A Collection of Buddhist Wisdom Verses - Ancient Buddhist Texts

24: Mind
Dhp 42 Nandagopālakavatthu
The Dangers of a Badly-Directed Mind
A herdsman offers alms to the Buddha and his
disciples for seven days, and soon afterwards is
killed by a hunter. The commentary notes that no
explanation was given as to why this was so as
the monks did not ask.
449. Diso disaṁ yan-taṁ kay i rā, verī vā pana verinaṁ,
Micchāpaṇihitaṁ cittaṁ pāpiyo naṁ tato kare.
A badly-directed mind might
Be worse for oneself than that which
Enemies do to enemies,
Or mortal foes do to their foes.
315