17. Kato
Done (by the Wise) Looking at the contents of this and the following chapter, it seems Kata and Akata are being used as imperatives or optatives, meaning not: What Has Been Done, so much as: What One Should Do, or Not Do, in this case we might have expected Kātabba and Akātabba as the titles are given in the mātika to Kavidappaṇanīti. If we keep Kata/Akata, then perhaps we should understand Kata as short for Paṇḍitakata (Done By the Wise), and Akata likewise as what the wise avoid.
(32 Verses)
196 [stm.]
Pubbasiro ’si medhāvī, dīghāyu dakkhiṇaṁ siro,
pacchimo cittasanto ’si, maraṇaṁ uttaro bhave.
(Sleeping) with head to the east one will have wisdom, with head to the south one will have long life, with head to the west one will have a peaceful mind, (but) with head to the north one might die.
Sleeping with the head to the east is said to promote wisdom, aligning with the rising sun and new understanding. The south is associated with long life and is linked to the domain of Yama, the god of death, implying a respectful alignment that averts his claim. The west, the direction of sunset, leads to a peaceful, settled mind. The north, however, is warned against as potentially leading to death, as one should not disrespectfully point one’s feet at Yama.
197 [adm.]
Āyumā pācīnaṁ mūkhaṁ, dhanavā dakkhiṇaṁ bhave,
pacchimaṁ yasassī bhuñje, no bhuñje uttaraṁ mukhaṁ,
One should eat facing the east for long life, to the south for wealth, to the west for fame, (but) one should not eat facing the north.
Facing east while eating is believed to promote longevity, again connecting to the sun’s life-giving rise. Facing south invites wealth, as the departed relatives, whose blessings are needed for prosperity, are in that direction. Facing west brings fame, the lasting renown that follows one like the setting sun. The strong prohibition against facing north reinforces it as an inauspicious direction for vital activities, seen as draining or harmful. These practices emphasise mindful posture, suggesting that even daily routines should be performed with intentional alignment.
198 [stm.]
Bhutvā nisīdanaṁ thūlaṁ, tiṭṭhanto balavaḍḍhano,
āyumā caṅkamo siyā, dhāvanto rogavajjito.
After eating, sitting makes one stout, standing increases strength, walking increases life, jogging avoids disease.
There is a gradient of activity: remaining seated leads to becoming stout or gaining weight; standing increases physical strength; walking promotes long life; and jogging wards off disease. This reflects an good understanding of metabolism and digestion: greater post-meal activity correlates with better health outcomes. The advice moves from passive to highly active, recommending engagement over lethargy. It champions bodily vigor as a foundation for a successful life.
199 [stm.]
Yo ca sītañ-ca uṇhañ-ca tiṇā bhiyyo na maññati,
karaṁ purisakiccāni, so sukhā na vihāyati.
The one who considers cold and heat as no more than grass, while doing his personal duties, does not fall away from happiness.
The person who considers extremes of cold and heat as insignificant as grass possesses equanimity; they are not distressed by external conditions that disturb ordinary people. More importantly, this steadiness is coupled with diligence in performing one’s personal duties. The combination of inner indifference to discomfort and outer commitment to responsibility ensures that such a person does not fall away from happiness. Their joy is internal and stable, rooted in virtue and duty, not subject to the changing weather of circumstance.
200 [adm.]
Visamhāmatam-ādeyya, asuddhamhā pi kañcanaṁ,
nīcamhā py-uttamā vijjaṁ, ratanathī pi dukkulā.
One should take nectar even from poison, gold even from what is impure, learning even from a low-born, a jewel of a woman even from a poor family.
One should draw the nectar of wisdom even from a poisonous or hostile source. One should extract pure gold even from impure ore. One should acquire true learning even from a teacher of low social standing. One should recognise a jewel of a wife even if she comes from a poor family. The essence is valued over its container. This is an instruction against prejudice and for clear-eyed evaluation: true worth often lies hidden within unattractive exteriors.
201 [adm.]
Guyham-attham-asambuddhaṁ sambodhayati yo naro,
mantabhedabhayā tassa dāsabhūto titikkhati.
That person who knows a secret matter that should not be known, one bears with him like a slave, out of fear of betrayal.
This verse warns of the dangerous power held by someone who discovers your secret failings or hidden vulnerabilities. Such a person, having awakened to a matter that should remain concealed, gains a form of power over you. You become like a slave in their presence as they know your innermost secrets, so you are forced to bear with them, to tolerate their presence or even their insolence as a slave has to. This highlights the peril of having shameful secrets and the vulnerability it creates, making one subject to potential blackmail.
202 [adm.]
Aññātavāsaṁ vasato, jātavedasamena pi,
khamitabbaṁ sapaññena api dāsassa tajjitaṁ.
Even a slave’s threat is to be forgiven by one with wisdom, who is living unknown, even if he is of fiery temperament.
If one is living discreetly or in a foreign place, maintaining peace is paramount. Therefore, even if a slave or another person of low status becomes threatening or hostile, a wise person should forgive and endure it. The rationale is pragmatic: reacting to such a provocation could disrupt one’s peace, draw unwanted attention or escalate a trivial matter. Wisdom here is the restraint of pride for the sake of larger objectives like safety and anonymity.
203 [adm.]
Dhanadhaññapayogesu—tathā vijjāgamesu ca—
dūte ca byavahāresu, cattalajjo sadā bhave.
Regarding wealth, grain and business—and likewise in regard to knowledge and traditions—in messaging and in commerce, one should always abandon shame.
In matters of wealth, grain, business, acquiring knowledge, learning traditions, sending messages, and conducting commerce, one must be direct, assertive, and clear. Hesitation out of false shame can lead to poor deals, misunderstood terms or missed opportunities. Both business and scholarship require a certain boldness regarding negotiation, inquiry and transaction. This is a call for the practical resolution needed to manage worldly affairs effectively.
204 [adm.]
Na hi koci kate kicce kattāraṁ samapekkhate,
tasmā sabbāni kammāni sāvasesāni kāraye.
No one looks for the maker when a task has been done, therefore in all works one should leave a remainder.
When a task is fully and perfectly completed, people simply enjoy the result and no longer think about who accomplished it. Therefore, one should always leave a task slightly unfinished. This ensures that your involvement remains necessary, and you are continually sought after to complete the work. It is a strategy for job security and maintaining leverage, advising against making oneself fully expendable by delivering a perfectly closed product.
205 [adm.]
Upakāraṁ hi teneva sattunā sattum-uddhare,
pādalaggaṁ karaṭṭhena kaṇḍakeneva kaṇḍakaṁ.
One should remove an enemy with the help of an enemy, one should remove a thorn stuck in the foot with a thorn held in the hand.
One should remove an enemy by leveraging the help of another enemy, setting them against each other. The simile is direct and practical: a thorn stuck in the foot is best removed using another thorn held in the hand. This is a lesson in strategic pragmatism, not ethics. It acknowledges that in conflicts, one must sometimes use harsh or unsavory means to achieve a necessary end, turning the nature of the problem into its own solution.
206 [adm.]
Name namantassa, bhaje bhajantaṁ,
kiccānikubbassa kareyya kiccaṁ,
nānatthakāmassa kareyya atthaṁ,
asambhajantaṁ pi na sambhajeyya.
Reverence to the reverent, follow the one who follows you, she should do her duty to the one doing his duty, but she need not do good to the one who wishes her harm, no one needs to love those who do not have love in return.
Offer reverence to those who are themselves reverent. Associate with those who associate with you. Perform your duties for those who are dutiful toward you. However, do not feel obligated to act for the benefit of someone who wishes you harm. The final line generalises the principle: there is no need to associate with those who do not reciprocate association. This is not a call to selfishness, but to wise investment of one’s social and moral energy. Relationships should be mutual; one-sided efforts are futile.
207 [ana., adm.]
Caje cajantaṁ sinehaṁ na kiriyā,
apetacittena na sambhajeyya.
Dijo va dumaṁ khīṇaphalaṁ ñatvā,
aññaṁ apekkheyya mahā hi loko.
Abandon the one who abandons, not having desire, she need not love the one who is devoid of thought for her. A bird, knowing that a tree is devoid of fruit, can look for another tree in this great wide world.
If someone abandons you, you should in turn abandon them, without clinging or sentimental desire. Do not maintain affection for someone who no longer has any thought for you. A bird, realising a tree is barren of fruit, wisely flies to seek another. The world is vast, and opportunities for fruitful connection are plentiful. This teaches the wisdom of non-attachment to unproductive relationships and the courage to seek new grounds for growth when the current one is exhausted.
208 [adm.]
Caje ekaṁ kulassatthaṁ, gāmassatthaṁ kulaṁ caje,
gāmaṁ janapadassatthaṁ, attatthaṁ pathaviṁ caje.
One should abandon one person for the sake of the family, one should abandon the family for the sake of the village, one should abandon the village for the sake of the country, one should abandon the earth for one’s own sake.
One should sacrifice a single individual for the welfare of the entire family. One should sacrifice a family for the survival of the village. One should sacrifice a village for the security of the entire country. Ultimately, one should be willing to sacrifice the whole world for one’s own true welfare, meaning one’s spiritual liberation. This calculus is about the scale of responsibility. It justifies difficult choices for the greater good, culminating in the supreme value of one’s own ultimate spiritual goal over all worldly attachments.
209 [adm.]
Dhanaṁ caje aṅgavarassa hetu,
aṅgaṁ caje jīvitaṁ rakkhamāno—
dhanaṁ aṅgaṁ jīvitañ-cāpi—sabbaṁ
caje, naro Dhammam-anussaranto.
One should abandon wealth for the sake of a limb, one should abandon a limb protecting life (itself), one should abandon all—wealth, limbs and life—for a person who recollects the Dhamma.
One should be willing to sacrifice material wealth to preserve a limb. One should sacrifice a limb to preserve life itself. However, for the sake of the Dhamma, the truth and path to liberation, one should be prepared to sacrifice all three: wealth, limbs, and even physical life. The Dhamma is of greater value than mere biological existence. This echoes the highest ideal of the Buddhist path, where the preservation of one’s commitment to truth and virtue is paramount, even at the cost of everything worldly.
210 [adm.]
Ahā gacchanti hāyantā, sattānam-iha jīvitaṁ,
tasmā hi mā pamattattaṁ, gacchantu Jinasāsane.
The lives of beings pass and are dwindling away here by the day, therefore do not be heedless, you must go to the teaching of the Victor.
The lifespan of all beings is constantly passing away, dwindling toward death with each moment. Given this undeniable truth of impermanence, one must not be heedless. The only logical, urgent response is to go to or take refuge in the teaching of the Victorious Buddha. This is a call to action: understanding that time is short and death is certain, procrastination in spiritual practice is the greatest folly. The path must be undertaken now.
211 [stm.]
Ete bhiyyo samāyanti, sandhi tesaṁ na jīrati,
yo adhipannaṁ sahati yo ca jānāti desanaṁ.
They unite even more so, their bonds do not decay, he who understands (the purpose) of confession Explained by the Jātaka comm. as: accayadesanaṁ, confessing a fault. bears with the one who has done wrong.
When one person confesses a fault and the other understands the purpose of such confession which is forgiveness and repair, they can bear with the wrongdoer. This act brings them together even more so, and their bond is renewed rather than decaying. It teaches that relationships are fortified not by perfection, but by the humility to admit faults and the wisdom to forgive them, transforming a breach into an opportunity for deeper connection.
212 [adm.]
Aggi āpo itthī muḷho sappo rājakulāni ca—
payatanāpagantabbā, sajju pāṇaharāni ti.
Fire, water, a woman, a fool, a snake and royal familes—you must strenuously avoid these, as they quickly carry off life.
Fire and water, though essential, are destructive if not respected. A woman, a fool, a snake and royal families are all grouped as hazards that can quickly carry off life. Each represents a source of potential ruin: passion, folly, venom, and political intrigue. The advice is to recognise their inherent peril and maintain a vigilant distance. Survival and peace depend on knowing what to approach and what to flee.
213 [rh.q.]
Satthaṁ sunicchitadhiyāpi hi cintanīyaṁ,
sārādhito ’py-avanipo parisaṅkanīyo,
hatthaṅgatāpi yuvatī parirakkhanīyā—
satthāvanīpayuvatīsu kuto vasittaṁ?
Even a text that has been studied well and learned by heart must be pondered on, even the king who has been propitiated must (still) be doubted, even the young woman in one’s hands must be guarded—for how is there mastery of the text, the king and young women?
Even a well-studied text must be continually pondered, as understanding deepens. Even a king who has been appeased must still be regarded with caution, as his favor can shift. Even a young wife in one’s own home must be guarded, as loyalty cannot be taken for granted. The rhetorical question acknowledges that complete control or certainty over knowledge, power, or love is an illusion. The wise remain vigilant, reflective and never complacent.
214 [sim., stm.]
Ussāho ripuvā mittaṁ; alassaṁ mittavā ripu;
visaṁ viyāmataṁ vijjā; pamādo ’matavā visaṁ.
Energy, though it appears an enemy, is a friend; laziness, though it appears a friend, is an enemy; knowledge, though it appears to be poison, is like nectar; heedlessness, though it appears to be nectar, is a poison.
True energy, even when demanding or challenging like a foe, is your ultimate ally because it accomplishes goals and builds character. Laziness, comfortable and accommodating like a friend, is a treacherous enemy that erodes potential and invites failure. True knowledge, often bitter and difficult to acquire like poison, is the liberating nectar of wisdom. Conversely, heedlessness, the careless avoidance of duty that feels sweet and easy like nectar, is a deadly poison that destroys virtue and opportunity. True discernment sees beyond superficial appearances to the essence of things.
215 [adm.]
Vahe amittaṁ khandhena yāva kāle anāgate,
tam-eva āgate kāle, bhinde kumbhaṁ va silāyaṁ.
You should carry an enemy on your shoulder until some time in the future, when the (right) time comes, you should break him like a pot on a rock.
One should temporarily endure and even outwardly support a foe until the opportune moment arrives. This requires self-control and the suppression of immediate anger. However, when the right time comes, when one has the advantage or the enemy is vulnerable, one must act with complete and final force, destroying the threat as decisively as one would smash a clay pot against a rock. It is a teaching on the timing of conflict: endure when weak, and strike without hesitation when strong.
216 [adm.]
Siṅginaṁ pañcahatthena, satena vāhanaṁ caje,
hatthīnan-tu sahassena—desacāgena dujjanaṁ.
Avoid a horned creature when at five cubits, a vehicle at one hundred, but elephants at a thousand—and a bad person by abandoning the district.
A dangerous horned animal, like a bull or a ram, should be avoided when it is at a short distance. A failing vehicle should be avoided when it is at a hundred cubits. A rogue elephant must be avoided when it is at a thousand cubits. However, for the most persistent and corrosive danger the required remedy is most drastic: you must abandon the entire district or region. True safety from a toxic individual requires complete geographic separation, as their influence cannot be outrun by mere distance; it requires a change of environment.
217 [adm.]
Paccakkhe garavo saṁse; parokkhe mittabandhave
kammante ca dāsabhacce; puttadāre saṁse mate.
One should praise the respectable to their face; friends and relatives, workers, servants and dependants in their absence; and one should praise children and wives (only) when dead.
Respectable elders or superiors should be praised directly to their face, as this affirms hierarchy and encourages their continued patronage. Praise for friends, relatives, workers, and servants, however, is most effective when spoken in their absence to others, as this builds their reputation and loyalty indirectly. Finally, children and wives should be praised primarily after their death, as posthumous praise avoids the dangers of vanity and is seen as sincere, free from flattery and serves to cement their legacy and the family’s honour.
218 [stm.]
Sane sippaṁ, sane dhanaṁ, sane pabbatam-āruhe,
sane kāmo ca kodho ca, ime pañca sane sane.
Gradually there is a craft, gradually there is wealth, gradually ascend a mountain, gradually there is desire and anger, Presumably meaning: they build up gradually. these five gradually, gradually.
A craft or skill must be learned step-by-step. Wealth should be accumulated slowly and steadily. A mountain is climbed one step at a time. Even powerful internal forces like desire and anger should be followed or engaged with gradually meaning one should not act on them impulsively but observe and understand their rise before responding. The repetition of gradually, gradually emphasises that success and self-mastery in any endeavor are the results of incremental, persistent effort, not sudden, forceful leaps.
219 [stm.]
Sataṁ cakkhū sataṁ kaṇṇā nāyakassa suto sadā,
tathā pi andhabadhiro, esā nāyakadhammatā.
A leader has a hundred eyes, a hundred ears, and is always well-informed, even so he is blind and deaf, this is the nature of leadership.
A king or leader may have a hundred eyes and ears, a vast network of spies, ministers, and informants, and may thus believe he is always well-informed. However, despite this apparatus, he remains essentially blind and deaf. This is the true nature of leadership: one can never know everything. Information is filtered, biased or incomplete; plots are concealed; the full reality is elusive. Therefore, a wise leader must govern with caution and humility, acutely aware of the possibility of gaps in his knowledge, never mistaking his intelligence network for omniscience.
220 [ana., stm.]
Bahūnam-appasārānaṁ sāmaggiyā ti dujjayo,
tiṇena vaṭṭate rajju, tena nāgo pi bajjhati.
When the essentially weak are numerous and united they are hard to defeat, a rope is made with grass, (yet) an elephant is bound by it.
Many individuals who are insignificant on their own, when united in purpose, become extremely difficult to defeat. A single blade of grass by itself is weak, but many strands woven together form a rope strong enough to bind a mighty elephant. The teaching is for both the weak and the strong: the weak must unite to gain power, and the strong must never underestimate a collective, however insignificant its individual components may seem. Unity transforms quantity into a new quality of strength.
221 [adm.]
Uppajjate sace kodho, āvajje kakacūpamaṁ,
uppajje ce rase taṇhā, puttamaṁsūpamaṁ sare.
If anger arises, reflect on the simile of the saw, if craving for tastes arises, remember the simile of the child’s flesh. SN 12.63: (His parents said): yan-nūna mayaṁ imaṁ ekaputtakaṁ piyaṁ manāpaṁ vadhitvā vallūrañ-ca soṇḍikañ-ca karitvā, puttamaṁsāni khādantā evaṁ taṁ kantārāvasesaṁ nitthareyyāma; why don’t we kill our only child, so loved and cherished, and after making dried and peppered meat, by eating our son’s flesh, we could enter and cross over the desert.
When anger arises, one should reflect on the simile of the saw, remembering that it is better to be cut into pieces by a saw than that one should give in to anger. When craving for sensory pleasures arises, one should remember the simile of the child’s flesh: just as parents would not enjoy eating their own child’s flesh, one should see the repulsive aspect of sensual indulgence. These reflections are tools for regaining mindfulness instantly.
222 [stm.]
Dānaṁ sinehabhesajjaṁ, maccheraṁ dūsan’ osadhaṁ;
dānaṁ yasassibhesajjaṁ, maccheraṁ kapaṇ’ osadhaṁ.
Giving is a recipe for affection, (but) miserliness is a corrupt person’s drug; Both bhessajja and osadha literally mean: medicine, but context requires we separate the meanings. giving is a recipe for fame, (but) miserliness is a poor man’s drug.
Giving is a recipe or medicine that produces affection from others and brings fame. It is a wholesome cure for social isolation and obscurity. Conversely, miserliness is the preferred drug of a corrupt person, and of a poor man, as it feeds their greed, as it perpetuates his poverty-mindedness. Miserliness is a toxic addiction that corrupts character and ensures continued wretchedness, while generosity is the healthy treatment that nourishes social bonds and a good reputation.
223 [adm.]
Dhanam-icche vaṇijjeyya, sippam icche bahussute,
puttam-icche nāri kaññe, rājāmaccaṁ icch’ āgate.
Wishing for wealth one should trade; wishing for a craft (approach) the learned; wishing for a child (approach) a young woman; wishing for (anything more), having approached, (speak with) a king’s minister.
This is a direct cause-and-effect logic: if you desire wealth, you must engage in trade. If you desire a skill or particular knowledge, you must associate with the learned. If you desire a child, you must have a wife. If you desire anything more you should approach a king’s minister. Wishes alone are futile; each goal has a specific and practical path of action attached to it. This is a call for proactive effort and a rejection of passive yearning.
224 [ana., adm.]
Mahantaṁ vaṭṭarukkhādiṁ khuddabījaṁ bahupphalaṁ,
sakkhiṁ katvā udikkheyya puññapāpaṁ karo naro.
A great round tree and so on has a lot of fruit (however) small the seed, having witnessed this, a person should consider what making merit and demerit yield.
A great tree produces an abundance of fruit having grown from a single, tiny seed. Having witnessed this immense result from a small cause, a person should contemplate how their own actions are like seeds. A single good or bad deed can yield vast, far-reaching consequences over time, just as a small seed yields a large tree. This reflection is meant to instill carefulness and intention in all actions, understanding that even minor deeds can grow into significant future happiness or suffering.
225 [adm.]
Garukātabbaposesu nīcavuttiṁ karoti yo,
nīcattaṁ so pahantvāna, uttamatthe patiṭṭhati.
The one who has low behaviour towards people who should be respected, having abandoned that lowliness, must establish the highest good.
If a person behaves in a low, disrespectful manner toward those who are worthy of respect, they themselves sink to a low state. However, there is a path of repair: one must first abandon that very low or inferior thought. Having done so, one can then establish oneself in the highest good, meaning in virtue, respect and right livelihood. The fault is not permanent; it can be corrected through conscious abandonment of the wrong attitude and a commitment to proper conduct in the future.
226 [stm.]
Uttamaṁ paṇipātena, sūraṁ bhedena yojaye,
hīnaṁ appapadānena, vikkamena samaṁ jaye.
The highest person is bound by prostration, the hero by distinction, the lowly person is won over by a small gift, an equal is won over by effort.
To bind a person of the highest status and virtue, you must approach them with profound humility and reverence, symbolised by a physical prostration. A heroic or proud individual is won over by offering them special recognition, honours or distinctions that set them apart from others and feed their desire for esteem. A person of low or greedy nature is easily swayed by even a small material gift, as their primary motivation is immediate gain. Finally, to win over an equal, someone of similar status and capability, you must demonstrate superior effort.
227 [sim., adm.]
N’ attadosaṁ paro jaññā, jaññā dosaṁ parassa tu,
kummo guhe iv’ aṅgāni, parabhāvañ-ca lakkhaye.
Another should not know your fault, be like a tortoise that would hide its limbs, but one should know another’s fault, one should discern another’s nature. I translate this in the order acbd.
One should not let others know one’s own faults, guarding them as a tortoise withdraws its limbs into its shell for protection. Simultaneously, one should be keenly aware of the faults and true nature of others. This is not for gossip but for discernment and self-preservation. Knowing another’s weaknesses allows for careful navigation of relationships, while concealing one’s own prevents exploitation. It is a strategy for maintaining security and advantage in a complex social world.