Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

70
DHAMMAPADA.
fully attends to little matters, arrives at great re-
sults ;
he who accumulates evil actions must enter
the fiery pit. But guarding the precepts, then one's
happiness increases, and the gladness consequent
upon it, as the contrary neglect of them leads to
remorse and bitterness of heart. The Bhikshu who
is able to get rid of all remnants of worldly attachment
(the three worlds), this one is verily near to
Nirv4na."
Then the Bhikshunt re-appearing in the glorious form of
Buddha, the Shaman, filled with astonishment. and fear,
fell down at his feet, and repenting of his carelessness and
ignorance, vowed to amend his life and follow his duty
with anxious care. On this the World-honoured one forth-
with recited these gi,thls
:
" Although a man may have heretofore been
careless, yet if afterwards he is able to govern and
restrain himself, this man becomes illustrious in (or
illumines) the world, and the more he reflects the more
resolved will he become (to use self-restraint). A man
may have done many things wrong, but if he recovers
himself and atones for the evil by doing good, this
man becomes illustrious in the world, and the more
he reflects the more virtuous he will become. The
man who in the prime of life leaves his home and
perfectly tutors himself in the doctrine of Buddha,
this man shines out in the world as the moon when
it bursts from a cloud. The man who in times past
has done wickedly, but afterwards halts in his
career and offends no more—that man shines out
in the world as the moon when it emerges from the
cloud."