for wrong thoughts are their habitat.

and the essentialSārañca as essentialsārato having knownñatvā,
and the inessentialasārañca as inessentialasārato;
theyTe the essentialsāraṁ they realizeadhigacchanti,
right thoughts are their habitatsammāsaṅkappagocarā.

Having known the essential as essential, and the inessential as inessential; they realize the essential, for right thoughts are their habitat.

just asYathā houseagāraṁ badly roofedducchannaṁ,
rainvuṭṭhī seeps intosamativijjhati;
soEvaṁ undevelopedabhāvitaṁ mindcittaṁ,
lustrāgo seeps intosamativijjhati.

Just as rain seeps into a poorly roofed house, lust seeps into an undeveloped mind.

just asYathā houseagāraṁ well roofedsuchannaṁ,
rainvuṭṭhī notna seeps intosamativijjhati;
thusEvaṁ well developedsubhāvitaṁ mindcittaṁ,
lustrāgo notna seeps intosamativijjhati.

Just as rain doesn’t seep into a well roofed house, lust doesn’t seep into a well developed mind.

hereIdha they grievesocati hereafterpecca they grievesocati,
evildoerPāpakārī in both placesubhayattha they grievesocati;
theySo they grievesocati theyso they fretvihaññati,
seeingDisvā their own corrupt deedskammakiliṭṭhamattano.

Here they grieve, hereafter they grieve, an evildoer grieves in both places. They grieve and fret, seeing their own corrupt deeds.

hereIdha rejoicesmodati hereafterpecca rejoicesmodati,
one who has done goodKatapuñño in both placesubhayattha rejoicesmodati;
theySo rejoicemodati theyso celebratepamodati,
having seenDisvā their own pure deedskammavisuddhimattano.

Here they rejoice, hereafter they rejoice, one who does good rejoices in both places. They rejoice and celebrate, seeing their own pure deeds.

hereIdha is tormentedtappati after dyingpecca is tormentedtappati,
an evildoerPāpakārī in both placesubhayattha is tormentedtappati;
evil“Pāpaṁ by meme donekatan”ti is tormentedtappati,
all the moreBhiyyo is tormentedtappati to a bad placeduggatiṁ gonegato.

Here they’re tormented, hereafter they’re tormented, an evildoer is tormented in both places. They’re tormented thinking of bad things they’ve done; when gone to a bad place, they’re tormented all the more.

hereIdha delightsnandati hereafterpecca delightsnandati,
one who does goodKatapuñño in both placesubhayattha delightsnandati;
good“Puññaṁ by meme donekatan”ti delightsnandati,
all the moreBhiyyo delightsnandati to a good placesuggatiṁ gonegato.

Here they delight, hereafter they delight, one who does good delights in both places. They delight thinking of good things they’ve done; when gone to a good place, they delight all the more.

much thoughBahumpi ifce scripturesaṁhita recitingbhāsamāno,
notNa one who applies themtakkaro ishoti personnaro negligentpamatto;
like a cowherdGopova cattlegāvo countinggaṇayaṁ of othersparesaṁ,
notNa one who sharesbhāgavā of the ascetic lifesāmaññassa ishoti.

Much though they may recite scripture, if a negligent person does not apply them, then, like a cowherd who counts the cattle of others, they miss out on the blessings of the ascetic life.

littleAppampi ifce scripturesaṁhita recitingbhāsamāno,
of the teachingDhammassa ishoti living in line with the teachinganudhammacārī;
greed andRāgañca hate anddosañca having given uppahāya delusionmohaṁ,
with deep understandingSammappajāno with heart well freedsuvimuttacitto;
not graspingAnupādiyāno this lifeidha orvā the nexthuraṁ orvā,
theySa share inbhāgavā of the ascetic lifesāmaññassa ishoti.
The pairs chapterYamakavaggo firstpaṭhamo.

Little though they may recite scripture, if they live in line with the teaching, having given up greed, hate, and delusion, with deep understanding and heart well freed, not grasping to this life or the next, they share in the blessings of the ascetic life.

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