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pierced by stakes, with a single cloth, having abandoned enjoyments. For the dying one, there are no protectors, neither relatives nor friends, nor companions. 781. His heirs take his wealth, but the being goes to where his kamma leads. Nothing follows the dying one, neither sons nor wives, nor wealth nor kingdom. 782. One does not gain long life with wealth, nor ward off old age with riches. "This life is short," say the wise, impermanent, subject to change. 783. Rich and poor alike experience contact; the fool and the wise are similarly touched. The fool, by his folly, lies as if struck, but the wise one, touched by contact, does not tremble. 784. Therefore, wisdom is better than wealth, by which one reaches the end here. For, being unsettled in existences, one performs evil deeds out of delusion. 785. He goes to a womb and to another world, entering the cycle of rebirth in succession. For him, the one with little wisdom, even believing, goes to a womb and to another world. 786. Just as a thief caught at the break-in, the evil-doer is slain by his own deeds. So too, people, having passed away, in the other world, the evil-doer is slain by his own deeds. 787. Desires are indeed varied, sweet and delightful, they agitate the mind in diverse ways. Seeing the danger in sensual pleasures, therefore, I have gone forth, O king. 788. Like fruits from a tree, people fall, young and old alike, when their bodies break up. Seeing this too, I have gone forth, O king, for the undisputed ascetic life is better. 789. By faith I have gone forth, entered into the Victor's teaching. My going forth is blameless, I eat food without debt. 790. Desires are ablaze... Having seen, gold, wealth from the Teacher; Suffering from conception, great terror in hells. 791. Having known this danger, I then attained urgency; I, pierced then, being calm, attained the end of defilements. 792. The Teacher has been served by me, the Buddha's teaching has been done; The heavy burden has been laid down, the craving for becoming uprooted. 793. For the sake of which I went forth, from home to homelessness; That goal has been attained by me, the destruction of all fetters. … Elder Raṭṭhapāla …. 5. The Verses of Elder Mālukyaputta 794. Having seen a form, mindfulness is lost, making a pleasing sign in mind; With an attached mind, he feels, and he dwells clinging to it. 795. For him, feelings increase, many, born of form; Greed and vexation, his mind is afflicted; Thus accumulating suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away. 796. Having heard a sound, mindfulness is lost, making a pleasing sign in mind; With an attached mind, he feels, and he dwells clinging to it. 797. For him, feelings increase, many, born of sound; Greed and vexation, his mind is afflicted; Thus accumulating suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away. 798. Having smelled an odor, mindfulness is lost, making a pleasing sign in mind; With an attached mind, he feels, and he dwells clinging to it. 799. For him, feelings increase, many, born of odor; Greed and vexation, his mind is afflicted; Thus accumulating suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away. 800. Having tasted a flavor, mindfulness is lost, making a pleasing sign in mind; With an attached mind, he feels, and he dwells clinging to it. 801. For him, feelings increase, many, born of flavor; Greed and vexation, his mind is afflicted; Thus accumulating suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away. 802. Having felt a touch, mindfulness is lost, making a pleasing sign in mind; With an attached mind, he feels, and he dwells clinging to it. 803. For him, feelings increase, many, born of contact; Covetousness and vexation, his mind is afflicted; Thus accumulating suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away. 804. Knowing the Dhamma, but mindfulness lost, he attends to a pleasing sign; With a mind attached, he feels, and he dwells absorbed in it. 805. For him, feelings increase, many, born of mental phenomena; Covetousness and vexation, his mind is afflicted; Thus accumulating suffering, Nibbāna is said to be far away. 806. He is not attached to forms, seeing a form, mindful; With a dispassionate mind, he feels, and he does not dwell absorbed in it. 807. As he sees a form, and experiences feeling; It diminishes, it does not increase, thus he lives mindfully; Thus diminishing suffering, Nibbāna is said to be near. 808. He is not attached to sounds, hearing a sound, mindful; With a dispassionate mind, he feels, and he does not dwell absorbed in it. 809. As he hears a sound, and experiences feeling; It diminishes, it does not increase, thus he lives mindfully; Thus diminishing suffering, Nibbāna is said to be near. 810. He is not attached to odors, smelling an odor, mindful; With a dispassionate mind, he feels, and he does not dwell absorbed in it. 811. As he smells an odor, and experiences feeling; It diminishes, it does not increase, thus he lives mindfully; Thus diminishing suffering, Nibbāna is said to be near. 812. He is not attached to tastes, tasting a taste, mindful; With a dispassionate mind, he feels, and he does not dwell absorbed in it. 813. As he tastes a taste, and experiences feeling; It diminishes, it does not increase, thus he lives mindfully; Thus diminishing suffering, Nibbāna is said to be near. 814. He is not attached to touches, touching a touch, mindful; With a dispassionate mind, he feels, and he does not dwell absorbed in it. 815. As he touches a touch, and experiences feeling; It diminishes, it does not increase, thus he lives mindfully; Thus, for one diminishing suffering, Nibbana is said to be near. 816. He does not cling to things, Having known the Dhamma, mindful; With a dispassionate mind he experiences, And does not dwell upon it. 817. As for him, knowing the Dhamma, And experiencing feeling, It wastes away, it does not increase; Thus he lives mindfully. Thus, for one diminishing suffering, Nibbana is said to be near. ... The Elder Mālukyaputta ... 6. The Verses of Elder Sela 818. With a perfect body, radiant, Well-born, lovely to behold; You are golden-hued, Blessed One, With very white teeth, vigorous. 819. Indeed, for a well-born man, Whatever marks there are, All of them are on your body, The marks of a Great Man. 820. With clear eyes, with a pleasant face, Tall, upright, glorious; In the midst of the assembly of ascetics, You shine like the sun. 821. O bhikkhu of beautiful appearance, With skin like gold; What is your purpose with asceticism, Being of such excellent complexion? 822. You are worthy to be a king, A Wheel-turning Monarch, a lord of chariots; Ruling the four quarters, victorious, Lord of the world. 823. Khattiyas, wealthy kings, Will be your followers; King of kings, lord of men, Rule the kingdom, Gotama. 824. “I am a king, Sela,” (Thus said the Blessed One) “A supreme Dhamma-king; By Dhamma I turn the wheel, A wheel that cannot be turned back.” 825. “You declare yourself a Fully Awakened One,” (Thus said Sela the brahmin) “A supreme Dhamma-king; ‘By Dhamma I turn the wheel,’ Thus you speak, Gotama. 826. “Who then is your general, A disciple, a follower of the Teacher? Who follows after that Dhamma-wheel set in motion?” 827. “The wheel set in motion by me,” (Thus said the Blessed One) “The supreme Dhamma-wheel, Sāriputta follows after it, Born after the Tathāgata. 828. “What is to be directly known has been directly known, And what is to be developed has been developed; What is to be abandoned... My evil is abandoned, therefore, I am Awakened, brahmin. 829. Remove your doubt in me, have faith, brahmin; Rare is the sight of the Fully Awakened Ones, frequently. 830. Whose appearance in the world is indeed rare, frequently; I am that Awakened One, brahmin, the supreme surgeon. 831. Become Brahma, incomparable, crushing Māra’s army; Having brought all enemies under control, I rejoice, fearless. 832. Listen to this, sirs, how the Visionary speaks; The great hero, the surgeon, roars like a lion in the forest. 833. Who, seeing one become Brahma, incomparable, crushing Māra’s army, would not be serene, even if born of a dark lineage? 834. Whoever wishes to follow me, let him follow, or whoever does not wish, let him go; Here I will go forth, in the presence of the one with supreme wisdom. 835. If this teaching of the Perfectly Awakened One pleases you, sirs; We too will go forth, in the presence of the one with supreme wisdom. 836. These three hundred brahmins ask with clasped hands; ‘We will lead the holy life, Bhagava, in your presence.’ 837. ‘Well-proclaimed is the holy life,’ (said the Bhagavā to Sela) ‘visible here and now, timeless; Where the going forth is not in vain, for one who is diligent and trains.’ 848. That refuge we have come to, O Visionary, on this eighth day; In seven nights, Bhagavā, we are tamed in your teaching. 839. You are the Awakened One, you are the Teacher, you are the sage who overcame Māra; You, having cut off latent tendencies, crossed over, will ferry this multitude. 840. Your attachments are transcended, your defilements are crushed; Like a lion, unattached, fear and terror abandoned. 841. These three hundred bhikkhus stand with clasped hands; Extend your feet, O Hero, let the Nāgas worship the Teacher. … Sela the Elder…. 7. The verses of Kāḷigodhāputta Bhaddiya the Elder 842. I used to wear fine clothes, on an elephant’s neck; Of rice This rice has been eaten, garnished with pure meat. 843. Today Bhaddiya, ever constant, delights in what comes into his bowl from gleaning. He meditates, unattached, Bhaddiya, son of Godhā. 844. Wearing rag-robes, ever constant, delights in what comes into his bowl from gleaning. He meditates, unattached, Bhaddiya, son of Godhā. 845. An alms-gatherer, ever constant, delights in what comes into his bowl from gleaning. He meditates, unattached, Bhaddiya, son of Godhā. 846. Wearing three robes, ever constant,