1. The Ten Twin Verses

We are what we think,
having become what we thought.
Like the wheel that follows the cart-pulling ox,
Sorrow follows an evil thought.

And joy follows a pure thought,
like a shadow faithfully tailing a man.
We are what we think,
having become what we thought.

How will hate leave him if a man forever thinks,
"He abused me, he hit me, he defeated me, he robbed me" ?

Will hate ever touch him if he does not think,
"He abused me, he hit me, he defeated me, he robbed me" ?

There is only one eternal law:
Hate never destroys hate; only love does.

Some never see the point of disciplining themselves.
Others do; they are the wise ones; they do not argue.

How quickly does a small tree break before a big wind!
So Mara the temptress breaks all who are
lascivious, restless, gluttonous, and slothful.

Impossible for the wind to bend a mountain!
So is Mara helpless before all who are
moderate, disciplined, full of faith, and active.

What good is a yellow robe if your mind is not pure?
What will the robe do, if truth is lacking, discipline is denied?

Cast aside meanness, stand on virtue,
learn discipline and speak the truth.
Then will the robe fit you.


Foolish to think that truth is in untruth,
equally foolish that untruth is in truth­ –
such thinking leads nowhere.

Truth is always truth, untruth always untruth-
this is what matters, this is right desire.

Like rain seeping through an ill-thatched hut,
passion enters the careless mind.

Passion surrenders to the careful mind
like rain helpless before a well-thatched hut.

Only suffering for the evil man­ -
suffering now, suffering later,
suffering in this world and the next.
His deeds breed suffering, and he suffers.

Happiness for the good man­ -
happiness now, happiness later,
happiness in this world and the next.
His deeds breed happiness, and he rejoices.

For the evil man, suffering now and later,
suffering everywhere.
"I have done wrong," he says- and suffers, now.
More suffering for him in the next birth.

For the good man, happiness now and later,
happiness everywhere.
"I have done good," he says- and rejoices.
He rejoices more in the next birth.

Lazy cowherd counting others' cows,
having none of his own,
what good is parroting of holy texts
if a man will not get up and gather holiness?

Words do not matter; what matters is Dhamma.
What matters is action rightly performed,
after lust, hate, and folly are abandoned,
with true knowledge and serene mind,
and complete detachment from the fruit of action.