(16.1–12)
209. If you apply yourself to distraction
And not to concentration,
If you abandon the goal – clinging to what’s dear –
You’ll envy the one who applies himself to the goal.
210. Never associate with those who are dear
Or with those who are not dear.
Not seeing dear ones is painful,
And so is seeing those not dear.
211. So don’t hold anything dear,
For losing what’s dear is an evil:
There are no ties for those
To whom nothing is dear or not dear.
212. From the dear comes grief;
From the dear comes fear.
If you’re freed from the dear
You’ll have no grief, let alone fear.
213. From affection comes grief;
From affection comes fear.
If you’re freed from affection
You’ll have no grief, let alone fear.
214. From pleasure comes grief;
From pleasure comes fear.
If you’re freed from pleasure
You’ll have no grief, let alone fear.
215. From desire comes grief;
From desire comes fear.
If you’re freed from desire
You’ll have no grief, let alone fear.
216. From craving comes grief;
From craving comes fear.
If you’re freed from craving
You’ll have no grief, let alone fear.
217. The one who’s endowed with good character and insight,
Who’s firm in the Dhamma, a truth-speaker,
Who does his own work –
Folk will hold him dear.
218. The one who has aroused a wish for the Undeclared
Should be filled with that consciousness,
His mind not bound to sense-pleasures.
Then he’s said to be ‘heading upstream’.
219. When a man who has been long abroad
Comes safe from far away,
His friends, relations and well-wishers
Welcome him on his arrival.
220. Just so, when someone who has done good actions
Goes from this world to the next,
His good actions receive him as relatives receive
A dear one on his arrival.