Dhammapada 133
Do not speak harshly to anyone
Do not speak harshly to anyone; those you address may answer you in kind. Angry exchanges are painful; blows in return may reach you.
Translated from the Pāli by Banya
Pāli
Māvoca pharusaṁ kañci,
vuttā paṭivadeyyu taṁ;
Dukkhā hi sārambhakathā,
paṭidaṇḍā phuseyyu taṁ.
In plain words
Harsh words can bring harsh replies, and an angry exchange can turn into physical retaliation. The verse asks for care in speech because the exchange can hurt people on both sides.
Key words
- paṭidaṇḍa
- blow in return, retaliation — The rod image retains the possibility of physical violence.
The story behind the verse
The monk and the phantom
In the commentary, Koṇḍadhāna was a monk whom others saw accompanied by the image of a woman. He could not see the image himself, and the commentary traced it to a deception he had committed as a deity in a former life. Other monks accused him of misconduct and asked the king to expel him, and the king investigated, found no real woman with him, and provided him support. When the monks continued reproaching him, Koṇḍadhāna answered them harshly, and the Buddha admonished him to restrain his speech.
Retold by Banya from the traditional commentary, after E. W. Burlingame, Buddhist Legends (1921).
To reflect on
Where could a gentler phrase interrupt a heated exchange?
Try it today
Rewrite one harsh sentence before saying or sending it.
Practise it with
Loving-kindness (mettā)
Explanation by Banya. Traditional readings vary.