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364
THE QUESTIONS AND PUZZLES
VII, 7, 1.
Book VII. CHAPTER 7. THE SIMILES (continued).
61. THE WATERPOT. 1. [414] Venerable Nâgasena, that one quality of the waterpot you say he ought to take, which is it?'
• Just, o king, as the waterpot when it is full gives forth no sound; just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, even when he has reached the summit of Samanaship, and knows all tradition and learning and interpretation, yet should give forth no sound, not pride himself thereon, not show himself puffed up, but putting away pride and self-righteousness, should be straightforward, not garrulous of himself, neither deprecating others. This, O king, is the quality of the waterpot he ought to have. For it was said, O king, by the Blessed One, the god over all gods, in the Sutta Nipata : “What is not full, that is the thing that sounds,
That which is full is noiseless and at rest; The fool is like an empty waterpot, The wise man like a deep pool, clear and full ?.”'
62. BLACK IRON 2. Venerable Någasena, those two qualities of black iron you say he ought to take, which are they?'
[415] .Just, o king, as black iron even when
· Sutta Nipâta III, 11, 43 (verse 721). : Kalayasa. I suppose to distinguish it from bronze.
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