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The way was preached by me, when I had understood the removal of the thorns (in the flesh).

276.

You yourself must make an effort.

The Tathagatas

(Buddhas) are only preachers. The thoughtful who enter the way are freed from the bondage of Mâra.

277.

'All created things perish,' he who knows and sees this becomes passive in pain; this is the way to purity.

278.

'All creatures are grief and pain,' he who knows and sees this becomes passive in pain; this is the way to purity.

279.

'All forms are unreal,' he who knows and sees this becomes passive in pain; this is the way to purity.

280.

He who does not rise when it is time to rise, who, though young and strong, is full of sloth, whose will and thought are weak, that lazy and idle man will never find the way to knowledge.

281.

Watching his speech, well restrained in mind, let

(277.) See v. 255.

(278.) See v. 203.

(279.) 'Dhamma' is here explained, like 'samkhâra,' as the five 'khandha,' i. e. as what constitutes a living body.

a man never commit any wrong with his body! Let a man but keep these three roads of action clear, and he will achieve the way which is taught by the wise.

282.

Through zeal knowledge is gotten, through lack of zeal knowledge is lost; let a man who knows this double path of gain and loss thus place himself that knowledge may grow.

283.

Cut down the whole forest of lust, not the tree! From lust springs fear. When you have cut down every tree and every shrub, then, Bhikshus, you will be free!

284.

So long as the love of man towards women, even the smallest, is not destroyed, so long is his mind in bondage, as the calf that drinks milk is to its mother.

285.

Cut out the love of self, like an autumn lotus, with thy hand! Cherish the road of peace.

has been shown by Sugata (Buddha).

286.

Nirvâna

Here I shall dwell in the rain, here in winter and

(282.) 'Bhûri' was rightly translated 'intelligentia' by Dr.. Fausböll. Dr. Weber renders it by 'Gedeihen,' but the commentator distinctly explains it as 'vast knowledge,' and in the technical sense the word occurs after 'vidyâ' and before midhâ,' in the Lalita Vistara,' p. 541.

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(283.) A pun, vana' meaning both 'lust' and 'forest.'

(286.) ‘Antarâya,' according to the commentator, ‘gîvitânta

summer,' thus meditates the fool, and does not think of his death.

287.

Death comes and carries off that man, surrounded by children and flocks, his mind distracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village.

288.

Sons are no help, nor a father, nor relations; there is no help from kinsfolk for one whom Death has seized.

289.

A wise and good man who knows the meaning of this, should quickly clear the way that leads to Nirvâna.

râya,' i. e. interitus, death.. In Sanskrit, 'antarita' is used in the sense of 'vanished' or 'perished.'

(287.) See notes to v. 47, and cf. Mahâbh. xii. 9944, 6540.

CHAPTER XXI.

MISCELLANEOUS.

290.

If by leaving a small pleasure one sees a great pleasure, let a wise man leave the small pleasure, and look to the great.

291.

He who, by causing pain to others, wishes to obtain pleasure himself, he, entangled in the bonds of hatred, will never be free from hatred.

292.

What ought to be done is neglected, what ought not to be done is done; the sins of unruly, thoughtless people are always increasing.

293.

But they whose whole watchfulness is always directed to their body, who do not follow what ought not to be done, and who steadfastly do what ought to be done, the sins of such watchful and wise people will come to an end.

294.

A true Brahmana, though he has killed father and mother, and two valiant kings, though he has destroyed a kingdom with all its subjects, is free from guilt.

295.

A true Brâhmana, though he has killed father and mother, and two holy kings, and even a fifth man, is free from guilt.

296.

The disciples of Gotama (Buddha) are always well awake, and their thoughts day and night are always set on Buddha.

297.

The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their thoughts day and night are always set on the Law.

298.

The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their thoughts day and night are always set on the Church.

299.

The disciples of Gotama are always well awake, and their thoughts day and night are always set on their body.

(294, 295.) These two verses are either meant to show that a truly holy man who by accident commits all these crimes is guiltless, or they refer to some particular event in Buddha's history. The commentator is so startled that he explains them allegorically. The meaning of 'veyyaggha' I do not understand.

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