The Just

Forcing your way to a verdict doesn't make you just. The truly just person weighs both right and wrong, guides others through fairness rather than force, and is wise enough to be guided by the law themselves.

Not by passing arbitrary judgments does a man become just; a wise man is he who investigates both right and wrong.

The one who does not judge others arbitrarily, but decides impartially and in line with the truth: that discerning person is a guardian of what is right, and is rightly called just.

He who does not judge others arbitrarily, but passes judgment impartially according to the truth, that sagacious man is a guardian of law and is called just.

Talking a lot doesn't make you wise. The one who is patient, free of hatred, and free of fear: that's the person who truly understands.

One is not wise because one speaks much. He who is peaceable, friendly and fearless is called wise.

Speaking a lot about the teaching doesn't make you steeped in it. The one who hears even a little, sees its truth directly, and never grows careless of it: that's the person who truly upholds the Dhamma.

A man is not versed in Dhamma because he speaks much. He who, after hearing a little Dhamma, realizes its truth directly and is not heedless of it, is truly versed in the Dhamma.

Grey hair doesn't make someone an elder. Such a person is merely ripe in years, what's called grown old in vain.

A monk is not an elder because his head is gray. He is but ripe in age, and he is called one grown old in vain.

An elder is made by what lives inside: truthfulness, gentleness, restraint, self-mastery, and a heart cleared of its stains. That quiet, hard-won wisdom, not grey hair, is what truly makes someone an elder.

One in whom there is truthfulness, virtue, inoffensiveness, restraint and self-mastery, who is free from defilements and is wise — he is truly called an Elder.

Neither smooth talk nor good looks makes a person admirable, not while they remain jealous, selfish, and deceitful.

Not by mere eloquence nor by beauty of form does a man become accomplished, if he is jealous, selfish and deceitful.

But the one in whom jealousy, selfishness, and deceit are wholly uprooted and gone, and who has cast out hatred: that wise person is truly admirable.

But he in whom these are wholly destroyed, uprooted and extinct, and who has cast out hatred — that wise man is truly accomplished.

A shaved head doesn't make someone a monk if they are undisciplined and dishonest. How can anyone still full of desire and greed be a monk?

Not by shaven head does a man who is indisciplined and untruthful become a monk. How can he who is full of desire and greed be a monk?

The one who fully subdues what is harmful in themselves, both small and great, is called a monk, for having overcome all that harm.

He who wholly subdues evil both small and great is called a monk, because he has overcome all evil.

Living on what others give you doesn't make you a monk. Adopting the outward form alone never makes anyone a true one.

He is not a monk just because he lives on others’ alms. Not by adopting outward form does one become a true monk.

Whoever lives a pure life, rising above both merit and demerit, and moves through this world with understanding: that person is truly called a monk.

Whoever here (in the Dispensation) lives a holy life, transcending both merit and demerit, and walks with understanding in this world — he is truly called a monk.

Keeping silent doesn't make someone a sage if they are foolish and ignorant. The wise person is the one who, as if holding a balance-scale, takes up only what is good.

Not by observing silence does one become a sage, if he be foolish and ignorant. But that man is wise who, as if holding a balance-scale accepts only the good.

The one who weighs things and rejects what is harmful is truly a sage. Because they comprehend both this world and the next, they are rightly called a sage.

The sage (thus) rejecting the evil, is truly a sage. Since he comprehends both (present and future) worlds, he is called a sage.

Harming living beings doesn't make anyone noble. It is being harmless toward all living beings that earns the name noble.

He is not noble who injures living beings. He is called noble because he is harmless towards all living beings.

Not by rules and observances, not by wide learning, not by deep meditation, not by living in seclusion, nor by the thought "I enjoy a bliss of renunciation ordinary people never know." Do not rest content with any of these.

Not by rules and observances, not even by much learning, nor by gain of absorption, nor by a life of seclusion, nor by thinking, “I enjoy the bliss of renunciation, which is not experienced by the worldling” should you, O monks, rest content, until the utter destruction of cankers (Arahantship) is reached.

So do not grow complacent with any of these attainments until the utter ending of all that defiles the mind is reached.

Not by rules and observances, not even by much learning, nor by gain of absorption, nor by a life of seclusion, nor by thinking, “I enjoy the bliss of renunciation, which is not experienced by the worldling” should you, O monks, rest content, until the utter destruction of cankers (Arahantship) is reached.