All tremble before punishment, all fear death. Taking oneself as example, one should not kill nor cause to kill.

Sabbe tasanti daṇḍassa — all tremble before punishment: sabbe (all) establishes the universality of fear. Without exception: humans, animals, all sentient beings share this fundamental instinct of self-protection. This universality is the basis of the ethics of non-violence.

Sabbe bhāyanti maccuno — all fear death: the second universal — fear of death. There is no conditioned being that does not carry this basic fear within. Recognizing it creates immediate empathy: the being before you has the same fear as you.

Attānaṃ upamaṃ katvā — taking oneself as example: upamā is the comparison, the analogy. Make yourself the analogy of the other — if I tremble before punishment and fear death, so does the other. This capacity to place oneself in the other’s perspective is the foundation of all empathy-based ethics.

Na haneyya na ghātaye — one should not kill nor cause to kill: the double prohibition covers both direct action (haneyya) and instigation (ghātaye). Responsibility is not diluted by delegation.