The Just
Each verse in this chapter separates a title from the thing itself. One does not become just by hasty judgement, but by weighing matters impartially. One is not a scholar for speaking a lot, nor learned for reciting a lot, nor a senior for grey hair, nor holy for a fine complexion, nor an ascetic for a shaved head, nor a mendicant for begging, nor a sage for looking sagelike, nor a noble one while harming living beings. In each case what counts is conduct: truthfulness, harmlessness, restraint and clear seeing. The final verses warn against resting content with precepts, learning or meditation before the work is finished.
A note on these verses. The last verses (271–272) are addressed to monastics and speak of “the end of defilements”, the completion of the path.
Translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · public domain (CC0) · about 2 min · on SuttaCentral
256You don’t become justby passing hasty judgment.An astute person evaluates bothwhat is pertinent and what is irrelevant.
257A wise one judges others without haste,justly and impartially;that guardian of the lawis said to be just.
258You’re not an astute scholarjust because you speak a lot.One who is secure, free of enmity and fear,is said to be astute.
259You’re not one who has memorized the teachingjust because you recite a lot.Someone who directly sees the teachingafter hearing only a littleis truly one who has memorized the teaching,for they can never forget it.
260You don’t become a seniorby getting some grey hairs;for one ripe only in age,is said to have aged in vain.
261One who is truthful and principled,harmless, restrained, and self-controlled,attentive, purged of stains,is said to be a senior.
262Not by mere enunciation,or a beautiful complexiondoes a person become holy,if they’re jealous, stingy, and devious.
263But if they’ve cut that out,dug it up at the root, eradicated it,that intelligent one, purged of vice,is said to be holy.
264A liar and breaker of vows is no asceticjust because they shave their head.How on earth can one be an asceticwho’s full of desire and greed?
265One who stops all wicked deeds,great and small,because of stopping wicked deedsis said to be an ascetic.
266You don’t become a mendicantjust by begging from others.One who has undertaken domestic dutieshas not yet become a mendicant.
267But one living a spiritual life,who has banished both merit and evil,who wanders having appraised the world,is said to be a mendicant.
268You don’t become a sage by being sagelike,while still confused and ignorant.The astute one who holds the scales,taking only the best,
269and shunning the bad—that is a sage,and that is how one becomes a sage.One who sagely weighs both in the world,is thereby said to be a sage.
270You don’t become a noble oneby harming living beings.One harmless toward all living beingsis said to be a noble one.
271Not by precepts and observances,nor by much learning,nor by meditative immersion,nor by living in seclusion,
272do I experience the bliss of renunciationnot frequented by ordinary people.A mendicant cannot rest confidentwithout attaining the end of defilements.