(9.1–13)
116. Make haste in what is right;
Defend the mind from evil.
If you are slow in doing good,
Your mind will take delight in evil.
117. If a person does evil,
He should not do it repeatedly;
He should not set his will upon it:
It’s painful to accumulate evil.
118. If a person does good,
He should do it repeatedly;
He should set his will upon it:
It’s pleasant to accumulate good.
119. An evil person sees good
So long as the evil does not ripen;
But once the evil action ripens
The evil person sees evil.
120. A good person sees evil
So long as the good does not ripen;
But once the good action ripens
The good person sees good.
121. You should not think lightly of evil
(‘It will not come to me’).
By the falling of drops of water
A water-pot is filled;
The fool is filled with evil
Though he practise it little by little.
122. You should not think lightly of good
(‘It will not come to me’).
By the falling of drops of water
A water-pot is filled;
The wise one is filled with good
Though he practise it little by little.
123. As a merchant with a small caravan but great wealth
Would avoid a dangerous road,
As one wishing to live would avoid poison,
You should avoid evil actions.
124. If there is no wound in your hand
You can carry poison in your hand.
Poison does not attack one who is unwounded.
There is no evil for one who does not do evil.
125. The one who does harm to a harmless person
Who is pure and faultless,
Evil comes back to that one, the fool!
Like fine dust thrown into the wind.
126. Some find a womb;
Evil-doers go to hell;
Those who go well go to heaven;
Those free from defilements attain parinibbāna.
127. Not in the sky, nor in the middle of the ocean;
Not inside a mountain cave –
There is no place on earth where you can stand
And escape from evil action.
128. Not in the sky, nor in the middle of the ocean;
Not inside a mountain cave –
There is no place on earth where you can stand
Where death will not overcome you.