Page images
PDF
EPUB

219.

Kinsfolk, friends, and lovers salute a man who has been long away, and returns safe from afar.

220.

In like manner his good works receive him who has done good, and has gone from this world to the other;-as kinsmen receive a friend on his return.

CHAPTER XVII.

ANGER.

221.

Let a man leave anger, let him forsake pride, let him overcome all bondage! No sufferings befall the man who is not attached to either body or soul, and who calls nothing his own.

222.

He who holds back rising anger like a rolling chariot, him I call a real driver; other people are but holding the reins.

223.

Let a man overcome anger by love, let him overcome evil by good; let him overcome the greedy by liberality, the liar by truth!

224.

Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if

(221.) Body and soul' is the translation of 'nâma-rûpa,' lit. ' name and form,' the ninth of the Buddhist Nidânas. (Cf. Burnouf, Introd. p. 501; see also Gogerly, Lecture on Buddhism, and Bigandet, 'The Life of Gaudama,' p. 454.)

[ocr errors]

(223.) Mahâbh. xii. 3550, asâdhum sadhunâ gayet.'

thou art asked, from the little thou hast; by those steps thou wilt go near the gods.

225.

The sages who injure nobody, and who always control their body, they will go to the unchangeable place (Nirvâna), where if they have gone, they will suffer

no more.

226.

Those who are always watchful, who study day and night, and who strive after Nirvâna, their passions will come to an end.

227.

This is an old saying, O Atula, this is not only of to-day: "They blame him who sits silent, they blame him who speaks much, they also blame him who says little; there is no one on earth who is not blamed.

228.

There never was, there never will be, nor is there

(227.) It appears from the commentary that 'porânam' and 'aggatanam' are neuters, referring to what happened formerly and what happens to-day, and that they are not to be taken as adjectives referring to 'âsînam,' etc. The commentator must have read 'atula' instead of 'atulam,' and he explains it as the name of a pupil whom Gautama addressed by that name. This may be so (see note to verse 166); but 'atula' may also be taken in the sense of incomparable (Mahâbh. xiii. 1937), and in that case we ought to supply, with Professor Weber, some such word as 'saw' or 'saying.'

now, a man who is always blamed, or a man who is always praised.

229, 230.

But he whom those who discriminate praise continually day after day, as without blemish, wise, rich in knowledge and virtue, who would dare to blame him, like a coin made of gold from the Gambû river? Even the gods praise him, he is praised even by Brahman.

231.

Beware of bodily anger, and control thy body! Leave the sins of the body, and with thy body practise virtue!

232.

Beware of the anger of the tongue, and control thy tongue! Leave the sins of the tongue, and practise virtue with thy tongue!

233.

Beware of the anger of the mind, and control thy mind! Leave the sins of the mind, and practise virtue with thy mind!

234.

The wise who control their body, who control their tongue, the wise who control their mind, are indeed well controlled.

(230.) The Brahman worlds are higher than the Deva worlds as the Brahman is higher than a Deva; (see Hardy, ' Manual,' p. 25; Burnouf, Introduction, pp. 134, 184.)

CHAPTER XVIII.

IMPURITY.

235.

Thou art now like a sear leaf, the messengers of Death (Yama) have come near to thee; thou standest at the door of thy departure, and thou hast no provision for thy journey.

236.

Make thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy impurities are blown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt enter into the heavenly world of the Elect (Ariya).

237.

Thy life has come to an end, thou art come near to Death (Yama), there is no resting-place for thee

(235.) Uyyoga' seems to mean 'departure.' (See Buddhaghosha's commentary on verse 152, p. 319, l. 1; Fausböll, ‘Five Gâtakas,' p. 35.

(236.) An island,' for a drowning man to save himself. (See verse 25.) 'Dîpamkara' is the name of one of the former Buddhas, and it is also used as an appellative of the Buddha.

« PreviousContinue »