THE GREAT CHRONICLE OF BUDDHAS
682
water. In the same manner, the flame of animosity could only be
extinguished, and peace and tranquillity restored by forbearance and loving
kindness. This is the beaten track that all the Buddhas and Paccekabuddhas
have hitherto followed.
Pare ca na vijÈnanti,
mayamettha yamÈmase.
Ye ca tattha vijÈnanti,
tatho sammanti medhagÈ.
Amongst the masses of
bhikkhus
, the unintelligent and quarrelsome
bhikkhus
are ignorant of the fact that they are on their march towards the Kingdom of
Death, with the movement of time! Whereas, those intelligent and thoughtful
bhikkhus
, amongst the masses of
bhikkhus
, are fully alive to the fact that all
conditioned things are getting closer to the Jaws of Death with the progress
of time. Consequently, quarrel and conflicts are extinguished and peace and
tranquillity prevailed.
AÔhicchimÈ pÈÓaharÈ,
gavÈssadhanahÈrino.
RaÔhaÓ vilumpamÈnÈnaÑ,
tesampi hoti saÒgati,
kasmÈ tumhÈ ka no siyÈ.
When friendship could be fostered and tranquillity established by peaceful
means with the Kings, who had mercilessly broken the bones and limbs of
our parents through malice, assassinated them, robbed us of our cattle and
worldly possessions of our parents by brute force, I personally do not think
why you
bhikkhus
, My own beloved sons like you, cannot foster brotherly
feeling among yourselves, and re-establish a state of tranquillity and stability
among yourselves! It is a possible matter.
Sace labhetha nipakaÑ sahÈyaÑ,
SaddhiÑ caraÑ sÈdhuvivahÈri dhÊraÑ.
Abhibuyya sabbÈni parissayÈni,
Careyya tenatthamano satÊmÈ.
When a mindful person obtains a friend-in-the-Dhamma, who is
accomplished in the three training practices (
sikkha
), who is self-composed,
prudent and wise, he should take delight in associating with him, and strive
to overcome the external enemies, such as elephants, leopards and tigers, and
extirpate the internal foes, such as greed, hatred and delusion, leaving an
ascetic life in search of Truth.
No ce labhetha nipakam sahÈyam,
saddhiÑ caraÑ sadhuvihÈri dhÊram.
RÈjÈva raÔÔham vijitam pahÈya
eko care matangaraÒÒeva nago
Should a mindful person fail to obtain a friend-in-the-Dhamma who is
accomplished in the three training practices (
sikkha
), who is self-composed,
prudent and wise, he should strive after the Ultimate Truth all alone, by way
of ascetic life, after the manner of those ancient monarchs who abdicated
their thrones, abandoned their countries and renounced the world, such as,
MahÈ Janaka and Arindama, or like a bull elephant of Matanga breed which
roams the forest all alone.