15.

If a fool for the whole of his life be associated with a wise man, as he has no eyes he will not perceive the law.

16.

If an intelligent man be only for an instant associated with a wise man, he, having eyes, will perceive the law.

17.

If a fool for the whole of his life be associated with a wise man, he will not understand the law taught by the perfect Buddha.

18.

If an intelligent man be only associated for an instant with a wise man, he will understand the law taught by the perfect Buddha.

19.

A single significant word suffices for him who is wise; all the teaching of the Buddha would not suffice for the fool.

20.

He who is intelligent will with one word know a hundred; the fool with a thousand words will not know a single one.

21.

The wise man cares not for fools, he makes not his friends of fools; for he who is fond of the society of fools is led down to hell.1

If a fool says,

22 (63).

I am

a fool," he is wise in that knowledge; but the fool who thinks himself a wise man, he is called "a fool" (indeed).

1 The two sons of a rich merchant had made evil-doers their friends, and had been put to death by King

Adjatasatru for having committed adultery.-P.

23.

When the fool doth praise and when the wise man doth scorn; the scorn of the wise man is just, but improper is the praise of the fool.1

24 (207).

He who associates with a fool is in misery, as if he were with an enemy; 2 one ought not to associate with fools, neither ought one to listen to or see them; associating with the steadfast is happiness, like meeting again one's kinsfolk.

25 (208).

Therefore, as the moon keeps to the path of the constellations, so likewise keep (only) with them who are steadfast, erudite, who know what is best, virtuous, with the manners of the elect (Ariyas), pre-eminent, kind, and intelligent.

Chapter on Friendship, the Twenty-fifth.

Spoken on account of Devâdatta's reformation.
2 "Who is ready to strike him with a sword."-P.

XXVI.

NIRVANA.

I.

THE Bhixu who concentrates within himself all the faculties of his mind as the tortoise draws its body into its shell,1 attached to nothing, injuring no one, does naught to impede (the attaining of) nirvâņa.2

2 (184).

Patience is the greatest penance; patience, the Buddha says, is the greatest nirvâņa: he who is a priest and who injures others, who harms others, is not a Cramana (lit. one who practises virtue).3

3 (133).

Use no harsh words, for as one has been spoken to so will he answer; quarrelsome words bring sorrow, they receive their punishment.

4.

He who sends forth (evil-sounding words) like a bronze vase that has been struck, will suffer for a long time, wandering about from birth to old age.

5 (134).

He who does not send forth (evil-sounding words) like a bronze vase that has not been struck, occasioning no quarrels, he will find nirvana.

6 (204).

Absence of disease is the best of possessions, contentedness the best of riches, a true friend the best of friends, nirvâna the greatest happiness.

7 (203).

All compound things (sanskâra) the greatest of pains, hunger the worst of diseases; if one has found this out, he has found the highest nirvâņa.

8.

Let one but consider the way to attain happiness and the way to go to perdition, and when he has thus formed an idea of sin, it will not be long ere he reaches nirvânņa.

9.

The way to attain happiness proceeds from a cause; the way to go to perdition has its cause; the way to nirvâna has its cause; they all have a cause.

IO.

The deer go chiefly to the woods, the birds fly into the air; he who devotes himself to the law goes to the nirvâna of the Arhat.1

II.

He who strives but feebly, who has little intelligence and no learning, will not find nirvâṇa, that destruction of all bonds.

1 Dgra-bchom mga-ngan, &c. He the destruction of the skandhas.-P. who has conquered the enemy (dgra- Or, "the Arhat goes to nirvâņa,” a bchom) sin, obtains the nirvâna of more natural translation.

12 (369).

The pilot of this boat makes it light; so if you cast away hatred and passions, you will reach nirvâņa.1

13.

If what has formerly been born is not born, there will be produced that which is not born (the elementary); that which is not born (the elementary) not producing (compound things), there is an end to production itself.2

14.

3

He who perceives what is difficult to see (suffering), and who heeds not uncertain happiness, who understands the truth and has knowledge, who sees the nothingness of desires (trichnâ) and (worldly) joy, he who is like unto this has put an end to suffering.

15.

Having cast off desires (trichnâ), having cast away passions, (I am) like unto a dried-up lake that flows no more; he who is like unto this puts an end to suffering.4