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uppose, a householder, or his son, or someone reborn in any family hears the law, and after hearing the law he is filled with confidence in the Perfect One. And filled with this confidence, he thinks: Full of hindrances is household life, a refuse heap; but pilgrim life is like the open air. Not easy is it, when one lives at home, to fulfill point by point the rules of the holy life. How, if now I were to cut off hair and beard, put on the yellow robe and go forth from home to the homeless life? And in a short time, having given up his more or less extensive possessions, having forsaken a smaller or larger circle of relations, he cuts off hair and beard, puts on the yellow robe, and goes forth from home to the homeless life.
Having thus left the world, he fulfills the rules of the monks. He avoids the killing of living beings and abstains from I. Without stick or sword, conscientious, full of sympathy, he is anxious for the welfare of all living beings. He avoids stealing and abstains from taking what is not given to him. Only what is given to him he takes, waiting till it is given; and he lives with a heart honest and pure. He avoids unchastity, living chaste, resigned, and keeping aloof from sexual intercourse and the vulgar He avoids lying and abstains from I. He speaks the truth, is devoted to the truth, reliable, worthy of confidence, is not a deceiver of men. He avoids tale-bearing, and abstains from I. What he has heard here, he does not repeat there, so as to cause dissension there; and what he has heard there, he does not repeat here, so as to cause dissension here. Thus he unites those that are divided, and those that are united he encourages; concord gladdens him, he delights and rejoices in concord; and it is concord that he spreads by his words. He avoids harsh language and abstains from I. He speaks such words as are gentle, soothing to the ear, loving, going to the heart, courteous and dear, and agreeable to many. -He avoids vain talk and abstains from I. He speaks at the right time, in accordance with facts, speaks what is useful, speaks about the law and the discipline; his speech is like a treasure, at the right moment accompanied by arguments, moderate, and full of sense.
He keeps aloof from dance, song, music and the visiting of shows; rejects flowers, perfumes, ointment, as well as every kind of adornment and embellishment. High and gorgeous beds he does not use. Raw corn and meat he does not accept. Women and girls he does not accept. He owns no male and female slaves, owns no goats, sheep, fowls, pigs, elephants, cows or horses, no land and goods. He does not go on errands and do the duties of a messenger. He keeps aloof from buying and selling things. He has nothing to do with false measures, metals and weights. He avoids crooked ways of bribery, deception and fraud. He keeps aloof from stabbing, beating, chaining, attacking, plundering and oppressing.
He contents himself with the robe that protects his body, and with the alms with which he keeps himself alive. Wherever he goes he is him. By fulfilling this noble Domain of Morality he feels in his heart an irreproachable happiness.
Now, in perceiving a form with the eye-a sound with the ear-an odor with the nose-a taste with the tongue-a touch with the body-an object with his mind, he sticks neither to the whole, nor to its details. And he tries to ward off that, which, by being unguarded in his senses, might give rise to evil and demeritorious states, to greed and sorrow; he watches over his senses, keeps his senses under control. By practicing - this noble Control of the Senses he feels in his heart an unblemished happiness.
Clearly conscious is he in his going and coming; clearly conscious in looking forward and backward; clearly conscious in bending and stretching his body; clearly conscious in eating, drinking, chewing and tasting; clearly conscious in discharging excrement and urine; clearly conscious in walking, standing, sitting, falling asleep and awakening; clearly conscious in speaking and keeping silent.
Now, being equipped with this lofty Morality, equipped with this noble Control of the Senses, and filled with this noble Attentiveness and Clear Consciousness, he chooses a secluded dwelling in the forest, at the foot of a tree, on a mountain, in a cleft, in a rock cave, on a burial ground, on a woody table-land, in the open air, or on a heap of straw. Having returned from his alms round, he, after the meal, sits himself down with legs crossed, body erect, with attentiveness fixed before him.
He has cast away Lust; he dwells with a heart free from lust; from lust he cleanses his heart.
He has cast away Ill-will; he dwells with a heart free from ill-will; cherishing love and compassion toward all living beings, he cleanses his heart from ill-will.
He has cast away Torpor and Dullness; he dwells free from torpor and dullness; loving the light, with watchful mind, with clear consciousness, he cleanses his mind from torpor and dullness.
He has cast away Restlessness and Mental Worry; dwelling with mind undisturbed, with heart full of peace, he cleanses his mind from restlessness and mental worry.
He has cast away Doubt; dwelling free from doubt, full of confidence in the good, he cleanses his heart from doubt.
He has put aside these five Hindrances and learnt to know the paralyzing corruptions of the mind And far from sensual impressions, far from demeritorious things he enters into the Four Trances.
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