Paragu - Hitopa region

Praise

On the banks of the Ganges there was a city called Pataliputta (now Patna). In that city reigned a king named Sudassana, who was a man of great nobility and nobility. Once upon a time, that king heard two words of advice from someone:

The scriptures, which can dispel all doubts and clarify all doubts, and reveal hidden benefits, are the eyes of all people. He who does not have the eyes of scriptures is blind.

Age, youth, wealth, power, ignorance, any one of these four things is useless. What is the use of all four?

Then, feeling uneasy about his sons who had not studied the scriptures and were going astray, this idea arose.

There is no benefit in giving birth to a child who is ignorant and ignorant of the Dhamma. Blind eyes are of no use. They are only for the purpose of pain and suffering.

An unborn child, a dead child, and a foolish child: of these three kinds of children, the first and second two only cause suffering once. The third kind causes suffering constantly.

Miscarriage, not living with one's wife, dying after giving birth, giving birth to a daughter, being barren, and being conceived in the womb are all noble. But even a son who is beautiful and well-groomed is not noble for a person who is ignorant.

A son who brings honor to one's lineage is worth being born. In this cycle of rebirth, who is there who does not die? Who is there who is not born?

If a son is born who is not even included in the list of honorable people, even if he is mistaken, what difference will there be from a barren woman?

A son who is not interested in charity, in virtue, in bravery, in skill, in wealth, is nothing but a pile of dirt on his mother's face.

One capable son is better than a hundred foolish sons. A single moon can dispel darkness, but hundreds of stars cannot.

He who practices the Dhamma in a place where good deeds are difficult to do, his son obeys his parents, becomes wealthy, observes the Dhamma, and becomes wise.

Wealth, freedom from disease, a lover, a wife who speaks kindly, a son who listens, and knowledge that benefits; these six are the happiness of the world.

A father who makes you go into debt is an enemy. A mother who is young is an enemy. A beautiful wife is an enemy. An unwise son is an enemy.

Knowledge is poison if not practiced. Food is poison if not digested. For the uneducated, entertainment is poison.

A young woman is poison to an old man.

Even if one is born into an ordinary family, if one has the ability, one is worthy of respect.

What good is a bow made of good bamboo if it has no string?

Hours and days pass, but an uneducated son will be buried among the wise, like an ox wallowing in the mire.

How should I now equip my sons with the knowledge and skills they need?

Eating, sleeping, fear, and sexual intercourse are the same for both humans and animals. In humans, only the Dhamma is superior. A person without Dhamma is no different from an animal.

The existence of a person who lacks any of these four qualities: morality, wealth, sensual pleasures, and freedom is as meaningless as the nipple on the neck of a she-goat.

"If it is not meant to be, it will never be; if it is meant to be, it will certainly be." Why don't you take the medicine that cures this poison of constant thinking? These are the words of a lazy person who is incapable of doing his job.

A person should not relax his diligence after having made a vow to fight karma. For without diligence, oil cannot be extracted from sesame seeds.

The wealth spirit comes to the diligent male and female. Those who are not diligent say, “If fate gives, then it will come.” Therefore, setting aside fate, one should strive with all one’s might. If one strives but fails to achieve success, there is no blame to be placed on one’s own efforts.

Just as a chariot cannot move on one wheel, similarly, without effort, karma cannot be beneficial.

Only the efforts made in past lives are called karma. Therefore, one should strive tirelessly with diligence and perseverance.

Just as a potter can make a pot from a lump of clay as he pleases, so too should a person work hard and reap the benefits as he pleases.

Like "a crow tramples a palm tree when it falls," even though you see a pot of gold coming your way, karma doesn't take it on its own. It waits for diligence.

Only with diligence can a task be completed successfully. Without willpower, it cannot be completed successfully. A deer cannot enter the mouth of a sleeping lion by itself.

A mother and father who do not teach a child skills are the child's enemies. A child who is not taught skills is as unattractive in the midst of an audience as a heron in the midst of a court.

Even if one is of good age and good character and is of noble birth, if one lacks knowledge and skill, he is as unattractive as a flower without fragrance.

A person who does not learn a skill from a teacher is like a child born to a young husband, and is not handsome in the audience.

Having thus considered, King Sudassana held a great assembly of scholars. At that assembly of scholars, King Sudassana spoke thus: All scholars, listen to me. What scholar can teach my sons, who have gone astray without learning the scriptures, the scriptures, and become new men and women?

"For just as glass becomes emerald when mixed with gold, so a fool becomes wise when mixed with a wise man."

“If you associate with inferior people, your wisdom will decline. If you associate with equal people, your wisdom will remain equal or mediocre. You will not grow or develop. If you associate with superior people, your wisdom will grow or develop.”

Then the Venerable Vinasammā, a great scholar of ethics and morality among the assembly of wise men, spoke thus.

"Your Majesty, your sons are of great blood and lineage, and I am able to teach your sons the Book of Ethics."

"For the sake of something that will not be fruitful - all efforts are in vain. No matter how much you train a heron, it will not learn to talk like a parrot. In this royal family, there will be no children who are not capable. It is very difficult for amber to appear in a gem that produces rubies and diamonds.

"Therefore, I will teach your son to become good sons, skilled in ethics and knowledge, within six months." - Then King Sudassana spoke respectfully. ' "

The insect, because it lives with the flower, rises above the heads of the nobles. The stone, because it is erected and worshipped by the nobles, rises to the status of a deity.

"The fabric of Mount Udi, where the sun rises in the east, shines brightly in the sunlight. In the same way, even if one is of low birth, if one associates with the nobles, one can become famous and famous."

"Honor is honor to those who know honor, but it is sin to the shameless and foolish. When the fresh water of a river flows into the ocean, its taste is lost."

"Therefore, I entrust you, Your Majesty, to teach my sons the virtues of morality."

Having said this, King Sudassana paid homage to the venerable Vinusamma and entrusted him with his sons.