Yamakavagga

Khuddakanikāya

Minor Collection

Dhammapada

Sayings of the Dhamma 1–20

Yamakavagga

1. Pairs

Cakkhupālattheravatthu

Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā,

Intention is the leader of things;

manoseṭṭhā manomayā;

intention is first, they’re made by intention.

Manasā ce paduṭṭhena,

If with corrupt intent

bhāsati vā karoti vā;

you speak or act,

Tato naṁ dukkhamanveti,

suffering follows you,

cakkaṁva vahato padaṁ.

like a wheel, the ox’s foot.

Maṭṭhakuṇḍalīvatthu

Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā,

Intention is the leader of things;

manoseṭṭhā manomayā;

intention is first, they’re made by intention.

Manasā ce pasannena,

If with pure intent

bhāsati vā karoti vā;

you speak or act,

Tato naṁ sukhamanveti,

happiness follows you

chāyāva anapāyinī.

like a shadow that never leaves.

Tissattheravatthu

Akkocchi maṁ avadhi maṁ,

“They abused me, they hit me!

ajini maṁ ahāsi me;

They beat me, they robbed me!”

Ye ca taṁ upanayhanti,

For those who bear such a grudge,

veraṁ tesaṁ na sammati.

hatred is never laid to rest.

Akkocchi maṁ avadhi maṁ,

“They abused me, they hit me!

ajini maṁ ahāsi me;

They beat me, they robbed me!”

Ye ca taṁ nupanayhanti,

For those who bear no such grudge,

veraṁ tesūpasammati.

hatred is laid to rest.

Kāḷayakkhinīvatthu

Na hi verena verāni,

For never is hatred

sammantīdha kudācanaṁ;

laid to rest by hate,

Averena ca sammanti,

it’s laid to rest by love:

esa dhammo sanantano.

this is an ancient teaching.

Kosambakavatthu

Pare ca na vijānanti,

When others do not understand,

mayamettha yamāmase;

let us, who do understand this,

Ye ca tattha vijānanti,

restrain ourselves in this regard;

tato sammanti medhagā.

for that is how conflicts are laid to rest.

Mahākāḷattheravatthu

Subhānupassiṁ viharantaṁ,

Those who contemplate the beautiful,

indriyesu asaṁvutaṁ;

their faculties unrestrained,

Bhojanamhi cāmattaññuṁ,

immoderate in eating,

kusītaṁ hīnavīriyaṁ;

lazy, lacking energy:

Taṁ ve pasahati māro,

Māra strikes them down

vāto rukkhaṁva dubbalaṁ.

like the wind, a feeble tree.

Asubhānupassiṁ viharantaṁ,

Those who contemplate the ugly,

Indriyesu susaṁvutaṁ;

their faculties well-restrained,

Bhojanamhi ca mattaññuṁ,

eating in moderation,

Saddhaṁ āraddhavīriyaṁ;

faithful and energetic:

Taṁ ve nappasahati māro,

Māra cannot strike them down,

Vāto selaṁva pabbataṁ.

like the wind, a rocky mountain.

Devadattavatthu

Anikkasāvo kāsāvaṁ,

One who, not free of stains themselves,

yo vatthaṁ paridahissati;

would wear the robe stained in ocher,

Apeto damasaccena,

bereft of self-control and truth:

na so kāsāvamarahati.

they are not worthy of the ocher robe.

Yo ca vantakasāvassa,

One who’s purged all their stains,

sīlesu susamāhito;

steady in ethics,

Upeto damasaccena,

possessed of self-control and of truth,

sa ve kāsāvamarahati.

they are truly worthy of the ocher robe.

Sāriputtattheravatthu

Asāre sāramatino,

Thinking the inessential is essential,

sāre cāsāradassino;

seeing the essential as inessential;

Te sāraṁ nādhigacchanti,

they don’t realize the essential,

micchāsaṅkappagocarā.

for wrong thoughts are their habitat.

Sārañca sārato ñatvā,

Having known the essential as essential,

asārañca asārato;

and the inessential as inessential;

Te sāraṁ adhigacchanti,

they realize the essential,

sammāsaṅkappagocarā.

for right thoughts are their habitat.

Nandattheravatthu

Yathā agāraṁ ducchannaṁ,

Just as rain seeps into

vuṭṭhī samativijjhati;

a poorly roofed house,

Evaṁ abhāvitaṁ cittaṁ,

lust seeps into

rāgo samativijjhati.

an undeveloped mind.

Yathā agāraṁ suchannaṁ,

Just as rain doesn’t seep into

vuṭṭhī na samativijjhati;

a well roofed house,

Evaṁ subhāvitaṁ cittaṁ,

lust doesn’t seep into

rāgo na samativijjhati.

a well developed mind.

Cundasūkarikavatthu

Idha socati pecca socati,

Here they grieve, hereafter they grieve,

Pāpakārī ubhayattha socati;

an evildoer grieves in both places.

So socati so vihaññati,

They grieve and fret,

Disvā kammakiliṭṭhamattano.

seeing their own corrupt deeds.

Dhammikaupāsakavatthu

Idha modati pecca modati,

Here they rejoice, hereafter they rejoice,

Katapuñño ubhayattha modati;

one who does good rejoices in both places.

So modati so pamodati,

They rejoice and celebrate,

Disvā kammavisuddhimattano.

seeing their own pure deeds.

Devadattavatthu

Idha tappati pecca tappati,

Here they’re tormented,
hereafter they’re tormented,

Pāpakārī ubhayattha tappati;

an evildoer is tormented in both places.

“Pāpaṁ me katan”ti tappati,

They’re tormented
thinking of bad things they’ve done;

Bhiyyo tappati duggatiṁ gato.

when gone to a bad place,
they’re tormented all the more.

Sumanadevīvatthu

Idha nandati pecca nandati,

Here they delight, hereafter they delight,

Katapuñño ubhayattha nandati;

one who does good delights in both places.

“Puññaṁ me katan”ti nandati,

They delight thinking of good things they’ve done;

Bhiyyo nandati suggatiṁ gato.

when gone to a good place, they delight all the more.

Dvesahāyakabhikkhuvatthu

Bahumpi ce saṁhita bhāsamāno,

Much though they may recite scripture,

Na takkaro hoti naro pamatto;

if a negligent person does not apply them,

Gopova gāvo gaṇayaṁ paresaṁ,

then, like a cowherd who counts the cattle of others,

Na bhāgavā sāmaññassa hoti.

they miss out on the blessings of the ascetic life.

Appampi ce saṁhita bhāsamāno,

Little though they may recite scripture,

Dhammassa hoti anudhammacārī;

if they live in line with the teaching,

Rāgañca dosañca pahāya mohaṁ,

having given up greed, hate, and delusion,

Sammappajāno suvimuttacitto;

with deep understanding and heart well freed,

Anupādiyāno idha vā huraṁ vā,

not grasping to this life or the next,

Sa bhāgavā sāmaññassa hoti.

they share in the blessings of the ascetic life.

Yamakavaggo paṭhamo.