Buddhist Literature for External Degree Program

Suffering Follows the Evil-Doer

මනො පුබ්බංගමා ධම්මා – මනො සෙට්ඨා මනොමයා

මනසා චෙ පදුට්ඨෙන – භාසතිවා කරොති වා

තතො නං දුක්ඛමන්වෙති – චක්කංව වහතො පදං

Manopubbangma dhamma – manosettha manomaya

Manasa ce padutthena – bhasati va karoti va

Tato nam dukkamanveti – chakkam va vahato padam

Mind precedes all knowables,
mind’s their chief, mind-made are they.
If with a corrupted mind
one should either speak or act
dukkha follows caused by that,
as does the wheel the ox’s hoof.

Explanation: All that we experience begins with thought. Our words and deeds spring from thought. If we speak or act with evil thoughts, unpleasant circumstances and experiences inevitably result. Wherever we go, we create bad circumstances because we carry bad thoughts. This is very much like the wheel of a cart following the hoofs of the ox yoked to the cart. The cart-wheel, along with the heavy load of the cart, keeps following the draught oxen. The animal is bound to this heavy load and cannot leave it.

Manopubbaṅgammā dhammā

Manoseṭṭhā manomayā

Manasā ce paduṭṭhena

Bhāsati vā karoti vā

Tato naṃ dukkham anveti

Cakkaṃ va vahato padaṃ

(DhP 1)

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Translation:

All mental phenomena are preceded by mind, 
Mind is their master, they are produced by mind. 
If somebody speaks or acts 
With a corrupted mind, 
Hence suffering follows him, 
Like the wheel the foot of the bearing animal.

Manopubbaṅgammā dhammā

Manoseṭṭhā manomayā

Manasā ce pasannena

Bhāsati vā karoti vā

Tato naṃ sukhaṃ anveti

Chāyā va anapāyinī

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Translation:

All things are preceded by mind, 
Mind is their master, they are produced by mind. 
If somebody speaks or acts 
With a purified mind, 
Hence happiness follows him, 
Like never departing shadow.

akkocchi maṃ avadhi maṃ

ajini maṃ ahāsi me

ye ca taṃ upanayhanti

veraṃ tesaṃ na sammati

(DhP 3)

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Translation:

He abused me, he beat me, 
He defeated me, he robbed me. 
Those, who harbour such thoughts, 
Their hatred is not appeased.

akkocchi maṃ avadhi maṃ

ajini maṃ ahāsi me

ye ca taṃ nupanayhanti

veraṃ tesūpasammati

(DhP 4)

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Translation:

He abused me, he beat me, 
He defeated me, he robbed me. 
Those, who do not harbour such thoughts, 
Their hatred is appeased.

na hi verena verāni sammantīdha kudācanaṃ

averena ca sammanti esa dhammo sanantano

(DhP 5)

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Translation:

Hatred is indeed never appeased by hatred here. 
It is appeased by non-hatred - this law is eternal.