Verse 52

Like a beautiful flower full of color
and also fragrant,
even so,
fruitful are the fair words
of one who practices them.

Verse 51

Like a beautiful flower
full of color but without fragrance,
even so,
fruitless are the fair words
of one who does not practice them.

Verse 50

Let none find fault with others;
let none see the omissions
and commissions of others.
But let one see one's own acts,
done and undone.

Verse 49

As a bee gathers honey
from the flower without injuring
its color or fragrance,
even so the sage goes on his alms-round
in the village.

Verse 48

The Destroyer
brings under his sway
the person of distracted mind who,
insatiate in sense desires,
only plucks the flowers (of pleasure).

Verse 47

As a mighty flood
sweeps away the sleeping village,
so death carries away the person
of distracted mind
who only plucks the flowers (of pleasure).

Verse 46

Realizing that this body is like froth,
penetrating its mirage-like nature,
and plucking out Mara's
flower-tipped arrows of sensuality,
go beyond sight of the King of Death!

Verse 45

A striver-on-the path
shall overcome this earth,
this realm of Yama
and this sphere of men and gods.
The striver-on-the-path
shall bring to perfection
the well-taught path of wisdom,
as an expert garland-maker would
his floral design.

Verse 44

Who shall overcome this earth,
this realm of Yama
and this sphere of men and gods?
Who shall bring to perfection
the well-taught path of wisdom
as an expert garland-maker
would his floral design?

Verse 43

Neither mother, father,
nor any other relative
can do one greater good
than one's own well-directed mind.

Verse 42

Whatever harm an enemy
may do to an enemy,
or a hater to a hater,
an ill-directed mind
inflicts on oneself a greater harm.

Verse 41

Ere long, alas!
This body will lie upon the earth,
unheeded and lifeless,
like a useless log.

Verse 40

Realizing that this body
is as fragile as a clay pot,
and fortifying this mind
like
a well-fortified city,
fight out Mara
with the sword of wisdom.
Then, guarding the conquest,
remain unattached.

Verse 39

There is no fear for an awakened one,
whose mind is not sodden (by lust)
nor afflicted (by hate),
and who has gone beyond
both merit and demerit.

Verse 38

Wisdom never becomes perfect
in one whose mind is not steadfast,
who knows not the Good Teaching
and whose faith wavers.

Verse 37

Dwelling in the cave (of the heart),
the mind, without form,
wanders far and alone.
Those who subdue this mind
are liberated from the bonds of Mara.

Verse 36

Let the discerning man
guard the mind,
so difficult to detect and extremely subtle,
seizing whatever it desires.
A guarded mind brings happiness.

Verse 35

Wonderful, indeed,
it is to subdue the mind,
so difficult to subdue, ever swift,
and seizing whatever it desires.
A tamed mind brings happiness.

Verse 34

As a fish when pulled out of water
and cast on land
throbs and quivers,
even so is this mind agitated.
Hence should one abandon
the realm of Mara.

Verse 33

Just as a fletcher straightens
an arrow shaft,
even so the discerning man
straightens his mind --
so fickle and unsteady,
so difficult to guard and control.

Verse 32

The monk who delights
in heedfulness
and looks with fear at heedlessness
will not fall.
He is close to Nibbana.

Verse 31

The monk who delights
in heedfulness
and looks with fear at heedlessness
advances like fire,
burning all fetters, small and large.

Verse 30

By Heedfulness did Indra
become the overlord of the gods.
Heedfulness is ever praised,
and heedlessness ever despised.

Verse 29

Heedful among the heedless,
wide-awake among the sleepy,
the wise man advances
like a swift horse
leaving behind a weak jade.

Verse 28

Just as one upon the summit of a mountain
beholds the groundlings,
even so when the wise man
casts away heedlessness
by heedfulness
and ascends
the high tower of wisdom,
this sorrowless sage beholds
the sorrowing and foolish multitude.

Verse 27

Do not give way to heedlessness.
Do not indulge in sensual pleasures.
Only the heedful and meditative
attain great happiness.

Verse 26

The foolish and ignorant
indulge in heedlessness,
but the wise one keeps his heedfulness
as his best treasure.

Verse 25

By effort and heedfulness,
discipline and self-mastery,
let the wise one make for himself
an island which no flood can overwhelm.

Verse 24

Ever grows the glory of him
who is energetic, mindful
and pure in conduct,
discerning and self-controlled,
righteous and heedful.

Verse 23

The wise ones, ever meditative
and steadfastly persevering,
alone experience Nibbana,
the incomparable freedom
from bondage.

Verse 22

Clearly understanding
this excellence of heedfulness,
the wise exult therein and enjoy the resort
of the Noble Ones.