Chapter 9: Evil

A person seeking the good must actively redirect their thoughts away from evil; conversely, if one pursues good half-heartedly, the mind will turn toward evil.

One should refrain from repeating sinful acts and not take pleasure in them, as pain naturally follows from evil.

One should repeat good deeds and delight in them, as happiness naturally follows from good.

An evil-doer may experience happiness temporarily, but suffering arrives when the evil deed has fully ripened and borne fruit.

A good person may experience suffering temporarily, but happiness arrives when the good deed has fully ripened.

One should not underestimate evil by thinking it won't affect them; small evils accumulate gradually like water drops filling a pot, and the fool becomes full of evil.

One should not underestimate good by thinking it won't affect them; small good acts accumulate gradually like water drops, and the wise person becomes full of good.

One should avoid evil deeds as a merchant avoids dangerous roads when carrying valuables, and as a person who loves life avoids poison.

A person with no moral wounds can handle poison safely; similarly, one who commits no evil cannot be harmed by evil.

When one offends an innocent person, the evil rebounds upon the wrongdoer like dust thrown against the wind.

People are reborn in different destinations based on their actions: evil-doers go to hell, the righteous to heaven, and those free from desires attain Nirvana.

There is no place in the world—sky, sea, or mountains—where one can hide from the consequences of an evil deed.

No location in the world can provide escape from death, paralleling the inescapability of consequences from evil deeds.