“He goes to hell,
the one who asserts
what didn’t take place,
as does the one
who, having done,
says, ‘I didn’t.’
Both–low-acting people–
there become equal:
after death, in the world beyond.”2
“He goes to hell,
the one who asserts
what didn’t take place,
as does the one
who, having done,
says, ‘I didn’t.’
Both–low-acting people–
there become equal:
after death, in the world beyond.”
They stab with their words
–people unrestrained–
as they do, with arrows,
a tusker gone into battle.4
Hearing abusive words spoken,
one should endure them:
a monk with unbothered mind.
Notes
1. Following the Sri Lankan and Burmese editions. In the Thai edition, this sentence reads, less effectively, “What can I do?”
2. This verse = Dhp 306.
3. Reading na imehi kataṁ, sapant’ime samaṇā sakya-puttiyā with the Sri Lankan and Burmese editions. The Thai reads, less grammatically, na imehi kataṁ, pāpant’ime samaṇā sakya-puttiyā.
4. Because sarehi can mean either “with arrows” or “with voices,” this verse can also be translated:
They goad with their words
–people unrestrained–
as they do, with shouts,
a tusker gone into battle.
The verse thus yields two equally valid interpretations:
a) The people stabbing the elephant with arrows (sarehi) are enemy soldiers, trying to bring it down.
b) The people goading the elephant with their shouts and voices (sarehi) are soldiers fighting on the same side as the elephant, urging it to charge into danger.
The Commentary gives only the first interpretation. But if we accept both interpretations, the verse contains a more useful double warning: When there’s a controversy, beware of the unrestrained people on both sides. Learn to endure the hurtful words of those on the other side who want to bring you down, and the hurtful words of those on your side who try to rouse your anger so that you will say something rash.
Origin URL: https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/Ud/ud4_8.html