Daṇḍavagga

Khuddakanikāya

Minor Collection

Dhammapada

Sayings of the Dhamma 129–145

Daṇḍavagga

10. The Rod

Chabbaggiyabhikkhuvatthu

Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa,

All tremble at the rod,

sabbe bhāyanti maccuno;

all fear death.

Attānaṁ upamaṁ katvā,

Treating others like oneself,

na haneyya na ghātaye.

neither kill nor incite to kill.

Chabbaggiyavatthu

Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa,

All tremble at the rod,

sabbesaṁ jīvitaṁ piyaṁ;

all love life.

Attānaṁ upamaṁ katvā,

Treating others like oneself,

na haneyya na ghātaye.

neither kill nor incite to kill.

Sambahulakumārakavatthu

Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni,

Creatures love happiness,

yo daṇḍena vihiṁsati;

so if you harm them with a stick

Attano sukhamesāno,

in search of your own happiness,

pecca so na labhate sukhaṁ.

after death you won’t find happiness.

Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni,

Creatures love happiness,

yo daṇḍena na hiṁsati;

so if you don’t harm them with a stick

Attano sukhamesāno,

in search of your own happiness,

pecca so labhate sukhaṁ.

after death you will find happiness.

Koṇḍadhānattheravatthu

Māvoca pharusaṁ kañci,

Don’t speak harshly,

vuttā paṭivadeyyu taṁ;

they may speak harshly back.

Dukkhā hi sārambhakathā,

For aggressive speech is painful,

paṭidaṇḍā phuseyyu taṁ.

and the rod may spring back on you.

Sace neresi attānaṁ,

If you still yourself

kaṁso upahato yathā;

like a broken gong,

Esa pattosi nibbānaṁ,

you reach extinguishment

sārambho te na vijjati.

and know no conflict.

Uposathikaitthīnaṁvatthu

Yathā daṇḍena gopālo,

As a cowherd drives the cows

gāvo pājeti gocaraṁ;

to pasture with the rod,

Evaṁ jarā ca maccu ca,

so too old age and death

āyuṁ pājenti pāṇinaṁ.

drive life from living beings.

Ajagarapetavatthu

Atha pāpāni kammāni,

The fool does not understand

karaṁ bālo na bujjhati;

the evil that they do.

Sehi kammehi dummedho,

But because of those deeds, that simpleton

aggidaḍḍhova tappati.

is tormented as if burnt by fire.

Mahāmoggallānattheravatthu

Yo daṇḍena adaṇḍesu,

One who violently attacks

appaduṭṭhesu dussati;

the peaceful and the innocent

Dasannamaññataraṁ ṭhānaṁ,

swiftly falls

khippameva nigacchati.

to one of ten bad states:

Vedanaṁ pharusaṁ jāniṁ,

harsh pain; loss;

sarīrassa va bhedanaṁ;

the breakup of the body;

Garukaṁ vāpi ābādhaṁ,

serious illness;

cittakkhepaṁ va pāpuṇe.

mental distress;

Rājato vā upasaggaṁ,

hazards from rulers;

Abbhakkhānaṁ va dāruṇaṁ;

vicious slander;

Parikkhayaṁ va ñātīnaṁ,

loss of kin;

Bhogānaṁ va pabhaṅguraṁ.

destruction of wealth;

Atha vāssa agārāni,

or else their home

aggi ḍahati pāvako;

is consumed by fire.

Kāyassa bhedā duppañño,

When their body breaks up, that witless person

nirayaṁ sopapajjati.

is reborn in hell.

Bahubhaṇḍikabhikkhuvatthu

Na naggacariyā na jaṭā na paṅkā,

Not nudity, nor matted hair, nor mud,

Nānāsakā thaṇḍilasāyikā vā;

nor fasting, nor lying on bare ground,

Rajojallaṁ ukkuṭikappadhānaṁ,

nor wearing dust and dirt, or squatting on the heels,

Sodhenti maccaṁ avitiṇṇakaṅkhaṁ.

will cleanse a mortal not free of doubt.

Santatimahāmattavatthu

Alaṅkato cepi samaṁ careyya,

Dressed up they may be, but if they live well—

Santo danto niyato brahmacārī;

peaceful, tamed, committed to the spiritual path,

Sabbesu bhūtesu nidhāya daṇḍaṁ,

having laid aside violence toward all creatures—

So brāhmaṇo so samaṇo sa bhikkhu.

they are a brahmin, an ascetic, a mendicant.

Pilotikatissattheravatthu

Hirīnisedho puriso,

Can a person constrained by conscience

koci lokasmi vijjati;

be found in the world?

Yo niddaṁ apabodheti,

Who shies away from blame,

asso bhadro kasāmiva.

like a fine horse from the whip?

Asso yathā bhadro kasāniviṭṭho,

Like a fine horse under the whip,

Ātāpino saṁvegino bhavātha;

be keen and full of urgency.

Saddhāya sīlena ca vīriyena ca,

With faith, ethics, and energy,

Samādhinā dhammavinicchayena ca;

immersion, and investigation of principles,

Sampannavijjācaraṇā patissatā,

accomplished in knowledge and conduct, mindful,

Jahissatha dukkhamidaṁ anappakaṁ.

give up this vast suffering.

Sukhasāmaṇeravatthu

Udakañhi nayanti nettikā,

While irrigators guide water,

Usukārā namayanti tejanaṁ;

fletchers bend arrows straight,

Dāruṁ namayanti tacchakā,

and carpenters bend timber straight,

Attānaṁ damayanti subbatā.

those true to their vows tame themselves.

Daṇḍavaggo dasamo.