An Elementary Pali Course
Selections for Translation
Passage 5: Selections from the Dhammapada [3/5]
[Dhammapada 50]
Na paresa.m vilomaani, na paresa.m kataakata.m;
not / others' / faults / not / others' / done-undone
Not others' faults, not others' act(s) done or undone;
attanova avekkheyya, kataani akataani ca.
self's-only / should reflect / done(s) / not done(s) / and
of oneself only (he) should reflect, the acts done and not done.
[Dhammapada 53]
Yathaapi puppharaasimhaa, kayiraa maalaagu.ne bahuu;
as-just so / from heap of flowers / should do / garland-strings / many
Just so as from a heap of flowers many strings of garland one should
make;
eva.m jaatena maccena, kattabba.m kusala.m bahu.m.
thus / by born / by mortal / should be done / good / much
thus, much good should be done by the mortal who is born.
[Dhammapada 69]
Madhuvaa ma~n~nati baalo, yaava paapa.m na paccati;
honey-like / thinks / ignorant / as long as / evil / not / is vexed
The ignorant thinks of it as honey, as long as evil is not vexed;
yadaa ca paccati paapa.m, baalo dukkha.m nigacchati.
when / and / is vexed / evil / ignorant / suffering / undergoes
and when evil is vexed, the ignorant undergoes suffering.
[Dhammapada 81]
Selo yathaa ekaghano vaatena na samiirati;
rock / like / one-solid / by wind / not / is moved
(Just) like one solid rock is not moved by the wind;
eva.m nindaapasa.msaasu, na sami~njanti pa.n.ditaa.
thus / in blames and praises / not / are shaken / wise ones
thus, the wise are not shaken by blame or praise.
[Dhammapada 84]
Na attahetu na parassa hetu, na puttamicche na dhana.m na ra.t.tha.m;
not / self's cause / not / other's / cause / not / son-should wish /
not / wealth / not / kingdom
Not for the sake of oneself or another, not son nor wealth nor
kingdom should one desire,
na iccheyya adhammena samiddhimattano, sa siilavaa pa~n~navaa
dhammiko siyaa.
not / should wish / by injustice / prosperity-self's / he /
virtuous / wise / righteous / should be
not by injustice should one wish for own prosperity; virtuous, wise
and righteous he shall be.
[Dhammapada 103]
Yo sahassa.m sahassena, sa`ngaame maanuse jine;
who / thousand / by thousand / in battle / men / should conquer
Whoever in the battlefield should conquer men a thousand by a
thousand;
eka~nca jeyyamattaana.m sa ve sa`ngaamajuttamo.
one-and / should conquer-self / he / indeed / victorious in highest
battle
winner of the greatest battle indeed, he should conquer just one:
himself.
[Dhammapada 129-130]
Sabbe tasanti da.n.dassa, sabbe bhaayanti maccuno;
all / tremble / of stick / all / are afraid / of death
All tremble at the cane, all are afraid of death;
attaana.m upama.m katvaa, na haneyya na ghaataye.
self / example / having done / not / should kill / not / should cause
to kill
making oneself an example, one should not kill nor cause to kill.
Sabbe tasanti da.n.dassa, sabbesa.m jiivita.m piya.m;
all / tremble / of stick / to all / life / dear
All tremble at the cane, to all life is dear;
attaana.m upama.m katvaa, na haneyya na ghaataye.
self / example / having done / not / should kill / not / should cause
to kill
making oneself an example, one should not kill nor cause to kill.
[Dhammapada 169]
Dhamma.m care sucarita.m, na na.m duccarita.m care;
Dhamma / should practise / proper / not / that / improper / should
practise
One should practise the Dhamma, which is proper, not that which is
improper should one practise;
dhammacaarii sukha.m seti, asmi.m loke paramhi ca.
he who acts righteously / happily / lives / in this / in world / in
other / and
the Dhammafarer lives happily, in this world and the next.