315.

Like a well-guarded frontier fort, with defenses within and without, so let a man guard himself. Not a moment should escape, for they who allow the right moment to pass, suffer pain when they are in hell.

316.

They who are ashamed of what they ought not to be ashamed of, and are not ashamed of what they ought to be ashamed of, such men, embracing false doctrines, enter the evil path.

317.

They who fear when they ought not to fear, and fear not when they ought to fear, such men, embracing false doctrines, enter the evil path.

318.

They who forbid when there is nothing to be forbidden, and forbid not when there is something to be forbidden, such men, embracing false doctrines, enter the evil path.

319.

They who know what is forbidden as forbidden, and what is not forbidden as not forbidden, such men, embracing the true doctrine, enter the good path.

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE ELEPHANT.

320.

SILENTLY shall I endure abuse as the elephant

in battle endures the arrow sent from the bow: for the world is ill-natured.

321.

A tamed elephant they lead to battle, the king mounts a tamed elephant; the tamed is the best among men, he who silently endures abuse.

322.

Mules are good, if tamed, and noble Sindhu horses, and elephants with large tusks; but he who tames himself is better still.

323.

For with these animals does no man reach the untrodden country (Nirvâna), where a tamed man goes on a tamed animal, namely on his own well-tamed self.

(320.) The elephant is with the Buddhists the emblem of endurance and self-restraint. Thus Buddha himself is called "Nâga," the Elephant (Lalita-vistara, p. 553), or "Mahânâga," the great Elephant (Lalita-vistara, p. 553), and in one passage (Lalita-vistara, p. 554) the reason of this name is given, by stating that Buddha was "sudânta," well-tamed, like an elephant.

Cf. Manu, vi. 47, "ativâdâms titiksheta."

(323.) I read, as suggested by Dr. Fausböll, "yath' attanâ sudantena danto dantena gakkhati." Cf. v. 160. The India Office MS. reads " na hi etehi thânehi gakkheya agatam disam, yath' attânam sudantena danto dantena gakkhati." As to "thânehi " instead of yânehi," see v. 224.

324.

The elephant called Dhamapâlaka, his temples running with sap, and difficult to hold, does not eat a morsel when bound; the elephant longs for the elephant grove.

325.

If a man becomes fat and a great eater, if he is sleepy and rolls himself about, that fool, like a hog fed on wash, is born again and again.

326.

This mind of mine went formerly wandering about as it liked, as it listed, as it pleased; but I shall now hold it in thoroughly, as the rider who holds the hook holds in the furious elephant.

327.

Be not thoughtless, watch your thoughts! Draw yourself out of the evil way, like an elephant sunk in mud.

328.

If a man find a prudent companion who walks with him, is wise, and lives soberly, he may walk with him, overcoming all dangers, happy, but considerate.

66

66

(326.) "Yoniso," i. e., "yonisah," is rendered by Dr. Fausböll "sapientiâ," but the reference which he gives to Hemakandra (ed. Boehtlingk and Rieu, p. 281) shows clearly that it meant origin," or "cause." "Yoniso" occurs frequently as a mere adverb, meaning thoroughly, radically (Dhammap. p. 359), and "yoniso manasikâra" (Dhammap. p. 110) means " taking to heart" or minding thoroughly." In the Lalita-vistara, p. 41, the commentator has clearly mistaken "yonisah," changing it to "yesniso," and explaining it by "yamanisam," whereas M. Foucaux has rightly translated it by "depuis l'origine." Professor Weber imagines he has discovered in "yonisih ' a double-entendre, but even grammar would show that our author is innocent of it.

329.

If a man find no prudent companion who walks with him, is wise, and lives soberly, let him walk alone, like a king who has left his conquered country behind, like a lonely elephant.

330.

It is better to live alone, there is no companionship with a fool; let a man walk alone, let him commit no sin, with few wishes, like the lonely elephant.

331.

If an occasion arises, friends are pleasant; enjoyment is pleasant if it is mutual; a good work is pleasant in the hour of death; the giving up of all grief is pleasant.

332.

Pleasant is the state of a mother, pleasant the state of a father, pleasant the state of a Sramana, pleasant the state of a Brahmana.

333.

Pleasant is virtue lasting to old age, pleasant is a faith firmly rooted; pleasant is attainment of intelligence, pleasant is avoiding of sins.

(332.) The commentator throughout takes these words, like "matteyyatâ," etc., to signify, not the status of a mother, or maternity, but reverence shown to a mother.

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 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,

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