Dhammapada verses 129-145 explore the themes of non-violence, the consequences of harmful actions, and the importance of self-discipline. Through metaphors of a broken gong, a well-trained horse, and skilled artisans, the verses emphasize that true purification comes not from external austerities but from inner restraint, mindfulness, and ethical conduct. The inevitability of death and the suffering caused by harming others are highlighted alongside the rewards of peace and wisdom for those who cultivate virtuous behavior.

DHP 129-145  Daṇḍa vagga - Chapter 10 - Punishment

129

Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa,
sabbe bhāyanti maccuno;
Attānaṁ upamaṁ katvā,
na haneyya na ghātaye.

All fear |punishment::rod, stick [daṇḍa]|,
all fear death;
Considering others like oneself,
one should neither |kill::beat, strike, thrash, stab, execute [hanati]| nor cause to kill.

130

Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa,
sabbesaṁ jīvitaṁ piyaṁ;
Attānaṁ upamaṁ katvā,
na haneyya na ghātaye.

All fear punishment,
life is dear to all;
Considering others like oneself,
one should neither kill nor cause to kill.

131

Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni,
yo daṇḍena vihiṁsati;
Attano sukhamesāno,
pecca so na labhate sukhaṁ.

Beings wishing for |happiness::ease, contentment, comfort [sukha]|,
who harm others with punishment;
While seeking happiness for themselves,
after death, they do not find happiness.

132

Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni,
yo daṇḍena na hiṁsati;
Attano sukhamesāno,
pecca so labhate sukhaṁ.

Beings wishing for happiness,
who do not harm others with punishment;
While seeking happiness for themselves,
after death, they find happiness.

133

Māvoca pharusaṁ kañci,
vuttā paṭivadeyyu taṁ;
Dukkhā hi sārambhakathā,
paṭidaṇḍā phuseyyu taṁ.

Do not speak |harshly::severely, sharply [pharusa]| to anyone,
for if spoken to, they might respond to you;
Indeed, |angry words::quarrelsome speech, argumentative talk [sārambhakathā]| bring suffering,
and retaliation may |affect::harm, impact [phuseyyu]| you.

134

Sace neresi attānaṁ,
kaṁso upahato yathā;
Esa pattosi nibbānaṁ,
sārambho te na vijjati.

If you remain |non-agitated::unperturbed, calm, composed [neresi]|,
like a broken |gong::a musical instrument, a bell [kaṃsa]|;
You will have attained |Nibbāna::complete cooling, letting go of everything, deathless, freedom from calamity, the non-disintegrating [nibbāna]|,
and no trace of |aggressiveness::hostile or violent behavior towards living beings [sārambha]| will remain in you.

135

Yathā daṇḍena gopālo,
gāvo pājeti gocaraṁ;
Evaṁ jarā ca maccu ca,
āyuṁ pājenti pāṇinaṁ.

Just as the cowherd,
drives the cows to the pasture with a stick;
So too do old age and death,
drive the life-span of |living beings::sentient beings, breathing beings [pāṇī]|.

136

Atha pāpāni kammāni,
karaṁ bālo na bujjhati;
Sehi kammehi dummedho,
aggidaḍḍhova tappati.

While doing |harmful::injurious, destructive, bad, or evil [pāpaka]| deeds,
the |immature person::lacking in discernment or good sense, child-like in understanding [bāla]| does not |understand::comprehend, realize, grasp [bujjhati]|;
Through their own deeds, the |undiscerning one::one lacking discernment, who has not cultivated wisdom, unwise [dummedha]|,
|is tormented::regrets, feels remorse [tappati]|, as if |burned by fire::scorched by flames [aggidaḍḍha]|.

137

Yo daṇḍena adaṇḍesu,
appaduṭṭhesu dussati;
Dasannamaññataraṁ ṭhānaṁ,
khippameva nigacchati.

Whoever, with |punishment::use of force or violence leading to harm [daṇḍa]| harms those that are |peaceful::who do not deserve punishment [adaṇḍa]|,
or |harms::offends, injures, does wrong to [dussati]| those who are |blameless::without fault, who is not angry, not upset [appaduṭṭha]|;
Will very quickly experience,
one of these ten situations.

138

Vedanaṁ pharusaṁ jāniṁ,
sarīrassa va bhedanaṁ;
Garukaṁ vāpi ābādhaṁ,
cittakkhepaṁ va pāpuṇe.

They may experience |sharp pain::severe pain [pharusa + vedanā]|,
or the |fracturing::injuring, breaking [bhedana]| of the body;
Or else |grave illness::serious affliction, heavy suffering [garuka + ābādha]|,
or they may fall into |mental confusion::insanity, madness [cittakkhepa]|.

139

Rājato upasaggaṁ,
Abbhakkhānaṁ va dāruṇaṁ;
Parikkhayaṁ va ñātīnaṁ,
Bhogānaṁ va pabhaṅguraṁ.

Or they may face trouble from the |authorities::king, ruler, government [rājato]|,
or a harsh |accusation::slander, false charge [abbhakkhāna]|;
Or the |loss::demise, depletion [parikkhaya]| of their |relatives::family, kinsmen [ñātī]|,
or the |perishing of::collapse of, breaking of [pabhaṅgura]| their |possessions::wealth, property, riches [bhoga]|.

140

Atha vāssa agārāni,
aggi ḍahati pāvako;
Kāyassa bhedā duppañño,
nirayaṁ sopapajjati.

Or else, their |houses::homes, dwellings, abodes [agāra]|,
may be burned down by fire;
Or on the |disintegration::breaking, splitting apart [bheda]| of the body [through death],
the |one who has not cultivated wisdom::immature person, one lacking discernment [duppañña]| goes to |a state of misfortune::a state of deprivation, an unhappy destination, perdition, hell [niraya]|.

141

Na naggacariyā na jaṭā na paṅkā,
Nānāsakā thaṇḍilasāyikā vā;
Rajojallaṁ ukkuṭikappadhānaṁ,
Sodhenti maccaṁ avitiṇṇakaṅkhaṁ.

Neither going naked, nor matted hair, nor covering oneself with mud,
nor |fasting::not eating [nānāsakā]|, nor sleeping on bare ground;
nor dust and dirt, nor squatting ascetic practices,
purify a mortal |who has not overcome doubt::who has not crossed beyond uncertainty [avitiṇṇakaṅkha]|.

142

Alaṅkato cepi samaṁ careyya,
Santo danto niyato brahmacārī;
Sabbesu bhūtesu nidhāya daṇḍaṁ,
So brāhmaṇo so samaṇo sa bhikkhu.

Even if adorned, if one walks |with tranquility::with balance, with serenity [sama]|,
At peace, tamed, restrained, and |practicing the spiritual life::living the spiritual life, abstaining from sexual intercourse [brahmacāri]|;
Having laid down |violence::actions that cause injury [daṇḍa]| towards all beings,
that person is a brahmin, an ascetic, a bhikkhu.

143

Hirīnisedho puriso,
koci lokasmi vijjati;
Yo niddaṁ apabodheti,
asso bhadro kasāmiva.

A person restrained by a |sense of right and wrong::sense of shame, conscience, modesty [hirī]|,
if such a one is found in the world;
Who shies away from sleeping too much,
is like a noble horse that is restrained by the whip.

144

Asso yathā bhadro kasāniviṭṭho,
Ātāpino saṁvegino bhavātha;
Saddhāya sīlena ca vīriyena ca,
Samādhinā dhammavinicchayena ca;
Sampannavijjācaraṇā patissatā,
Jahissatha dukkhamidaṁ anappakaṁ.

Just as a noble horse is restrained by the whip,
be |with continuous effort::ardent, zealous, with energy, with application [ātāpī]| and |feeling a sense of urgency::anxiety [saṁvega]|;
By |faith::confidence, conviction, trust [saddha]|, by |virtue::ethical conduct, moral integrity [sīla]| and with |energy::persistence, willpower, determination [vīriya]|,
with |collectedness::with a stable mind, with mental composure, with concentration [samādhinā]| and |discernment of mental qualities::investigation of reality [dhammavinicchaya]|;
Fully endowed with wisdom and ethical conduct and |mindfulness::remembering to be present with continuous effort, observing the body in and of itself, felt experience in and of itself, mind in and of itself, mental qualities in and of themselves [patissata]|,
you will abandon this considerable suffering.

145

Udakañhi nayanti nettikā,
Usukārā namayanti tejanaṁ;
Dāruṁ namayanti tacchakā,
Attānaṁ damayanti subbatā.

Irrigators direct the water,
|fletchers::arrow makers [usukāra]| shape arrows;
Carpenters shape the wood,
|Those of good conduct::virtuous person [subbata]| |tame::master, control [damayati]| themselves.

129

All fear |punishment::rod, stick [daṇḍa]|,
all fear death;
Considering others like oneself,
one should neither |kill::beat, strike, thrash, stab, execute [hanati]| nor cause to kill.

130

All fear punishment,
life is dear to all;
Considering others like oneself,
one should neither kill nor cause to kill.

131

Beings wishing for |happiness::ease, contentment, comfort [sukha]|,
who harm others with punishment;
While seeking happiness for themselves,
after death, they do not find happiness.

132

Beings wishing for happiness,
who do not harm others with punishment;
While seeking happiness for themselves,
after death, they find happiness.

133

Do not speak |harshly::severely, sharply [pharusa]| to anyone,
for if spoken to, they might respond to you;
Indeed, |angry words::quarrelsome speech, argumentative talk [sārambhakathā]| bring suffering,
and retaliation may |affect::harm, impact [phuseyyu]| you.

134

If you remain |non-agitated::unperturbed, calm, composed [neresi]|,
like a broken |gong::a musical instrument, a bell [kaṃsa]|;
You will have attained |Nibbāna::complete cooling, letting go of everything, deathless, freedom from calamity, the non-disintegrating [nibbāna]|,
and no trace of |aggressiveness::hostile or violent behavior towards living beings [sārambha]| will remain in you.

135

Just as the cowherd,
drives the cows to the pasture with a stick;
So too do old age and death,
drive the life-span of |living beings::sentient beings, breathing beings [pāṇī]|.

136

While doing |harmful::injurious, destructive, bad, or evil [pāpaka]| deeds,
the |immature person::lacking in discernment or good sense, child-like in understanding [bāla]| does not |understand::comprehend, realize, grasp [bujjhati]|;
Through their own deeds, the |undiscerning one::one lacking discernment, who has not cultivated wisdom, unwise [dummedha]|,
|is tormented::regrets, feels remorse [tappati]|, as if |burned by fire::scorched by flames [aggidaḍḍha]|.

137

Whoever, with |punishment::use of force or violence leading to harm [daṇḍa]| harms those that are |peaceful::who do not deserve punishment [adaṇḍa]|,
or |harms::offends, injures, does wrong to [dussati]| those who are |blameless::without fault, who is not angry, not upset [appaduṭṭha]|;
Will very quickly experience,
one of these ten situations.

138

They may experience |sharp pain::severe pain [pharusa + vedanā]|,
or the |fracturing::injuring, breaking [bhedana]| of the body;
Or else |grave illness::serious affliction, heavy suffering [garuka + ābādha]|,
or they may fall into |mental confusion::insanity, madness [cittakkhepa]|.

139

Or they may face trouble from the |authorities::king, ruler, government [rājato]|,
or a harsh |accusation::slander, false charge [abbhakkhāna]|;
Or the |loss::demise, depletion [parikkhaya]| of their |relatives::family, kinsmen [ñātī]|,
or the |perishing of::collapse of, breaking of [pabhaṅgura]| their |possessions::wealth, property, riches [bhoga]|.

140

Or else, their |houses::homes, dwellings, abodes [agāra]|,
may be burned down by fire;
Or on the |disintegration::breaking, splitting apart [bheda]| of the body [through death],
the |one who has not cultivated wisdom::immature person, one lacking discernment [duppañña]| goes to |a state of misfortune::a state of deprivation, an unhappy destination, perdition, hell [niraya]|.

141

Neither going naked, nor matted hair, nor covering oneself with mud,
nor |fasting::not eating [nānāsakā]|, nor sleeping on bare ground;
nor dust and dirt, nor squatting ascetic practices,
purify a mortal |who has not overcome doubt::who has not crossed beyond uncertainty [avitiṇṇakaṅkha]|.

142

Even if adorned, if one walks |with tranquility::with balance, with serenity [sama]|,
At peace, tamed, restrained, and |practicing the spiritual life::living the spiritual life, abstaining from sexual intercourse [brahmacāri]|;
Having laid down |violence::actions that cause injury [daṇḍa]| towards all beings,
that person is a brahmin, an ascetic, a bhikkhu.

143

A person restrained by a |sense of right and wrong::sense of shame, conscience, modesty [hirī]|,
if such a one is found in the world;
Who shies away from sleeping too much,
is like a noble horse that is restrained by the whip.

144

Just as a noble horse is restrained by the whip,
be |with continuous effort::ardent, zealous, with energy, with application [ātāpī]| and |feeling a sense of urgency::anxiety [saṁvega]|;
By |faith::confidence, conviction, trust [saddha]|, by |virtue::ethical conduct, moral integrity [sīla]| and with |energy::persistence, willpower, determination [vīriya]|,
with |collectedness::with a stable mind, with mental composure, with concentration [samādhinā]| and |discernment of mental qualities::investigation of reality [dhammavinicchaya]|;
Fully endowed with wisdom and ethical conduct and |mindfulness::remembering to be present with continuous effort, observing the body in and of itself, felt experience in and of itself, mind in and of itself, mental qualities in and of themselves [patissata]|,
you will abandon this considerable suffering.

145

Irrigators direct the water,
|fletchers::arrow makers [usukāra]| shape arrows;
Carpenters shape the wood,
|Those of good conduct::virtuous person [subbata]| |tame::master, control [damayati]| themselves.

Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa,
sabbe bhāyanti maccuno;
Attānaṁ upamaṁ katvā,
na haneyya na ghātaye.

Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa,
sabbesaṁ jīvitaṁ piyaṁ;
Attānaṁ upamaṁ katvā,
na haneyya na ghātaye.

Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni,
yo daṇḍena vihiṁsati;
Attano sukhamesāno,
pecca so na labhate sukhaṁ.

Sukhakāmāni bhūtāni,
yo daṇḍena na hiṁsati;
Attano sukhamesāno,
pecca so labhate sukhaṁ.

Māvoca pharusaṁ kañci,
vuttā paṭivadeyyu taṁ;
Dukkhā hi sārambhakathā,
paṭidaṇḍā phuseyyu taṁ.

Sace neresi attānaṁ,
kaṁso upahato yathā;
Esa pattosi nibbānaṁ,
sārambho te na vijjati.

Yathā daṇḍena gopālo,
gāvo pājeti gocaraṁ;
Evaṁ jarā ca maccu ca,
āyuṁ pājenti pāṇinaṁ.

Atha pāpāni kammāni,
karaṁ bālo na bujjhati;
Sehi kammehi dummedho,
aggidaḍḍhova tappati.

Yo daṇḍena adaṇḍesu,
appaduṭṭhesu dussati;
Dasannamaññataraṁ ṭhānaṁ,
khippameva nigacchati.

Vedanaṁ pharusaṁ jāniṁ,
sarīrassa va bhedanaṁ;
Garukaṁ vāpi ābādhaṁ,
cittakkhepaṁ va pāpuṇe.

Rājato upasaggaṁ,
Abbhakkhānaṁ va dāruṇaṁ;
Parikkhayaṁ va ñātīnaṁ,
Bhogānaṁ va pabhaṅguraṁ.

Atha vāssa agārāni,
aggi ḍahati pāvako;
Kāyassa bhedā duppañño,
nirayaṁ sopapajjati.

Na naggacariyā na jaṭā na paṅkā,
Nānāsakā thaṇḍilasāyikā vā;
Rajojallaṁ ukkuṭikappadhānaṁ,
Sodhenti maccaṁ avitiṇṇakaṅkhaṁ.

Alaṅkato cepi samaṁ careyya,
Santo danto niyato brahmacārī;
Sabbesu bhūtesu nidhāya daṇḍaṁ,
So brāhmaṇo so samaṇo sa bhikkhu.

Hirīnisedho puriso,
koci lokasmi vijjati;
Yo niddaṁ apabodheti,
asso bhadro kasāmiva.

Asso yathā bhadro kasāniviṭṭho,
Ātāpino saṁvegino bhavātha;
Saddhāya sīlena ca vīriyena ca,
Samādhinā dhammavinicchayena ca;
Sampannavijjācaraṇā patissatā,
Jahissatha dukkhamidaṁ anappakaṁ.

Udakañhi nayanti nettikā,
Usukārā namayanti tejanaṁ;
Dāruṁ namayanti tacchakā,
Attānaṁ damayanti subbatā.

Last updated on September 13, 2025

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