Yamakavagga
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · Pāli: Mahāsaṅgīti Tipiṭaka · Public domain (CC0) via SuttaCentral
1Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā,Intention is the leader of things;12manoseṭṭhā manomayā;intention is first, they’re made by intention.3Manasā ce paduṭṭhena,If with corrupt intent24bhāsati vā karoti vā;you speak or act,5Tato naṁ dukkhamanveti,suffering follows you,36cakkaṁva vahato padaṁ.like a wheel, the ox’s foot.
1Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā,Intention is the leader of things;2manoseṭṭhā manomayā;intention is first, they’re made by intention.3Manasā ce pasannena,If with pure intent4bhāsati vā karoti vā;you speak or act,5Tato naṁ sukhamanveti,happiness follows you6chāyāva anapāyinī.like a shadow that never leaves.
1Akkocchi maṁ avadhi maṁ,“They abused me, they hit me!2ajini maṁ ahāsi me;They beat me, they robbed me!”3Ye ca taṁ upanayhanti,For those who bear such a grudge,4veraṁ tesaṁ na sammati.hatred is never laid to rest.
1Akkocchi maṁ avadhi maṁ,“They abused me, they hit me!2ajini maṁ ahāsi me;They beat me, they robbed me!”3Ye ca taṁ nupanayhanti,For those who bear no such grudge,4veraṁ tesūpasammati.hatred is laid to rest.
1Na hi verena verāni,For never is hatred2sammantīdha kudācanaṁ;laid to rest by hate,3Averena ca sammanti,it’s laid to rest by love:4esa dhammo sanantano.this is an ancient teaching.
1Pare ca na vijānanti,When others do not understand,2mayamettha yamāmase;let us, who do understand this,3Ye ca tattha vijānanti,restrain ourselves in this regard;4tato sammanti medhagā.for that is how conflicts are laid to rest.
1Subhānupassiṁ viharantaṁ,Those who contemplate the beautiful,2indriyesu asaṁvutaṁ;their faculties unrestrained,3Bhojanamhi cāmattaññuṁ,immoderate in eating,4kusītaṁ hīnavīriyaṁ;lazy, lacking energy:5Taṁ ve pasahati māro,Māra strikes them down6vāto rukkhaṁva dubbalaṁ.like the wind, a feeble tree.
1Asubhānupassiṁ viharantaṁ,Those who contemplate the ugly,2Indriyesu susaṁvutaṁ;their faculties well-restrained,3Bhojanamhi ca mattaññuṁ,eating in moderation,4Saddhaṁ āraddhavīriyaṁ;faithful and energetic:5Taṁ ve nappasahati māro,Māra cannot strike them down,6Vāto selaṁva pabbataṁ.like the wind, a rocky mountain.
1Anikkasāvo kāsāvaṁ,One who, not free of stains themselves,2yo vatthaṁ paridahissati;would wear the robe stained in ocher,3Apeto damasaccena,bereft of self-control and truth:4na so kāsāvamarahati.they are not worthy of the ocher robe.
1Yo ca vantakasāvassa,One who’s purged all their stains,2sīlesu susamāhito;steady in ethics,3Upeto damasaccena,possessed of self-control and of truth,4sa ve kāsāvamarahati.they are truly worthy of the ocher robe.
1Asāre sāramatino,Thinking the inessential is essential,2sāre cāsāradassino;seeing the essential as inessential;3Te sāraṁ nādhigacchanti,they don’t realize the essential,4micchāsaṅkappagocarā.for wrong thoughts are their habitat.
1Sārañca sārato ñatvā,Having known the essential as essential,2asārañca asārato;and the inessential as inessential;3Te sāraṁ adhigacchanti,they realize the essential,4sammāsaṅkappagocarā.for right thoughts are their habitat.
1Yathā agāraṁ ducchannaṁ,Just as rain seeps into2vuṭṭhī samativijjhati;a poorly roofed house,3Evaṁ abhāvitaṁ cittaṁ,lust seeps into4rāgo samativijjhati.an undeveloped mind.
1Yathā agāraṁ suchannaṁ,Just as rain doesn’t seep into2vuṭṭhī na samativijjhati;a well roofed house,3Evaṁ subhāvitaṁ cittaṁ,lust doesn’t seep into4rāgo na samativijjhati.a well developed mind.
1Idha socati pecca socati,Here they grieve, hereafter they grieve,2Pāpakārī ubhayattha socati;an evildoer grieves in both places.3So socati so vihaññati,They grieve and fret,4Disvā kammakiliṭṭhamattano.seeing their own corrupt deeds.
1Idha modati pecca modati,Here they rejoice, hereafter they rejoice,2Katapuñño ubhayattha modati;one who does good rejoices in both places.3So modati so pamodati,They rejoice and celebrate,4Disvā kammavisuddhimattano.seeing their own pure deeds.
1Idha tappati pecca tappati,Here they’re tormented, <j>hereafter they’re tormented,2Pāpakārī ubhayattha tappati;an evildoer is tormented in both places.3“Pāpaṁ me katan”ti tappati,They’re tormented <j>thinking of bad things they’ve done;4Bhiyyo tappati duggatiṁ gato.when gone to a bad place, <j>they’re tormented all the more.
1Idha nandati pecca nandati,Here they delight, hereafter they delight,2Katapuñño ubhayattha nandati;one who does good delights in both places.3“Puññaṁ me katan”ti nandati,They delight thinking of good things they’ve done;4Bhiyyo nandati suggatiṁ gato.when gone to a good place, they delight all the more.
1Bahumpi ce saṁhita bhāsamāno,Much though they may recite scripture,2Na takkaro hoti naro pamatto;if a negligent person does not apply them,3Gopova gāvo gaṇayaṁ paresaṁ,then, like a cowherd who counts the cattle of others,4Na bhāgavā sāmaññassa hoti.they miss out on the blessings of the ascetic life.
1Appampi ce saṁhita bhāsamāno,Little though they may recite scripture,2Dhammassa hoti anudhammacārī;if they live in line with the teaching,3Rāgañca dosañca pahāya mohaṁ,having given up greed, hate, and delusion,4Sammappajāno suvimuttacitto;with deep understanding and heart well freed,5Anupādiyāno idha vā huraṁ vā,not grasping to this life or the next,6Sa bhāgavā sāmaññassa hoti.they share in the blessings of the ascetic life.
7Yamakavaggo paṭhamo.
These verses describe a threefold process: intention, actions, and consequences. Each of these three “things” is included under dhammā. This line is phrased in prose at AN 1.56–7; see there for further notes.
Mano here is the active aspect of mind, effectively meaning kamma. Translating as “mind” obscures the ethical reading in favor of an idealistic one, which given the remainder of the verse is unjustified.
The MS edition on which this translation is based has headings for each of the verses. These are derived from the background stories told in the commentary. As such, I have not translated them as they are not intrinsic to the text.
Intention is expressed through actions of speech and body.
The consequence of bad actions is suffering. In popular culture, the consequence is often said to be kamma, but in early Buddhism, kamma is the action that creates the consequence.
