- “Parents are called “Brahma”, “teachers
of old.”
- Worthy of gifts are they, compassionate
- Unto their tribe of children. Thus the wise
- Should worship them and pay them honours due,
- Serve them with food and drink, clothing and beds,
- Anoint their bodies, bathe and wash their feet.
- For service such as this to parents given
- In this life sages praise a man, and he
- Hereafter has reward of joy in Heaven.”
- (The Book of the Gradual Sayings I, p. 115)
-
-
- 2
- “By searching in the world things high and low,
- He who hath naught to stir him in the world,
- Calm and unclouded, cheerful, freed of longing,
- He hath crossed over birth and eld, I say.”
- (The Book of
the Gradual Sayings II, p. 53)
-
-
- 3
- “Worthy of gifts from those that sacrifice
- In this worth are the learner and adept.
- They walk upright in body, speech and mind,
- A field of merit unto them that give:
- And great the fruit of offerings unto them.”
- (The Book of the Gradual Sayings I, p. 58)
-
-
- 4
- “To mother, father dutiful, to child and wife
- A blessing ever, for the weal of both:
- Of those within the home and those who live
- By him, moral and wise in word is he.
- For him, for those gone on before, for such
- As live e’en here, for SamaÏa and Brahman,
- Breeder of welfare doth the wise become.
- (In that) by Dhamma in the home he lives.
- Author of lovely (conduct) worshipful
- Doth he become, and worthy praise. E’en here
- Men praise him and to the hereafter gone,
- In the bright world he dwells in happiness.”
- (The Book of the Gradual Sayings III, p. 64)
-
-
- 5
- “Ah, well it is for many when within
- The home a wise man’s born! Untiring, night
- And day, he honours mother, father, forebears,
- In fitting manner, mindful of their care
- In former days. The homeless wanderers,
- Who live the godly life, he honours, firm
- In faith, he knows therefor things proper, right.
- He is the rejah’s friend and favourite.
- The friend of devas, kith and kin and all.
- Firm set in Saddhamma, with stain of stint
- Put by, he wayfares to the world of bliss.”
- (The Book of the Gradual Sayings IV, p. 167)
-
-
-
- 6
- “The measurable and the measureless,
- Birth and the sum of life the Sage renounced –
- With inward joy composedly he broke
- The [scaly] shell-like growth around the self.”
- (The Book of the Gradual Sayings IV, p. 208)
-
-
- 7
- “Fear, ill, disease, blain, barb, bond, bog and womb
- Alike are lusts, clinging to which the worldling,
- Steeped in delights, goes to the womb again:
- But when an ardent monk relaxes not
- Rapt watchfulness, by crossing o’er the bog
- So hard to pass – ’ tis such an one beholds
- Poor trembling folk o’erwhelmel by birth and eld.”
- (The Book of the Gradual Sayings IV, p.192)
-
-
- 8
-
- “Up and alert about his task and toil,
- A careful man, he minds his wealth and lives
- The even life; and he is virtuous,
- Believing, kind and bountiful; he clears
- The onward Way to faring well hereafter.
- Thus for the believing home-seeker eight states
- Have been declared by him whose name is Truth
- As leading unto happiness both here and then,
- To bliss hereafter and to welfare now.
- This is the standard for a householder.
- For merit grows by generosity.”
- (The Book of the Gradual Sayings IV, p. 191)
-
-
-
- 9
- “Deep reverence for the Master, Dhamma, Order,
- Reverence for earnestness and for good-will:
- Not thuswise fails a monk, he’s nigh Nibbana.”
- (The Book of the Gradual Sayings, p. 233.)
-
-
- 10
- “Deep reverence for the Master, Dhamma, Order,
- Esteem for modesty and fear of blame:
- Not thuswise fails a monk, he’s nigh Nibbana.”
- (The Book of the Gradual Sayings, p. 233.)
“Monks, there are these three
characteristics, features, stamps of a fool. What three ? Herein, monks, the fool thinks
thoughts, speaks words, does deeds that are wrong. Were it not so, how would the wise know
: This is a fool, my good sir ! This is a depraved man ? But inasmuch as the fool thinks
thoughts, speaks words, does deeds that are wrong, therefore the wise know: My good sir,
this is a fool ! This is a depraved man !
These are the three characteristics, features, stamps of a fool.” (The Book of the Gradual Sayings I, p. 88)
“Monks, there are these three
characteristics, features, stamps of a wise man. What three ? Herein, monks, the wise man
thinks thoughts, speaks words, does deeds that are right. Were it not so, how would the
wise know : This is a wise man, my good sir ! This is a good man ? But inasmuch as the
wise man thinks thoughts, speaks words, does deeds that are right, therefore the wise know
: My good sir, this is a wise man ! This is a good man ! These are the three
characteristics, features, stamps of a wise man. (The
Book of the Gradual Sayings I, p. 88)
“Monks, by three characteristics a
fool is to be known. What three ? He sees not an
offence as such, and when he sees an offence as such he does not make mends, but when
another acknowledges his offence he does not pardon it as he ought. By these three things
a fool may be known.” (The Book of the
Gradual Sayings I, p. 89)
“Monks, by three characteristics a
wise man may be known. What three ? He sees an offence as such, and when he sees an
offence as such he makes mends, but when another acknowledges his offence he pardons it as
he ought. By these three things a wise man may be known.” (The Book of the Gradual Sayings I, p. 89)