To Our Children II

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.

Chbab Kun Cau stanzas 11-30 (Moral Codes of Conduct: Children and

Grandchildren) Composed in Pad Kakagati (Crowe’s Gait Metre)

17th Century or earlier

Go here for stanzas 1-10