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306
Lying leads to sorrow.
Concealing wrong actions
leads to sorrow.
These two acts of deceit
take beings
to the same state of woe.
307
Those who wear
the robes of a renunciate
yet harbour evil
and are unrestrained
go to a sorrowful state.
308
It would be better to swallow molten iron
than for a renunciate
to live on offerings
deceitfully gained.
309
Accumulated sadness,
troubled sleep,
blame and remorse
are an adulterer’s lot.
310
Brief is the delight
of the fearful, adulterous couple,
for only painful consequences can follow.
311
As kusa grass wrongly grasped
wounds the hand that holds it,
so the renunciate life
hurts those who train in it wrongly.
312
Acts carelessly done,
practices corruptly performed,
the holy life lived perversely,
lead to little or no benefit at all.
313
If anything is to be done,
do it well,
with energy and devotion;
the renunciate life led heedlessly
just stirs up the dust.
314
Hurtful deeds
are better left undone
as they always lead to remorse.
Harmless deeds are better done
as no regret will follow.
315
As a border city must be carefully protected
so guard yourself both within and without;
build your defences wisely and in time.
If these things are not attended to
at the right moment
great sadness will come.
316
Distorted views
which create feelings of shame
about that which is not shameful,
or indifference
to that which is shameful,
can cause beings to descend into hell.
317
Distorted views
which create feelings of fear
toward what is not actually threatening,
or indifference in the face
of that which is threatening,
can cause beings to descend into hell.
318
Distorted views,
which give rise to seeing right as wrong
and wrong as right,
are the cause for beings to disintegrate.
319
The clear seeing which knows
that which is flawed as flawed
and that which is pure as pure
can lead beings to transcend misery.
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© 2006 Aruna Publications |