The Chapter about the Stick (DHP129-145)

Everyone trembles at the stick, everyone is in fear of death,
comparing oneself with others, one should not hurt or have them hurt.

Everyone trembles at the stick, for all of them life is dear,
comparing oneself with others, one should not hurt or have them hurt.

One who harms with a stick beings who desire happiness,
while seeking happiness for himself, won’t find happiness after death.

One who harms not with a stick beings who desire happiness,
while seeking happiness for himself, will find happiness after death.

Do not say anything harsh, spoken to they might answer back to you,
for arrogant talk entails misery, and they might strike you back with a stick.

If you make no sound like a gong that is broken,
you are like one who has attained Nibbāna, contention is not found in you.

Like a cowherd with a stick drives cattle to pasture,
so do old age and death drive life out of beings.

The fool does not understand the wicked deeds he is doing,
the stupid one is consumed by his deeds as by a burning fire.

Whoever offends with a stick those who are inoffensive and harmless
will quickly fall into one of ten states:
harsh feelings, loss of his wealth, and the break up of the body,
or even heavy affliction, or surely he will lose his mind,
there may be danger from the King, or slander that is terrible,
he may suffer from loss of kin, or from the destruction of wealth,
also his houses may be consumed by flames and fire,
and at the break-up of the body that one lacking in wisdom will arise in the underworld.

Not going naked, nor matted hair, nor mud,
nor fasting or lying on stony ground,
dust and dirt, or striving while squatting,
can purify a mortal who has not removed uncertainty.

Even if he were to adorn himself,
but is peaceful, trained, settled, spiritual,
and has put aside the stick towards all beings,
he is a brahmin, an ascetic, a monastic.

Whatever person in the world is found restrained by conscience,
and is aware of his fault, is like a good horse that is restrained by a whip.

Like a good horse restrained by the whip,
you should be ardent and spiritually intense.
Having faith, virtue and energy,
concentration and investigation of the Dhamma.
One who has understanding and good conduct, mindfulness,
will abandon this not insignificant suffering.

Course-makers lead water,
fletchers straighten arrows,
carpenters straighten wood,
the mild master themselves.

Translated by Ānandajoti Bhikkhu.

2nd edition, November 2017.

The text and translation, together with detailed notes and discussions, may be found in multiple formats on the translator’s website, Ancient Buddhist Texts.

Used by kind permission of Bhikkhu Ānandajoti.

The original translation was released under the following licence: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.

Prepared for SuttaCentral by Aminah Borg-Luck.