608One should train just in ethical conduct,
for in this world, when ethical conduct is
cultivated and well-trained,
it provides all success.

609Wishing for three kinds of happiness—
praise, prosperity,
and to delight in heaven after passing away—
the wise would take care of their ethics.

610The well-behaved have many friends,
because of their self-restraint.
But one lacking ethics, of bad conduct,
drives away their friends.

611A person whose ethics are bad has
ill-repute and infamy.
A person whose conduct is ethical always has
a good reputation, fame, and praise.

612Ethical conduct is the starting point and foundation;
the mother at the head
of all good things:
that’s why you should purify your ethics.

613Ethics provide a boundary and a restraint,
an enjoyment for the mind;
the ford where all the Buddhas cross over:
that’s why you should purify your ethics.

614Ethics are the matchless power;
ethics are the ultimate weapon;
ethics are the best ornament;
ethics are a marvelous coat of armor.

615Ethics are a mighty bridge;
ethics are the unsurpassed scent;
ethics are the best perfume,
that float from place to place.

616Ethics are the best provision;
ethics are the unsurpassed supply for a journey;
ethics are the best vehicle
that take you from place to place.

617In this life they’re criticized;
after departing they grieve in a lower realm;
a fool is unhappy everywhere,
because they are unsteady in ethics.

618In this life they’re renowned;
after departing they’re happy in heaven;
a wise one is happy everywhere,
because they are steady in ethics.

619Ethical conduct is best in this life,
but one with wisdom is supreme.
Someone with both virtue and wisdom
is victorious among men and gods.

620I was born in a low-class family.
We were poor, with little to eat.
My job was lowly—
I threw out the old flowers.

621Shunned by people,
I was disregarded and held in contempt.
I humbled my heart
and paid respects to many people.

622Then I saw the Buddha
at the fore of the mendicant Saṅgha;
the great hero
was entering the capital city of the Magadhans.

623I dropped my flail
and approached to pay homage.
Out of sympathy for me,
the supreme man stood still.

624When I had paid homage at the Teacher’s feet,
I stood to one side
and asked the supreme being
for the going-forth.

625Then the Teacher, being sympathetic,
and having sympathy for the whole world,
said to me, “Come, monk!”
That was my ordination.

626Staying alone in the wilderness,
meditating tirelessly,
I have completed what the Teacher taught,
just as the victor advised me.

627In the first watch of the night,
I recollected my past lives.
In the middle watch,
I purified my clairvoyance.
In the last watch,
I shattered the mass of darkness.

628At the end of the night,
as the sunrise drew near,
Indra and Brahmā came
and revered me with joined hands.

629“Homage to you, O thoroughbred!
Homage to you, supreme among men!
Since your defilements are ended,
you, sir, are worthy of a religious donation.”

630When he saw me honored
by the assembly of gods,
the teacher smiled
and said the following:

631“By fervor and spiritual practice,
by restraint and by self-control:
that’s how to become a brahmin,
this is the supreme brahmin.”

608 p_19Th1_925"Sīlamevidha sikkhetha,
asmiṁ loke susikkhitaṁ;
Sīlañhi sabbasampattiṁ,
upanāmeti sevitaṁ.

609p_19Th1_926Sīlaṁ rakkheyya medhāvī,
patthayāno tayo sukhe;
Pasaṁsaṁ vittilābhañca,
pecca sagge pamodanaṁ.

610p_19Th1_927Sīlavā hi bahū mitte,
saññamenādhigacchati;
Dussīlo pana mittehi,
dhaṁsate pāpamācaraṁ.

611p_19Th1_928Avaṇṇañca akittiñca,
dussīlo labhate naro;
Vaṇṇaṁ kittiṁ pasaṁsañca,
sadā labhati sīlavā.

612p_19Th1_929Ādi sīlaṁ patiṭṭhā ca,
kalyāṇānañca mātukaṁ;
Pamukhaṁ sabbadhammānaṁ,
tasmā sīlaṁ visodhaye.

613p_19Th1_930Velā ca saṁvaraṁ sīlaṁ,
cittassa abhihāsanaṁ;
Titthañca sabbabuddhānaṁ,
tasmā sīlaṁ visodhaye.

614p_19Th1_931Sīlaṁ balaṁ appaṭimaṁ,
sīlaṁ āvudhamuttamaṁ;
Sīlamābharaṇaṁ seṭṭhaṁ,
sīlaṁ kavacamabbhutaṁ.

615p_19Th1_932Sīlaṁ setu mahesakkho,
sīlaṁ gandho anuttaro;
Sīlaṁ vilepanaṁ seṭṭhaṁ,
yena vāti disodisaṁ.

616p_19Th1_933Sīlaṁ sambalamevaggaṁ,
sīlaṁ pātheyyamuttamaṁ;
Sīlaṁ seṭṭho ativāho,
yena yāti disodisaṁ.

617p_19Th1_934Idheva nindaṁ labhati,
peccāpāye ca dummano;
Sabbattha dummano bālo,
sīlesu asamāhito.

618p_19Th1_935Idheva kittiṁ labhati,
pecca sagge ca summano;
Sabbattha sumano dhīro,
sīlesu susamāhito.

619p_19Th1_936Sīlameva idha aggaṁ,
paññavā pana uttamo;
Manussesu ca devesu,
sīlapaññāṇato jayan"ti.

620p_19Th1_938"Nīce kulamhi jātohaṁ,
daliddo appabhojano;
Hīnakammaṁ mamaṁ āsi,
ahosiṁ pupphachaḍḍako.

621p_19Th1_939Jigucchito manussānaṁ,
paribhūto ca vambhito;
Nīcaṁ manaṁ karitvāna,
vandissaṁ bahukaṁ janaṁ.

622 p_19Th1_940Athaddasāsiṁ sambuddhaṁ,
bhikkhusaṁghapurakkhataṁ;
Pavisantaṁ mahāvīraṁ,
magadhānaṁ puruttamaṁ.

623p_19Th1_941Nikkhipitvāna byābhaṅgiṁ,
vandituṁ upasaṅkamiṁ;
Mameva anukampāya,
aṭṭhāsi purisuttamo.

624p_19Th1_942Vanditvā satthuno pāde,
ekamantaṁ ṭhito tadā;
Pabbajjaṁ ahamāyāciṁ,
sabbasattānamuttamaṁ.

625p_19Th1_943Tato kāruṇiko satthā,
sabbalokānukampako;
‘Ehi bhikkhū’ti maṁ āha,
sā me āsūpasampadā.

626p_19Th1_944Sohaṁ eko araññasmiṁ,
viharanto atandito;
Akāsiṁ satthu vacanaṁ,
yathā maṁ ovadī jino.

627p_19Th1_945Rattiyā paṭhamaṁ yāmaṁ,
Pubbajātimanussariṁ;
Rattiyā majjhimaṁ yāmaṁ,
Dibbacakkhuṁ visodhayiṁ;
Rattiyā pacchime yāme,
Tamokhandhaṁ padālayiṁ.

628p_19Th1_946Tato ratyā vivasāne,
sūriyassuggamanaṁ pati;
Indo brahmā ca āgantvā,
maṁ namassiṁsu pañjalī.

629p_19Th1_947‘Namo te purisājañña,
namo te purisuttama;
Yassa te āsavā khīṇā,
dakkhiṇeyyosi mārisa’.

630p_19Th1_948Tato disvāna maṁ satthā,
devasaṅghapurakkhataṁ;
Sitaṁ pātukaritvāna,
imamatthaṁ abhāsatha.

631p_19Th1_949‘Tapena brahmacariyena,
saṁyamena damena ca;
Etena brāhmaṇo hoti,
etaṁ brāhmaṇamuttaman’"ti.