Chapter XI. Old Age

146. How is there laughter, how is there joy, as this world is always
burning? Why do you not seek a light, ye who are surrounded by darkness?

147. Look at this dressed-up lump, covered with wounds, joined together,
sickly, full of many thoughts, which has no strength, no hold!

148. This body is wasted, full of sickness, and frail; this heap of
corruption breaks to pieces, life indeed ends in death.

149. Those white bones, like gourds thrown away in the autumn, what
pleasure is there in looking at them?

150. After a stronghold has been made of the bones, it is covered with
flesh and blood, and there dwell in it old age and death, pride and
deceit.

151. The brilliant chariots of kings are destroyed, the body also
approaches destruction, but the virtue of good people never approaches
destruction,--thus do the good say to the good.

152. A man who has learnt little, grows old like an ox; his flesh grows,
but his knowledge does not grow.

153, 154. Looking for the maker of this tabernacle, I shall have to run
through a course of many births, so long as I do not find (him); and
painful is birth again and again. But now, maker of the tabernacle, thou
hast been seen; thou shalt not make up this tabernacle again. All thy
rafters are broken, thy ridge-pole is sundered; the mind, approaching
the Eternal (visankhara, nirvana), has attained to the extinction of all
desires.

155. Men who have not observed proper discipline, and have not gained
treasure in their youth, perish like old herons in a lake without fish.

156. Men who have not observed proper discipline, and have not gained
treasure in their youth, lie, like broken bows, sighing after the past.

Chapter XII. Self

157. If a man hold himself dear, let him watch himself carefully; during
one at least out of the three watches a wise man should be watchful.

158. Let each man direct himself first to what is proper, then let him
teach others; thus a wise man will not suffer.

159. If a man make himself as he teaches others to be, then, being
himself well subdued, he may subdue (others); one's own self is indeed
difficult to subdue.

160. Self is the lord of self, who else could be the lord? With self
well subdued, a man finds a lord such as few can find.

161. The evil done by oneself, self-begotten, self-bred, crushes the
foolish, as a diamond breaks a precious stone.

162. He whose wickedness is very great brings himsel