Make thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy impurities are
blown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt enter into the
heavenly world of the elect (Ariya).
Thy life has come to an end, thou art come near to death (Yama), there
is no resting-place for thee on the road, and thou hast no provision for
thy journey.
Make thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy impurities are
blown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt not enter again into
birth and decay.
Let a wise man blow off the impurities of himself, as a smith blows off
the impurities of silver, one by one, little by little, and from time to
time.
As the impurity which springs from the iron, when it springs from it,
destroys it; thus do a transgressor's own works lead him to the evil
path.
The taint of prayers is non-repetition; the taint of houses, non-repair;
the taint of complexion is sloth; the taint of a watchman,
thoughtlessness.
Bad conduct is the taint of woman, niggardliness the taint of a
benefactor; tainted are all evil ways, in this world and in the next.
But there is a taint worse than all taints--ignorance is the greatest
taint. O mendicants! throw off that taint, and become taintless!
Life is easy to live for a man who is without shame: a crow hero, a
mischief-maker, an insulting, bold, and wretched fellow.
But life is hard to live for a modest man, who always looks for what is
pure, who is disinterested, quiet, spotless, and intelligent.
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