Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

I .
( 118 )
SECTION XXIV.
PLEASURE (PIYAVAGGO).
In days of old, when Buddha was residing in the Jetavana,
Vih^ra, at Sr§,vastl, there were four newly-admitted mendi-
cants who went together and sat under a plum-tree, in-
tending to engage themselves in religious contemplation
(dhy^na). At this time the tree was .iu full bloom, and
struck by the beautiful colours and the fragrant perfume
of the blossoms, the conversation of the mendicants took
the following turn— ^viz.,i as to what in aU the world was
most worthy of love as a source of pleasure. Then one of
them said, "I, think the greatest happiness in the world
is during some moonlight night in spring, when all the
trees are in bloom, to wander forth in the country, and
take one's pleasure without constraint." Another said,
" I think the highest pleasure is in joining m some family
social gathering, and enjoying the feast and the wine, the
music and the dancing." Another said, "I think the
highest I happiness is to possess such funds of wealth as to
enable one to procure whatever the heart desires, whether
it be chariots or horses, clothing or ornaments,' such as
would make one, on going into the world, the admiration
and envy of aU beholders." The fourth said, "And I
think the highest happiness to , be to possess a wife as
beautiful as possible, and to see her clad in aU the choicest
robes, anointed with the rarest unguents, and always
ready for the indulgence of love." Now Buddha, per-
ceiving that these men were capable of conversion, but
had liot yet arrived at a knowledge of the impermanency of
,