Thirukkural Library

As the letter A is the first of all letters, so the eternal God is first in the world

What Profit have those derived from learning, who worship not the good feet of Him who is possessed of pure knowledge ?

They who are united to the glorious feet of Him who passes swiftly over the flower of the mind, shall flourish long above all worlds

To those who meditate the feet of Him who is void of desire or aversion, evil shall never come

The two-fold deeds that spring from darkness shall not adhere to those who delight in the true praise of God

Those shall long proposer who abide in the faultless way of Him who has destroyed the five desires of the senses

Anxiety of mind cannot be removed, except from those who are united to the feet of Him who is incomparable

None can swim the sea of vice, but those who are united to the feet of that gracious Being who is a sea of virtue

The head that worships not the feet of Him who is possessed of eight attributes, is as useless as a sense without the power of sensation

None can swim the great sea of births but those who are united to the feet of God

By the continuance of rain the world is preserved in existence; it is therefore worthy to be called ambrosia

Rain produces good food, and is itself food

If the cloud, withholding rain, deceive (our hopes) hunger will long distress the sea-girt spacious world

If the abundance of wealth imparting rain diminish, the labour of the plough must cease

Rain by its absence ruins men; and by its existence restores them to fortune

If no drop falls from the clouds, not even the green blade of grass will be seen

Even the wealth of the wide sea will be diminished, if the cloud that has drawn (its waters) up gives them not back again (in rain)

If the heaven dry up, neither yearly festivals, nor daily worship will be offered in this world, to the celestials

If rain fall not, penance and alms-deeds will not dwell within this spacious world

If it be said that the duties of life cannot be discharged by any person without water, so without rain there cannot be the flowing of water

The end and aim of all treatise is to extol beyond all other excellence, the greatness of those who, while abiding in the rule of conduct peculiar to their state, have abandoned all desire

To describe the measure of the greatness of those who have forsaken the two-fold desires, is like counting the dead

The greatness of those who have discovered the properties of both states of being, and renounced the world, shines forth on earth (beyond all others)

He who guides his five senses by the hook of wisdom will be a seed in the world of heaven

Indra, the king of the inhabitants of the spacious heaven, is himself, a sufficient proof of the strength of him who has subdued his five senses

The great will do those things which is difficult to be done; but the mean cannot do them

The world is within the knowledge of him who knows the properties of taste, sight, touch, hearing and smell

The hidden words of the men whose words are full of effect, will shew their greatness to the world

The anger of those who have ascended the mountain of goodness, though it continue but for a moment, cannot be resisted

The virtuous are truly called Anthanar; because in their conduct towards all creatures they are clothed in kindness

Virtue will confer heaven and wealth; what greater source of happiness can man possess ?

There can be no greater source of good than (the practice of) virtue; there can be no greater source of evil than the forgetfulness of it

As much as possible, in every way, incessantly practise virtue

Let him who does virtuous deeds be of spotless mind; to that extent is virtue; all else is vain show

That conduct is virtue which is free from these four things, viz, malice, desire, anger and bitter speech

Defer not virtue to another day; receive her now; and at the dying hour she will be your undying friend

The fruit of virtue need not be described in books; it may be inferred from seeing the bearer of a palanquin and the rider therein

If one allows no day to pass without some good being done, his conduct will be a stone to block up the passage to other births

Only that pleasure which flows from domestic virtue is pleasure; all else is not pleasure, and it is without praise

That is virtue which each ought to do, and that is vice which each should shun

He will be called a (true) householder, who is a firm support to the virtuous of the three orders in

He will be said to flourish in domestic virtue who aids the forsaken, the poor, and the dead

The chief (duty of the householder) is to preserve the five-fold rule (of conduct) towards the manes, the Gods, his guests, his relations and himself

His descendants shall never fail who, living in the domestic state, fears vice (in the acquisition of property) and shares his food (with others)

If the married life possess love and virtue, these will be both its duty and reward

What will he who lives virtuously in the domestic state gain by going into the other, (ascetic) state ?

Among all those who labour (for future happiness) he is greatest who lives well in the household state

The householder who, not swerving from virtue, helps the ascetic in his way, endures more than those who endure penance

The marriage state is truly called virtue The other state is also good, if others do not reproach it

He who on earth has lived in the conjugal state as he should live, will be placed among the Gods who dwell in heaven

She who has the excellence of home virtues, and can expend within the means of her husband, is a help in the domestic state

If the wife be devoid of domestic excellence, whatever (other) greatness be possessed, the conjugal state, is nothing

If his wife be eminent (in virtue), what does (that man) not possess ? If she be without excellence, what does (he) possess ?

What is more excellent than a wife, if she possess the stability of chastity ?

If she, who does not worship God, but who rising worships her husband, say, "let it rain," it will rain

She is a wife who unweariedly guards herself, takes care of her husband, and preserves an unsullied fame

What avails the guard of a prison ? The chief guard of a woman is her chastity

If women shew reverence to their husbands, they will obtain great excellence in the world where the gods flourish

The man whose wife seeks not the praise (of chastity) cannot walk with lion-like stately step, before those who revile them

The excellence of a wife is the good of her husband; and good children are the jewels of that goodness

Among all the benefits that may be acquired, we know no greater benefit than the acquisition of intelligent children

The evils of the seven births shall not touch those who abtain children of a good disposition, free from vice

Men will call their sons their wealth, because it flows to them through the deeds which they (sons) perform on their behalf

The rice in which the little hand of their children has dabbled will be far sweeter (to the parent) than ambrosia

The touch of children gives pleasure to the body, and the hearing of their words, pleasure to the ear

"The pipe is sweet, the lute is sweet," say those who have not heard the prattle of their own children

The benefit which a father should confer on his son is to give him precedence in the assembly of the learned

That their children should possess knowledge is more pleasing to all men of this great earth than to themselves

The mother who hears her son called "a wise man" will rejoice more than she did at his birth

(So to act) that it may be said "by what great penance did his father beget him," is the benefit which a son should render to his father

Is there any fastening that can shut in love ? Tears of the affectionate will publish the love that is within

Those who are destitute of love appropriate all they have to themselves; but those who possess love consider even their bones to belong to others

They say that the union of soul and body in man is the fruit of the union of love and virtue (in a former birth)

Love begets desire: and that (desire) begets the immeasureable excellence of friendship

These are the fruits of tranquil life of love

The ignorant say that love is an ally to virtue only, but it is also a help to get out of vice

Virtue will burn up the soul which is without love, even as the sun burns up the creature which is without bone, ie worms

The domestic state of that man whose mind is without love is like the flourishing of a withered tree upon the parched desert

Of what avail are all the external members (of the body) to those who are destitute of love, the internal member

That body alone which is inspired with love contains a living soul: if void of it, (the body) is bone overlaid with skin

The whole design of living in the domestic state and laying up (property) is (to be able) to exercise the benevolence of hospitality

It is not fit that one should wish his guests to be outside (his house) even though he were eating the food of immortality

The domestic life of the man that daily entertains the guests who come to him shall not be laid waste by poverty

Lakshmi with joyous mind shall dwell in the house of that man who, with cheerful countenance, entertains the good as guests

Is it necessary to sow the field of the man who, having feasted his guests, eats what may remain ?

He who, having entertained the guests that have come, looks out for others who may yet come, will be a welcome guest to the inhabitants of heaven

The advantages of benevolence cannot be measured; the measure (of the virtue) of the guests (entertained) is the only measure

Those who have taken no part in the benevolence of hospitality shall (at length lament) saying, "we have laboured and laid up wealth and are now without support."

That stupidity which excercises no hospitality is poverty in the midst of wealth It is the property of the stupid

As the Anicham flower fades in smelling, so fades the guest when the face is turned away

Sweet words are those which imbued with love and free from deceit flow from the mouth of the virtuous

Sweet speech, with a cheerful countenance is better than a gift made with a joyous mind

Sweet speech, flowing from the heart (uttered) with a cheerful countenance and a sweet look, is true virtue

Sorrow-increasing poverty shall not come upon those who use towards all, pleasure-increasing sweetness of speech

Humility and sweetness of speech are the ornaments of man; all others are not (ornaments)

If a man, while seeking to speak usefully, speaks also sweetly, his sins will diminish and his virtue increase

That speech which, while imparting benefits ceases not to please, will yield righteousness (for this world) and merit (for the next world)

Sweet speech, free from harm to others, will give pleasure both in this world and in the next

Why does he use harsh words, who sees the pleasure which sweet speech yields ?

To say disagreeable things when agreeable are at hand is like eating unripe fruit when there is ripe

(The gift of) heaven and earth is not an equivalent for a benefit which is conferred where none had been received

A favour conferred in the time of need, though it be small (in itself), is (in value) much larger than the world

If we weigh the excellence of a benefit which is conferred without weighing the return, it is larger than the sea

Though the benefit conferred be as small as a millet seed, those who know its advantage will consider it as large as a palmyra fruit

The benefit itself is not the measure of the benefit; the worth of those who have received it is its measure

Forsake not the friendship of those who have been your staff in adversity Forget not be benevolence of the blameless

(The wise) will remember throughout their seven-fold births the love of those who have wiped away their affliction

It is not good to forget a benefit; it is good to forget an injury even in the very moment (in which it is inflicted)

Though one inflict an injury great as murder, it will perish before the thought of one benefit (formerly) conferred

He who has killed every virtue may yet escape; there is no escape for him who has killed a benefit

That equity which consists in acting with equal regard to each of (the three) divisions of men [enemies, strangers and friends] is a pre-eminent virtue

The wealth of the man of rectitude will not perish, but will bring happiness also to his posterity

Forsake in the very moment (of acquisition) that gain which, though it should bring advantage, is without equity

The worthy and unworthy may be known by the existence or otherwise of good offsprings

Loss and gain come not without cause; it is the ornament of the wise to preserve evenness of mind (under both)

Let him whose mind departing from equity commits sin well consider thus within himself, "I shall perish."

The great will not regard as poverty the low estate of that man who dwells in the virtue of equity

To incline to neither side, but to rest impartial as the even-fixed scale is the ornament of the wise

Freedom from obliquity of speech is rectitude, if there be (corresponding) freedom from bias of mind

The true merchandize of merchants is to guard and do by the things of others as they do by their own

Self-control will place (a man) among the Gods; the want of it will drive (him) into the thickest darkness (of hell)

Let self-control be guarded as a treasure; there is no greater source of good for man than that

Knowing that self-control is knowledge, if a man should control himself, in the prescribed course, such self-control will bring him distinction among the wise

More lofty than a mountain will be the greatness of that man who without swerving from his domestic state, controls himself

Humility is good in all; but especially in the rich it is (the excellence of) higher riches

Should one throughout a single birth, like a tortoise keep in his five senses, the fruit of it will prove a safe-guard to him throughout the seven-fold births.

Whatever besides you leave unguarded, guard your tongue; otherwise errors of speech and the consequent misery will ensue

If a man's speech be productive of a single evil, all the good by him will be turned into evil

The wound which has been burnt in by fire may heal, but a wound burnt in by the tongue will never heal

Virtue, seeking for an opportunity, will come into the path of that man who, possessed of learning and self-control, guards himself against anger

Propriety of conduct leads to eminence, it should therefore be preserved more carefully than life

Let propriety of conduct be laboriously preserved and guarded; though one know and practise and excel in many virtues, that will be an eminent aid

Propriety of conduct is true greatness of birth, and impropriety will sink into a mean birth

A Brahman though he should forget the Vedas may recover it by reading; but, if he fail in propriety of conduct even his high birth will be destroyed

Just as the envious man will be without wealth, so will the man of destitute of propriety of conduct be without greatness

Those firm in mind will not slacken in their observance of the proprieties of life, knowing, as they do, the misery that flows from the transgression from them

From propriety of conduct men obtain greatness; from impropriety comes insufferable disgrace

Propriety of conduct is the seed of virtue; impropriety will ever cause sorrow

Those who study propriety of conduct will not speak evil, even forgetfully

Those who know not how to act agreeably to the world, though they have learnt many things, are still ignorant

The folly of desiring her who is the property of another will not be found in those who know (the attributes of) virtue and (the rights of) property

Among all those who stand on the outside of virtue, there are no greater fools than those who stand outside their neighbour's door

Certainly they are no better than dead men who desire evil towards the wife of those who

However great one may be, what does it avail if, without at all considering his guilt, he goes unto the wife of another ?

He who thinks lightly of going into the wife of another acquires guilt that will abide with him imperishably and for ever

Hatred, sin, fear, disgrace; these four will never leave him who goes in to his neighbour's wife

He who desires not the womanhood of her who should walk according to the will of another will be praised as a virtuous house-holder

That noble manliness which looks not at the wife of another is the virtue and dignity of the great

Is it asked, "who are those who shall obtain good in this world surrounded by the terror-producing sea ?" Those who touch not the shoulder of her who belongs to another

Though a man perform no virtuous deeds and commit (every) vice, it will be well if he desire not the womanhood of her who is within the limit (of the house) of another

To bear with those who revile us, just as the earth bears up those who dig it, is the first of virtues

Bear with reproach even when you can retaliate; but to forget it will be still better than that

To neglect hospitality is poverty of poverty To bear with the ignorant is might of might

If you desire that greatness should never leave, you preserve in your conduct the exercise of patience

(The wise) will not at all esteem the resentful They will esteem the patient just as the gold which they lay up with care

The pleasure of the resentful continues for a day The praise of the patient will continue until (the final destruction of) the world

Though others inflict injuries on you, yet compassionating the evil (that will come upon them) it will be well not to do them anything contrary to virtue

Let a man by patience overcome those who through pride commit excesses

Those who bear with the uncourteous speech of the insolent are as pure as the ascetics

Those who endure abstinence from food are great, next to those who endure the uncourteous speech of others

Let a man esteem that disposition which is free from envy in the same manner as propriety of conduct

Amongst all attainable excellences there is none equal to that of being free from envy towords others

Of him who instead of rejoicing in the wealth of others, envies it, it will be said "he neither desires virtue not wealth."

(The wise) knowing the misery that comes from transgression will not through envy commit unrighteous deeds

To those who cherish envy that is enough Though free from enemies that (envy) will bring destruction

He who is envious at a gift (made to another) will with his relations utterly perish destitute of food and rainment

Lakshmi envying (the prosperity) of the envious man will depart and introduce him to her sister

Envy will destroy (a man's) wealth (in his world) and drive him into the pit of fire (in the world to come.)

The wealth of a man of envious mind and the poverty of the righteous will be pondered

Never have the envious become great; never have those who are free from envy been without greatness

If a man departing from equity covet the property (of others), at that very time will his family be destroyed and guilt be incurred

Those who blush at the want of equity will not commit disgraceful acts through desire of the profit that may be gained

Those who desire the higher pleasures (of heaven) will not act unjustly through desire of the trifling joy. (in this life.)

The wise who have conquered their senses and are free from crime, will not covet (the things of others), with the thought "we are destitute."

What is the advantage of extensive and accurate knowledge if a man through covetousness act senselessly towards all ?

If he, who through desire of the virtue of kindness abides in the domestic state ie, the path in which it may be obtained, covet (the property of others) and think of evil methods (to obtain it), he will perish

Desire not the gain of covetousness In the enjoyment of its fruits there is no glory

If it is weighed, "what is the indestructibility of wealth," it is freedom from covetousness

Lakshmi, knowing the manner (in which she may approach) will immediately come to those wise men who, knowing that it is virtue, covet not the property of others

To covet (the wealth of another) regardless of consequences will bring destruction That greatness (of mind) which covets not will give victory

Though one do not even speak of virtue and live in sin, it will be well if it be said of him "he does not backbite."

To smile deceitfully (in another's presence) after having reviled him to his destruction (behind his back) is a greater evil than the commission of (every other) sin and the destruction of (every) virtue

Death rather than life will confer upon the deceitful backbiter the profit which (the treatises on) virtue point out

Though you speak without kindness before another's face speak not in his absence words which regard not the evil subsequently resulting from it

The emptiness of that man's mind who (merely) praises virtue will be seen from the meanness of reviling another behind his back

The character of the faults of that man who publishes abroad the faults of others will be sought out and published

Those who know not to live in friendship with amusing conversation will by back-biting estrange even their relatives

What will those not do to strangers whose nature leads them to publish abroad the faults of their intimate friends ?

The world through charity supports the weight of those who reproach others observing their absence

If they observed their own faults as they observe the faults of others, would any evil happen to men ?

He who to the disgust of many speaks useless things will be despised by all

To speak useless things in the presence of many is a greater evil than to do unkind things towards friends

That conversation in which a man utters forth useless things will say of him "he is without virtue."

The words devoid of profit or pleasure which a man speaks will, being inconsistent with virtue,

If the good speak vain words their eminence and excellence will leave them

Call not him a man who parades forth his empty words Call him the chaff of men

Let the wise if they will, speak things without excellence; it will be well for them not to speak useless things

The wise who seek after rare pleasures will not speak words that have not much weight in them

Those wise men who are without faults and are freed from ignorance will not even forgetfully speak things that profit not

Speak what is useful, and speak not useless words

Those who have experience of evil deeds will not fear, but the excellent will fear the pride of sin

Because evil produces evil, therefore should evil be feared more than fire

So shalt thou wisdom's highest law, 'tis said, fulfil

Even though forgetfulness meditate not the ruin of another Virtue will meditate the ruin of him who thus meditates

Commit not evil, saying, "I am poor": if you do, you will become poorer still

Let him not do evil to others who desires not that sorrows should pursue him

However great be the enmity men have incurred they may still live The enmity of sin will incessantly pursue and kill

Destruction will dwell at the heels of those who commit evil even as their shadow that leaves them not

If a man love himself, let him not commit any sin however small

Know ye that he is freed from destruction who commits no evil, going to neither side of the right path

Benevolence seeks not a return. What does the world give back to the clouds ?

All the wealth acquired with perseverance by the worthy is for the exercise of benevolence

It is difficult to obtain another good equal to benevolence either in this world or in that of the gods

He truly lives who knows (and discharges) the proper duties (of benevolence) He who knows them not will be reckoned among the dead

The wealth of that man of eminent knowledge who desires to exercise the benevolence approved of by the world, is like the full waters of a city-tank

The wealth of a man (possessed of the virtue) of benevolence is like the ripening of a fruitful tree in the midst of a town

If wealth be in the possession of a man who has the great excellence (of benevolence), it is like a tree which as a medicine is an infallible cure for disease

The wise who know what is duty will not scant their benevolence even when they are without wealth

The poverty of a benevolent man, is nothing but his inability to exercise the same

If it be said that loss will result from benevolence, such loss is worth being procured even by the sale of one's self

To give to the destitute is true charity All other gifts have the nature of (what is done for) a measured return

To beg is evil, even though it were said that it is a good path (to heaven) To give is good, even though it were said that those who do so cannot obtain heaven

(Even in a low state) not to adopt the mean expedient of saying "I have nothing," but to give, is the characteristic of the mad of noble birth

To see men begging from us in disagreeable, until we see their pleasant countenance

The power of those who perform penance is the power of enduring hunger It is inferior to the power of those who remove the hunger (of others)

The removal of the killing hunger of the poor is the place for one to lay up his wealth

The fiery disease of hunger shall never touch him who habitually distributes his food to others

Do the hard-eyed who lay up and lose their possessions not know the happiness which springs from the pleasure of giving ?

Solitary and unshared eating for the sake of filling up one's own riches is certainly much more

Nothing is more unpleasant than death: yet even that is pleasant where charity cannot be exercised

Give to the poor and live with praise There is no greater profit to man than that

Whatsoever is spoken in the world will abide as praise upon that man who gives alms to the poor

There is nothing that stands forth in the world imperishable, except fame, exalted in solitary greatness

If one has acquired extensive fame within the limits of this earth, the world of the Gods will no longer praise those sages who have attained that world

Prosperity to the body of fame, resulting in poverty to the body of flesh and the stability to the former arising from the death of the latter, are achievable only by the wise

If you are born (in this world), be born with qualities conductive to fame From those who are destitute of them it will be better not to be born

Why do those who cannot live with praise, grieve those who despise them, instead of grieving themselves for their own inability

Not to beget fame will be esteemed a disgrace by the wise in this world

The ground which supports a body without fame will diminish in its rich produce

Those live who live without disgrace Those who live without fame live not

The wealth of kindness is wealth of wealth, in as much as the wealth of property is possessed by the basest of men

(Stand) in the good path, consider, and be kind. Even considering according to the conflicting tenets of the different sects, kindness will be your best aid, (in the acquisition of heavenly bliss.)

They will never enter the world of darkness and wretchedness whose minds are the abode of kindness

(The wise) say that the evils, which his soul would dread, will never come upon the man who exercises kindness and protects the life (of other creatures)

This great rich earth over which the wind blows, is a witness that sorrow never comes upon the kindhearted

(The wise) say that those who neglect kindness and practise cruelties, neglected virtue (in their former birth), and forgot (the sorrows which they must suffer.)

As this world is not for those who are without wealth, so that world is not for those who are without kindness

Those who are without wealth may, at some future time, become prosperous; those who are destitute of kindness are utterly destitute; for them there is no change

If you consider, the virtue of him who is without kindness is like the perception of the true being by him who is without wisdom

When a man is about to rush upon those who are weaker than himself, let him remember how he has stood (trembling) before those who are stronger than himself

How can he be possessed of kindness, who to increase his own flesh, eats the flesh of other creatures

As those possess no property who do not take care of it, so those possess no kindness who feed on flesh

Like the (murderous) mind of him who carries a weapon (in his hand), the mind of him who feasts with pleasure on the body of another (creature), has no regard for goodness

If it be asked what is kindness and what its opposite, the answer would be preservation and destruction of life; and therefore it is not right to feed on the flesh (obtained by taking away life)

Not to eat flesh contributes to the continuance of life; therefore if a man eat flesh, hell will not open its mouth (to let him escape out, after he has once fallen in)

If the world does not destroy life for the purpose of eating, then no one would sell flesh for the sake of money

If men should come to know that flesh is nothing but the unclean ulcer of a body, let them abstain from eating it

The wise, who have freed themselves from mental delusion, will not eat the flesh which has been severed from an animal

Not to kill and eat (the flesh of) an animal, is better than the pouring forth of ghee etc, in a thousand sacrifices

All creatures will join their hands together, and worship him who has never taken away life, nor eaten flesh

The nature of religious discipline consists, in the endurance (by the ascetic) of the sufferings which it brings on himself, and in abstaining from giving pain to others

Austerities can only be borne, and their benefits enjoyed, by those who have practised them (in a former birth); it will be useless for those who have not done so, to attempt to practise them (now)

It is to provide food etc, for the ascetics who have abandoned (the desire of earthly possessions) that other persons have forgotten (to practise) austerity ?

If (the ascetic) desire the destruction of his enemies, or the aggrandizement of his friends, it will be effected by (the power of) his austerities

Religious dislipline is practised in this world, because it secures the attainment of whatever one may wish to enjoy (in the world to come)

Those discharge their duty who perform austerities; all others accomplish their own destruction, through the entanglement of the desire (of riches and sensual pleasure)

Just as gold is purified as heated in the fire, will those shine, who have endured the burning of pain (in frequent austerities)

All other creatures will worship him who has attained the control of his own soul

Those who have attained the power which religious discipline confers, will be able also to pass the limit of Yama, (the God of death)

Because there are few who practise austerity and many who do not, there are many destitute and few rich in this world

The five elements (of his body) will laugh within him at the feigned conduct of the deceitful minded man

What avails an appearance (of sanctity) high as heaven, if his mind suffers (the indulgence) of conscious sin

The assumed appearance of power, by a man who has no power (to restrain his senses and perform austerity), is like a cow feeding on grass covered with a tiger's skin

He who hides himself under the mask of an ascetic and commits sins, like a sportsman who conceals himself in the thicket to catch birds

The false conduct of those who say they have renounced all desire will one day bring them sorrows that will make them cry out, "Oh! what have we done, what have we done."

Amongst living men there are none so hard-hearted as those who without to saking (desire) in their heart, falsely take the appearance of those who have forsaken (it)

(The world) contains persons whose outside appears (as fair) as the (red) berry of the Abrus, but whose inside is as black as the nose of that berry

There are many men of masked conduct, who perform their ablutions, and (make a show) of

As, in its use, the arrow is crooked, and the curved lute is straight, so by their deeds, (and not by their appearance) let (the uprightness or crookedness of) men be estimated

There is no need of a shaven crown, nor of tangled hair, if a man abstain from those deeds which the wise have condemned

Let him, who desires not to be despised, keep his mind from (the desire of) defrauding another of the smallest thing

Even the thought (of sin) is sin; think not then of crafiily stealing the property of another

The property, which is acquired by fraud, will entirely perish, even while it seems to increase

The eager desire of defrauding others will, when it brings forth its fruit, produce undying sorrow

The study of kindness and the exercise of benevolence is not with those who watch for another's forgetfulness, though desire of his property

They cannot walk steadfastly, according to rule, who eagerly desire to defraud others

That black-knowledge which is called fraud, is not in those who desire that greatness which is called rectitude

Deceit dwells in the mind of those who are conversant with fraud, even as virtue in the minds of those who are conversant with rectitude

Those, who are acquainted with nothing but fraud, will perish in the very commission of transgression

Even their body will fail the fraudulent; but even the world of the gods will not fail those who are free from fraud

Truth is the speaking of such words as are free from the least degree of evil (to others)

Even falsehood has the nature of truth, if it confer a benefit that is free from fault

Let not a man knowingly tell a lie; for after he has told the lie, his mind will burn him (with the memory of his guilt)

He who, in his conduct, preserves a mind free from deceit, will dwell in the minds of all men

He, who speaks truth with all his heart, is superior to those who make gifts and practise austerities

There is no praise like the praise of never uttering a falsehood: without causing any suffering, it will lead to every virtue

If a man has the power to abstain from falsehood, it will be well with him, even though he practise no other virtue

Purity of body is produced by water and purity of mind by truthfulness

All lamps of nature are not lamps; the lamp of truth is the lamp of the wise

Amidst all that we have seen (described) as real (excellence), there is nothing so good as truthfulness

He restrains his anger who restrains it when it can injure; when it cannot injure, what does it matter whether he restrain it, or not ?

Anger is bad, even when it cannot injure; when it can injure; there is no greater evil

Forget anger towards every one, as fountains of evil spring from it

What other foe to man works such annoy?

If a man would guard himself, let him guard against anger; if he do not guard it, anger will kill him

The fire of anger will burn up even the pleasant raft of friendship

Destruction will come upon him who ragards anger as a good thing, as surely as the hand of him who strikes the ground will not fail

Though one commit things against you as painful (to bear) as if a bundle of fire had been thrust upon you, it will be well, to refrain, if possible, from anger

If a man never indulges anger in his heart, he will at once obtain whatever he has thought of

Those, who give way to excessive anger, are no better than dead men; but those, who are freed from it, are equal to those who are freed (from death)

It is the determination of the spotless not to cause sorrow to others, although they could (by so causing) obtain the wealth which confers greatness

It is the determination of the spotless not to do evil, even in return, to those who have cherished enmity and done them evil

In an ascetic inflict suffering even on those who hate him, when he has not done them any evil, it will afterwards give him irretrievable sorrow

The (proper) punishment to those who have done evil (to you), is to put them to shame by showing them kindness, in return and to forget both the evil and the good done on both sides

What benefit has he derived from his knowledge, who does not endeavour to keep off pain from another as much as from himself ?

Let not a man consent to do those things to another which, he knows, will cause sorrow

It is the chief of all virtues not knowingly to do any person evil, even in the lowest degree, and at any time

Why does a man inflict upon other creatures those sufferings, which he has found by experience are sufferings to himself ?

If a man inflict sorrow upon others in the morning, it will come upon him unsought in the very evening

Sorrow will come upon those who cause pain to others; therfore those, who desire to be free from sorrow, give no pain to others

Never to destroy life is the sum of all virtuous conduct The destruction of life leads to every evil

The chief of all (the virtues) which authors have summed up, is the partaking of food that has been shared with others, and the preservation of the mainfold life of other creatures

Not to destroy life is an incomparably (great) good next to it in goodness ranks freedom from falsehood

Good path is that which considers how it may avoid killing any creature

Of all those who, fearing the permanence of earthly births, have abandoned desire, he is the chief who, fearing (the guilt of) murder, considers how he may avoid the destruction of life

Yama, the destroyer of life, will not attack the life of him, who acts under the determination of never destroying life

Let no one do that which would destroy the life of another, although he should by so doing, lose his own life

The advantage which might flow from destroying life in sacrifice, is dishonourable to the wise (who renounced the world), even although it should be said to be productive of great good

To minds of them who what is vileness know

(The wise) will say that men of diseased bodies, who live in degradation and in poverty, are those who separated the life from the body of animals (in a former birth)

That ignorance which considers those things to be stable which are not so, is dishonourable (to the wise)

The acquisition of wealth is like the gathering together of an assembly for a theatre; its expenditure is like the breaking up of that assembly

Wealth is perishable; let those who obtain it immediately practise those (virtues) which are imperishable

Time, which shows itself (to the ignorant) as if it were something (real) is in the estimation of the wise (only) a saw which cuts down life

Let virtuous deeds be done quickly, before the hiccup comes making the tongue silent

This world possesses the greatness that one who yesterday was is not today

Innumerable are the thoughts which occupy the mind of (the unwise), who know not that they shall live another moment

The love of the soul to the body is like (the love of) a bird to its egg which it flies away from and leaves empty

Death is like sleep; birth is like awaking from it

It seems as if the soul, which takes a temporary shelter in a body, had not attained a home

Whatever thing, a man has renounced, by that thing; he cannot suffer pain

After a man has renounced (all things), there will still be many things in this world (which he may enjoy); if he should desire them, let him, while it is time abandon (the world)

Let the five senses be destroyed; and at the same time, let everything be abandoned that (the ascetic) has (formerly) desired

To be altogether destitute is the proper condition of those who perform austerities; if they possess anything, it will change (their resolution) and bring them back to their confused state

What means the addition of other things those who are attempting to cut off (future) births, when even their body is too much (for them)

Shall enter realms above the powers divine

Sorrows will never let go their hold of those who give not up their hold of desire

Those who have entirely renounced (all things and all desire) have obtained (absorption into God); all others wander in confusion, entangled in the net of (many) births

At the moment in which desire has been abandoned, (other) births will be cut off; when that has not been done, instability will be seen

Desire the desire of Him who is without desire; in order to renounce desire, desire that desire

Inglorious births are produced by the confusion (of mind) which considers those things to be real which are not real

A clear, undimmed vision of things will deliver its possessors from the darkness of future births, and confer the felicity (of heaven)

Heaven is nearer than earth to those men of purified minds who are freed from from doubt

Even those who have all the knowledge which can be attained by the five senses, will derive no benefit from it, if they are without a knowledge of the true nature of things

(True) knowledge is the perception concerning every thing of whatever kind, that that thing is the true thing

They, who in this birth have learned to know the True Being, enter the road which returns not into this world

Let it not be thought that there is another birth for him whose mind having thoroughly considered (all it has been taught) has known the True Being

True knowledge consists in the removal of ignorance; which is (the cause of) births, and the perception of the True Being who is (the bestower of) heaven

He who so lives as to know Him who is the support of all things and abandon all desire, will be freed from the evils which would otherwise cleave to him and destroy (his efforts after absorption)

If the very names of these three things, desire, anger, and confusion of mind, be destroyed, then will also perish evils (which flow from them)

(The wise) say that the seed, which produces unceasing births, at all times, to all creatures, is desire

If anything be desired, freedom from births should be desired; that (freedom from births) will be attained by desiring to be without desire

There is in this world no excellence equal to freedom from desire; and even in that world, there is nothing like it

Purity (of mind) consists in freedom from desire; and that (freedom from desire) is the fruit of the love of truth

They are said to be free (from future birth) who are freed from desire; all others (who, whatever else they may be free from, are not freed from desire) are not thus free

It is the chief duty of (an ascetic) to watch against desire with (jealous) fear; for it has power to deceive (and destroy) him

If a man thoroughly cut off all desire, the deeds, which confer immortality, will come to him, in the path in which he seeks them

There is no sorrow to those who are without desire; but where that is, (sorrow) will incessantly come, more and more

Even while in this body, joy will never depart (from the mind, in which) desire, that sorrow of sorrows, has been destroyed

The removal of desire, whose nature it is never to be satisfied, will immediately confer a nature that can never be changed

Perseverance comes from a prosperous fate, and idleness from an adverse fate

An adverse fate produces folly, and a prosperous fate produces enlarged knowledge

Although (a man) may study the most polished treatises, the knowledge which fate has decreed to him will still prevail

There are (through fate) two different natures in the world, hence the difference (observable in men) in (their acquisition of) wealth, and in their attainment of knowledge

In the acquisition of property, every thing favourable becomes unfavourable, and (on the other hand) everything unfavourable becomes favourable, (through the power of fate)

Whatever is not conferred by fate cannot be preserved although it be guarded with most painful care; and that, which fate has made his, cannot be lost, although one should even take it and throw it away

Even those who gather together millions will only enjoy them, as it has been determined by the disposer (of all things)

The destitute will renounce desire (and become ascetics), if (fate) do not make them suffer the hindrances to which they are liable, and they pass away

How is it that those, who are pleased with good fortune, trouble themselves when evil comes, (since both are equally the decree of fate) ?

What is stronger than fate ? If we think of an expedient (to avert it), it will itself be with us before (the thought)