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326
THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES
VII, 4, I.
Book VII. CHAPTER 4.
THE SIMILES (continued). 31. THE WHITE ANT.
1. 'Venerable Nâgasena, that quality of the white ant which you say he ought to have, which is it?'
'Just, O king, as the white ant goes on with his work only when he has made a roof over himself, and covered himself up; just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, on his round for alms, cover up his mind with righteousness and self-restraint as a roof. For in so doing, O king, will he have passed beyond all fear. This, O king, is the one quality of the white ant he ought to have. [393] For it was said, O king, by Upasena Vangantaputta, the Elder:
"The devotee who covers up his mind, Under the sheltering roof of righteousness And self-control, untarnished by the world Remains, and is set free from every fear 1."'
32. THE CAT.
2. 'Venerable Nâgasena, those two qualities of the cat you say he ought to have, which are they?' 'Just, O king, as the cat, in frequenting caves and holes and the interiors of storied dwellings, does so only in the search after rats; just so, O king, should
1 Not traced as yet. But as it is doubtless an old verse it is interesting that it contains the word yogî.
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