The Discourse on the Dishonest, Adhammikasuttaṁ, is here presented in a new translation (April 2020) by Ānandajoti Bhikkhu. The text is from the old Dhammapada collection of Buddhist scriptures. In the Theravada tradition it is believed that the Dhammapada, a part of the Pali Canon, is the actual words from Buddha’s sermons. The text has been translated before and commented by Buddhaghosa. In the short book you will verses on honesty and dishonesty and how the concepts tend to spread. For instance how a dishonest king will become a dishonest nation etc. From the book:
If, when cattle are hurrying, the leader goes off course,
they all go off course, as the leader is going off course.
So it is with humans, he who is agreed upon as the chief,
if he is dishonest, what to say of the other people?
The whole country sleeps badly if the king is dishonest.
If, when cattle are hurrying, as the leader is going straight,The Dishonest
they all go straight, following the one who goes straight.
So it is with humans, he who is agreed upon as the chief,
if he is honest, what to say of the other people?
The whole country will sleep happily if the king is but honest.
