One should hurry to do what is virtuous. One should restrain the mind from unvirtuousness. For one who is slow to do what is meritorious his mind takes delight in unvirtuousness.

Should a person do what is unvirtuous, he should not do it again and again. He should not develop a fondness for it. The accumulation of demerit is suffering.

Should a person do what is meritorious, he should do it again and again. He should develop a fondness for it. The accumulation of merit is happiness.

Even an unvirtuous person experiences good fortune as long as his demerit does not bear fruit. But when his demerit bears fruit, then the unvirtuous person experiences [the karmic consequences of] his unvirtuous [deeds].

Even a virtuous person experiences misfortune as long as his merit does not bear fruit. But when his merit bears fruit, then the virtuous person experiences [the karmic consequences of] his virtuous [deeds].

Do not underestimate [small acts of] unvirtuousness, [or think], ‘[Their karmic consequences] will not catch up with me.’ A waterpot is filled by the falling of mere waterdrops. A fool, accumulating it little by little, is [eventually] filled with demerit.

Do not underestimate [small acts of] virtue, [or think], ‘[Their karmic consequences] will not come to me.’ A waterpot is filled by the falling of mere waterdrops. A wise man, accumulating it little by little, is [eventually] filled with merit.

Just as a merchant with a small convoy but much wealth would avoid a dangerous route; or just as one wanting to live would avoid poison; likewise one should avoid unvirtuous [deeds].

If there is no wound on one’s hand, one can carry poison with one’s hand. Poison does not affect one who is unwounded. There is no demerit for one who does not do [what is unvirtuous].

Whoever wrongs a man who is free of hatred, a pure person unblemished [by spiritual defilement], the demerit rebounds on the fool himself like fine dust thrown against the wind.

Some are reborn in a womb. Evildoers are reborn in hell. The righteous go to heaven. Those free of perceptually obscuring states pass away to the Untroubled-without-residue.

Neither up in the sky, nor in the depths of the ocean, nor having entered a mountain cleft, is there a place on earth where staying one could be free from [experiencing the karmic consequences of] one’s unvirtuous conduct.

Neither up in the sky, nor in the depths of the ocean, nor having entered a mountain cleft, is there a place on earth where staying death would not crush one.