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Khuddaka Nikāya - The Minor Texts

Dhammapada - Chapter 10: Dandavagga - Violence

129All tremble at violence; all fear death. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.

130All tremble at violence; life is dear to all. Putting oneself in the place of another, one should not kill nor cause another to kill.

131One who, while himself seeking happiness, oppresses with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will not attain happiness hereafter.

132One who, while himself seeking happiness, does not oppress with violence other beings who also desire happiness, will find happiness hereafter.

133Speak not harshly to anyone, for those thus spoken to might retort. Indeed, angry speech hurts, and retaliation may overtake you.

134If, like a broken gong, you silence yourself, you have approached Nibbāna, for vindictiveness is no longer in you.

135Just as a cowherd drives the cattle to pasture with a staff, so do old age and death drive the life force of beings (from existence to existence).

136When the fool commits evil deeds, he does not realize (their evil nature). The witless man is tormented by his own deeds, like one burnt by fire.

137He who inflicts violence on those who are unarmed, and offends those who are inoffensive, will soon come upon one of these ten states:

138–140Sharp pain, or disaster, bodily injury, serious illness, or derangement of mind, trouble from the government, or grave charges, loss of relatives, or loss of wealth, or houses destroyed by ravaging fire; upon dissolution of the body that ignorant man is born in hell.


141Neither going about naked, nor matted locks, nor filth, nor fasting, nor lying on the ground, nor smearing oneself with ashes and dust, nor sitting on the heels (in penance) can purify a mortal who has not overcome doubt.

142Even though he be well-attired, yet if he is poised, calm, controlled and established in the holy life, having set aside violence towards all beings—he, truly, is a holy man, a renunciate, a monk.

143Only rarely is there a man in this world who, restrained by modesty, avoids reproach, as a thoroughbred horse avoids the whip.

144Like a thoroughbred horse touched by the whip, be strenuous, be filled with spiritual yearning. By faith and moral purity, by effort and meditation, by investigation of the truth, by being rich in knowledge and virtue, and by being mindful, destroy this unlimited suffering.

145Irrigators regulate the waters, fletchers straighten arrow shafts, carpenters shape wood, and the good control themselves.

129Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa,
sabbe bhāyanti maccuno;
Attānaṁ upamaṁ katvā,
na haneyya na ghātaye.

130Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa,
sabbesaṁ jīvitaṁ piyaṁ;
Attānaṁ upamaṁ katvā,
na haneyya na ghātaye.

131Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni,
yo daṇḍena vihiṁsati;
Attano sukhamesāno,
pecca so na labhate sukhaṁ.

132Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni,
yo daṇḍena na hiṁsati;
Attano sukhamesāno,
pecca so labhate sukhaṁ.

133Māvoca pharusaṁ kañci,
vuttā paṭivadeyyu taṁ;
Dukkhā hi sārambhakathā,
paṭidaṇḍā phuseyyu taṁ.

134Sace neresi attānaṁ,
kaṁso upahato yathā;
Esa pattosi nibbānaṁ,
sārambho te na vijjati.

135Yathā daṇḍena gopālo,
gāvo pājeti gocaraṁ;
Evaṁ jarā ca maccu ca,
āyuṁ pājenti pāṇinaṁ.

136Atha pāpāni kammāni,
karaṁ bālo na bujjhati;
Sehi kammehi dummedho,
aggidaḍḍhova tappati.

137Yo daṇḍena adaṇḍesu,
appaduṭṭhesu dussati;
Dasannamaññataraṁ ṭhānaṁ,
khippameva nigacchati.

138Vedanaṁ pharusaṁ jāniṁ,
sarīrassa va bhedanaṁ;
Garukaṁ vāpi ābādhaṁ,
cittakkhepaṁ va pāpuṇe.

139Rājato vā upasaggaṁ,
Abbhakkhānaṁ va dāruṇaṁ;
Parikkhayaṁ va ñātīnaṁ,
Bhogānaṁ va pabhaṅguraṁ.

140Atha vāssa agārāni,
aggi ḍahati pāvako;
Kāyassa bhedā duppañño,
nirayaṁ sopapajjati.


141Na naggacariyā na jaṭā na paṅkā,
Nānāsakā thaṇḍilasāyikā vā;
Rajojallaṁ ukkuṭikappadhānaṁ,
Sodhenti maccaṁ avitiṇṇakaṅkhaṁ.

142Alaṅkato cepi samaṁ careyya,
Santo danto niyato brahmacārī;
Sabbesu bhūtesu nidhāya daṇḍaṁ,
So brāhmaṇo so samaṇo sa bhikkhu.

143Hirīnisedho puriso,
koci lokasmi vijjati;
Yo niddaṁ apabodheti,
asso bhadro kasāmiva.

144Asso yathā bhadro kasāniviṭṭho,
Ātāpino saṁvegino bhavātha;
Saddhāya sīlena ca vīriyena ca,
Samādhinā dhammavinicchayena ca;
Sampannavijjācaraṇā patissatā,
Jahissatha dukkhamidaṁ anappakaṁ.

145Udakañhi nayanti nettikā,
Usukārā namayanti tejanaṁ;
Dāruṁ namayanti tacchakā,
Attānaṁ damayanti subbatā.

Daṇḍavaggo dasamo.