The Buddha said to Rāhula in the Ambaṭṭhika Rāhulovāda Sutta:
Evameva kho, Rāhula, yassa kassaci sampajānamusāvāde natthi lajjā, nāhaṁ tassa kiñci pāpaṁ akaraṇīyanti vadāmi.
For one who has no shame in deliberate lying, I say there is no evil that person cannot do.
The Elephant’s Trunk
The Buddha explained that an elephant always protects its trunk. The trunk is the last thing it will risk. But in ancient times, when elephants were trained for war, they were made to charge fully, without holding back, even exposing the trunk. Once that happens, there is no limit to what the elephant can destroy.
There Is No Limit
It is the same with people. When someone tells a deliberate lie without any shame, it is like removing that last protection. After that, there is no evil they cannot do.
Evameva kho, Rāhula, yassa kassaci sampajānamusāvāde natthi lajjā, nāhaṁ tassa kiñci pāpaṁ akaraṇīyanti vadāmi.
For one who has no shame in deliberate lying, I say there is no evil that person cannot do.
Liar First, Killer Second
Quite often, we see someone who commits a terrible murder. When he appears in court, he lies through his teeth, denying everything: “I’m innocent! I’m innocent!” When the truth comes out and the evidence is clear, we are shocked that he could lie so easily. We think, “If he can kill, then a lie is easy.” However, it is the other way around. He is a liar first, a killer second. The shameless deliberate lie opens the door to everything else.
Evameva kho, Rāhula, yassa kassaci sampajānamusāvāde natthi lajjā, nāhaṁ tassa kiñci pāpaṁ akaraṇīyanti vadāmi.
For one who has no shame in deliberate lying, I say there is no evil that person cannot do.
So please, always protect your trunk. Always speak the truth. It is very important.
Because when you lie deliberately without shame, there is no limit to the evil you can do.
Summary Poem
The elephant always guards its trunk,
the last part it will ever spare.
Trained to stop guarding its greatest prize,
nothing restrains it when danger is near.
In the same way, a human guards the heart
with shame for a deliberate lie.
When that final protection is removed,
there is no evil left to deny.
When a killer stands in a royal court,
claiming innocence with a shameless lie,
the lie came first, the killing followed—
the door was opened to evil inside.
So protect the trunk.
Protect the heart.
When shame for lying is no more,
all limits are gone before the start:
the lie comes first, then killing and gore.
Video With Personal Story (8 Minutes)
Below is a video version of what was said above plus a personal story of how I almost fell for a girl just before I ordained. The video was made first. The post here is an abridged.
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