sutta » sn » sn2 » Saṁyutta Nikāya 2.22

Khemasutta

Khema With Khema

Ekamantaṁ ṭhito kho khemo devaputto bhagavato santike imā gāthāyo abhāsi:
Standing to one side, the young deva Khema recited these verses in the presence of the Blessed One:
Standing to one side, the god Khema recited these verses in the Buddha’s presence:

“Caranti bālā dummedhā,
“Foolish people devoid of wisdom
“Witless fools behave

amitteneva attanā;
Behave like enemies towards themselves.
like their own worst enemies,

Karontā pāpakaṁ kammaṁ,
They go about doing evil deeds
doing wicked deeds

yaṁ hoti kaṭukapphalaṁ.
Which yield only bitter fruit.
that ripen as bitter fruit.

Na taṁ kammaṁ kataṁ sādhu,
“That deed is not well performed
It’s not good to do a deed

yaṁ katvā anutappati;
Which, having been done, is then repented,
that plagues you later on,

Yassa assumukho rodaṁ,
The result of which one experiences
for which you weep and wail,

vipākaṁ paṭisevati.
Weeping with a tearful face.
as its effect stays with you.

Tañca kammaṁ kataṁ sādhu,
“But that deed is well performed
It is good to do a deed

yaṁ katvā nānutappati;
Which, having been done, is not repented,
that doesn’t plague you later on,

Yassa patīto sumano,
The result of which one experiences
that gladdens and cheers,

vipākaṁ paṭisevati.
Joyfully with a happy mind.
as its effect stays with you.”

Paṭikacceva taṁ kayirā,
”[The Blessed One: ] “One should promptly do the deed
“As a precaution, you should do

yaṁ jaññā hitamattano;
One knows leads to one’s own welfare;
what you know is for your own welfare.

Na sākaṭikacintāya,
With the reflection of the carter.
A thinker, a wise one would not proceed

mantā dhīro parakkame.
The thinker, the wise one, should not advance
thinking like the cart driver.

Yathā sākaṭiko maṭṭhaṁ,
“As the carter who left the highway,
Suppose a cart driver leaves the highway,

samaṁ hitvā mahāpathaṁ;
A road with an even surface,
so even and well compacted.

Visamaṁ maggamāruyha,
And entered upon a rugged bypath
They enter upon a rough road,

akkhacchinnova jhāyati.
Broods mournfully with a broken axle—
and fret when their axle breaks.

Evaṁ dhammā apakkamma,
“So the fool, having left the Dhamma
So too, an idiot departs the good

adhammamanuvattiya;
To follow a way opposed to Dhamma,
to follow what’s against the good.

Mando maccumukhaṁ patto,
When he falls into the mouth of Death
Fallen in the jaws of death,

akkhacchinnova jhāyatī”ti.
Broods like the carter with a broken axle. ”
they fret like their axle’s broken.”