The Chapter about one who stands by Dhamma (DHP256-272)

One who would hastily settle a case because of that is not one who stands by Dhamma,
the wise one should discriminate the two: what is the case and what is not the case.

The one who settles for other people without haste, justly and impartially,
the sagacious one, protecting Dhamma, is said to be one who stands by Dhamma.

One is not a wise person merely because of speaking much;
being safe, hatred-free, fearless, one is called a wise person.

One is not a Dhamma-bearer merely through speaking much,
but the one who, having heard a little, sees Dhamma for himself,
is one who bears Dhamma, the one who is not heedless regarding Dhamma.

One is not an elder because one’s head has grey hair,
for the one who is only well-matured, aged, is said to be old in vain.

In whom is truth, Dhamma, non-violence, restraint and good training,
the wise one who throws out the stain is truly called an elder.

Not by eloquence only, or by a beautiful complexion,
is a person honourable, if still jealous, selfish and deceitful;
for the one in whom this is cut off, destroyed at the root, dug up,
that sage who has thrown out hatred is said to be honourable.

Not through a shaven head is one an ascetic, if one lacks vows, speaks lies,
and is endowed with greed and desire, how will one be an ascetic?

The one who pacifies wicked deeds, small and great, in every way –
through the pacifing of wicked deeds he is said to be an ascetic.

One is not a monastic merely through eating others’ almsfood,
the one who undertakes a false Dhamma to that extent is not a monastic.

If he is one who lives the holy life here, warding off both merit and demerit,
and wanders with discrimination in the world, that one is said to be a monastic.

Not through silence is a deluded fool considered to be a seer,
the wise one, like one holding the balance, takes up what is noble.

The seer who rejects wicked deeds through that is considered a seer,
whoever understands both worlds because of that is said to be a seer.

Not through hurting breathing beings one is noble,
the one who does not hurt any breathing beings is said to be noble.

Not merely through virtue or vows, or through great learning,
or through the attainment of concentration, or through a secluded dwelling,
do I attain the happiness of renunciation, not practised by worldly people;
let a monastic not be confident as long as the destruction of the pollutants is unattained.

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.