The Jataka, Vol. II
Chapters
Book II: Story 235 — VACCHA-NAKHA-JATAKA.

The Bodhisatta on hearing him, thus replied: "Good Sir, from ignorance you have become greedy in desire, and call the householder's life good, and the life of the ascetic bad; listen now, and I will tell you how bad is the householder's life;" and he uttered the second stanza: [233]

"He that hath houses peace can never know,
He lies and cheats, he must deal many a blow
On others' shoulders: nought this fault can cure:
Then who into a house would willing go?"

With these words the great Buddha told the defects of a householder's life, and went into the garden again.

_____________________________

When the Master had ended this discourse, he identified the Birth:--"Roja the Mallian was the Benares merchant, and I was Vacchanakha the mendicant."

[j236]