28. Pāpavarga
The Chapter about Wrong There is no word in English that can adequately translate pāpa in every context. Depending on where it is used, and its declension, it means wickedness, wrong, demerit, worse.
(40 Verses)
[28.1]
[stm.]
Sarvapāpasyākaraṇaṁ, kuśalasyopasaṁpadaḥ,
svacittaparyavadanam – etad Buddhasya śāsanam.
The non-doing of anything wrong, the undertaking of what is good, the purification of one’s own mind – this is the teaching of the Buddha.
[28.2]
[stm.]
Dadataḥ puṇyaṁ pravardhate,
vairaṁ na kriyate ca saṁyamāt.
Kuśalī prajahāti pāpakaṁ,
rāgadoṣamohakṣayāt tu nirvṛtiḥ.
For the one who gives, merit is increased, from restraint hatred is not created. The skilful one abandons wrong, but there is emancipation from the destruction of passion, hatred, and delusion.
[28.3]
[stm. + sim.]
Sārdhaṁ carann, ekakaḥ sadā
miśro hy anyajanena Vedakaḥ,
kuśalī prajahāti pāpakaṁ,
krauñcaḥ kṣīrapako yathodakam.
Though wandering together and mixing with other people, the Perfect One is always alone, the skilful one abandons what is wrong, just as the milk-drinking heron abandons water.
[28.4]
[stm.]
Dṛṣṭvā hy ādīnavaṁ loke, jñātvā dharmaniraupadhim,
āryo na ramate pāpe, pāpo na ramate śubhe.
Having seen the danger in the world, having known the state free from adherence, the noble one does not delight in wrong, the wrong one does not delight in the good.
[28.5]
[stm.]
Pravivekarasaṁ jñātvā, rasaṁ copaśamasya vai,
nirjvaro bhavati niṣpāpo, Dharmaprītirasaṁ piban.
Knowing the taste of solitude, and indeed the taste of peace, one is free from fever and wrong, imbibing the joyful taste of the Dharma.
[28.6]
[stm.]
Anavasrutacittasya, tv anunnahanacetasaḥ,
puṇyapāpaprahīṇasya, nāsti durgatito bhayam.
For the one with mind free of lust, whose mind is not smitten, for the one who has abandoned merit and demerit, there is no fear from a bad destination.
[28.7]
[adm.]
Niṣeddhāraṁ pravaktāraṁ yaj jāned vadyadarśinam,
nigṛhyavādinaṁ dhīraṁ tādṛśaṁ satataṁ bhajet,
tādṛśaṁ bhajamānasya śreyo bhavati na pāpakam.
One should know one who points out faults, who proclaims restraint, one should always keep company with such a steadfast and restrained speaker, for one keeping company with such a one it is better, not worse.
[28.8]
[stm. + sim.]
Upaśānto hy uparato, mandabhāṣī hy anuddhataḥ,
dhunāti pāpakāṁ dharmāṁ, drumapatraṁ yathānilaḥ.
Calm, abstemious, speaking gently, not haughty, he shakes off wicked thoughts, like the wind shakes off the leaves of a tree.
[28.9]
[stm. + sim.]
Yo hy apraduṣṭasya narasya duṣyate,
śuddhasya nityaṁ vigatāṅgaṇasya,
tam eva bālaṁ pratiyāti pāpaṁ,
kṣiptaṁ rajaḥ prativātaṁ yathaiva.
The one who offends the person who is inoffensive, constantly pure and spotless, that very wrong returns to the fool, like dust that is thrown to the wind.
[28.10]
[stm.]
Yad yat karoti puruṣas, tat tat paśyati hātmanaḥ,
kalyāṇakārī kalyāṇaṁ, pāpakārī ca pāpakam.
Whatever a person does, the same he will see himself, the one who does good sees good, the one who does wrong sees wrong.
[28.11]
[stm.]
Ātmanā hi kṛte pāpe, tv ātmanā kliśyate sadā,
ātmanā tv akṛte pāpe, hy ātmanaiva viśudhyate.
By oneself is a wrong done, always by oneself is one defiled, by oneself is a wrong left undone, by oneself is one purified.
[28.12]
[stm. + sim.]
Aśuddhabuddhiṁ pratyātmaṁ, nānyo hy anyaṁ viśodhayet,
abhimathnāti taṁ pāpaṁ, vajram aśmamaṇiṁ yathā.
Individually, one has impure understanding, for no one can purify another, Lit: for no other can purify another. a wrong crushes that one, as a diamond crushes a rock-jewel.
[28.13]
[adm. + sim.]
Cakṣuṣmāṁ viṣamānīva vidyamāne parākramet,
paṇḍito jīvaloke ’smiṁ pāpāni parivarjayet.
As a man with vision should strive when dangers exist, so a wise man in this world of the living should avoid wicked deeds.
[28.14]
[adm. + sim.]
Vaṇig vā sabhayaṁ mārgam alpaśāstro mahādhano,
viṣaṁ jīvitakāmo vā, pāpāni parivarjayet.
Like a merchant with few companions and great wealth should avoid a fearful path, like one loving life should avoid poison, so one should avoid wicked deeds.
[28.15]
[stm.]
Pāṇau cāsya vraṇo na syād dhārayet pāṇinā viṣam,
nāvraṇe krāmati viṣaṁ, nāsti pāpam akurvataḥ.
If there would be no wound in one’s hand one can carry poison with the hand, in the one without a wound poison does not enter, there is no wrong for the one not doing wrong.
[28.16]
[stm.]
Sukarāṇi hy asādhūni, svātmano hy ahitāni ca,
yad vai hitaṁ ca pathyaṁ ca tad vai paramaduṣkaram.
Very easily done are things not good and unbeneficial for oneself, but that which is beneficial and suitable, that is exceedingly hard to do.
[28.17]
[stm.]
Sukaraṁ sādhunā sādhu, sādhu pāpena duṣkaram,
pāpaṁ pāpena sukaraṁ, pāpam āryeṇa duṣkaram.
Easily done by the good is good, good by a bad person is done with difficulty, bad by a bad person is easily done, bad by the noble one is done with difficulty.
[28.18]
[stm. + sim.]
Madhuvad manyate bālo, yāvat pāpaṁ na pacyate,
yadā tu pacyate pāpam, atha duḥkhaṁ nigacchati.
The fool considers it like honey, as long as a bad deed does not ripen, but when a bad deed ripens, then one undergoes suffering.
[28.19]
[stm.]
Pāpo ’pi paśyate bhadraṁ yāvat pāpaṁ na pacyate,
yadā tu pacyate pāpam atha pāpāni paśyati.
Even the bad experience good fortune as long as a bad deed does not ripen, but when a bad deed ripens then one experiences bad fortune.
[28.20]
[stm.]
Bhadro ’pi paśyate pāpaṁ yāvad bhadraṁ na pacyate,
yadā tu pacyate bhadram atha bhadrāṇi paśyati.
Even the good experience bad fortune as long as the good does not ripen, but when the good ripens then one experiences good fortune.
[28.21]
[adm.]
Kuryāc cet puruṣaḥ pāpaṁ, nainaṁ kuryāt punaḥ punaḥ,
na tatra cchandraṁ kurvīta, duḥkhaṁ pāpasya saṁcayaḥ.
If a person should do wrong, one should not do it again and again, let him not have a preference for it, from an accumulation of wrong there is suffering.
[28.22]
[adm.]
Kuryāc cet puruṣaḥ puṇyaṁ, kuryāc cainaṁ punaḥ punaḥ,
tatra cchandraṁ ca kurvīta, sukhaṁ puṇyasya saṁcayaḥ.
If a person should do merit, one should do it again and again, let him have a preference for it, from an accumulation of merit there is happiness.
[28.23]
[adm.]
Abhitvareta kalyāṇe, pāpāc cittaṁ nivārayet,
dhandhaṁ hi kurvataḥ puṇyaṁ pāpeṣu ramate manaḥ.
One should hasten in doing merit, one should ward off the mind from demerit, for the mind of the one slow in making merit delights in demerit.
[28.24]
[stm. + sim.]
Alpakaṁ pi kṛtaṁ pāpaṁ duḥkhāya parataḥ sadā,
mahate bhavaty anarthāya, viṣaṁ koṣṭhagataṁ yathā.
Even a small demerit done always brings about suffering in the future, it brings about great ruination, like poison that has entered the stomach.
[28.25]
[stm. + sim.]
Alpakaṁ pi kṛtaṁ puṇyaṁ paraloke sukhāvaham, Whereas the dative of result was used in the previous verse, here the compound adjective with āvaha is used to give the same meaning, reinforcing the earlier analysis.
arthāya mahate nityaṁ, sasyānām iva saṁcayaḥ.
Even a small merit done always brings happiness in the next world, it always brings about great fortune, like an accumulation of grain.
[28.26]
[stm.]
Adaṇḍeṣu hi daṇḍena yo ’praduṣṭeṣu duṣyate
daśānām anyatamaṁ sthānaṁ kṣipram eva nigacchati:
The one who offends with a stick those who are unarmed and inoffensive quickly goes to one of the following ten states:
[28.27]
[stm.]
jñātīnāṁ vā vinābhāvaṁ, bhogānāṁ vā parikṣayam,
rājato hy upasargaṁ vāpy, abhyākhyānaṁ ca dāruṇam,
there is loss of relatives, or the destruction of wealth, there is even danger from the king, or slander that is terrible,
[28.28]
[stm.]
vedanāṁ kaṭukāṁ vāpi, śarīrasya ca bhedanam,
ābādhaṁ vāpi paruṣaṁ, cittakṣepam athāpi vā,
or bitter feelings, and the break up of the body, or harsh affliction, or then surely he will lose his mind,
[28.29]
[stm.]
atha vāsyāpy agārāṇi hy agnir dahati sarvathā,
bhedāt kāyasya cāprājño daśamāṁ durgatiṁ vrajet.
or else fire may consume his houses by in every way, and tenth, from the break up of the body, that unwise one may go to a bad destination.
[28.30]
[adm.]
Pāpe tu kṛte hi nāśvasec,
cirakṛte dūrakṛte ’pi nāśvaset,
rahasi ca kṛte ’pi nāśvased,
asti tasya vipāka iti nāśvaset.
But one should not take comfort in demerit that has been done, one should not even take comfort in what was done long ago or far away, and one should not take comfort in deeds done in secret, one should not take comfort thinking, it has no result.
[28.31]
[adm.]
Puṇye tu kṛte hi ihāśvasec,
cirakṛte dūrakṛte ’pi cāśvaset,
rahasi ca kṛte ’pi cāśvased,
asti tasya vipāka iti cāśvaset.
But one should take comfort in merit that has been done here, one should even take comfort with what was done long ago or far away, and one should take comfort in deeds done in secret, one should take comfort thinking, it has a result.
[28.32]
[adm.]
Pāpe tu kṛte hi śocate,
cirakṛte dūrakṛte ’pi śocate,
rahasi ca kṛte ’pi śocate,
asti tasya vipāka iti śocate.
But one should grieve in demerit that has been done, one should grieve even with what was done long ago or far away, and one should grieve with deeds done in secret, one should grieve thinking, it has a result.
[28.33]
[adm.]
Puṇye tu kṛte hi nandate,
cirakṛte dūrakṛte ’pi nandate,
rahasi ca kṛte ’pi nandate,
asti tasya vipāka iti nandate.
But one should rejoice in merit that has been done, one should even rejoice with what was done long ago or far away, and one should rejoice with deeds done in secret, one should rejoice, thinking, it has a result.
[28.34]
[stm.]
Iha śocati, pretya śocati,
pāpakarmā hy ubhayatra śocati,
sa hi śocati sa praśocati,
dṛṣṭvā karma hi kliṣṭam ātmanaḥ.
Here one grieves, after death one grieves, the one who does wrong grieves in both places, one truly grieves, one greatly grieves, seeing the defilement of his own deeds.
[28.35]
[stm.]
Iha nandati, pretya nandati,
kṛtapuṇyo hy ubhayatra nandati,
sa hi nandati sa pramodate,
dṛṣṭvā karma hi viśuddham ātmanaḥ.
Here one rejoices, after death one rejoices, the one who made merit rejoices in both places, one rejoices, one is gladened, seeing the purity of his own deeds.
[28.36]
[adm.]
Pāpe tu kṛte hi śocate,
cirakṛte dūrakṛte ’pi śocate,
rahasi ca kṛte ’pi śocate,
bhūyaḥ śocati durgatiṁ gataḥ.
But one should grieve about demerit that has been done, one should grieve even with what was done long ago or far away, and one should grieve about deeds done in secret, one grieves more after going to a bad destination.
[28.37]
[adm.]
Puṇye tu kṛte hi nandate,
cirakṛte dūrakṛte ’pi nandate,
rahasi ca kṛte ’pi nandate,
bhūyo nandati sadgatiṁ gataḥ.
But one should rejoice about merit that has been done, one should even rejoice with what was done long ago or far away, and one should rejoice with deeds done in secret, one rejoices more after going to a good destination.
[28.38]
[adm.]
Puṇye tu kṛte hi modate,
cirakṛte dūrakṛte ’pi modate,
rahasi ca kṛte ’pi modate,
bhūyo modati sadgatiṁ gataḥ.
But one should be glad about merit that has been done, one should even be glad with what was done long ago or far away, and one should be glad with deeds done in secret, one is more gladened after going to a good destination.
[28.39]
[stm. + sim.]
Kṛte ca pāpe ’py akṛte ca puṇye,
’dharmaṁ samādāya, vihāya dharmam,
bibheti mṛtyor iha pāpakarmā,
bhinnaplavo madhya ivodakasya.
Having done demerit and not having done merit, undertaking wrong, and abandoning right, the one who has done wrong fears death here, like one fears a broken raft in the middle of the water.
[28.40]
[stm. + sim.]
Kṛtaṁ ca puṇyaṁ hy akṛtaṁ ca pāpaṁ,
satāṁ ca dharmaś caritaḥ purāṇaḥ,
bibheti mṛtyor na kadaṁ cid eva,
yathaiva nāvā dṛḍhayā tarantaḥ.
Having done merit and not having done demerit, having lived the ancient and right life of the good, not at any time does one fear death, like those crossing in a sturdy boat.
Pāpavargaḥ, 28
The Chapter about Wrong, the Twenty-Eighth