Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

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SECTION XXVI.
IMPURITY (mALAVAGGO).
I. Theeb was once a man who had no brothers, but only one
little son, who was much beloved by both his parents.
They procured for him means of instruction, and fondly
hoped that he would be an honour to their house. But,
alas ! he was careless and negligent, and learned nothing.
In consequence of this his parents took him to their home,
and hoped he would be useful in the management of the
house. But he was idle and dirty in his ways, and alto-
gether a grief to them. In consequence of this he was
sHghted by all the neighbours, and became an object of
contempt amongst his friends, and almost hateful to his
parents. Deeply touched by this, he sought some comfort
in religious exercises, but found no help in all his penances
and prayers to the gods. At last, hearing that Buddha was
the all-wise Teacher who cotdd meet the necessities of his
case, he came to him and begged his help. To whom
Buddha replied, " If you would find comfort in my society,
the first thing for you to learn is purity of conduct. Go
back, therefore, to your home, and learn to obey your
parents, recite your prayers, be diligent in your daily
occupations, let no love of ease tempt you to neglect
cleanliness of person or decency of dress ; and then, having
learned this, come back to me, and you may perhaps be
allowed to enter into the companionship of my followers."
And then the World-honoured added these stanzas :
"Absence^ of (daily) prayer is the disease of
^ Compare ver. 241 of the Pali.
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