fore ought I to enter the city of Nirvāna, forsaking this robber-like body." Therefore it is said,
30.As a man might with loathing shake off a corpse bound upon his shoulders,
And depart secure, independent, master of himself;
31.Even so let me depart, regretting nothing, wanting nothing,
Leaving this perishable body, this collection of many foul vapours.
32.And as men and women deposit filth upon a dungheap,
And depart regretting nothing, wanting nothing,
33.So will I depart, leaving this body filled with foul vapours,
As one leaves a cesspool after depositing ordure there.
34.And as the owners forsake the rotten bark that is shattered and leaking,
And depart without regret or longing,
35.So shall I go, leaving this body with its nine apertures ever running,
As its owners desert the broken ship.
36.And as a man carrying wares, walking with robbers,
Seeing danger of losing his wares, parts company with the robbers and gets him gone.
37.Even so is this body like a mighty robber,—
Leaving it I will depart through fear of losing good.
Having thus in nine similes pondered upon the advantages connected with retirement from the world, the wise Sumedha gave away at his own house, as aforesaid, an immense hoard of treasure to the indigent and wayfarers and sufferers, and kept open house. And renouncing all pleasures, both material and sensual, departing from the city of Amara, away from the world in Himavanta he made himself a hermitage near the mountain called Dhammaka, and built a hut and a perambulation hall free from the five defects which are hindrances (to meditation). And with a view to obtain the power residing in the supernatural faculties, which are characterized by the eight causal qualities described in the words beginning "With a mind thus tranquillised,"[1] he embraced in that
- ↑ Evaṁ samāhite citte parisuddhe pariyodāte anaṅgaṇe vigatūpakkilese mudubhūte kammaniye ṭhite ānejjappatte ñāṇadassanāya cittaṁ abhinīharati (Sāmaññaphala Sutta, see Lotus, p. 476, line 14).
