dhp.256-272 Dhammapada

One who would hastily settle a case because of that is not one who stands by Dhamma,
the wise one should discriminate the two: what is the case and what is not the case.

The one who settles for other people without haste, justly and impartially,
the sagacious one, protecting Dhamma, is said to be one who stands by Dhamma.

One is not a wise person merely because of speaking much;
being safe, hatred-free, fearless, one is called a wise person.

One is not a Dhamma-bearer merely through speaking much,
but the one who, having heard a little, sees Dhamma for himself,
is one who bears Dhamma, the one who is not heedless regarding Dhamma.

One is not an elder because one’s head has grey hair,
for the one who is only well-matured, aged, is said to be old in vain.

In whom is truth, Dhamma, non-violence, restraint and good training,
the wise one who throws out the stain is truly called an elder.

Not by eloquence only, or by a beautiful complexion,
is a person honourable, if still jealous, selfish and deceitful;
for the one in whom this is cut off, destroyed at the root, dug up,
that sage who has thrown out hatred is said to be honourable.

Not through a shaven head is one an ascetic, if one lacks vows, speaks lies,
and is endowed with greed and desire, how will one be an ascetic?

The one who pacifies wicked deeds, small and great, in every way –
through the pacifing of wicked deeds he is said to be an ascetic.

One is not a monastic merely through eating others’ almsfood,
the one who undertakes a false Dhamma to that extent is not a monastic.

If he is one who lives the holy life here, warding off both merit and demerit,
and wanders with discrimination in the world, that one is said to be a monastic.

Not through silence is a deluded fool considered to be a seer,
the wise one, like one holding the balance, takes up what is noble.

The seer who rejects wicked deeds through that is considered a seer,
whoever understands both worlds because of that is said to be a seer.

Not through hurting breathing beings one is noble,
the one who does not hurt any breathing beings is said to be noble.

Not merely through virtue or vows, or through great learning,
or through the attainment of concentration, or through a secluded dwelling,
do I attain the happiness of renunciation, not practised by worldly people;
let a monastic not be confident as long as the destruction of the pollutants is unattained.

One who hastily assesses what is good
Is not established in Dhamma.
The wise one investigates both good and bad,

And judges others thoughtfully, justly, and
impartially.
This intelligent one, this protector of the Dhamma,
Is called established in the Dhamma.

One is not wise in virtue of speaking much.
One who is called wise is peaceful, friendly, and
fearless.

One does not uphold the Dhamma simply by many
words.
One upholds the Dhamma when it is not neglected;
When, having heard but a little, observes it with
one’s own body.

One is not an elder just by a gray head.
Ripe only in years, he is called grown old in vain.

But one in whom there is truth and Dhamma,
Non-violence, restraint, and moderation,
With impurities discarded,
This wise one is truly called elder.

Not by eloquence or lotus-like beauty,
does one who is envious, selfish, and deceitful,
become exemplary.

The wise one who has cut off, destroyed at the root,
and removed these;
Who has discarded ill will altogether;
This one is called exemplary.

Not by a bald head is one a renunciant—
One who does not observe the precepts, who lies.
What renunciant is possessed by longing and greed!

But one who subdues evil thoroughly, whether big
or small,
Is by so doing truly called renunciant.

One is not a monk just by begging from another.
Having undertaken a foul tradition, one is not then
a monk.

But the one who sets aside both merit and demerit,
who leads a holy life,
Who lives in the world perceptively,
This one is truly is called monk.

One deluded and ignorant is not a sage by silence.
But one who takes up the best as if holding a scale is
wise.

One who avoids evils thereby is a sage.
One who knows both best and worst in the world is
thereby called sage.

One is not a noble by hurting living beings.
One who is gentle to all beings is thereby called
noble.

Neither by precept and virtue, nor by great
learning;
Neither by attaining samādhi, nor inhabiting a
solitary dwelling;

Nor by thinking, “I touch the happiness of
renunciation, unknown to the ordinary,” Do you, O monk, find contentment,
If you have not attained the dissolution of the
toxins.

Not by passing arbitrary judgments does a man become just; a wise man is he who investigates both right and wrong.

He who does not judge others arbitrarily, but passes judgment impartially according to the truth, that sagacious man is a guardian of law and is called just.

One is not wise because one speaks much. He who is peaceable, friendly and fearless is called wise.

A man is not versed in Dhamma because he speaks much. He who, after hearing a little Dhamma, realizes its truth directly and is not heedless of it, is truly versed in the Dhamma.

A monk is not an elder because his head is gray. He is but ripe in age, and he is called one grown old in vain.

One in whom there is truthfulness, virtue, inoffensiveness, restraint and self-mastery, who is free from defilements and is wise—he is truly called an Elder.

Not by mere eloquence nor by beauty of form does a man become accomplished, if he is jealous, selfish and deceitful.

But he in whom these are wholly destroyed, uprooted and extinct, and who has cast out hatred—that wise man is truly accomplished.

Not by shaven head does a man who is indisciplined and untruthful become a monk. How can he who is full of desire and greed be a monk?

He who wholly subdues evil both small and great is called a monk, because he has overcome all evil.

He is not a monk just because he lives on others’ alms. Not by adopting outward form does one become a true monk.

Whoever here (in the Dispensation) lives a holy life, transcending both merit and demerit, and walks with understanding in this world—he is truly called a monk.

Not by observing silence does one become a sage, if he be foolish and ignorant. But that man is wise who, as if holding a balance-scale accepts only the good.

The sage (thus) rejecting the evil, is truly a sage. Since he comprehends both (present and future) worlds, he is called a sage.

He is not noble who injures living beings. He is called noble because he is harmless towards all living beings.

Not by rules and observances, not even by much learning, nor by gain of absorption, nor by a life of seclusion, nor by thinking, “I enjoy the bliss of renunciation, which is not experienced by the worldling” should you, O monks, rest content, until the utter destruction of cankers (Arahantship) is reached.