The Rod

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

सब्बे तसन्ति दण्डस्स,सब्बेसं जीवितं पियं ।अत्तानं उपमं कत्वा,न हनेय्य न घातये ॥

All tremble at the rod, all love life. Treating others like oneself, neither kill nor incite to kill.

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

सुखकामानि भूतानि,यो दण्डेन विहिंसति ।अत्तनो सुखमेसानो,पेच्च सो न लभते सुखं ॥

Creatures love happiness, so if you harm them with a stick in search of your own happiness, after death you won’t find happiness.

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

सुखकामानि भूतानि,यो दण्डेन न हिंसति ।अत्तनो सुखमेसानो,पेच्च सो लभते सुखं ॥

Creatures love happiness, so if you don’t harm them with a stick in search of your own happiness, after death you will find happiness.

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

मावोच फरुसं कञ्चि,वुत्ता पटिवदेय्यु तं ।दुक्खा हि सारम्भकथा,पटिदण्डा फुसेय्यु तं ॥

Don’t speak harshly, they may speak harshly back. For aggressive speech is painful, and the rod may spring back on you.

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

यथा दण्डेन गोपालो,गावो पाजेति गोचरं ।एवं जरा च मच्चु च,आयुं पाजेन्ति पाणिनं ॥

As a cowherd drives the cows to pasture with the rod, so too old age and death drive life from living beings.

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

अथ पापानि कम्मानि,करं बालो न बुज्झति ।सेहि कम्मेहि दुम्मेधो,अग्गिदड्ढोव तप्पति ॥

The fool does not understand the evil that they do. But because of those deeds, that simpleton is tormented as if burnt by fire.

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

यो दण्डेन अदण्डेसु,अप्पदुट्ठेसु दुस्सति ।दसन्नमञ्ञतरं ठानं,खिप्पमेव निगच्छति ॥

One who violently attacks the peaceful and the innocent swiftly falls to one of ten bad states:

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

वेदनं फरुसं जानिं,सरीरस्स व भेदनं ।गरुकं वापि आबाधं,चित्तक्खेपं व पापुणे ॥

harsh pain; loss; the breakup of the body; serious illness; mental distress;

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

राजतो वा उपसग्गं,अब्भक्खानं व दारुणं ।परिक्खयं व ञातीनं,भोगानं व पभङ्गुरं ॥

hazards from rulers; vicious slander; loss of kin; destruction of wealth;

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

अथ वास्स अगारानि,अग्गि डहति पावको ।कायस्स भेदा दुप्पञ्ञो,निरयं सोपपज्जति ॥

or else their home is consumed by fire. When their body breaks up, that witless person is reborn in hell.

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

न नग्गचरिया न जटा न पङ्का,नानासका थण्डिलसायिका वा ।रजोजल्लं उक्कुटिकप्पधानं,सोधेन्ति मच्चं अवितिण्णकङ्खं ॥

Not nudity, nor matted hair, nor mud, nor fasting, nor lying on bare ground, nor wearing dust and dirt, or squatting on the heels, will cleanse a mortal not free of doubt.

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

हिरीनिसेधो पुरिसो,कोचि लोकस्मि विज्जति ।यो निद्दं अपबोधेति,अस्सो भद्रो कसामिव ॥

Can a person constrained by conscience be found in the world? Who shies away from blame, like a fine horse from the whip?

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

अस्सो यथा भद्रो कसानिविट्ठो,आतापिनो संवेगिनो भवाथ ।सद्धाय सीलेन च वीरियेन च,समाधिना धम्मविनिच्छयेन च ।सम्पन्नविज्जाचरणा पतिस्सता,जहिस्सथ दुक्खमिदं अनप्पकं ॥

Like a fine horse under the whip, be keen and full of urgency. With faith, ethics, and energy, immersion, and investigation of principles, accomplished in knowledge and conduct, mindful, give up this vast suffering.

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

उदकञ्हि नयन्ति नेत्तिका,उसुकारा नमयन्ति तेजनं ।दारुं नमयन्ति तच्छका,अत्तानं दमयन्ति सुब्बता ॥दण्डवग्गो दसमो ॥

While irrigators guide water, fletchers bend arrows straight, and carpenters bend timber straight, those true to their vows tame themselves.