Indian Antiquary Vol 02

SR No.: 032494
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1984
Total Pages: 428
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 20 MB

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THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[DECEMBER, 1873.
them, will stand grieving much for her who bare them. 7. Science is easily acquired by all obedient students, like the shoulders of courtezans who take all they can get. But the sub- stance of acquired learning is as difficult to be understood as are the inward instructions of those courtezans beauteons in body as flowerbuds. 8. Those learned men who collect plenty of books bring them and fill up every room in their houses, and yet understand them not, are of one kind, while those learned men who both understand their purport and are able to explain them to others are of another kind. 9.0 lord of the extended hills where the wild oxen resort in herds ! can the works of these persons be called excellent and faultless commentaries who construct them not in these four methods
-concisely, copiously, catechetically, and paraphrastically? 10. Will those who are not born of a good family, no matter how much learning they have acquired, will they become sufficiently wise to pass over, without censuring, the faults which occur in the speech of others The truly learned make as if they knew not the despicable learning of those who understand not their exposition of science.
CHAPTER 33.- Defective knowledge. 1. The learned will esteem as precious the speech of those friends who declare to them the gracious way of wisdom. The base, who are esteemed us worthless, will abuse and revile them. The ladle appreciates not the flavour of the milk-porridge. 2. Though men desti. tute of rectitude listen to those who are destitute of envy, when they declare the way of virtue, yet they give no heed, just as the chakler's dog, which seizes and devours leather, knows not how to appreciate the taste of rice and milk. 3. Although they see by numerous examples the way by which their precious life may depart in the twinkling of an eye, yet they do not good even to the extent of a grain of millet. What does it matter whether such stupid, shameless (persons) live, or whether they die P 4. Since the days of life are few, and to our life there is no continuing stay, and since it is reviled (or contemned) by many, why should any one nourish fierce hatred in his heart in secret, and not be friendly with those he may meet. 6. If a person going before a public assembly abu- sively reproach another, and the reproached reviles not in turn but remains quiet, if the
reviler thereafter live on and prosper, he will indeed be an object of astonishment to all who see him). 6. The hard words, Get out and go away, will be uttered by the female slave in his own house, while she pushes him out, to him who, before old age comes upon him, perseveres not in performing deeds of virtue. 7. Men of small understanding fruitlessly spend their day of life; since they themselves enjoy not their wealth, they bestow no benefit on the good. They attain not the excellent way of life, which would be a strong fortress for them, and with confused minds do they rely on their wealth. 8. The foolish man who in the time of youth binds not up as a viaticum the rice needful for the road on which he travels, but binds np his money (like an orange) and says, Hereafter we will do the requisite acts of charity,--when with the hand he makes a sign that he wishes a bag of gold to be brought, the relations will say he wants & sour wood-apple. 9. Men of small understanding who in time of adversity and dangerous sickness anxiously think of another world, in the time of prosperity think not of another birth, even to the extent of a grain of mustard-seed. 10. Alas! though men of defective understanding see Yama surrounding with his rope to take away those precions ones, immeasprably beloved, dear as their own lives, what is it? Though they have acquired these children, they think not of virtue, but fruitlessly waste their days of life.
CHAPTER 34.-Ignorance. 1. The quality of those who greatly rejoice in the act of domestic joy in this life, while they continually behold Yama slaughtering their lives, even Yama the great and mighty in slaughter, is like that of a tortoise which its captors have put in a pot of water, while they kindle a fire (to boil it), which sports in the water, being ignorant of its real condition. 2. The quality of those who have resolved, saying, After we have performed all the duties incumbent upon us in the domestic state, we will learn the way of virtue, is like the speech of those who having
gone down to the sea to bathe, said, We will | begin to bathe as soon as the noise has alto.
gether ceased. 3. The ignorance of the customs of the world anciently renowned, faultless and full of excellence, in one who has obtained withont let or hindrance these five things,-caste. penance, learning, high birth, and preëminence,