CHAPTER XVII

ANGER

Let a man leave anger, let him forsake pride, let him overcome all
bondage! No sufferings befall the man who is not attached to name and
form, and who calls nothing his own.

He who holds back rising anger like a rolling chariot, him I call a real
driver; other people are but holding the reins.

Let a man overcome anger by love, let him overcome evil by good; let him
overcome the greedy by liberality, the liar by truth!

Speak the truth, do not yield to anger; give, if thou art asked for
little; by these three steps thou wilt go near the gods.

The sages who injure nobody, and who always control their body, they
will go to the unchangeable place (Nirvana), where, if they have gone,
they will suffer no more.

Those who are ever watchful, who study day and night, and who strive
after Nirvana, their passions will come to an end.

This is an old saying, O Atula, this is not as if of to-day: "They blame
him who sits silent, they blame him who speaks much, they also blame him
who says little; there is no one on earth who is not blamed."

There never was, there never will be, nor is there now, a man who is
always blamed, or a man who is always praised.

But he whom those who discriminate praise continually day after day, as
without blemish, wise, rich in knowledge and virtue, who would dare to
blame him, like a coin made of gold from the Gambu river? Even the gods
praise him, he is praised even by Brahman.

Beware of bodily anger, and control thy body! Leave the sins of the
body, and with thy body practise virtue!

Beware of the anger of the tongue, and control thy tongue! Leave the
sins of the tongue, and practise virtue with thy tongue!

Beware of the anger of the mind, and control thy mind! Leave the sins of
the mind, and practise virtue with thy mind!

The wise who control their body, who control their tongue, the wise who
control their mind, are indeed well controlled.

CHAPTER XVIII

IMPURITY

Thou art now like a sear leaf, the messengers of death (Yama) have come
near to thee; thou standest at the door of thy departure, 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 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 provi