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LECTURE I.
5
or hurtful, neither for his own sake nor for anybody else's, nor without such a motive. (25).
In barbers' shops1 or houses, on the ground separating two houses, or on the highway a single monk should not stand with a single woman, nor should he converse with her. (26)
Any instruction the wise ones 2 may give me in a kind or a rough way, I shall devotedly accept, thinking that it is for my benefit. (27)
(The teacher's) instruction, his manner of giving it, and his blaming evil acts are considered blissful by the intelligent, but hateful by the bad monk. (28)
Wise, fearless monks consider even a rough instruction as a benefit, but the fools hate it, though it produces patience and purity of mind. (29)
He should occupy a low, firm seat, which does not rock; seldom rising and never without a cause, he should sit motionless. (30)
At the right time a monk should sally forth, and he should return at the right time; avoiding to do anything out of time, he should do what is appropriate for each period of the day. (31)
A monk should not approach (dining people) sitting in a row, but should collect alms that are freely given; having begged according to the sanctioned rules, he should eat a moderate portion at the proper time. (32)
A monk should wait (for his alms) alone, not too far from other monks, nor too near them, but so that he is not seen by another party; another monk should not pass him to get the start of him. (33)
1 Samara, explained by the commentator barbers' shop or smithy, with the addition that it includes all places of low people.
2 Buddhâh.
