From:
Patna Dharmapada Patna Dhammapada
7. Kalyāṇī 7. The Chapter about the Wholesome
abhittaretha kallāṇe pāpā cittaṁnivāraye। Hasten to do wholesome deeds, ward off the mind from wickedness,
daṁdhaṁhikaratopuṁñaṁ pāpamhi ramatemano ।। for the mind of the one slow in merit delights in wickedness.
kayira ce puruṣo pāpaṁ na naṁ kayirā punappuno । Should a person do that which is wicked, he should not do it again and again,
na tamhi chandaṁ kayirātha dukkho pāpassa saṁayo ।। let him not place his intention in it, for there is an accumulation of suffering for the wicked one.
kayira ce puruṣo puṁñaṁ kayira cenaṁ punappuno । If a person should make merit, he should do it again and again,
tamhi eva chandaṁ kayirātha sukho puṁñassa saṁcayo ।। let him place his intention there, there is an increase of joy for the one who has made merit.
śuddhasseva sadā phaggū suddasso ’poṣatho sadā । For the pure one there is always fasting, for the pure one there is always the fast day,
śuddhassa śucikammassa sadā saṁpajjate vrataṁ ।। for the pure one, the one of clean deeds, his vow always succeeds.
akataṁ dukkataṁ śreyo pacchā tapati dukkataṁ । Better undone is a wrong-doing, a wrong-doing one later regrets,
dukkataṁ me kataṁ ti śocati bhūyo śocati doggatiṁ gato ।। he grieves, thinking: “I have done a bad deed,” gone to a bad fate, he grieves much more.
katañ ca sukataṁ sādhu yaṁ kattā nānutappati । Better done is what is well-done, which, when done, one does not regret
sukataṁ me kataṁ ti nandati bhūyo nandati soggatiṅ gato ।। he is happy, thinking: “I have done a good deed,” gone to a good fate, he is happy much more.
pāpo pi paśśate bhadraṁ yāva pāpaṁ na paccati । Even the wicked one experiences good fortune while the wickedness does not ripen,
yadā tu paccate pāpaṁ atha pāpo pāpāni paśśati ।। but when the wickedness ripens then the wicked one experiences wicked things.
bhadro pi paśśate pāpaṁ yāva bhadraṁ na paccati । Even the fortunate one experiences wickedness as long as the good fortune does not ripen,
yadā tu paccate bhadraṁ atha bhadro bhadrāṇi paśśati ।। but when the fortune ripens then the fortunate one experiences good fortune.
pāpaṁ pi karato bhadraṁ yāva pāpaṁ na paccati । Even the wicked one does good while the wickedness does not ripen,
atha payirāgate kāle pāpo pāpāni paśśati ।। but when the time has gone by the wicked one experiences wicked things.
bhadraṁ pi karato pāpaṁ yāva bhadraṁ na paccati । Even the fortunate one does wickedness as long as the good fortune does not ripen,
atha payirāgate kāle bhadro bhadrāṇi paśśati ।। but when the time has gone by the fortunate one experiences good fortune.
pāṇimhi ce vraṇo nā ’ssa dhāreyā pāṇinā viṣaṁ । If there is no wound for him in his hand he can carry poison with his hand,
nāvraṇe viṣam anneti nāsti pāpaṁ akurvvato ।। poison does not enter without a wound, there is no wickedness for the one who does not do wrong.
na hi pāpakaṁ kataṁ kammaṁ sajjaṁ chīraṁ va mucchati । A wicked deed that has been done, like milk, does not turn all at once,
dahantaṁ bālam anneti bhassachanno va pāpako ।। smouldering, it follows the fool, like a fire covered with ashes.
na hi pāpakaṁ kataṁ kammaṁ sajjaṁ śastam va kantati । A wicked deed that has been done, like a knife, does not cut all at once,
maraṇo ’peto hi jānāti yā gatī pāpakaṁmuṇo ।। but when death comes he knows the destiny of those who do wickedness.
anāgataṁ paṭikayirātha kiccaṁ mā vo kiccaṁ kiccakāle vyadheyā । You should prepare beforehand what is to be done, do not tremble at what is to be done at the time for it,
taṁ tārisaṁ paṭikatakiccakāriṁ na naṁ kiccaṁ kiccakāle vyadheti ।। for such a one who has prepared what is to be done, does not tremble at what is to be done at the time for it.
paṭikacceva taṁ kayirā yaṁ ñāyyā hitam āttano । One should prepare to do that which one knows is for one’s welfare,
na śākaṭikamanti ssa mantaṁ dhīro parākrame ।। the sage, the wise one should make effort, not with the thinking of the charioteer.
yathā śākaṭiko māggaṁ samaṁ hettā mahāpathaṁ । As the charioteer who abandoned the smooth path of the highway,
viṣamaṁ māggam āsājja akkhachinno tha jhāyati ।। and approached the rough path, then he broods, as upon a broken axle,
evaṁ dhammā apakrāṁma adhaṁmam anuvattiya । so the one departing from Dhamma and following what is not Dhamma,
bālo maccumukhaṁ prātto akkhachinno va jhāyati ।। when that fool comes to Death’s jaws he broods, as upon a broken axle.
kāṣāyakaṁṭhā bahavo pāpadhaṁmā asaṁyyatā । Many wearing the monastic robe around their necks are wicked, unrestrained.
pāpā pāpehi kaṁmehi nirayaṁ te upapajjatha ।। Wicked ones! Through your wicked deeds, you re-arise in the underworld.
abhūtavādī nirayaṁ upeti yo cāpi kattā na karomī ti āha । One who speaks what is untrue goes to the underworld, he who says: ‘I do not do’ what he has done,
ubho pi te precca samā bhavanti nihīnakaṁmā manujā paratra ।। both of these are just the same when they have gone to the hereafter, they are humans who did base deeds.
yo apraduṣṭassa naro praduṣyati śuddhassa poṣassa anaṁgaṇassa । He who offends against the inoffensive one, a purified and passionless person:
tam eva bālaṁ pracceti pāpaṁ sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṁ va khitto ।। that wicked deed then returns to the fool, like fine dust that is thrown against the wind.
vāṇijo va bhayaṁ māggaṁ appasāttho mahaddhano । Like a merchant on a fearful path, with few friends and great wealth,
viṣaṁ jīvitukāmo va pāpāni parivajjaye ।। as one loving life would avoid poison, so should one avoid wicked deeds.
paradukkhopadhānena yo icche sukham āttano । He who desires happiness for himself by causing suffering for another,
verasaṁsaggasaṁsaṭṭho dukkhā na parimuccati ।। being associated thus with hatred, is not fully released from suffering.
kuṇapassa pi gandhucchijjati u ’ddhukitassa pi rāti accayā । The smell of a corpse is cut off eventually, also of one bloated when nights have passed,
puruṣassa adhammacāriṇo annāhaṁ gandho na chijjati ।। but of the man who lives not by Dhamma day by day his smell is never cut off.
yatha ggrahapatayo prabhūtaratanā āḍitte nagaramhi dahyamāne । Just as householders having great treasures, when the city is on fire and burning,
muttāmaṇiphaṭikarajataheto vyāyamanti api nīharema kiṁci ।। because of their pearls, jewels, crystal and silver, make effort, thinking: “We will save something”,
tatha-r-iva śamaṇā prabhūtapraṁñā ayirā ayirapathesu sicchamānā । so the ascetics of great wisdom, noble ones training along the noble path,
jātijarāmaraṇabhayāddittā dukkhāṭṭā vyāyamanti api prāpuṇema śāntiṁ ।। oppressed with the fear of birth, old age, death, afflicted by suffering, make effort, thinking: “We will attain peace”.
Kalyāṇīvarggaḥ The Chapter about the Wholesome