Book IX. Evil, Pāpa Vagga

116

Let a man make haste to do good; let him restrain his heart from evil;
For if a man is slow in doing good, his mind delights in evil.

117

Should a man commit sin, he should not repeat his sin again and again;
He should not seek after evil; suffering is the outcome of evil.

118

If a man do works of merit, he should do them again and again;
He should long to do works of merit; happy is the outcome of works of merit.

119, 120

Even an evildoer sees happiness, so long as his evil deed has not yet ripened;
But so soon as his evil deed has ripened, then the evildoer sees evil things.

Even a good man sees evil, so long as his good deeds have not yet ripened;
But so soon as his good deeds have ripened, then the good man sees happiness.

121

One should not think lightly of evil and say, “It will not come nigh unto me.’
Even a water-vessel is filled by the falling of one drop of water after another;
Even so the simpleton fills himself with evil, though he gather it little by little.

122

One should not think lightly of good and say, “It will not come nigh unto me.”
Even a water-vessel is filled by the falling of one drop after another;

123

Even as a merchant possessing small company and great wealth avoids a path where danger lurks,
Even as a man desiring to live avoids poison, so should a man avoid evil.

124

If in his hand there be no wound,
A man may carry poison in his hand.
Poison cannot harm him who is free from wounds.
No evil befalls him who does no evil.

125

Whosoever commits offense against the man that is offenseless,
Against the man that is free from impurity and sin,
Unto that very simpleton returns that evil deed again,
Like fine dust tossed against the wind.

126

Some are reborn on earth, evildoers go to hell,
The righteous go to heaven, Arahats pass to Nibbāna.

127

Neither in the heaven above, nor in the depths of the sea,
Nor in a cavern of the mountains, should one there enter;
Nowhere on earth can the place be found
Where a man can escape from the consequences of an evil deed.

128

Neither in the heaven above, nor in the depths of the sea,
Nor in a cavern of the mountains, should one there enter;
Nowhere on the earth can the place be found
Where, if a man abide, Death would not overpower him.