If one thus reared with anxious pains his mother should neglect,
Playing her false, what doom, I pray, but hell can he expect?

If one thus reared with anxious pains his father should neglect,
Playing him false, what doom, I pray, but hell can he expect?

Those that love wealth o'ermuch, 'tis said, their wealth will soon have lost,
One that neglects a mother soon will rue it to his cost.

Those that love wealth o'ermuch, 'tis said, their wealth will soon have lost,
One that neglects a father soon will rue it to his cost.

Joy, careless ease, laughter and sport, are the sure heritage
Of him that studiously shall tend a mother in old age.

Joy, careless ease, laughter and sport, are the sure heritage
Of him that studiously shall tend a father in old age.

Gifts , loving speech, kind offices, together with the grace
Of calm indifference of mind shown in due time and place--

These virtues to the world are as linch-pin to chariot wheel,
These lacking, still a mother's name to children would appeal.

[331] A mother like the sire should be with reverent honour crowned,
Sages approve the man in whom these virtues may be found.

Thus parents, worthy of all praise, a high position own,
By ancient sages Brahma called. So great was their renown.

Kind parents from their children should receive all reverence due,
He that is wise will honour them with service good and true.

He should provide them food and drink, bedding and raiment meet,
Should bathe them and anoint with oil and duly wash their feet.

For filial services like these sages his praises sound
Here in this world, and after death in heaven his joys abound.

[332] Thus, as though he should set Mount Sineru rolling, did the Great Being bring his lesson to an end. On hearing him all these kings with their hosts became believers. So then establishing them in the five moral laws and exhorting them to be diligent in almsgiving and the like virtues, he dismissed them, and they all, after ruling their kingdoms righteously, at the end of their days went to swell the host of heaven. The sages, Sona and Nanda, as long as they lived, ministered to their parents and became destined to the Brahma world.

The Master here ended his lesson and revealing the Truths identified the Birth:--At the end of the Truths the Brother who cherished his mother was established in the fruition of the First Path:--"At that time the parents were members of the Great King's Court, the sage Nanda was Ananda, king Manoja was Sariputta, the hundred and one kings were eighty chief elders and certain others, the twenty-four complete armies were Buddha's disciples, but the sage Sona was I myself."

Footnotes

^164:1 Vol. VI. No. 540.

^164:2 Manoja Jataka, vol. III. No. 397.

^164:3 Reading khelam.