Yamakavagga — Reader

1. Pairs

Yamakavagga

Intention shapes experiences; intention is first, they’re made by intention. If with corrupt intent you speak or act,

Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā, manoseṭṭhā manomayā; Manasā ce paduṭṭhena, bhāsati vā karoti vā;

suffering follows you, like a wheel, the ox’s foot. Intention shapes experiences;

Tato naṁ dukkhamanveti, cakkaṁva vahato padaṁ. Maṭṭhakuṇḍalīvatthu Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā,

intention is first, they’re made by intention. If with pure intent you speak or act, happiness follows you

manoseṭṭhā manomayā; Manasā ce pasannena, bhāsati vā karoti vā; Tato naṁ sukhamanveti,

like a shadow that never leaves. “They abused me, they hit me! They beat me, they robbed me!”

chāyāva anapāyinī. Tissattheravatthu Akkocchi maṁ avadhi maṁ, ajini maṁ ahāsi me;

For those who bear such a grudge, hatred is never laid to rest. “They abused me, they hit me! They beat me, they robbed me!”

Ye ca taṁ upanayhanti, veraṁ tesaṁ na sammati. Akkocchi maṁ avadhi maṁ, ajini maṁ ahāsi me;

For those who bear no such grudge, hatred is laid to rest. For never is hatred

Ye ca taṁ nupanayhanti, veraṁ tesūpasammati. Kāḷayakkhinīvatthu Na hi verena verāni,

laid to rest by hate, it’s laid to rest by love: this is an ancient teaching.

sammantīdha kudācanaṁ; Averena ca sammanti, esa dhammo sanantano. Kosambakavatthu

When others do not understand, let us, who do understand this, restrain ourselves in this regard; for that is how conflicts are laid to rest.

Pare ca na vijānanti, mayamettha yamāmase; Ye ca tattha vijānanti, tato sammanti medhagā.

Those who contemplate the beautiful, their faculties unrestrained, immoderate in eating,

Mahākāḷattheravatthu Subhānupassiṁ viharantaṁ, indriyesu asaṁvutaṁ; Bhojanamhi cāmattaññuṁ,

lazy, lacking energy: Māra strikes them down like the wind, a feeble tree. Those who contemplate the ugly,

kusītaṁ hīnavīriyaṁ; Taṁ ve pasahati māro, vāto rukkhaṁva dubbalaṁ. Asubhānupassiṁ viharantaṁ,

their faculties well-restrained, eating in moderation, faithful and energetic: Māra cannot strike them down,

Indriyesu susaṁvutaṁ; Bhojanamhi ca mattaññuṁ, Saddhaṁ āraddhavīriyaṁ; Taṁ ve nappasahati māro,

like the wind, a rocky mountain. One who, not free of stains themselves, would wear the robe stained in ocher,

Vāto selaṁva pabbataṁ. Devadattavatthu Anikkasāvo kāsāvaṁ, yo vatthaṁ paridahissati;

bereft of self-control and truth: they are not worthy of the ocher robe. One who’s purged all their stains, steady in ethics,

Apeto damasaccena, na so kāsāvamarahati. Yo ca vantakasāvassa, sīlesu susamāhito;

possessed of self-control and of truth, they are truly worthy of the ocher robe. Thinking the inessential is essential,

Upeto damasaccena, sa ve kāsāvamarahati. Sāriputtattheravatthu Asāre sāramatino,

seeing the essential as inessential; they don’t realize the essential, for wrong thoughts are their habitat. Having known the essential as essential,

sāre cāsāradassino; Te sāraṁ nādhigacchanti, micchāsaṅkappagocarā. Sārañca sārato ñatvā,

and the inessential as inessential; they realize the essential, for right thoughts are their habitat.

asārañca asārato; Te sāraṁ adhigacchanti, sammāsaṅkappagocarā. Nandattheravatthu

Just as rain seeps into a poorly roofed house, lust seeps into an undeveloped mind.

Yathā agāraṁ ducchannaṁ, vuṭṭhī samativijjhati; Evaṁ abhāvitaṁ cittaṁ, rāgo samativijjhati.

Just as rain doesn’t seep into a well roofed house, lust doesn’t seep into a well developed mind.

Yathā agāraṁ suchannaṁ, vuṭṭhī na samativijjhati; Evaṁ subhāvitaṁ cittaṁ, rāgo na samativijjhati.

Here they grieve, hereafter they grieve, an evildoer grieves in both places. They grieve and fret,

Cundasūkarikavatthu Idha socati pecca socati, Pāpakārī ubhayattha socati; So socati so vihaññati,

seeing their own corrupt deeds. Here they rejoice, hereafter they rejoice, one who does good rejoices in both places.

Disvā kammakiliṭṭhamattano. Dhammikaupāsakavatthu Idha modati pecca modati, Katapuñño ubhayattha modati;

They rejoice and celebrate, seeing their own pure deeds. Here they’re tormented, <j>hereafter they’re tormented,

So modati so pamodati, Disvā kammavisuddhimattano. Devadattavatthu Idha tappati pecca tappati,

an evildoer is tormented in both places. They’re tormented <j>thinking of bad things they’ve done; when gone to a bad place, <j>they’re tormented all the more.

Pāpakārī ubhayattha tappati; “Pāpaṁ me katan”ti tappati, Bhiyyo tappati duggatiṁ gato. Sumanadevīvatthu

Here they delight, hereafter they delight, one who does good delights in both places. They delight thinking of good things they’ve done; when gone to a good place, they delight all the more.

Idha nandati pecca nandati, Katapuñño ubhayattha nandati; “Puññaṁ me katan”ti nandati, Bhiyyo nandati suggatiṁ gato.

Much though they may recite scripture, if a negligent person does not apply them, then, like a cowherd who counts the cattle of others,

Dvesahāyakabhikkhuvatthu Bahumpi ce saṁhita bhāsamāno, Na takkaro hoti naro pamatto; Gopova gāvo gaṇayaṁ paresaṁ,

they miss out on the blessings of the ascetic life. Little though they may recite scripture, if they live in line with the teaching, having given up greed, hate, and delusion,

Na bhāgavā sāmaññassa hoti. Appampi ce saṁhita bhāsamāno, Dhammassa hoti anudhammacārī; Rāgañca dosañca pahāya mohaṁ,

with deep understanding and heart well freed, not grasping to this life or the next, they share in the blessings of the ascetic life.

Sammappajāno suvimuttacitto; Anupādiyāno idha vā huraṁ vā, Sa bhāgavā sāmaññassa hoti. Yamakavaggo paṭhamo.