(to hell), there is the
short pleasure of the frightened in the arms of the frightened, and
the king imposes heavy punishment; therefore let no man think of his
neighbour's wife.

311. As a grass-blade, if badly grasped, cuts the arm, badly-practised
asceticism leads to hell.

312. An act carelessly performed, a broken vow, and hesitating obedience
to discipline, all this brings no great reward.

313. If anything is to be done, let a man do it, let him attack it
vigorously! A careless pilgrim only scatters the dust of his passions
more widely.

314. An evil deed is better left undone, for a man repents of it
afterwards; a good deed is better done, for having done it, one does not
repent.

315. Like a well-guarded frontier fort, with defences within and
without, so let a man guard himself. Not a moment should escape, for
they who allow the right moment to pass, suffer pain when they are in
hell.

316. They who are ashamed of what they ought not to be ashamed of, and
are not ashamed of what they ought to be ashamed of, such men, embracing
false doctrines enter the evil path.

317. They who fear when they ought not to fear, and fear not when they
ought to fear, such men, embracing false doctrines, enter the evil path.

318. They who forbid when there is nothing to be forbidden, and forbid
not when there is something to be forbidden, such men, embracing false
doctrines, enter the evil path.

319. They who know what is forbidden as forbidden, and what is not
forbidden as not forbidden, such men, embracing the true doctrine, enter
the good path.

Chapter XXIII. The Elephant

320. Silently shall I endure abuse as the elephant in battle endures the
arrow sent from the bow: for the world is ill-natured.

321. They lead a tamed elephant to battle, the king mounts a tamed
elephant; the tamed is the best among men, he who silently endures
abuse.

322. Mules are good, if tamed, and noble Sindhu horses, and elephants
with large tusks; but he who tames himself is better still.

323. For with these animals does no man reach the untrodden country
(Nirvana), where a tamed man goes on a tamed animal, viz. on his own
well-tamed self.

324. The elephant called Dhanapalaka, his temples running with sap, and
difficult to hold, does not eat a morsel when bound; the elephant longs
for the elephant grove.

325. If a man becomes fat and a great eater, if he is sleepy and rolls
himself about, that fool, like a hog fed