{"collection":"Buddhism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/bud/thag/thag18.htm","path":"bud/thag/thag18.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/bud/thag/thag18.htm","text":"One shouldn't go about\nsurrounded, revered\nby a company:\none gets distracted;\nconcentration\nis hard to gain.\nFellowship with many people\nis painful.\nSeeing this,\none shouldn't approve\nof a company.\nA sage shouldn't visit families:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 one gets distracted;\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 concentration\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 is hard to gain.\nHe's eager & greedy for flavors,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 whoever misses the goal\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 that brings bliss.\nThey know it's a bog -- \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the reverence & veneration\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 of families -- \na subtle arrow, hard to extract.\nOfferings are hard for a worthless man\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 to let go.\n* * *\nComing down from my dwelling place,\nI entered the city for alms,\nstood courteously next to a leper\neating his meal.\nHe, with his rotting hand,\ntossed me a morsel of food,\nand as the morsel was dropping,\na finger fell off\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 right there.\nSitting next to a wall,\nI ate that morsel of food,\nand neither while eating it,\nnor having eaten,\ndid I feel\nany disgust.\nWhoever has mastered\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 left-over scraps for food,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 smelly urine for medicine,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the foot of a tree for a dwelling,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 cast-off rags for robes:\nHe is a man\nof the four directions.\n* * *\nWhere some are exhausted\nclimbing the mountain,\nthere \nthe Awakened One's heir\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 -- mindful, alert,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 buoyed by his psychic power -- \nKassapa climbs.\nReturning from his alms round,\nclimbing the peak,\nKassapa does jhana\nwith no sustenance/clinging,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 having abandoned terror\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 & fear.\nReturning from his alms round,\nclimbing the peak,\nKassapa does jhana\nwith no sustenance/clinging,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 unbound\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 among those who burn.\nReturning from his alms round,\nclimbing the peak,\nKassapa does jhana\nwith no sustenance/clinging,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 free of fermentation,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 his duty\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 done.\nSpread with garlands of vines,\nplaces delighting the mind,\nresounding with elephants,\nappealing:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 those rocky crags \n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 refresh me.\nThe color of blue-dark clouds,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 glistening,\ncooled with the waters\nof clear-flowing streams\ncovered with ladybugs:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 those rocky crags\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 refresh me.\nLike the peaks of blue-dark clouds,\nlike excellent peaked-roof buildings,\nresounding with tuskers,\nappealing:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 those rocky crags\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 refresh me.\nTheir lovely surfaces wet with rain,\nmountains frequented\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 by seers\n& echoing\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 with peacocks:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 those rocky crags\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 refresh me.\nThis is enough for me --\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 desiring to do jhana,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 resolute, mindful;\nenough for me --\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 desiring the goal,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 resolute,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 a monk;\nenough for me --\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 desiring comfort,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 resolute,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 in training;\nenough for me --\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 desiring my duty,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 resolute,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Such.\nFlax-flower blue,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 like the sky\ncovered over with clouds;\nfilled with flocks\nof various birds:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 those rocky crags\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 refresh me.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Uncrowded\nby householders,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 frequented\nby herds of deer\nfilled with flocks\nof various birds:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 those rocky crags\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 refresh me.\nWith clear waters &\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 massive boulders,\nfrequented by monkeys &\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 deer,\ncovered with moss &\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 water weeds:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 those rocky crags\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 refresh me.\nThere is no such pleasure for me\nin the music of a five-piece band\nas there is when my mind\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 is at one,\nseeing the Dhamma\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 aright.\n* * *\nOne shouldn't do lots of work,\nshould avoid people,\nshouldn't busy oneself.\nHe's eager & greedy for flavors,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 whoever misses the goal\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 that brings bliss.\nOne shouldn't do lots of work,\nshould avoid\nwhat doesn't lead to the goal.\nThe body gets wearied,\nfatigued.\nAching, one finds\nno tranquility.\n* * *\nSimply by flapping the mouth\none doesn't see\neven oneself.\nOne goes around stiff-\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 necked,\nthinking, 'I'm better\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 than they.'\nNot better,\nhe thinks himself better,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the fool:\nthe wise don't praise him,\nthe stiff-necked man.\nBut whoever isn't stirred\nby the modes of\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 'I'm better,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 not better.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I'm worse.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I'm like that';\none who's discerning,\nwho acts as he says,\nwell-centered\nin virtues,\ncommitted to\ntranquility of awareness, he\nis the one\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 the wise\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 would praise.\nOne with no respect\nfor his fellows in the holy life,\nis as far\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 from the true Dhamma\nas the earth\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 is from the sky.\nBut those whose conscience\n& fear of evil\nare always rightly established: they\nhave flourished in the holy life.\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 For them\nthere's no further becoming.\nA monk conceited & vain,\neven though clad\nin a robe of cast-off rags,\nlike a monkey in a lion's skin,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 doesn't shine because of it.\nBut a monk not conceited\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 or vain,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 masterful,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 his faculties restrained, shines\nbecause of his robe of cast-off rags,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 like a lion\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 in the cleft of a mountain.\n* * *\nThese many devas,\npowerful, prestigious\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 -- 10,000 devas --\nall of Brahma's retinue,\nstand with their hands over their hearts,\npaying homage to Sariputta,\nthe Dhamma-general,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 enlightened,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 centered,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 great master of jhana,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 [saying:]\n'Homage to you, O thoroughbred man.\nHomage to you, O superlative man --\nof whom we have no direct knowledge\neven of that\nin dependence on which\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 you do jhana.\n'How very amazing:\nthe awakened ones'\nvery own deep range --\nof which we have no direct knowledge,\nthough we have come\nas hair-splitting archers.'\nSeeing Sariputta,\na man worthy of worship,\nworshipped by deva retinues,\nKappina\nsmiled.\n* * *\nAs far as this buddha-field extends\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 -- except for the great sage himself --\nI'm the one\noutstanding\nin ascetic qualities.\nThere's no one else\nlike me.\nThe Teacher has been served by me;\nthe Awakened One's bidding,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 done;\nthe heavy load, \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 laid down;\nthe guide to becoming, \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 uprooted.\nNeither to robe,\nnor dwelling,\nnor food\ndoes he cling:\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Gotama,\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 like a lotus unspotted\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 by water, inclining\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 to renunciation, \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 detached\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 from the three planes of becoming.\nHe,\nthe great sage,\nhas the frames of reference\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 as his neck,\nconviction\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 as hands,\ndiscernment\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 as head.\nThe great master of jhana\nhe goes about\n\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 always unbound.","title":"Theragatha XVIII","type":"page"}