Dhammapada IX (Pāpavagga / Evil)

abhittharetha kalyāṇe, ~ pāpā cittaṁ nivāraye,
dandhaṁ hi karato puññaṁ ~ pāpasmiṁ ramatī mano.

If a man would hasten towards the good, he should keep his thought away from evil; if a man does what is good slothfully, his mind delights in evil.

pāpañ-ce puriso kayirā, ~ na taṁ kayirā punappunaṁ,
na tamhi chandaṁ kayⁱrātha, ~ dukkho pāpassa uccayo.

If a man commits a sin, let him not do it again; let him not delight in sin: pain is the outcome of evil.

puññañ-ce puriso kayⁱrā, ~ kayⁱrāthetaṁ punappunaṁ,
tamhi chandaṁ kayirātha, ~ sukho puññassa uccayo.

If a man does what is good, let him do it again; let him delight in it: happiness is the outcome of good.

pāpo pi passati bhadraṁ ~ yāva pāpaṁ na paccati,
yadā ca paccati pāpaṁ ~ atha pāpo pāpāni passati.

Even an evil-doer sees happiness as long as his evil deed has not ripened; but when his evil deed has ripened, then does the evil-doer see evil.

bhadro pi passati pāpaṁ ~ yāva bhadraṁ na paccati,
yadā ca paccati bhadraṁ ~ atha bhadro bhadrāni passati.

Let no man think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, It will not come nigh unto me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled; the fool becomes full of evil, even if he gather it little by little.

māppamaññetha pāpassa ~ “na maṁ taṁ āgamissati”.

udabindunipātena ~ udakumbho pi pūrati,

pūrati bālo pāpassa, ~ thokathokam-pi ācinaṁ.

Let no man think lightly of good, saying in his heart, It will not come nigh unto me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled; the wise man becomes full of good, even if he gather it little by little.

māppamaññetha puññassa ~ “na maṁ taṁ āgamissati”.
udabindunipātena ~ udakumbho pi pūrati,
dhīro pūrati puññassa, ~ thokathokam-pi ācinaṁ.

Let no man think lightly of good, saying in his heart, It will not come nigh unto me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled; the wise man becomes full of good, even if he gather it little by little.

vāṇijo va bhayaṁ maggaṁ ~ appasattho mahaddhano,
visaṁ jīvitukāmo va, ~ pāpāni parivajjaye.

Let a man avoid evil deeds, as a merchant, if he has few companions and carries much wealth, avoids a dangerous road; as a man who loves life avoids poison.

pāṇimhi ce vaṇo nāssa ~ hareyya pāṇinā visaṁ,
nābbaṇaṁ visam-anveti, ~ natthi pāpaṁ akubbato.

He who has no wound on his hand, may touch poison with his hand; poison does not affect one who has no wound; nor is there evil for one who does not commit evil.

yo appaduṭṭhassa narassa dussati,
suddhassa posassa anaṅgaṇassa,

tam-eva bālaṁ pacceti pāpaṁ

sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṁ va khitto.

If a man offend a harmless, pure, and innocent person, the evil falls back upon that fool, like light dust thrown up against the wind.

gabbham-ekepapajjanti ~ nirayaṁ pāpakammino,
saggaṁ sugatino yanti ~ parinibbanti anāsavā.

Some people are born again; evil-doers go to hell; righteous people go to heaven; those who are free from all worldly desires attain Nirvâna.

na antalikkhe, na samuddamajjhe,
na pabbatānaṁ vivaraṁ pavissa,
na vijjatī so jagatippadeso

yatthaṭṭhito mucceyya pāpakammā.
Not in the sky, not in the midst of the sea, not if we enter into the clefts of the mountains, is there known a spot in the whole world where death could not overcome (the mortal).

na antalikkhe, na samuddamajjhe,
na pabbatānaṁ vivaraṁ pavissa,

na vijjatī so jagatippadeso
yatthaṭṭhitaṁ nappasahetha maccu.

Not in the sky, not in the midst of the sea, not if we enter into the clefts of the mountains, is there known a spot in the whole world where death could not overcome (the mortal).

Dhammapada VIII (Sahassavagga / The Thousands)

sahassam-api ce vācā ~ anatthapadasaṁhitā,
ekaṁ atthapadaṁ seyyo ~ yaṁ sutvā upasammati.

Even though a speech be a thousand (of words), but made up of senseless words, one word of sense is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.

sahassam-api ce gāthā ~ anatthapadasaṁhitā,
ekaṁ gāthāpadaṁ seyyo ~ yaṁ sutvā upasammati.

Even though a Gâthâ (poem) be a thousand (of words), but made up of senseless words, one word of a Gâthâ is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.

yo ce gāthāsataṁ bhāse ~ anatthapadasaṁhitā
ekaṁ dhammapadaṁ seyyo ~ yaṁ sutvā upasammati.

Though a man recite a hundred Gâthâs made up of senseless words, one word of the law is better, which if a man hears, he becomes quiet.

yo sahassaṁ sahassena ~ saṅgāme mānuse jine,
ekañ-ca jeyya attānaṁ ~ sa ve saṅgāmajuttamo.

If one man conquer in battle a thousand times thousand men, and if another conquer himself, he is the greatest of conquerors.

attā have jitaṁ seyyo ~ yā cāyaṁ itarā pajā
attadantassa posassa, ~ niccaṁ saññatacārino.
neva devo na gandhabbo, ~ na māro saha brahmunā,
jitaṁ apajitaṁ kayirā ~ tathārūpassa jantuno.

One's own self conquered is better than all other people; not even a god, a Gandharva, not Mâra with Brahman could change into defeat the victory of a man who has vanquished himself, and always lives under restraint.

māse māse sahassena ~ yo yajetha sataṁ samaṁ,
ekañ-ca bhāvitattānaṁ ~ muhuttam-api pūjaye,
sā yeva pūjanā seyyo ~ yañ-ce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.

If a man for a hundred years sacrifice month after month with a thousand, and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded (in true knowledge), better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred years.

yo ca vassasataṁ jantu ~ aggiṁ paricare vane,
ekañ-ca bhāvitattānaṁ ~ muhuttam-api pūjaye,

sā yeva pūjanā seyyo ~ yañ-ce vassasataṁ hutaṁ.

If a man for a hundred years worship Agni (fire) in the forest, and if he but for one moment pay homage to a man whose soul is grounded (in true knowledge), better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred years.

yaṁ kiñci yiṭṭhaṁ ca hutaṁ ca loke,
saṁvaccharaṁ yajetha puññapekkho,

sabbam-pi taṁ na catubhāgam-eti,

abhivādanā ujjugatesu seyyo.

Whatever a man sacrifice in this world as an offering or as an oblation for a whole year in order to gain merit, the whole of it is not worth a quarter (a farthing); reverence shown to the righteous is better.

abhivādanasīlissa ~ niccaṁ vaddhāpacāyino,
cattāro dhammā vaḍḍhanti: ~ āyu vaṇṇo sukhaṁ balaṁ.

He who always greets and constantly reveres the aged, four things will increase to him, viz. life, beauty, happiness, power.

yo ca vassasataṁ jīve ~ dussīlo asamāhito,
ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo ~ sīlavantassa jhāyino.

But he who lives a hundred years, vicious and unrestrained, a life of one day is better if a man is virtuous and reflecting.

yo ca vassasataṁ jīve ~ duppañño asamāhito,
ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo ~ paññavantassa jhāyino.

And he who lives a hundred years, ignorant and unrestrained, a life of one day is better if a man is wise and reflecting.

yo ca vassasataṁ jīve ~ kusīto hīnavīriyo,
ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo ~ viriyam-ārabhato daḷhaṁ.

And he who lives a hundred years, idle and weak, a life of one day is better if a man has attained firm strength.

yo ca vassasataṁ jīve ~ apassaṁ udayabbayaṁ,
ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo ~ passato udayabbayaṁ.

And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing beginning and end, a life of one day is better if a man sees beginning and end.

yo ca vassasataṁ jīve ~ apassaṁ amataṁ padaṁ,
ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo ~ passato amataṁ padaṁ.

And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the immortal place, a life of one day is better if a man sees the immortal place.

yo ca vassasataṁ jīve ~ apassaṁ dhammam-uttamaṁ,
ekāhaṁ jīvitaṁ seyyo ~ passato dhammam-uttamaṁ.

And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the highest law, a life of one day is better if a man sees the highest law.

Dhammapada VII (Arahantavagga / Arahants)

gataddhino visokassa ~ vippamuttassa sabbadhi,

sabbaganthappahīnassa ~ pariḷāho na vijjati.

There is no suffering for him who has finished his journey, and abandoned grief, who has freed himself on all sides, and thrown off all fetters.

uyyuñjanti satīmanto, ~ na nikete ramanti te,

haṁsā va pallalaṁ hitvā ~ okam-okaṁ jahanti te.

They depart with their thoughts well-collected, they are not happy in their abode; like swans who have left their lake, they leave their house and home.

yesaṁ sannicayo natthi, ~ ye pariññātabhojanā,

suññato animitto ca ~ vimokkho yesa' gocaro,

ākāse va sakuntānaṁ ~ gati tesaṁ durannayā.

Men who have no riches, who live on recognised food, who have perceived void and unconditioned freedom (Nirvâna), their path is difficult to understand, like that of birds in the air.

yassāsavā parikkhīṇā ~ āhāre ca anissito,
suññato animitto ca ~ vimokkho yassa gocaro,

ākāse va sakuntānaṁ ~ padaṁ tassa durannayaṁ

He whose appetites are stilled, who is not absorbed in enjoyment, who has perceived void and unconditioned freedom (Nirvâna), his path is difficult to understand, like that of birds in the air.

yassindriyāni samathaṁ gatāni,
assā yathā sārathinā sudantā,

pahīnamānassa anāsavassa,

devā pi tassa pihayanti tādino.

The gods even envy him whose senses, like horses well broken in by the driver, have been subdued, who is free from pride, and free from appetites.

paṭhavisamo no virujjhati,
indakhīlūpamŏ tādi subbato,

rahado va apetakaddamo,

saṁsārā na bhavanti tādino.

Such a one who does his duty is tolerant like the earth, like Indra's bolt; he is like a lake without mud; no new births are in store for him.

santaṁ tassa manaṁ hoti, ~ santā vācā ca kamma ca,

sammad-aññāvimuttassa, ~ upasantassa tādino.

His thought is quiet, quiet are his word and deed, when he has obtained freedom by true knowledge, when he has thus become a quiet man.

assaddho akataññū ca ~ sandhicchedo ca yo naro,
hatāvakāso vantāso ~ sa ve uttamaporiso.

The man who is free from credulity, but knows the uncreated, who has cut all ties, removed all temptations, renounced all desires, he is the greatest of men.

gāme vā yadi vāraññe, ~ ninne vā yadi vā thale,

yattharahanto viharanti ~ taṁ bhūmiṁ rāmaṇeyyakaṁ.

In a hamlet or in a forest, in the deep water or on the dry land, wherever venerable persons (Arahants) dwell, that place is delightful.

ramaṇīyāni araññāni, ~ yattha na ramatī jano,
vītarāgā ramissanti, ~ na te kāmagavesino.

Forests are delightful; where the world finds no delight, there the passionless will find delight, for they look not for pleasures.