Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

78
DHAMMAPADA.
wise, understands nothing of-the true doctrine, as a
spoon tastes not the flavour of the soup. The man
of discernment, frequenting the society of the wise,
in a moment perceives the secret of the true doc-
trine, as the tongue perceives the flavour of the
broth. Even the charity of the fool is a cause of
sorrow to him ; how much more his evil deeds
That deed is Ul done that causes repentance here-
after ; the reward of which is accompanied by tears
and a rueful face."
On hearing these lines the Brahmach^rins wer6 con-
Verted, and worshipping Buddha, arose and departed.
On another occasion, when a Pratyeka Buddha, called
Klla, enteted ]Srirv§,na, after enduring the insults of certain
women as he begged his food, the World-honoured uttered
these verses
:
" The fool and his fellows^ doing evil are unable
to deliver themselves. -Misfortune follows them
with its certain burning. Their evil deeds must
result, when they are completed, in entire destruc-
"tion. The fool, whilst in the flesh, recognises not
the misery he is entailing on himself; but when he
sinks into the place of perdition, then he knows his
own folly."
1 Yu ch'hwang, wliioh may mean simply the "stupid."
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