From:
Patna Dharmapada Patna Dhammapada
12. Daṇḍa 12. The Chapter about the Stick
nanaggacariyā najaṭānapaṁko nānāśanaṁtthaṇḍīlaśāyikā vā। Neither going naked, nor matted hair, nor mud, nor fasting or lying on stony ground,
rajocelaṁ ukkuṭukapradhānaṁ śodhenti māccaṁ avitiṇṇakaṁchaṁ ।। dusty clothes, or striving while squatting, can purify a mortal who has not removed uncertainty.
alaṁkato cāpi samaṁ careyā dānto śānto niyato dhammacārī । Even if he were to adorn himself, but is trained, peaceful, settled, living by Dhamma,
sabbesu prāṇesu nidhāya daṇḍaṁ so brāhmaṇo so śamaṇo sa bhikkhū ।। and has put aside the stick towards all living beings, he is a brahmin, an ascetic, a monastic.
mā vade paruṣaṁ kaṁci vuttā paṭivadeyu taṁ । Do not speak anything harsh, spoken to they might answer back to you,
dukkhā hi sārambhakathā paṭidaṇḍā phuseyu taṁ ।। for arrogant talk entails misery, and they might strike you back with a stick.
sace iresi āttānaṁ kaṁso upahato-r-iva । If you make a sound like a gong that is struck,
jātimaraṇasaṁsāraṁ ciraṁ praccanubhohisi ।। you will undergo the rounds of births and deaths for a long time.
na ce iresi āttānaṁ kaṁso anupahato-r-iva । If you make no sound like a gong that is not struck,
esa prātto si nibbāṇaṁ sārambhā te na vijjati ।। you are like one who has attained Nibbāna, contention is not found in you.
yathā daṇḍena gopālo gāvo pājeti gocaraṁ । Like a cowherd with a stick drives cattle to pasture,
evaṁ jarā ca maccū ca prāṇināṁ adhivattati ।। so do old age and death overpower living beings.
yathā daṇḍena gopālo gāvo rakṣati sāmināṁ । Like a cowherd with a stick protects the owner’s cattle,
evaṁ rakkhatha āttānaṁ khaṇo vo mā upaccagū । so one should watch over oneself, and you should not let the moment pass,
khaṇātītā hi śocanti nirayamhi samappitā ।। for when the chance has passed they grieve when consigned to the underworld.
sabbe trasanti daṇḍānāṁ sabbesaṁ jīvitaṁ priyaṁ । Everyone trembles at sticks, for all of them life is dear,
āttānaṁ upamaṁ kattā neva haṁyyā na ghātaye ।। comparing oneself with others, one should not hurt or have them hurt.
sukhakāmāni bhūtāni yo daṇḍena vihiṁsati । One who harms with a stick beings who desire happiness,
āttano sukham eṣāṇo precca so na labhate sukhaṁ ।। while seeking happiness for himself, won’t find happiness after death.
sukhakāmāni bhūtāni yo daṇḍena na vihiṁsati । One who harms not with a stick beings who desire happiness,
āttano sukham eṣāṇo precca so labhate sukhaṁ ।। while seeking happiness for himself, will find happiness after death.
na bhajetha pāpake mitre na bhajetha puruṣā ’dhame । One should not keep company with wicked friends, one should not keep company with the ignoble,
bhajetha praṁñe medhāvī bhajetha puruṣottame । you should keep company with the sage and wise, you should keep company with superior people.
tārise bhajamānassa śreyo hoti na pāpiyo ।। keeping company with such is surely better for you, not worse.
nidhino va pravattāraṁ yaṁ paśśe vajjadaṁśinaṁ । One should regard someone who shows your faults just like one who points out hidden treasure,
nigṛhyavādiṁ medhāvīṁ tārisaṁ puruṣaṁ bhaje । one should keep company with such a sagacious person who reproves you;
tārisaṁ bhajamānassa śreyo hoti na pāpiyo ।। keeping company with such is surely better for you, not worse.
ovadeyā anuśāseyā asabbhāto nivāraye । One should advise and instruct, and forbid whatever is vile,
satāṁ hetaṁ priyaṁ hoti asatāṁ hoti apriyaṁ ।। for this is dear to the good, but it is not dear to the bad.
tassā satāñ ca asatāñ ca nānā hoti ito gatī । Therefore the good and the bad from here go to various destinies,
asanto nirayaṁ yānti santo saggaparāyaṇā ।। the bad go to the underworld, the good cross over to heaven.
appaśśuto ayaṁ puruṣo balivaddo va jīrati । The person of little learning increases in age like an ox,
māṁsāni tassa vaddhanti praṁñā tassa na vaddhati ।। for although his flesh does increase, his wisdom does not increase.
cattāri ṭṭhānāni naro pramatto āpajjate paradāropasevī । There are four states the man who is heedless, the man who consorts with other man’s wives, undergoes:
apuṁñalābhaṁ anikāmaśeyaṁ nindaṁ tritīyaṁ nirayaṁ catutthaṁ ।। he gains demerit, an uncomfortable bed, blame as third, and rebirth in the underworld as fourth.
apuṁñalābho ca gatī ca pāpiko bhītassa bhītāya ratī pi appikā । Gaining demerit and a bad destiny, and only the little delight of a scared man with a scared woman,
rājā ca daṇḍaṁ garukaṁ praṇeti kāyassa bhedā nirayaṁ upeti ।। and kings who apply heavy punishment, at the break up of the body he goes to the underworld.
saṁyyatā sugatiṁ yānti doggatiṁ yānti asaṁyyatā । The restrained go to a good destiny, the unrestrained go to a bad destiny,
mā ssu viśśāsam āpādi iti vindu samaṁ care ।। thinking: “I should not exhibit confidence,” the wise one wanders peacefully.
mā kuñjara nāgam āsida dukkho kuñjara nāgamaṁsado । Do not, elephant, approach the Buddha, for there is suffering, elephant, in approaching the Buddha,
na hi nāgahatassa kuñjara sugatī hoti ito paraṁ yato ।। for the one who attacks the Buddha, elephant, does not go from here to a good destiny.
giriduggavicāriṇaṁ yathā sīhaṁ parvvatapaṭṭhigocaraṁ । As a lion wanders his mountain fortress, his resort on the mountainside,
naravīram apetabheravaṁ mā hiṁsittha anomanikramaṁ ।। do not hurt the man-hero, the one without fear, the one of superior effort.
ahaṁ nāgo va saṁggrāme cāpātipatite sare । Like an elephant in battle endures arrows shot from bow
atīvāde titikkhāmi duśśīlo hi bahujano ।। so will I endure abuse, for many people are unvirtuous.
Daṇḍavarggaḥ The Chapter about the Stick