Not narrated in this discourse's source text; presumably the same recurring frame as the rest of this vagga
Speakers
Not named explicitly; two verses on the same theme, presented in sequence
Form
Two four-line verses on karmic backfire, sharing a single theme
Length
~30 seconds to read
Difficulty
★☆☆☆☆ — direct in form
Cross-reference
The second verse's closing simile is close to identical to Dhammapada verse 125 (Bālavagga)
Why this discourse
The first verse states a principle: harm doesn't land on one who doesn't harm others; it lands on someone precisely because they harm others; that's why it lands on the one who wrongs someone who has done no wrong. The second verse restates this with a concrete image: whoever wrongs a pure, unblemished person, the evil backfires on the fool — like fine dust thrown upwind, which returns to blow back on the thrower rather than travel forward.
Reading guide
A principle, then an image
The first verse states the logic of karmic backfire abstractly: harm has no purchase on one who gives none, and finds its target specifically in the one who wrongs an innocent party. The second verse restates the same claim concretely, through a single vivid image.
Dust thrown against the wind
‘Like fine dust thrown upwind’ (sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṁva khitto) pictures an attempt to throw dust at someone while facing into the wind: the dust does not reach its target but blows back onto the thrower instead. The image makes the abstract principle physically vivid — harm aimed outward returns to its source by the very mechanics of the attempt.
A verse shared with the Dhammapada
This same simile, describing harm done to one who is pure and without blemish, appears in the Dhammapada as well, at verse 125 in its Bālavagga (‘Chapter on Fools’) — close enough in wording to be recognized as the same verse appearing in two different collections, as with SN 1.5's parallel to Dhammapada verse 370.
Innocence specified, not assumed
Both verses are careful to specify that the one harmed has done no wrong (appaduṭṭha) and is unblemished (anaṅgaṇa) — the claim is not that all harm backfires indiscriminately, but specifically that harming genuine innocence returns to its source.
Key terms
phusati — “impacts, touches, lands on” — the verb this discourse's title comes from, describing how harm finds or fails to find its mark.
appaduṭṭha — “one who has done no wrong” — both verses' description of the person harmed, specifying genuine innocence rather than harm in general.
anaṅgaṇa — “unblemished, without a fault” — paired with appaduṭṭha to underscore the purity of the one wronged.
sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṁva khitto — “like fine dust thrown upwind” — the discourse's closing simile, appearing near-identically at Dhammapada verse 125.
bālaṁ pacceti pāpaṁ — “the evil backfires on the fool” — the verse's direct statement of the principle the dust simile then illustrates.
The text
The discourse in full: a principle of karmic backfire, then the image that makes it vivid. Translation: Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0, SuttaCentral).
§1“It doesn’t impact one who doesn’t impact others. It impacts one because they impact others. That’s why it impacts one who impacts, who wrongs one who’s done no wrong.”
§2“Whoever wrongs a man who has done no wrong, a pure man who has not a blemish, the evil backfires on the fool, like fine dust thrown upwind.”
· · ·
Self-check quiz
Ten questions. Click an answer to see immediate feedback. No score is recorded — this is for your own checking.
Question 1 of 10
What principle does the first verse state?
Correct: A. The abstract statement of karmic backfire this discourse opens with.
Question 2 of 10
What image does the second verse use to make this concrete?
Correct: A. Sukhumo rajo paṭivātaṁva khitto — harm aimed outward returning to its source.
Question 3 of 10
What well-known verse collection shares this discourse's closing simile?
Correct: A. A near-identical simile appears in both collections, as with SN 1.5's Dhammapada parallel.
Question 4 of 10
How do both verses describe the person who is wronged?
Correct: A. Genuine innocence is specified, not harm in general.
Question 5 of 10
Does this discourse claim that all harm backfires indiscriminately?
Correct: A. The careful specification of innocence and purity is central to the claim.
Question 6 of 10
What does 'phusati' mean?
Correct: A. This discourse's title, describing how harm finds or fails to find its mark.
Question 7 of 10
What happens to dust thrown while facing into the wind, according to the image?
Correct: A. The physical mechanics of the image illustrate the karmic principle.
Question 8 of 10
What does 'bālaṁ pacceti pāpaṁ' mean?
Correct: A. The direct statement the dust simile then illustrates.
Question 9 of 10
What is the setting of this discourse?
Correct: A. Like several discourses in this vagga, no setting is given directly.
Question 10 of 10
How many verses does this discourse contain?
Correct: A. A principle stated, then illustrated by a single vivid image.
