As for the precious holy dharma,
Once brilliant, it shines the most
In this world
And to the far beyond;
Its perfection gleams very far
And its gradual glare
Never dims.
O, my children!
Here is another sage’s advice.
The honey of the bees itself
Is sweeter than all sweet things,
Exquisitely sweet as the other Shore.
But this sweetness once passed
We have no more to hold on, no more memories.
On the other hand, the words of the sage,
The sage, out of compassion,
Proclaims to educate you and to exhort you,
These words are infinitely sweeter
Than sugar from honey and cane.
You must hold them within yourself
As long as you are alive.
The sage says, about figs,
That their outer skin
Is brilliant, shining like a mirror,
But that the fruit interior
Contains only wasps
Which are abound,
That's why, the sage goes on.
Some people peddle gossip,
Indulge in slander,
Are dishonest and envious,
Engage in sycophancy,
Have a false and misleading language,
Just like the appearance of the figs
So pretty, only on the outside.
On the other hand, take the jackfruit
The bark is dry and hard,
Bristling with thorns;
But the interior contains pulpy quarters
Sweet and sweet, until
The fruit heart, without imperfection,
And the delicious flavor.
People faithful to the dharma,
Good people faithful to the Texts,
The sage compares them
To the jackfruit that has fragrant pulps,
Sweet and delicious,
Outside covers with thorns,
But inside full of sweetness.
On the other hand, the sage says:
The bumblebee and the flower
Belong to separate worlds.
But precisely because of the first’s desire to sip
And collect the scent (of the second),
It travels distances to the flight,
And hastens in quest of the flower.
It is similar to a man
Whose heart aspires to acquire
Codes and treaties;
This man goes in search of the one
Who owns science,
And applies to study with zealous,
Diligence and boldness.
Another case is that of the fly
Who gets lured by the stinky things,
Disgusting and infamous;
Like a man without virtue,
Eager for the affairs of justice,
Without thinking about the difficulties,
Nor have fears for the future.
Another case (according to) the treaties:
The sage forbids to imitate
The treacherous conduct of jrai*
(Because) when they occur and develop,
They take sustenance at the expense of the trees.
Whatever the place,
Their guests are subject to ruin.
Another case that the sage is noticing:
The treacherous behavior of the tiger who,
At the sight of abundance meat,
Wants to eat as much,
Without ever being satisfied.
O, all human beings!
Do not imitate this behavior of the tiger.
Humans born in this world are
Like a cartwheel.
Turning, the wheel touches all;
Sometime, it touches others,
In which case we have respite.
Which is why the sage declares,
And recommends to pay attention to the way of the wheel.
It is in the nature of the trees
Growing in the forest
To be twisted, to be righted.
As for the inhabitants of the kingdom
Protect by the good sovereign,
Some are just and honest,
Others are stupid and vile.
All the animals
Ferocious and cruel,
We can force them and command them.
But the ferocious people,
Foolish and abusive,
The sage tells us to turn them away,
And to get away from them.
O, my children! Listen carefully!
These words form a code,
A discourse on education;
These words form a path of passage
That must be kept piously.
O, my children!
Together, listen carefully!
O, all children!
In the future generations
Of your family,
Learn to care for each other,
And to stay together.
Whether false or righteous, wicked or good,
Know how to endure and forgive.
O, my children!
Your father being well aged
Will not be long among you.
Who will stay
To guide you, my children?
Who then will be able
To replace your father?
But your father once gone
Leaves behind a word
To guide and inform you.
This word, your father
Will make a bridge
To allow you all
To reach the other Shore.
That word in question, then,
Should you reject it,
You will likely incur blame for a long time.
But, if your boat breaks,
If your junk rips apart,
Even in the distant Lanka,
You can always come home.
