Verses
306. The speaker of untruth goes to hell, and also the one who having done wrong says 'I did not do it'. Both of these men of base actions become equal after death in the world beyond.
Verse 1
307. Many men wear the yellow robe around their necks, yet are wicked in nature and unrestrained. These evil ones by their evil deeds are reborn in hell.
Verse 2
308. Better it would be to swallow a red-hot iron ball glowing like a blaze of fire, than that an immoral and undisciplined man should consume the alms-food of the people.
Verse 3
309. Four misfortunes befall the heedless man who consorts with another's wife: acquisition of demerit, restless sleep, third public censure, and fourth rebirth in hell.
Verse 4
310. Unmeritorious is the deed and wretched is his rebirth; brief is the pleasure of the frightened man with the frightened woman; and the king inflicts severe punishment. Therefore let no man consort with another's wife.
Verse 5
311. Just as kusa grass, wrongly grasped, cuts the very hand that held it, so the ascetic life, wrongly practiced, drags the person down to hell.
Verse 6
312. Whatever action is done loosely, whatever vow is defiled, whatever holy life is fraught with suspicion—none of this yields great fruit.
Verse 7
313. If anything is to be done, let one do it vigorously, striving with steadfast courage. For a lax ascetic only scatters more dust over himself.
Verse 8
314. Better left undone is an evil deed, for an evil deed torments one afterwards. Better done is a good deed, which having done, one never repents.
Verse 9
315. Like a border fortress closely guarded within and without, even so guard yourself! Let not the auspicious moment pass you by; for those who miss the opportune moment grieve when delivered to hell.
Verse 10
316. They are ashamed of what is not shameful, and shameless before what is truly shameful; embracing false views, beings go to the downward path of woe.
Verse 11
317. Seeing fear where there is no fear, and seeing no fear in what is truly fearsome; embracing false views, beings go to the downward path of woe.
Verse 12
318. Imagining faults where there are none, and failing to see faults where faults actually exist; embracing false views, beings go to the downward path of woe.
Verse 13
319. But knowing fault as fault, and knowing the faultless as faultless; embracing Right View, beings journey to states of bliss.
Verse 14
Background
This chapter belongs to the Pali Dhammapada (Khuddaka Nikaya, Pali Canon), Niraya Vagga, verses 306–319. Delivered in Jetavana at Sāvatthi and Veluvana at Rājagaha, these verses addressed serious moral scandals orchestrated by sectarian rivals and corrupt ascetics. Verse 306 was spoken at Jetavana after the wandering nun Sundarī was murdered by sectarian rivals who then blamed the Buddha's monks, hoping to ruin the Saṅgha's good name; the truth came to light when the hired killers confessed. Verse 308 was addressed to hypocritical monks who enjoyed luscious offerings from lay people while neglecting the holy life. Verses 316–319 were spoken regarding ascetic wanderers who fasted naked or practiced extreme mortifications while holding upside-down views regarding purity.
About this Text
Composed by: Gautama Buddha · Founder of Buddhism · c. 5th–6th century BCE, Northern India/Nepal
Born Siddhartha Gautama in Lumbini, he attained enlightenment and spent the rest of his life teaching the Dhamma across northern India. His discourses (Suttas), preserved orally for generations before being written down in the Pali Canon, form the doctrinal foundation of Buddhism.
Did You Know?
Equal Destiny of Liars (Verse 306)
The speaker of untruth goes to hell, and also the one who, having done a deed, says 'I did not do it'. Both of these men of base deeds become equals in the world beyond.
Swallowing Red-Hot Iron (Verse 308)
Better would it be to swallow a fiery red-hot iron ball glowing like a tongue of flame, than that an undisciplined and immoral man should feast upon the alms-food of the country.
Fourfold Misfortune of Adultery (Verses 309–310)
Four misfortunes befall the reckless man who frequents another's wife: demerit, disturbed sleep, public reproach, and fourth, rebirth in a realm of woe.
The Misgrasped Blade of Kusa Grass (Verse 311)
Just as kusa grass wrongly grasped cuts the very hand that seized it, so the ascetic life wrongly handled drags the aspirant down to hell.
Inverted Perception (Verses 316–319)
Ashamed of what is not shameful, and shameless before what is truly shameful; seeing fear where there is no fear, and blind to true danger; seeing faults where there are none, and ignoring actual faults—beings who cling to wrong views journey to woeful states. But those who recognize fault as fault, and innocence as innocence, embracing Right View, journey to states of bliss.
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