Dhammapada · Chapter 22 of 26 · verses 306 to 319
Actions have consequences: what leads to a bad or good destination.
Nirayavagga
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This chapter is the Dhammapada's teaching on the consequences of harmful actions. In Buddhist understanding, niraya (often translated "hell") is a state of intense suffering that follows from one's own deeds, and like every state it is not eternal. The Buddha names lying, denying what one has done, misusing the monastic life, adultery and careless practice as leading to such suffering, and says a bad deed is better left undone because it torments one later. He urges people to guard themselves like a frontier city and not let the moment pass, and closes by contrasting wrong view with right view, which leads to a good destination.
EthicsDiligenceSpeechWisdom
The commentary tells of a group of monks who spent the rains retreat near a town on the frontier, where people supported them gladly.
Then raiders attacked, and the townspeople became busy strengthening their walls and gates, with little time for the monks.
After the retreat the monks went to the Buddha and told him of their hardship.
The Buddha spoke verse 315: guard yourselves as that town guarded itself, inside and out, and do not let the moment pass.
Abhūtavādī nirayaṁ upeti,Yo vāpi katvā na karomi cāha;Ubhopi te pecca samā bhavanti,Nihīnakammā manujā parattha.
अभूतवादी निरयं उपेति,यो वापि कत्वा न करोमि चाह ।उभोपि ते पेच्च समा भवन्ति,निहीनकम्मा मनुजा परत्थ ॥
A liar goes to hell, as does one who denies what they did. Both are equal in the hereafter, those men of base deeds.
Kāsāvakaṇṭhā bahavo,pāpadhammā asaññatā;Pāpā pāpehi kammehi,nirayaṁ te upapajjare.
कासावकण्ठा बहवो,पापधम्मा असञ्ञता ।पापा पापेहि कम्मेहि,निरयं ते उपपज्जरे ॥
Many who wear a scrap of ocher cloth are unrestrained and wicked. Being wicked, they are reborn in hell due to their bad deeds.
Seyyo ayoguḷo bhutto,tatto aggisikhūpamo;Yañce bhuñjeyya dussīlo,raṭṭhapiṇḍamasaññato.
सेय्यो अयोगुळो भुत्तो,तत्तो अग्गिसिखूपमो ।यञ्चे भुञ्जेय्य दुस्सीलो,रट्ठपिण्डमसञ्ञतो ॥
It’d be better for the immoral and unrestrained to eat an iron ball, scorching, like a burning flame, than to eat the nation’s alms.
Cattāri ṭhānāni naro pamatto,Āpajjati paradārūpasevī;Apuññalābhaṁ na nikāmaseyyaṁ,Nindaṁ tatīyaṁ nirayaṁ catutthaṁ.
चत्तारि ठानानि नरो पमत्तो,आपज्जति परदारूपसेवी ।अपुञ्ञलाभं न निकामसेय्यं,निन्दं ततीयं निरयं चतुत्थं ॥
Four things befall a heedless man who sleeps with another’s wife: wickedness, poor sleep, ill-repute, and rebirth in hell.
Apuññalābho ca gatī ca pāpikā,Bhītassa bhītāya ratī ca thokikā;Rājā ca daṇḍaṁ garukaṁ paṇeti,Tasmā naro paradāraṁ na seve.
अपुञ्ञलाभो च गती च पापिका,भीतस्स भीताय रती च थोकिका ।राजा च दण्डं गरुकं पणेति,तस्मा नरो परदारं न सेवे ॥
He accrues wickedness and is reborn in a bad place, all so a frightened couple may snatch a moment’s pleasure, for which rulers impose a heavy punishment. That’s why a man should not sleep with another’s wife.
Kuso yathā duggahito,hatthamevānukantati;Sāmaññaṁ dupparāmaṭṭhaṁ,nirayāyupakaḍḍhati.
कुसो यथा दुग्गहितो,हत्थमेवानुकन्तति ।सामञ्ञं दुप्परामट्ठं,निरयायुपकड्ढति ॥
When kusa grass is wrongly grasped it only cuts the hand. So too, the ascetic life, when wrongly taken, drags you to hell.
Yaṁ kiñci sithilaṁ kammaṁ,saṅkiliṭṭhañca yaṁ vataṁ;Saṅkassaraṁ brahmacariyaṁ,na taṁ hoti mahapphalaṁ.
यं किञ्चि सिथिलं कम्मं,सङ्किलिट्ठञ्च यं वतं ।सङ्कस्सरं ब्रह्मचरियं,न तं होति महप्फलं ॥
Any lax act, any corrupt observance, or suspicious spiritual life, is not very fruitful.
Kayirā ce kayirāthenaṁ,daḷhamenaṁ parakkame;Sithilo hi paribbājo,bhiyyo ākirate rajaṁ.
कयिरा चे कयिराथेनं,दळ्हमेनं परक्कमे ।सिथिलो हि परिब्बाजो,भिय्यो आकिरते रजं ॥
If one is to do what should be done, one should staunchly strive. For the life gone forth when laxly led just stirs up dust all the more.
Akataṁ dukkaṭaṁ seyyo,pacchā tappati dukkaṭaṁ;Katañca sukataṁ seyyo,yaṁ katvā nānutappati.
अकतं दुक्कटं सेय्यो,पच्छा तप्पति दुक्कटं ।कतञ्च सुकतं सेय्यो,यं कत्वा नानुतप्पति ॥
A bad deed is better left undone, for it will plague you later on. A good deed is better done, one that does not plague you.
Nagaraṁ yathā paccantaṁ,guttaṁ santarabāhiraṁ;Evaṁ gopetha attānaṁ,khaṇo vo mā upaccagā;Khaṇātītā hi socanti,nirayamhi samappitā.
नगरं यथा पच्चन्तं,गुत्तं सन्तरबाहिरं ।एवं गोपेथ अत्तानं,खणो वो मा उपच्चगा ।खणातीता हि सोचन्ति,निरयम्हि समप्पिता ॥
As a frontier city is guarded inside and out, so you should ward yourselves, don’t let the moment pass you by. For if you miss your moment you’ll grieve when sent to hell.
Alajjitāye lajjanti,lajjitāye na lajjare;Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā,sattā gacchanti duggatiṁ.
अलज्जिताये लज्जन्ति,लज्जिताये न लज्जरे ।मिच्छादिट्ठिसमादाना,सत्ता गच्छन्ति दुग्गतिं ॥
Unashamed of what is shameful, ashamed of what is not shameful; beings who uphold wrong view go to a bad place.
Abhaye bhayadassino,bhaye cābhayadassino;Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā,sattā gacchanti duggatiṁ.
अभये भयदस्सिनो,भये चाभयदस्सिनो ।मिच्छादिट्ठिसमादाना,सत्ता गच्छन्ति दुग्गतिं ॥
Seeing danger where there is none, and blind to the actual danger, beings who uphold wrong view go to a bad place.
Avajje vajjamatino,vajje cāvajjadassino;Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā,sattā gacchanti duggatiṁ.
अवज्जे वज्जमतिनो,वज्जे चावज्जदस्सिनो ।मिच्छादिट्ठिसमादाना,सत्ता गच्छन्ति दुग्गतिं ॥
Seeing fault where there is none, and blind to the actual fault, beings who uphold wrong view go to a bad place.
Vajjañca vajjato ñatvā,avajjañca avajjato;Sammādiṭṭhisamādānā,sattā gacchanti suggatiṁ.Nirayavaggo dvāvīsatimo.
वज्जञ्च वज्जतो ञत्वा,अवज्जञ्च अवज्जतो ।सम्मादिट्ठिसमादाना,सत्ता गच्छन्ति सुग्गतिं ॥निरयवग्गो द्वावीसतिमो ॥
Knowing a fault as a fault and the faultless as faultless, beings who uphold right view go to a good place.
According to verse 306, who goes to niraya along with the liar?
Why, according to verse 314, is a bad deed better left undone?
Verse 315 asks us to guard ourselves like what?
In verse 311, what cuts the hand when wrongly grasped?
How many consequences does verse 309 list for a man who goes to another's wife?
According to verse 319, those who know a fault as a fault go where?
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Pali (Mahāsaṅgīti edition) and English by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0) from SuttaCentral. Hindi and Marathi meanings, summaries and stories: IndiaDigital, awaiting review by a Buddhist scholar.
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