CHAPTER XXIV.

THIRST.

334.

The thirst of a thoughtless man grows like a creeper; he runs hither and thither, like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest.

335.

Whom this fierce thirst overcomes, full of poison, in this world, his sufferings increase like the abounding Bîrana grass.

336.

He who overcomes this fierce thirst, difficult to be conquered in this world, sufferings fall off from him, like water-drops from a lotus leaf.

337.

This salutary word I tell you, as many as are here come together: 'Dig up the root of thirst, as he who wants the sweet-scented Usîra root must dig up the Bîrana grass, that Mâra (the tempter) may not

(335.) Virana grass is the Andropogon muricatum, and the scented root of it is called 'usîra' (cf. v. 337).

crush you again and again, as the stream crushes the reeds.'

338.

As a tree is firm as long as its root is safe, and grows again even though it has been cut down, thus, unless the yearnings of thirst are destroyed, this pain (of life) will return again and again.

339.

He whose desire for pleasure runs strong in the thirty-six channels, the waves will carry away that misguided man, viz. his desires which are set on passion.

340.

The channels run everywhere, the creeper (of passion) stands sprouting; if you see the creeper springing up, cut its root by means of knowledge.

341.

A creature's pleasures are extravagant and luxurious; sunk in lust and looking for pleasure, men undergo (again and again) birth and decay.

342.

Men, driven on by thirst, run about like a snared

(338.) On 'Anusaya,' i.e. ' anusaya,' see Wassiljew, 'Der Buddhismus,' p. 240, seq.

(339.) The thirty-six channels, or passions, which are divided by the commentator into eighteen external and eighteen internal, are explained by Burnouf ('Lotus,' p. 649), from a gloss of the 'Ginaalamkâra: "L'indication précise des affections dont un Buddha acte indépendant, affections qui sont au nombre de dix-huit, nous est fourni par la glose d'un livre appartenant aux Buddhistes de Ceylan," etc.

'Vâhâ,' which Dr. Fausböll translates by 'equi,' may be ‘vahâ,' undæ.

hare; held in fetters and bonds, they undergo pain for a long time, again and again.

343.

Men, driven on by thirst, run about like a snared hare; let therefore the mendicant who desires passionlessness for himself, drive out thirst!

344.

He who in a country without forests (i. e. after having reached Nirvâna) gives himself over to forest-life (i.e. to lust), and who, when removed from the forest (i.e. from lust), runs to the forest (i.e. to lust), look at that man! though free, he runs into bondage.

345.

Wise people do not call that a strong fetter which is made of iron, wood, or hemp; far stronger is the care for precious stones and rings, for sons and a wife.

346.

That fetter do wise people call strong which drags down, yields, but is difficult to undo; after having cut this at last, people enter upon their pilgrimage, free from cares, and leaving desires and pleasures behind.

(344.) This verse seems again full of puns, all connected with the twofold meaning of 'vana,' forest and lust. By replacing 'forest' by 'lust,' we may translate: "He who, when free from lust, gives himself up to lust, who, when removed from lust runs into lust, look at that man," etc. 'Nibbana,' though with a short a, may be intended to remind the hearer of Nibbâna.

(345.) Apekhâ, apekshâ,' care; see Manu, vi. 41, 49. (346.) Paribbag,' i.e. 'parivrag;' see Manu, vi. 41.

347.

Those who are slaves to passions, run up and down the stream (of desires) as a spider runs up and down the web which he has made himself; when they have cut this, people enter upon their pilgrimage, free from cares, leaving desires and pleasures behind.

348.

Give up what is before, give up what is behind, give up what is in the middle, when thou goest to the other shore of existence; if thy mind is altogether free, thou wilt not again enter into birth and decay.

349.

If a man is tossed about by doubts, full of strong passions, and yearning only for what is delightful, his thirst will grow more and more, and he will indeed make his fetters strong.

350.

If a man delights in quieting doubts, and, always reflecting, dwells on what is not delightful, he certainly will remove, nay, he will cut the fetter of Mâra.

351.

He who has obtained rest, who does not tremble,

(347.) The commentator explains the simile of the spider as follows: "As a spider, after having made its thread-web, sits in the middle or the centre, and after killing with a violent rush a butterfly or a fly which has fallen in its circle, drinks its juice, returns, and sits again in the same place, in the same manner creatures who are given to passions, depraved by hatred, and maddened by wrath, run along the stream of thirst which they have made themselves, and cannot cross it," etc.

who is without thirst and without blemish, he has broken all the thorns of life: this will be his last body.

352.

He who is without thirst and without affection, who understands the words and their interpretation, who knows the order of letters (those which are before and which are after), he has received his last body, he is called the great sage, the great man.

353.

'I have conquered all, I know all, in all conditions of life I am free from taint; I have left all, and through the destruction of thirst I am free; having learnt myself, whom shall I teach ?'

354.

The gift of the law exceeds all gifts; the sweetness of the law exceeds all sweetness; the delight in the law exceeds all delights; the extinction of thirst overcomes all pain.

355.

Pleasures destroy the foolish, if they look not for the other shore; the foolish by his thirst for pleasures destroys himself, as if he were his own enemy.

(352.) As to Nirutti,' and its technical meaning among the Buddhists, see Burnouf, 'Lotus,' p. 841. Fausböll translates ' niruttis vocabulorum peritus,' which may be right. Could not 'sannipâta' mean 'samhita' or 'sannikarsha'? 'Sannipâta' occurs in the Sâkala-prâtisâkhya, but with a different meaning.

(354.) The dhammadâna,' or gift of the law, is the technical term for instruction in the Buddhist religion. (See Parables,' p. 160, where the story of the 'Sakkadevarâga' is told, and where a free rendering of our verse is given.)