Pairs
The opening chapter sets its verses in matched pairs: a corrupt intention and a pure one, a mind that keeps a grudge and one that lets it go, a poorly roofed house and a well roofed one. It says intention leads everything we do, so suffering or happiness follows our words and actions the way a wheel follows the ox or a shadow follows the body. It says hatred is never ended by hatred, only by love. The later verses contrast someone who recites a lot of scripture but does not practise with someone who recites little and lives by the teaching.
A note on these verses. Verses 15–18 speak of grieving or rejoicing “here and hereafter” and of going to a good or bad place after death; verses 7–8 name Māra, a figure for temptation.
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · public domain (CC0) · about 3 min · on SuttaCentral
1Intention is the leader of things;intention is first, they’re made by intention.If with corrupt intentyou speak or act,suffering follows you,like a wheel, the ox’s foot.Explained: Intention goes first
2Intention is the leader of things;intention is first, they’re made by intention.If with pure intentyou speak or act,happiness follows youlike a shadow that never leaves.
3“They abused me, they hit me!They beat me, they robbed me!”For those who bear such a grudge,hatred is never laid to rest.Explained: Hatred is not settled by hate
4“They abused me, they hit me!They beat me, they robbed me!”For those who bear no such grudge,hatred is laid to rest.
5For never is hatredlaid to rest by hate,it’s laid to rest by love:this is an ancient teaching.
6When others do not understand,let us, who do understand this,restrain ourselves in this regard;for that is how conflicts are laid to rest.
7Those who contemplate the beautiful,their faculties unrestrained,immoderate in eating,lazy, lacking energy:Māra strikes them downlike the wind, a feeble tree.
8Those who contemplate the ugly,their faculties well-restrained,eating in moderation,faithful and energetic:Māra cannot strike them down,like the wind, a rocky mountain.
9One who, not free of stains themselves,would wear the robe stained in ocher,bereft of self-control and truth:they are not worthy of the ocher robe.
10One who’s purged all their stains,steady in ethics,possessed of self-control and of truth,they are truly worthy of the ocher robe.
11Thinking the inessential is essential,seeing the essential as inessential;they don’t realize the essential,for wrong thoughts are their habitat.
12Having known the essential as essential,and the inessential as inessential;they realize the essential,for right thoughts are their habitat.
13Just as rain seeps intoa poorly roofed house,lust seeps intoan undeveloped mind.
14Just as rain doesn’t seep intoa well roofed house,lust doesn’t seep intoa well developed mind.
15Here they grieve, hereafter they grieve,an evildoer grieves in both places.They grieve and fret,seeing their own corrupt deeds.
16Here they rejoice, hereafter they rejoice,one who does good rejoices in both places.They rejoice and celebrate,seeing their own pure deeds.
17Here they’re tormented,hereafter they’re tormented,an evildoer is tormented in both places.They’re tormentedthinking of bad things they’ve done;when gone to a bad place,they’re tormented all the more.
18Here they delight, hereafter they delight,one who does good delights in both places.They delight thinking of good things they’ve done;when gone to a good place, they delight all the more.
19Much though they may recite scripture,if a negligent person does not apply them,then, like a cowherd who counts the cattle of others,they miss out on the blessings of the ascetic life.
20Little though they may recite scripture,if they live in line with the teaching,having given up greed, hate, and delusion,with deep understanding and heart well freed,not grasping to this life or the next,they share in the blessings of the ascetic life.