Keep the truth within your heart,
Do not speak false words to hide your wrong.
An evil deed may bring brief pleasure,
But its painful fruit may follow long.
[Pre-Chorus]
Virtue is more than robes we wear,
Dhamma is more than words we say.
It must be practiced through our actions,
In every thought and word each day.
[Chorus]
Do not be heedless on the Dhamma path,
Do not fall into the snares of craving.
Do what is good with steady courage,
Let every evil deed be fading.
Guard yourself like a border fortress,
Watch within and watch without.
Let Right View guide your journey,
Let wisdom clear away all doubt.
[Verse 2]
Do not betray another's loving bond,
Do not bring suffering to another home.
A careless act may bind the heart
With consequences of its own.
[Chorus]
Do not be heedless on the Dhamma path,
Do not fall into the snares of craving.
Do what is good with steady courage,
Let every evil deed be fading.
Guard yourself like a border fortress,
Watch within and watch without.
Let Right View guide your journey,
Let wisdom clear away all doubt.
[Bridge]
Evil brings regret and sorrow,
Goodness leaves the heart at peace.
Every moment is an opening
For wisdom and for release.
[Final Chorus]
Do not be heedless on the Dhamma path,
Walk with truth and moral care.
Keep your mind awake and watchful,
Let compassion guide you everywhere.
See what harms and what is harmless,
Know the truth and understand.
With Right View as your compass,
Walk the Dhamma with a steady hand.
[Ending]
Truth becomes the light before you,
Virtue guards the heart within.
Wisdom shows the path before you,
And heedlessness will cease to win.
The Niraya Vagga: Truthfulness, Moral Conduct, and Right View
The Niraya Vagga, the twenty-second chapter of the Dhammapada, teaches about the consequences of one's actions, emphasizing truthfulness, moral discipline, responsibility, heedfulness, and right understanding.
The Buddha warns that a person who speaks falsely, or one who commits an evil action and then denies having done it, must face the consequences of such conduct.
The teaching emphasizes that truth and responsibility cannot be replaced by denial. Rejecting the truth about an action does not remove the consequences of that action.
Outward Religious Appearance Is Not Enough
The Niraya Vagga also describes people who wear religious robes while behaving improperly and without restraint.
The teaching makes an important distinction: religious clothing or status alone does not establish moral purity.
True spiritual conduct must be demonstrated through one's actions, discipline, and ethical behavior.
Respect for the Relationships of Others
The chapter warns against sexual misconduct involving another person's spouse. It describes consequences such as loss of merit, fear, blame, and harmful results.
From a social perspective, this teaching emphasizes faithfulness, responsibility, and respect for the relationships of others.
Actions that violate trust can create suffering for several people, not merely for the person who commits the act.
Practice Must Be Sincere
The Buddha compares careless spiritual practice to improperly grasping sharp grass: just as grass can cut the hand when held incorrectly, poorly practiced spiritual discipline can lead to harmful consequences.
The lesson is that a spiritual commitment should be accompanied by genuine effort and responsibility rather than merely outward appearance.
Doing Good Is Better Than Doing Evil
The Niraya Vagga teaches that if one undertakes an action, it should be done sincerely and with determination.
Evil actions are better left undone because they cause suffering afterward, whereas wholesome actions bring no regret afterward.
This principle encourages people to consider the long-term consequences of their choices, rather than acting only for immediate gratification.
Protect Yourself Like a Fortified Border City
The Buddha compares self-protection to a fortified border city that is guarded both inside and outside.
This image emphasizes mindfulness and heedfulness. A person must guard not only against external dangers but also against inner impulses such as craving, anger, delusion, and other defilements.
Opportunities for wholesome practice should not be wasted.
Wrong View and Right View
The final part of the Niraya Vagga emphasizes wrong view and right view.
Wrong view causes people to misunderstand what should be feared and what should not be feared, and to mistake harmful things for harmless things or harmless things for harmful ones.
Right view, by contrast, enables a person to recognize what is harmful as harmful and what is harmless as harmless.
Thus, right understanding is fundamental to right action. When a person sees reality incorrectly, decisions and behavior can also become misguided.
Central Message
The central message of the Niraya Vagga can be summarized as:
Do not lie. Do not do evil. Do not be heedless. Maintain moral discipline, practice goodness with determination, and recognize harmful and harmless actions according to reality.
The teaching encourages people to take responsibility for their actions and to use wisdom as a guide for living a morally responsible and mindful life.
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