1. Pairs - yamakavagga 1-20

Question 1

1
Intention shapes experiences;
intention is first, they’re made by intention.
If with corrupt intent
you speak or act,
suffering follows you,
like a wheel, the ox’s foot.

Answer 1

1
Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā,
manoseṭṭhā manomayā;
Manasā ce paduṭṭhena,
bhāsati vā karoti vā;
Tato naṁ dukkhamanveti,
cakkaṁva vahato padaṁ.

Question 2

2
Intention shapes experiences;
intention is first, they’re made by intention.
If with pure intent
you speak or act,
happiness follows you
like a shadow that never leaves.

Answer 2

2
Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā,
manoseṭṭhā manomayā;
Manasā ce pasannena,
bhāsati vā karoti vā;
Tato naṁ sukhamanveti,
chāyāva anapāyinī.

Question 3

3
”They abused me, they hit me!
They beat me, they robbed me!”
For those who bear such a grudge,
hatred never ends.

Answer 3

3
Akkocchi maṁ avadhi maṁ,
ajini maṁ ahāsi me;
Ye ca taṁ upanayhanti,
veraṁ tesaṁ na sammati.

Question 4

4
“They abused me, they hit me!
They beat me, they robbed me!”
For those who bear no such grudge,
hatred has an end.

Answer 4

4
Akkocchi maṁ avadhi maṁ,
ajini maṁ ahāsi me;
Ye ca taṁ nupanayhanti,
veraṁ tesūpasammati.

Question 5

5
For never is hatred
settled by hate,
it’s only settled by love:
this is an eternal truth.

Answer 5

5
Na hi verena verāni,
sammantīdha kudācanaṁ;
Averena ca sammanti,
esa dhammo sanantano.

Question 6

6
Others don’t understand
that here we need to be restrained.
But those who do understand this,
being clever, settle their conflicts.

Answer 6

6
Pare ca na vijānanti,
mayamettha yamāmase;
Ye ca tattha vijānanti,
tato sammanti medhagā.

Question 7

7
Those who contemplate the beautiful,
their faculties unrestrained,
immoderate in eating,
lazy, lacking energy:
Māra strikes them down
like the wind, a feeble tree.

Answer 7

7
Subhānupassiṁ viharantaṁ,
indriyesu asaṁvutaṁ;
Bhojanamhi cāmattaññuṁ,
kusītaṁ hīnavīriyaṁ;
Taṁ ve pasahati māro,
vāto rukkhaṁva dubbalaṁ.

Question 8

8
Those 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.

Answer 8

8
Asubhānupassiṁ viharantaṁ,
Indriyesu susaṁvutaṁ;
Bhojanamhi ca mattaññuṁ,
Saddhaṁ āraddhavīriyaṁ;
Taṁ ve nappasahati māro,
Vāto selaṁva pabbataṁ.

Question 9

9
One who, not free of stains themselves,
would wear the robe stained in ocher,
bereft of self-control and of truth:
they are not worthy of the ocher robe.

Answer 9

9
Anikkasāvo kāsāvaṁ,
yo vatthaṁ paridahissati;
Apeto damasaccena,
na so kāsāvamarahati.

Question 10

10
One who’s purged all their stains,
steady in ethics,
possessed of self-control and of truth,
they are truly worthy of the ocher robe.

Answer 10

10
Yo ca vantakasāvassa,
sīlesu susamāhito;
Upeto damasaccena,
sa ve kāsāvamarahati.

Question 11

11
Thinking the inessential is essential,
seeing the essential as inessential;
they don’t realize the essential,
for wrong thoughts are their pasture.

Answer 11

11
Asāre sāramatino,
sāre cāsāradassino;
Te sāraṁ nādhigacchanti,
micchāsaṅkappagocarā.

Question 12

12
Having known the essential as essential,
and the inessential as inessential;
they realize the essential,
for right thoughts are their pasture.

Answer 12

12
Sārañca sārato ñatvā,
asārañca asārato;
Te sāraṁ adhigacchanti,
sammāsaṅkappagocarā.

Question 13

13
Just as rain seeps into
a poorly roofed house,
lust seeps into
an undeveloped mind.

Answer 13

13
Yathā agāraṁ ducchannaṁ,
vuṭṭhī samativijjhati;
Evaṁ abhāvitaṁ cittaṁ,
rāgo samativijjhati.

Question 14

14
Just as rain doesn’t seep into
a well roofed house,
lust doesn’t seep into
a well developed mind.

Answer 14

14
Yathā agāraṁ suchannaṁ,
vuṭṭhī na samativijjhati;
Evaṁ subhāvitaṁ cittaṁ,
rāgo na samativijjhati.

Question 15

15
Here they grieve, hereafter they grieve,
an evildoer grieves in both places.
They grieve and fret,
seeing their own corrupt deeds.

Answer 15

15
Idha socati pecca socati,
Pāpakārī ubhayattha socati;
So socati so vihaññati,
Disvā kammakiliṭṭhamattano.

Question 16

16
Here they rejoice, hereafter they rejoice,
one who does good rejoices in both places.
They rejoice and celebrate,
seeing their own pure deeds.

Answer 16

16
Idha modati pecca modati,
Katapuñño ubhayattha modati;
So modati so pamodati,
Disvā kammavisuddhimattano.

Question 17

17
Here they’re tormented,
hereafter they’re tormented,
an evildoer is tormented in both places.
They’re tormented
thinking of bad things they’ve done;
when gone to a bad place,
they’re tormented all the more.

Answer 17

17
Idha tappati pecca tappati,
Pāpakārī ubhayattha tappati;
“Pāpaṁ me katan”ti tappati,
Bhiyyo tappati duggatiṁ gato.

Question 18

18
Here 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.

Answer 18

12
Idha nandati pecca nandati,
Katapuñño ubhayattha nandati;
“Puññaṁ me katan”ti nandati,
Bhiyyo nandati suggatiṁ gato.

Question 19

19
Much 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.

Answer 19

19
Bahumpi ce saṁhita bhāsamāno,
Na takkaro hoti naro pamatto;
Gopova gāvo gaṇayaṁ paresaṁ,
Na bhāgavā sāmaññassa hoti.

Question 20

20
Little though they may recite scripture,
if they live in line with the teachings,
having given up greed, hate, and delusion,
with deep understanding and heart well-freed,
not grasping to this world or the next,
they share in the blessings of the ascetic life.

Answer 20

20
Appampi ce saṁhita bhāsamāno,
Dhammassa hoti anudhammacārī;
Rāgañca dosañca pahāya mohaṁ,
Sammappajāno suvimuttacitto;
Anupādiyāno idha vā huraṁ vā,
Sa bhāgavā sāmaññassa hoti.