dhp.129-145 Dhammapada

Everyone trembles at the stick, everyone is in fear of death,
comparing oneself with others, one should not hurt or have them hurt.

Everyone trembles at the stick, for all of them life is dear,
comparing oneself with others, one should not hurt or have them hurt.

One who harms with a stick beings who desire happiness,
while seeking happiness for himself, won’t find happiness after death.

One who harms not with a stick beings who desire happiness,
while seeking happiness for himself, will find happiness after death.

Do not say anything harsh, spoken to they might answer back to you,
for arrogant talk entails misery, and they might strike you back with a stick.

If you make no sound like a gong that is broken,
you are like one who has attained Nibbāna, contention is not found in you.

Like a cowherd with a stick drives cattle to pasture,
so do old age and death drive life out of beings.

The fool does not understand the wicked deeds he is doing,
the stupid one is consumed by his deeds as by a burning fire.

Whoever offends with a stick those who are inoffensive and harmless
will quickly fall into one of ten states:
harsh feelings, loss of his wealth, and the break up of the body,
or even heavy affliction, or surely he will lose his mind,
there may be danger from the King, or slander that is terrible,
he may suffer from loss of kin, or from the destruction of wealth,
also his houses may be consumed by flames and fire,
and at the break-up of the body that one lacking in wisdom will arise in the underworld.

Not going naked, nor matted hair, nor mud,
nor fasting or lying on stony ground,
dust and dirt, or striving while squatting,
can purify a mortal who has not removed uncertainty.

Even if he were to adorn himself,
but is peaceful, trained, settled, spiritual,
and has put aside the stick towards all beings,
he is a brahmin, an ascetic, a monastic.

Whatever person in the world is found restrained by conscience,
and is aware of his fault, is like a good horse that is restrained by a whip.

Like a good horse restrained by the whip,
you should be ardent and spiritually intense.
Having faith, virtue and energy,
concentration and investigation of the Dhamma.
One who has understanding and good conduct, mindfulness,
will abandon this not insignificant suffering.

Course-makers lead water,
fletchers straighten arrows,
carpenters straighten wood,
the mild master themselves.

All tremble at a thrashing.
All fear death.
Likening others to oneself,
Do not kill or lead another to kill.

All tremble at a thrashing.
All hold life dear.
Likening others to oneself,
Do not kill or lead another to kill.

One who himself seeks happiness,
And yet hurts others who desire happiness,
Will realize no happiness after death.

One who himself seeks happiness,
And does not hurt others who desire happiness,
Will realize happiness after death.

To none speak harshly.
Those spoken to would respond in kind.
Contentious speech is painful;
Retaliation would befall you.

If, like a broken gong,
You yourself are unstirred,
You have attained Nibbāna,
And no contention exists within.

Just as a cowherd drives a cow to pasture with a stick,
So old age and death drive the life of sentient beings.

A fool does not recognize his own evil act.
Devoid of wisdom, he is tormented by his actions,
As one burned by fire.

One who does violence to the innocent and
peaceable
Will quickly encounter one of ten states:

Intense pain, destitution, bodily injury, disease of
body, disease of mind,

Oppression from the king, cruel slander, loss of
relatives, loss of wealth,

Loss of houses by fire;
And after death, such a one, so devoid of wisdom,
will be reborn in hell.

Neither nakedness nor matted hair,
Neither a mud-smeared body nor fasting,
Neither lying on the ground, nor dust and sweat,
Nor sitting on one’s heels,
Can purify one who has not overcome doubt.

Even if one would walk around luxuriously attired,
If one is tranquil, tame, self-restrained, and living a
holy life,
Having renounced violence toward any living being,
Such is a brahmin, a renunciant, a monk.

Where in this world exists
One who is restrained by conscience and avoids
blame,
As a good horse avoids the whip?

Be like a good horse when touched by the whip—
ardent and alarmed.
Through strength, virtue, and vigor,
Through concentration and investigation of truth,
Mindful and possessed of right knowledge and
conduct,
You will leave this great suffering behind.

Irrigators guide water;
Fletchers straighten shafts;
Carpenters bend wood;
The well-practiced master themselves.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Just 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).

When 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.

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

Sharp 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.

Neither 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.

Even 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.

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

Like 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.

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