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9. Devotion to Discipline
[still] young, will come to grief. Just so an unwise [monk] who mocks [his] teacher brings about [for himself] the path of existences. 5. Would a snake, being very angry, do anything else than destroy the life [of its enemy]? [This effect is relatively tolerable, but when] the teacher is unkind, [this results from] an offence [that leads to] non-obtainment of knowlege, [and] Salvation is not [possible]. 6. [A man] who leaps into burning fire or who annoys a snake or eats poison [and still] wishes to live - to his [conduct] an offence against the Guru is comparable [in result]. 7. Perhaps the fire does not burn [him], the angry snake will not strike [at him], the deadly poison will not kill [him]: after an offence against the Guru there is no Salvation. 8. (The same will happen) when [a man tries to) split a mountain with his head or rouses a sleeping lion or strikes against the point of a lance. 9. Perhaps he will [succeed in] split[ting] the mountain, the angry lion will not devour him, or the point of the lance will not hurt him: after an offence against the Guru there is no Salvation. 10. When... (etc. as in 5)... [possible]. Therefore, if he desires [to obtain] unlimited happiness, he should feel happy in the Guru's kindness. 11. As a Brahmin worships the Fire fed with manifold libations and mantra-words, so [a monk] should stand by the side of the teacher, even when in possession of unlimited knowledge. 12. At that [teacher's feet] from whom he learns the words of religion, he should show respect; he should always honour [him] with bowed head [and hands raised for] anjali, [i. e. with his body], and [besides] with the words "bho" and in [his] mind. 13. [For his thought ought to be:] that Guru who [will] always teach me shame [for futile injury done to living beings], compassion [with them], selfcontrol, [and] chastity, these means of purification for him who has the rare chance to hear the Dharma, [to that Guru] I [shall] always do honour. 14. As at day-break the glorious sun lights up all Bharata, so a teacher by learning, character and intelligence shines forth [amongst men] like Indra among the Gods. 15. As the moon in the night of the fullmoon, surrounded by nakshatras and stars shines forth from the clear, cloudless sky, so a Gani shines forth among the monks. 16. In their exertion of devotion, the most wise teachers are
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