A Collection of Buddhist Wisdom Verses - Ancient Buddhist Texts

1: Virtue
DN 31 Sigālasuttaṁ
Four Ways to spend one's Wealth
The Buddha gives instructions to the young man
Sigāla on the four kinds of friends, and then tells
him how to keep them.
8. Paṇḍito sīlasampanno jalam-aggīva bhāsati,
Bhoge saṁharamānassa, bhamarasseva ir i yato
Bhogā sannicayaṁ yanti, vammiko vupacīyati.
The Wise One endowed with virtue
Will shine forth like a burning fire,
The one who works to gather wealth
Is like a bee gathering honey,
Or like ants piling up their hill.
9. Evaṁ bhoge samāhatvā, alam-atto kule gihī,
Catudhā vibhaje bhoge, sa ve mittāni ganthati:
Having gathered his wealth like this,
Enough for his family and home,
He can divide it in four ways,
Which will ensure he keeps his friends:
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