18.
The Book of the Forties
1.
Verses of the Elder Mahākassapa
1054.
The care of various people is painful, having seen thus, one should not approve of a group.
1055.
He who is zealous, greedy for flavours, neglects the benefit that brings happiness.
1056.
A subtle dart, difficult to remove, honour is hard to give up by a contemptible person.
1057.
A man who was a leper eating, I attended on him attentively.
1058.
As he was putting in the morsel, his finger fell off therein.
1059.
Whether eating or having eaten, no loathing is found in me.
1060.
Lodging is at the tree-root, and the robe is a rag robe;
For whom these are attained, he is indeed a man belonging to the four directions.
1061.
There the heir of that Buddha, fully aware, mindful;
Supported by the power of supernormal power, Kassapa ascends.
1062.
Meditates without clinging, fear and dread abandoned.
1063.
Meditates without clinging, quenched while others are burning.
1064.
Meditates without clinging, with obligations fulfilled, without mental corruptions.
1065.
Resounding with elephants, charming, those rocks delight me.
1066.
Covered with red insects, those rocks delight me.
1067.
Resounding with elephants, charming, those rocks delight me.
1068.
Resounding with peacocks, those rocks delight me.
1069.
Sufficient for me who wishes for welfare, for the resolute monk.
1070.
Sufficient for me who wishes for exertion, for the resolute such one.
1071.
Crowded with various flocks of birds, those rocks delight me.
1072.
Crowded with various flocks of birds, those rocks delight me.
1073.
Covered with water moss, those rocks delight me.
1074.
As for one with a fully focused mind, rightly seeing the Teaching with insight.
1075.
He who is zealous, greedy for flavours, neglects the benefit that brings happiness.
1076.
The body becomes troubled, becomes weary, afflicted he does not find serenity.
1077.
He walks about with stiffened neck, thinking 'I am better'.
1078.
The wise do not praise that man, whose mind is stiff with conceit.
1079.
Or 'I am inferior' or 'I am equal to him.'
1080.
Devoted to serenity of mind - the wise would praise such a one.
1081.
He is far from the Good Teaching, as the earth from the sky.
1082.
They have grown in the holy life, for them rebirth is eliminated.
1083.
Like a monkey in a lion's hide, he does not look beautiful in it.
1084.
He shines in a rag robe, like a lion in a mountain cave.
1085.
Ten thousand gods, all of them belonging to the company of Brahmās.
1086.
Paying homage to Sāriputta, they stand with joined palms.
1087.
We do not directly know that in dependence on which he meditates.
1088.
We who have come as hair-splitting archers do not directly know it.'
1089.
Having seen Sāriputta then, Kappina had a smile.
1090.
In the virtues of ascetic practice I am distinguished; no one equal to me is found.
1091.
The heavy burden has been laid down, there is now no more rebirth."
1092.
Gotama is immeasurable, like a spotless lotus flower;
By water, inclined to renunciation, escaped from the three existences.
1093.
Whose head is wisdom, of great knowledge, always walks about quenched."
... The Elder Mahākassapa...
The Book of Forties is concluded.
The summary therein:
The elder alone, verses eighty-four and two also.
