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the basis for all defilements; Vulgar, fickle, low, cherished by ordinary people. 926. And these are common to many, desired by enemies and people; The cause of great dangers, full of much toil, fearful. 927. Begun with great undertakings, swiftly destroying forms; Inserting the dart of sorrow, they vanish day by day. 928. Unable to protect anyone, unable to give comfort; Absolutely untrustworthy, gamblers, Māra's servants. 929. For the destruction of beings, they are created in sweet forms; Like a beautiful ogress, they enter the lineage. 930. Those foolish ones possessed by them, whose origin is suffering and harm; Overcome by perversion, they are afflicted and tormented. 931. Fashioned by mental resolves, served by delight and lust; Like a sword blade smeared with honey, they are served by engagement. 932. With pleasing and beautiful forms, appearing in lovely guises; Like enemies with a friendly face, they deceive the great multitude. 933. Those foolish ones deceived by them, whose all prosperity is destroyed; Fallen from the path of safety, they bring about their own destruction. 934. With various forms and shapes, they crush and entice; They ultimately destroy the minds of undeveloped, foolish people. 935. Where, pierced by the dart of lust, like deer in the forest by a dart; They run here and there, thrashing about incessantly. 936. Growing with the sense of 'mine', like a terrible venomous snake; Released into sensual pleasures, the unwise enjoy them. 937. These bring beings under their sway for ruin and suffering; With various forms and shapes, like a city of ogres. 938. The foolish, intent on harm, do not understand the snare; They fall back into it, and are killed, infatuated. 939. This swift-flowing great flood, the cycle of defilements, is greatly fearful; A thorny thicket, like mud, difficult to cross. 940. A place for confusing the mind, connected with heedlessness; This is a loose and binding snare, difficult to escape. A net spread in the world, Māra's snare is cast; A cage, a trap it is, Leading beings to ruin. Where bound by attachment, they lie entangled; Like monkeys stuck in glue, they wail, the ruined ones. Like a hook covered with bait, like food mixed with poison; Like a hunter's lure, it is laid out for destruction. Like fish greedy for the hook, those ordinary folk who swallow it; Falling into the terrible mouth of death, they grieve, destined for lower realms. This place is a field of evil, a cultivation of wrong greed; A sprouting of bad conduct, filling up with fruits of woe. And here they dwell, burning with greed's delusion; Inflamed by anger and resentment, smoked by envy and stinginess. Armed with strife, their desires flicker; Bound by great thickets of craving, they stand for the world's ruin. For them there is nothing blameless, nothing that should not be done; Truth is forgotten in them, goodness finds no footing. Delighting in harming others, averse to the law of compassion; Untrusting of all beings, suspicious everywhere. Full of fear and terror, pursuing all misfortunes; Accomplishing the four lower realms, with evil deeds as their vanguard. Overwhelmed by great dangers, beset by obstacles; They are afflicted by suffering, fools in desires, in this and the next world. Then, fearless of death, deluded by play and pleasure; Eating like the kimpakka fruit, opposing what is delightful. Like village pig-young, steeped in the impurity of desires; Performing deeds like a yak, enticed in this world. Being eaten by defilements, constantly, as if by worms; And knowing their decline, they cling to it, deluded. Then, tormented by old age, youth also fades away; Desires also decline, and life ceases. Further, grown through heedlessness, with great waters of evil defilements; Then the full river of craving, leads to the ocean of lower realms. Forsaking this world, destroying their welfare in the next; Like corpses in the Ganges, they lie, devoted to sorrow. Thus for their own good and others', beings bound by desires, are destroyed and perish, both here and in the next world. Thus desires are dangerous, dreadful, like spear or rock; where fools sink down, no attachment for the wise. Thus for those fearing desires, the unsurpassed triple training, he proclaimed for liberation, renunciation, said the Seer. For destroying all defilements, the unsurpassed practice, not approaching two extremes, is proclaimed as the Middle Way. Eradicating all suffering, the supreme purity, perfection of knowledge and conduct, accomplishes all perfections. This state, a field of merit, the practice of ascetic deeds; sprouting faith and virtue, fulfillment of success's fruits. For liberation from defilement's prison, this is the unsurpassed door; a raft for crossing the great flood, safety to the other shore. For destroying evil thieves, the unsurpassed safe path; without thorns, without thickets, straight, proclaimed by the good. For liberation from great bondage, wonderful, proclaimed by the Victor; the giving up of hindrances, an open space, unsoiled. Rising from attachment's mud, the untying of knots; liberation from craving's slavery, freedom bringing happiness. Disconnection from all yokes, cessation of all sorrow; dismantling of all abodes, departure from all suffering. Cutting off Mara's snares, this unsurpassed attainment; destroying delusion's darkness, illuminating with wisdom's light. This state is non-harming, fearless, without peril; opportunity for ascetic deeds, bewildering Mara's eye. This removes all torment, cool like sandalwood; pure water of Dhamma, cleansing defilement's stains. Existence's bridge well-destroyed, spread with enlightenment factors; extracting sorrow's dart, a well-applied instrument. Destroying mental anguish, a pleasant medicine for use; vomiting worldly baits, a purgative for mental faults. They call this ultimate satisfaction's cause, the food of Dhamma; a drink removing thirst, the taste of liberation... Enough. 975. For fame, fragrance, a garland of virtues well-strung; The loincloth of evil, adorned with shame and dread. 976. Utterly pure, a string of jewels of the True Dhamma; An ornament for the Noble Ones, bringing prosperity without end. 977. This is the supreme pacifier of worries and bad omens; This is the excellent protection against misfortune. 978. For the destruction of obstacles, a blessing taught by the Buddha; For release from wrong views, a well-being spoken by the Fully Awakened One. 979. Unwavering and manifest, unburdened by the unique; The medicine of deathlessness, the means to ageless, deathless bliss. 980. Having firmly resolved upon this, the supreme triple enlightenment; They attain all perfections, filled with virtues and pāramīs. 981. This renunciation, endowed with all excellent aspects, is esteemed; Its deep virtue is a rampart, its ascetic practices are a noble archway. 982. Its path of concentration is wide, its mindfulness a fortified gate; Flourishing with the abundance of faith, adorned with the palace of wisdom. 983. Its right livelihood is a delightful banner, its shame and dread a covering; Enjoying the deathless bliss of liberation, served by those who are trainable. 984. An impregnable city, built by the Fortunate One, against evil enemies; Without calamity or misfortune, the great sages have entered it. 985. Having attained supreme comfort, their aspirations fully realized; Having overcome all attachments, they have departed, fearless. 986. Having rightly understood the meaning, abandoning the realm of death; Having crossed over all floods of suffering, the wise reach the other shore. 987. Thus, this renunciation, endowed with all aspects, served by the assembly of great sages; Departing from desires, is the supreme path of the True Dhamma. 988. By which the wicked, deluded, are defeated and fall away; That evil conduct, they called defilement. 989. This is a hindrance to the mind, a blocking of the eye of wisdom; A cause of moral degradation, a gathering of mental distractions. 990. A foundation for disgrace, a destroyer of the power of virtue; A burning of all prosperity, a cause of the four lower realms. 991. Filled with all defilements and impurities, a collection of all corruptions; This is like an evil demon, a gathering of the venomous snakes of hatred. Entered the path of heedlessness, association with a host of enemies; Arising of great fear, a mixture of great calamities. Ascended to the suffering of the lower realms, a position bringing harm; Terrible, causing all misfortune, bringing about all suffering. Shame on those with evil natures, who destroy all welfare; Even having obtained the rare opportunity, they ruined it. Indeed, their conduct, the rare Buddha's teaching; Destroys like a thunderbolt, a mountain of jewels. They are thieves of the treasure of the True Dhamma, hindrances to renunciation; Plundering practice, they bind living beings. They are murderers of trust, destroyers of what is given and received; By whom fools are struck down, even while relying on the Victor's teaching. Even those dull-witted ones dwell, without doubt, enveloped in delusion; Within the mind's lap, like a terrible poisonous snake. And for their own destruction, escaped into the cage of defilements; Accumulating, they do not understand, those going on the path of calamity. Eating poison as it were, embracing evil as it were; They are certainly afflicted, those who cherish evil ways. Overwhelmed by evil thoughts, people agitated by thoughts; Destroy both worlds, destroyers of both benefits. Gone astray with rising anger, defiled by envy and stinginess; Scornful, envious, quarrelsome, without conscience, without respect. Full of pride and conceit, vainly talkative and fierce; Arrogant and heedless, conceited, holding up banners. With minds like barren fields, entangled in fetters; Like a great flood (destroys) crops,