Dhammapada verse 136
Chapter 10, The Rod (Daṇḍavagga) · verses 129–145
“The fool does not understand the evil that they do. But because of those deeds, that simpleton is tormented as if burnt by fire.”
Atha pāpāni kammāni, karaṁ bālo na bujjhati; Sehi kammehi dummedho, aggidaḍḍhova tappati.
English by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, via SuttaCentral)
What does Dhammapada verse 136 mean?
Verse 136 belongs to chapter 10, The Rod (Daṇḍavagga), which gathers verses 129–145 on the rod, and not harming. It is filed under wisdom & folly, good & evil. Read it with the verses around it: the Dhammapada arranges chapters as short runs, not as isolated lines, so verse 135 and verse 137 are part of the same passage.
Seventeen verses on the rod, meaning punishment and harm. It opens with the line that all tremble at the rod and love their life, and from that derives the instruction to treat others as oneself. Later verses hold the person who answers harm with harm and the person who stills themselves like a broken gong.
More verses on this