om his home to a homeless
state, he should in his retirement look for enjoyment where enjoyment
seemed difficult. Leaving all pleasures behind, and calling nothing his
own, the wise man should purge himself from all the troubles of the
mind.

Those whose mind is well grounded in the seven elements of knowledge,
who without clinging to anything, rejoice in freedom from attachment,
whose appetites have been conquered, and who are full of light, they are
free even in this world.

CHAPTER VII

THE VENERABLE

There is no suffering for him who has finished his journey, and
abandoned grief, who has freed himself on all sides, and thrown off all
fetters.

They exert themselves with their thoughts well-collected, they do not
tarry in their abode; like swans who have left their lake, they leave
their house and home.

Men who have no riches, who live on recognized food, who have perceived
void and unconditioned freedom (Nirvana), their path is difficult to
understand, like that of birds in the air.

He whose appetites are stilled, who is not absorbed in enjoyment, who
has perceived void and unconditioned freedom (Nirvana), his path is
difficult to understand, like that of birds in the air.

The gods even envy him whose senses, like horses well broken in by the
driver, have been subdued, who is free from pride, and free from
appetites; such a one who does his duty is tolerant like the earth, or
like a threshold; he is like a lake without mud; no new births are in
store for him.

His thought is quiet, quiet are his word and deed, when he has obtained
freedom by true knowledge, when he has thus become a quiet man.

The man who is free from credulity, but knows the uncreated, who has cut
all ties, removed all temptations, renounced all desires, he is the
greatest of men.

In a hamlet or in a forest, on sea or on dry land, wherever venerable
persons (Arahanta) dwell, that place is delightful.

Forests are delightful; where the world finds no delight, there the
passionless will find delight, for they look not for pleasures.

CHAPTER VIII

THE THOUSANDS

Even though a speech be a thousand (of words), but made up of senseless
words, one word of sense is better, which if a man hears, he becomes
quiet.

Even though a Gatha (poem) be a thousand (of words), but made up of
senseless words, one word of a Gatha is better, which if a man hears, he
becomes quiet.

Though a man recite a hundred Gathas made up of