Dhammapada verse 133
Chapter 10, The Rod (Daṇḍavagga) · verses 129–145
“Don’t speak harshly, they may speak harshly back. For aggressive speech is painful, and the rod may spring back on you.”
Māvoca pharusaṁ kañci, vuttā paṭivadeyyu taṁ; Dukkhā hi sārambhakathā, paṭidaṇḍā phuseyyu taṁ.
English by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, via SuttaCentral)
What does Dhammapada verse 133 mean?
Verse 133 belongs to chapter 10, The Rod (Daṇḍavagga), which gathers verses 129–145 on the rod, and not harming. It is filed under suffering & grief, speech. Read it with the verses around it: the Dhammapada arranges chapters as short runs, not as isolated lines, so verse 132 and verse 134 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