Dhammapada verses 116-128 share the importance of hastening to do good, restraining the mind from harm, the consequences of harm and good, the accumulation of evil and good, the importance of avoiding harmful actions, the consequences of harming a blameless person, the results of evil and good, and the inevitability of death.

DHP 116-128  Pāpa vagga - Chapter 9 - Harm

116

Abhittharetha kalyāṇe,
pāpā cittaṁ nivāraye;
Dandhañhi karoto puññaṁ,
pāpasmiṁ ramatī mano.

One should hasten to do |good::what is beneficial, wholesome, skillful, meritorious [kalyāṇa]|,
and restrain the mind from |harm::evil, wrong, worthless, bad [pāpaka]|;
For when one is slow in doing good,
the mind takes delight in harm.

117

Pāpañce puriso kayirā,
Na naṁ kayirā punappunaṁ;
Na tamhi chandaṁ kayirātha,
Dukkho pāpassa uccayo.

If a person |commits harm::produces harm to oneself, harm to others, or harm to both|,
they should not do it again and again;
One should not take delight in it,
for the accumulation of harm brings |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|.

118

Puññañce puriso kayirā,
kayirā naṁ punappunaṁ;
Tamhi chandaṁ kayirātha,
sukho puññassa uccayo.

If a person |does good::produces good for oneself, good for others, or good for both|,
they should do it again and again;
One should take delight in it,
for the accumulation of good brings |contentment::ease, comfort, happiness, pleasure [sukha]|.

119

Pāpopi passati bhadraṁ,
Yāva pāpaṁ na paccati;
Yadā ca paccati pāpaṁ,
Atha pāpo pāpāni passati.

Even a person who causes harm may see good fortune,
as long as the harm has not ripened;
But when the harm ripens,
then the harm-doer experiences the consequences of harm.

120

Bhadropi passati pāpaṁ,
Yāva bhadraṁ na paccati;
Yadā ca paccati bhadraṁ,
Atha bhadro bhadrāni passati.

Even a doer of good may experience harm,
as long as the good has not ripened;
But when the good ripens,
then the doer of good experiences good results.

121

Māvamaññetha pāpassa,
na mantaṁ āgamissati;
Udabindunipātena,
udakumbhopi pūrati;
Bālo pūrati pāpassa,
thokaṁ thokampi ācinaṁ.

Do not underestimate harm,
thinking, ‘It will not come back to me’;
Just as falling drops of water,
fill up a bucket;
So too, the |undiscerning one::childish person, immature person [bāla]| is filled with evil,
accumulating it little by little.

122

Māvamaññetha puññassa,
na mandaṁ āgamissati;
Udabindunipātena,
udakumbhopi pūrati;
Dhīro pūrati puññassa,
thokaṁ thokampi ācinaṁ.

Do not underestimate good,
thinking, ‘It will not come to me’;
Just as falling drops of water,
fill up a bucket;
So too, the |steadfast one::intelligent one, stable, wise [dhīra]| is filled with good,
accumulating it little by little.

123

Vāṇijova bhayaṁ maggaṁ,
appasattho mahaddhano;
Visaṁ jīvitukāmova,
pāpāni parivajjaye.

Just as a merchant with few companions and great wealth,
avoids a dangerous road;
So too, should one wishing to live,
avoid harmful actions like avoiding poison.

124

Pāṇimhi ce vaṇo nāssa,
hareyya pāṇinā visaṁ;
Nābbaṇaṁ visamanveti,
natthi pāpaṁ akubbato.

If there is no wound on the hand,
one may carry poison with the hand;
Poison does not affect one without a wound,
and there is no consequence for one who does not do harm.

125

Yo appaduṭṭhassa narassa dussati,
Suddhassa posassa anaṅgaṇassa;
Tameva bālaṁ pacceti pāpaṁ,
Sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṁva khitto.

Whoever |harms::injures, opposes, hates, detests [dussati]| a |blameless::without fault, who is not angry, not upset [appaduṭṭha]| person,
a pure person without blemish;
the harm comes back to that undiscerning one,
like fine dust that is thrown against the wind.

126

Gabbhameke uppajjanti,
nirayaṁ pāpakammino;
Saggaṁ sugatino yanti,
parinibbanti anāsavā.

Some are born in a womb,
evil-doers arise in hell;
The |well-conducted::virtuous [sugatino]| go to heaven,
and those |free from defilements::without mental effluents, taintless [anāsavā]| attain final liberation.

127

Na antalikkhe na samuddamajjhe,
Na pabbatānaṁ vivaraṁ pavissa;
Na vijjatī so jagatippadeso,
Yatthaṭṭhito mucceyya pāpakammā.

Neither in the sky, nor in the middle of the sea,
nor by entering a mountain cave;
No place exists in the world,
where staying, one might escape from the result of their |evil deeds::unwholesome actions, harmful actions, misconduct [pāpakammā]|.

128

Na antalikkhe na samuddamajjhe,
Na pabbatānaṁ vivaraṁ pavissa;
Na vijjatī so jagatippadeso,
Yatthaṭṭhitaṁ nappasaheyya maccu.

Neither in the sky, nor in the middle of the sea,
nor by entering a mountain cave;
No place exists in the world,
where staying, one might escape from death.

116

One should hasten to do |good::what is beneficial, wholesome, skillful, meritorious [kalyāṇa]|,
and restrain the mind from |harm::evil, wrong, worthless, bad [pāpaka]|;
For when one is slow in doing good,
the mind takes delight in harm.

117

If a person |commits harm::produces harm to oneself, harm to others, or harm to both|,
they should not do it again and again;
One should not take delight in it,
for the accumulation of harm brings |suffering::discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering [dukkha]|.

118

If a person |does good::produces good for oneself, good for others, or good for both|,
they should do it again and again;
One should take delight in it,
for the accumulation of good brings |contentment::ease, comfort, happiness, pleasure [sukha]|.

119

Even a person who causes harm may see good fortune,
as long as the harm has not ripened;
But when the harm ripens,
then the harm-doer experiences the consequences of harm.

120

Even a doer of good may experience harm,
as long as the good has not ripened;
But when the good ripens,
then the doer of good experiences good results.

121

Do not underestimate harm,
thinking, ‘It will not come back to me’;
Just as falling drops of water,
fill up a bucket;
So too, the |undiscerning one::childish person, immature person [bāla]| is filled with evil,
accumulating it little by little.

122

Do not underestimate good,
thinking, ‘It will not come to me’;
Just as falling drops of water,
fill up a bucket;
So too, the |steadfast one::intelligent one, stable, wise [dhīra]| is filled with good,
accumulating it little by little.

123

Just as a merchant with few companions and great wealth,
avoids a dangerous road;
So too, should one wishing to live,
avoid harmful actions like avoiding poison.

124

If there is no wound on the hand,
one may carry poison with the hand;
Poison does not affect one without a wound,
and there is no consequence for one who does not do harm.

125

Whoever |harms::injures, opposes, hates, detests [dussati]| a |blameless::without fault, who is not angry, not upset [appaduṭṭha]| person,
a pure person without blemish;
the harm comes back to that undiscerning one,
like fine dust that is thrown against the wind.

126

Some are born in a womb,
evil-doers arise in hell;
The |well-conducted::virtuous [sugatino]| go to heaven,
and those |free from defilements::without mental effluents, taintless [anāsavā]| attain final liberation.

127

Neither in the sky, nor in the middle of the sea,
nor by entering a mountain cave;
No place exists in the world,
where staying, one might escape from the result of their |evil deeds::unwholesome actions, harmful actions, misconduct [pāpakammā]|.

128

Neither in the sky, nor in the middle of the sea,
nor by entering a mountain cave;
No place exists in the world,
where staying, one might escape from death.

Abhittharetha kalyāṇe,
pāpā cittaṁ nivāraye;
Dandhañhi karoto puññaṁ,
pāpasmiṁ ramatī mano.

Pāpañce puriso kayirā,
Na naṁ kayirā punappunaṁ;
Na tamhi chandaṁ kayirātha,
Dukkho pāpassa uccayo.

Puññañce puriso kayirā,
kayirā naṁ punappunaṁ;
Tamhi chandaṁ kayirātha,
sukho puññassa uccayo.

Pāpopi passati bhadraṁ,
Yāva pāpaṁ na paccati;
Yadā ca paccati pāpaṁ,
Atha pāpo pāpāni passati.

Bhadropi passati pāpaṁ,
Yāva bhadraṁ na paccati;
Yadā ca paccati bhadraṁ,
Atha bhadro bhadrāni passati.

Māvamaññetha pāpassa,
na mantaṁ āgamissati;
Udabindunipātena,
udakumbhopi pūrati;
Bālo pūrati pāpassa,
thokaṁ thokampi ācinaṁ.

Māvamaññetha puññassa,
na mandaṁ āgamissati;
Udabindunipātena,
udakumbhopi pūrati;
Dhīro pūrati puññassa,
thokaṁ thokampi ācinaṁ.

Vāṇijova bhayaṁ maggaṁ,
appasattho mahaddhano;
Visaṁ jīvitukāmova,
pāpāni parivajjaye.

Pāṇimhi ce vaṇo nāssa,
hareyya pāṇinā visaṁ;
Nābbaṇaṁ visamanveti,
natthi pāpaṁ akubbato.

Yo appaduṭṭhassa narassa dussati,
Suddhassa posassa anaṅgaṇassa;
Tameva bālaṁ pacceti pāpaṁ,
Sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṁva khitto.

Gabbhameke uppajjanti,
nirayaṁ pāpakammino;
Saggaṁ sugatino yanti,
parinibbanti anāsavā.

Na antalikkhe na samuddamajjhe,
Na pabbatānaṁ vivaraṁ pavissa;
Na vijjatī so jagatippadeso,
Yatthaṭṭhito mucceyya pāpakammā.

Na antalikkhe na samuddamajjhe,
Na pabbatānaṁ vivaraṁ pavissa;
Na vijjatī so jagatippadeso,
Yatthaṭṭhitaṁ nappasaheyya maccu.

Last updated on September 13, 2025

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