306
Abhūtavādī nirayaṁ upeti,
Yo vāpi katvā na karomi cāha;
Ubhopi te pecca samā bhavanti,
Nihīnakammā manujā parattha.
One who speaks falsely falls into hell,
as does one who, having done a deed, claims, ‘I did not do it’;
both of them, having passed away, become alike,
people of base actions in the hereafter.
307
Kāsāvakaṇṭhā bahavo,
pāpadhammā asaññatā;
Pāpā pāpehi kammehi,
nirayaṁ te upapajjare.
Many who wear the ochre robes
are of harmful character and unrestrained;
those harmful ones, through their harmful deeds,
are reborn in hell.
308
Seyyo ayoguḷo bhutto,
tatto aggisikhūpamo;
Yañce bhuñjeyya dussīlo,
raṭṭhapiṇḍamasaññato.
Better it is to swallow an iron ball,
blazing like a fiery flame;
than for an unprincipled and unrestrained person
to consume the alms given by the people.
309
Cattāri ṭhānāni naro pamatto,
Āpajjati paradārūpasevī;
Apuññalābhaṁ na nikāmaseyyaṁ,
Nindaṁ tatīyaṁ nirayaṁ catutthaṁ.
Four states befall a man who dwells negligently,
who gets involved with another’s partner;
accumulation of demerit, loss of pleasant sleep,
blame as the third, and hell as the fourth.
310
Apuññalābho ca gatī ca pāpikā,
Bhītassa bhītāya ratī ca thokikā;
Rājā ca daṇḍaṁ garukaṁ paṇeti,
Tasmā naro paradāraṁ na seve.
Accumulation of demerit and a bad destination,
and brief is the pleasure of a frightened man with a frightened woman;
for this, authorities impose a heavy punishment,
a man therefore should not get involved with another’s partner.
311
Kuso yathā duggahito,
hatthamevānukantati;
Sāmaññaṁ dupparāmaṭṭhaṁ,
nirayāyupakaḍḍhati.
Just as kusa grass, if wrongly grasped,
cuts the hand;
so too, the spiritual life, if wrongly undertaken,
drags one down to hell.
312
Yaṁ kiñci sithilaṁ kammaṁ,
saṅkiliṭṭhañca yaṁ vataṁ;
Saṅkassaraṁ brahmacariyaṁ,
na taṁ hoti mahapphalaṁ.
Any unaspirated action,
or any impure observance;
or a spiritual life that is lived with uncertainty,
does not bear great fruit.
313
Kayirā ce kayirāthenaṁ,
daḷhamenaṁ parakkame;
Sithilo hi paribbājo,
bhiyyo ākirate rajaṁ.
If one acts, one should act with firmness,
one should apply persistent effort;
for one who is slack after having gone forth,
just stirs up dust all the more.
314
Akataṁ dukkaṭaṁ seyyo,
pacchā tappati dukkaṭaṁ;
Katañca sukataṁ seyyo,
yaṁ katvā nānutappati.
Better is a wrong action not done,
for one later regrets a wrong action;
better is a good action that is done,
for having done it, one does not regret.
315
Nagaraṁ yathā paccantaṁ,
guttaṁ santarabāhiraṁ;
Evaṁ gopetha attānaṁ,
khaṇo vo mā upaccagā;
Khaṇātītā hi socanti,
nirayamhi samappitā.
Just as a border city
is guarded both inside and outside,
so should you guard yourselves,
lest the opportunity slip away;
for those who let their opportunity pass
grieve, having fallen into hell.
316
Alajjitāye lajjanti,
lajjitāye na lajjare;
Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā,
sattā gacchanti duggatiṁ.
Ashamed of what is not shameful,
and not ashamed of what is shameful;
having adopted wrong views,
beings go to a bad destination.
317
Abhaye bhayadassino,
bhaye cābhayadassino;
Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā,
sattā gacchanti duggatiṁ.
Seeing danger in what is not dangerous,
and seeing no danger in what is truly dangerous;
having adopted wrong views,
beings go to a bad destination.
318
Avajje vajjamatino,
vajje cāvajjadassino;
Micchādiṭṭhisamādānā,
sattā gacchanti duggatiṁ.
Seeing fault where there is none,
and seeing no fault where there is fault;
having adopted wrong views,
beings go to a bad destination.
319
Vajjañca vajjato ñatvā,
avajjañca avajjato;
Sammādiṭṭhisamādānā,
sattā gacchanti suggatiṁ.
Recognizing fault in what is faulty,
and no fault in what is faultless;
having adopted right views,
beings go to a good destination.