The World

Don't follow harmful ways or drift through life half-asleep. Don't swallow false beliefs, and don't get tangled up in the world's shallow values.

Follow not the vulgar way; live not in heedlessness; hold not false views; linger not long in worldly existence.

Rouse yourself; don't drift through life half-asleep. Live well and uprightly; those who do rest at ease in this world and the next.

Arise! Do not be heedless! Lead a righteous life. The righteous live happily both in this world and the next.

Live an upright life, not a low one. Those who live well rest at ease both in this world and the next.

Lead a righteous life; lead not a base life. The righteous live happily both in this world and the next.

See the world as a bubble; see it as a shimmering mirage. Look at it that way, and even death loses sight of you.

One who looks upon the world as a bubble and a mirage, him the King of Death sees not.

Come and look at this dazzling world, glittering like a royal chariot. The foolish sink right into it, but the wise admire it without getting stuck.

Come! Behold this world, which is like a decorated royal chariot. Here fools flounder, but the wise have no attachment to it.

Someone who was once heedless and then becomes heedful lights up the world like the moon set free from the clouds.

He who having been heedless is heedless no more, illuminates this world like the moon freed from clouds.

Someone who covers over the harm they once did with good deeds lights up the world like the moon set free from the clouds.

He, who by good deeds covers the evil he has done, illuminates this world like the moon freed from clouds.

This world is blind; only a few here truly see. Like birds slipping free from the net, only a few reach the realms of bliss.

Blind is the world; here only a few possess insight. Only a few, like birds escaping from the net, go to realms of bliss.

Swans fly along the path of the sun, and those with such power travel through the air; the wise are led out of the world, having vanquished Mara and his army.

Swans fly on the path of the sun; men pass through the air by psychic powers; the wise are led away from the world after vanquishing Mara and his host.

Someone who lies, breaking the single law of truthfulness, and who scorns the world to come: there is no wrong such a person won't do.

For a liar who has violated the one law (of truthfulness) who holds in scorn the hereafter, there is no evil that he cannot do.

Misers don't reach the heavenly realms, and only fools fail to praise generosity. But the wise delight in giving, and by that gladness alone they find happiness ahead.

Truly, misers fare not to heavenly realms; nor, indeed, do fools praise generosity. But the wise man rejoices in giving, and by that alone does he become happy hereafter.

Better than sole rule over the earth, better than going to heaven, better even than lordship over all the worlds, is the first true step into the stream of awakening.

Better than sole sovereignty over the earth, better than going to heaven, better even than lordship over all the worlds is the supramundane Fruition of Stream Entrance. [15]