"Sakka, the lord of all the world, has offered me a boon.
May I not see or hear a fool, nor no such dwell with me,
Nor hold no converse with a fool, nor like his company."

[241]"What has a fool e'er done to you, O Kassapa, declare!
Come tell me why fools' company is more than you can bear?"

"The fool does wickedly, binds loads on him that none should bear,
Ill-doing is his good, and he is wroth when spoken fair,
Knows not right conduct; this is why I would have no fool there."

"Fair spoken, Kassapa," etc.

"Sakka, the lord of beings all, has offered me a boon.
Be it mine the wise to see and hear, and may he dwell with me,
May I hold converse with the wise, and love his company."

"What has the wise man done to you, O Kassapa, declare!
Why do you wish that where you are, the wise man should be there?

The wise does well, no burden binds on him that none should bear,
Well-doing is his good, nor is he wroth when spoken fair,
Knows well right conduct; this is why 'tis well he should be there."

"Fair spoken, Kassapa," etc.

Sakka, the lord of beings all, has offered me a boon.
May I be free from lusts, and when the sun begins to shine
May holy mendicants appear, and grant me food divine;

"May this not dwindle as I give, nor I repent the deed,
But be my heart in giving glad: this choose I for my meed."

"Fair spoken, Kassapa, well put, most excellently said:
Choose now a boon--as bids your heart, so let the choice be made."

"Sakka, the lord of beings all, to me a boon he gave:--
O Sakka, visit me no more: this boon is all I crave."

"But many men and women too of those who live aright
Desire to see me: can there be a danger in the sight?"

"Such is thy aspect all divine, such glory and delight,
This seen, I may forget my vows: this danger has the sight."

[242]"Well, Sir," said Sakka, "I will never visit you more" ; and so saluting him, and craving his pardon, Sakka departed. The Great Being then dwelt all his life long, cultivating the Excellences, and was born again in the world of Brahma.

The Master, having completed this discourse, identified the Birth: "At that time Anuruddha was Sakka, and I myself was the wise Akitti."

Footnotes

^148:1 Reading tain bodhim.

^149:1 Canthium parviflorum.

^149:2 Cf. vol. iii. p. 39 (no. 313).

^150:1 The Malabar coast or Northern Ceylon.

^150:2 Near Ceylon, or part of it.

^151:1 This couplet has already been given: see p. 7, above.

^151:2 See p: 7.