35c: More Stories about Wrong View – 1245
Sukhā matteyyatā loke, atho petteyyatā sukhā,
sukhā sāmaññatā loke, atho brahmaññatā sukhā.
In this world, supporting one’s mother is a source of happiness, so is
supporting one’s father, giving alms respectively to recluses, monks and
wandering ascetics is also a source of happiness. Moreover, giving gladly
and respectively to the Buddhas, Paccekabuddhas and to noble disciples is
a source of happiness.
This verse also shows four sources of happiness.
Sukhaṁ yāva jarā-sīlaṁ, sukhā saddhā patiṭṭhitā,
sukho paññāya paṭilābho, pāpānaṁ akaraṇaṁ sukhaṁ.
The good moral life involving the observance of the five, eight or ten
precepts is good and productive of happiness until old age when one’s hair
turns grey, teeth fall out and the skin becomes wrinkled.
Ruby earring, red garments, etc. are congenial to people only at a certain
age. Young
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people’s garments are not congenial to adults and vice
versa. An adult wearing the garment of a young man or vice versa will
cause criticism and gives one the impression of being crazy. But morality
comprising the observance of the five or ten precepts is congenial to young
or old people alike in the three phases of life. A morally good person earns
the approbation of other people that is pleasant and delightful to him.
Unwaveringly established faith, mundane and supermundane, is a source of
happiness. So is the ability to acquire mundane and supermundane wisdom by
diligence. Complete abstinence from doing evil deeds is another source of
happiness. This verse also shows another set of four sources of happiness. By the
end of the discourse, millions of Devas realized the four truths and became
liberated.