Sentences of the Law
Book I. Pairs, Yamaka Vagga
1
Thought is of all things first, thought is of all things foremost, of thought are all things made.
If with thought corrupt a man speak or act,
Suffering follows him, even as a wheel follows the hoof of the beast of burden.
2
Thought is of all things first, thought is of all things foremost, of thought are all things made.
If with thought of faith a man speak or act,
Happiness follows him, even as a shadow never fading.
3, 4
“He abused me, he struck me, he defeated me, he robbed me;”
If any cherish this thought, their hatred never ceases.
“He abused me, he struck me, he defeated me, he robbed me;”
If any cherish not this thought, their hatred ceases.
5
For not by hatred are hatreds ever quenched here in this world.
By love rather are they quenched. This is an eternal law.
6
But others do not understand that we must here control ourselves;
Yet let them understand this, and straight dissensions cease.
7, 8
Whoever lives looking for pleasure, exercising no restraint over his senses,
Immoderate in his enjoyments, indolent, inert,
Him Māra overpowers, even as the wind overpowers a tree of little strength.
Whoever lives looking not for pleasure, exercising restraint over his senses,
Moderate in his enjoyments, endowed with faith, exerting the power of his will,
Him Māra does not overpower, even as the wind does not overpower a mountain of rock.
9, 10
Whoever, not free from impurity, lacking self-restraint and truth,
Puts on the yellow robe, he is not worthy of the yellow robe.
Whoever is free from impurity, firmly established in the moral precepts,
Possessed of self-restraint and truth, he is worthy of the yellow robe.
11, 12
They who think to find the truth in falsehood, they who discern but falsehood in the truth,
They never attain the goal of truth, but abide in the pasture-ground of error.
They who have rightly discerned the true in its truth and the false in its falsity,
They attain the goal of truth and abide in the pasture-ground of right thinking.
13, 14
Even as rain breaks through an ill-thatched house,
So lust breaks through an ill-trained mind.
Even as rain breaks not through a well-thatched house,
So lust breaks not through a well-trained mind.
15
Here he suffers; after death he suffers: the evildoer suffers in both places.
He suffers, he is afflicted, seeing the impurity of his own past deeds.
16
Here he rejoices; after death he rejoices: he that has done good works rejoices in both places.
He rejoices, he rejoices exceedingly, seeing the purity of his own past deeds.
17
Here he suffers, after death he suffers; the evildoer suffers in both places.
He suffers to think, “I have done evil;” yet more does he suffer, gone to a place of suffering.
18
Here he rejoices, after death he rejoices: he that has done good works rejoices in both places.
He rejoices to think, “I have done good works;” yet more does he rejoice, gone to a world of bliss.
19, 20
Though he utter much that is sensible, if the heedless man be not a doer of the word,
He is like a cowherd counting the cows of others, and has no part in the Religious Life.
Though he utter little that is sensible, if a man live according to the Law,
If he forsake lust and hatred and delusion, if he have right knowledge, if his heart is truly free,
If he cling to naught in this world or in that which is to come, such a man has a share in the Religious Life.