The Buddha's Path of Virtue Part 15

321.

Tamed, they lead him into battle; tamed, the king his back ascends; Tamed is he the best of beings, whom no bitter speech offends.

322.

Good are well-tamed mules, and good are Scindian steeds of lineage famed; Good indeed the mighty tusker; best of all the man self-tamed.

323.

Yet such mounts can nought avail us, cannot be Nibbana's guide; We can only reach The Pathless[1] on the self-tamed self astride.

324.

With the must from temples streaming, mighty Dhanapalako[2]

Captive, tastes no food, but longeth to the Naga-grove to go.

325.

Sluggish, gluttonous and sleepy, wallowing idly to and fro, Like a huge and grain-fed hog, a fool again to birth must go.

326.

Once this mind roamed as it listed, as it pleaded a-wandering went.

As the holder of the _ankus_ checks the furious elephant, Now with wisdom I'll restrain it, guide it wholly to my bent.

327.

Take delight in earnestness; watch thy thoughts and never tire; Lift thee from the Path of Evil, like the tusker sunk in mire.

328.

Hast thou found a fellow-traveller, upright, firm, intelligent?[3]

Leaving all thy cares behind thee, gladly walk with him intent.

329.

Hast thou found no fellow-traveller, upright, firm, intelligent?

As a king deserts his borders, by the enemy pursued, Like the tusker in the forest, go thy way in solitude.

330.

Better is the lonely life, for fools companions cannot be; Live alone and do no evil, live alone with scanty needs, Lonely, as the mighty tusker in the forest lonely feeds.

331.

Sweet are friends when need ariseth, sweet is joy whate'er it be; Sweet the blessing of life's ending, sweet to be from sorrow free.

332.

Sweet it is to be a mother, sweet the lot of fatherhood, Sweet the life of holy hermits, sweet the life of Brahmans good.

333.

Sweet is growing old in goodness, sweet is faith established, Sweet to gain the prize of wisdom when desire for sin is dead.

[1] _Nibbana._

[2] A favourite beast of the king of Benares. The elephant, to the East, typifies wisdom, strength and endurance.

The Buddha is called _Maha-naga_, "mighty elephant"; The _naga-grove_ is _Nibbana_. Those who wander in the jungle are those still bound by the fetters of rebirth.

[3] Cf. verse 61.

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.

CRAVING.

334.

Even as a creeper groweth, Creatures that are indolent Find their craving ever grow; Like a monkey in the forest Seeking fruit from bough to bough, So they wander to and fro.[1]

335.

He who yields to sordid craving That thro' all the world doth go, Like the gadding vine that spreadeth, That man's sorrows ever grow.

336.

He who quiets sordid craving, Hard in this world to allay, Like the dewdrop from the lotus, All his sorrows fall away.

337.

Lo! to all of ye a.s.sembled This the good advice I tell: "Dig ye up the root of craving, As men dig the scented gra.s.s.

Let not Death so oft a.s.sail ye, Even as the rushing torrent O'er the river reeds doth pa.s.s."

338.

If the root be still uninjured, Trees cut down will spring again; If the root of craving liveth, Still there is rebirth of pain.

339.

When the six and thirty currents[2]

Bring one under pleasure's sway, Thoughts, like waves, with pa.s.sion surging.

Sweep him all confused away.

340.

Everywhere those streams are flowing; Now the creeper of desire Plants its roots and standeth fast; Cut it ere it riseth higher, Cut it with the axe of wisdom, Root the creeper up at last.

341.

Restless, wanton is men's craving; They who wander to and fro In the restless search for pleasure Birth and death must undergo.

342.

They who in the trap of craving, Like a hare run to and fro, By the fetters' bonds entangled, Long must sorrow undergo.

343.

Beings, in the trap of craving Like a hare run to and fro: Mendicants who hope for freedom Must their pa.s.sions all forego.

344.

Whoso, free from human pa.s.sions, Junglewards to run is fain;[3]

Who, from l.u.s.t emanc.i.p.ated, To his l.u.s.t runs back again; Lo! the man infatuated Plunges into bonds of pain.

345.

Not by ties of wood or iron Nor of rope (the wise men say) Are men held in bondage strong; But for jewels, wives and children, They who pa.s.sionately crave, They are held in bondage long.