iti.25 Itivuttaka

Lying

This was said by the Lord…

“Bhikkhus, I say that for an individual who transgresses in one thing, there is no evil deed whatsoever he would not do. What is that one thing? It is this, bhikkhus: deliberately telling a lie.”

There is no evil that cannot be done
By a person who deliberately lies,
Who transgresses in one thing,
Taking no account of the next world.

- Translator: John D. Ireland

- Editor: Bhikkhu Sujato

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Lying

“Mendicants, for an individual who transgresses in one thing, there is no bad deed they would not do, I say.
This was said by the Buddha, the Perfected One: that is what I heard.
What one thing?
It is this: telling a deliberate lie.”
The Buddha spoke this matter.
On this it is said:
“When a person, spurning the hereafter,
transgresses in just one thing—
lying—
there is no evil they would not do.”
This too is a matter that was spoken by the Blessed One: that is what I heard.