C EYLON B H A N C H HOY A I . ASIATIC SOCIETY. 89 



minal and what are innocent ? What things ought to be 

 done and what left undone ? What actions are those which 

 if done will produce protracted distress and wretchedness ? 

 or what are those which will be productive of lengthened 

 tranquillity and happiness ? This person, in consequence of 

 the conduct to which he has become so fully accustomed, 

 upon the dissolution of his frame by death, will be born in 

 hell, wretched, miserable and tormented : or if he be not 

 born in hell, but if he again become a human being, wher- 

 ever he may be born he will be destitute of wisdom. The 

 path to mental imbecility is this: to neglect to wait upon 

 a Samana or Bramin for the purpose of enquiring of him 

 saying, Sir, What constitutes merit and what demerit ? 

 What actions are criminal and what innocent? What things 

 ought to be done and what left undone ? What actions are 

 those which if done will cause me protracted distress and 

 wretchedness, or what are those which will be productive 

 of lengthened tranquillity and happiness ? 



In this world a woman or a man waits upon a Samana or 

 Bramin, and enquires of him, saying, Sir, What consti- 

 tutes merit and what demerit ? What actions are criminal 

 and what are innocent? What things ought to be done and 

 what left undone ? What actions are those which if done 

 will cause me protracted distress and wretchedness, or what 

 are those which will be productive of lengthened tranquil- 

 lity snd happiness? This person, in consequence of the 

 eonduet to which he has become so fully accustomed, upon 

 the dissolution of his frame by death, will be born in hea- 

 ven, in the enjoyment of happiness. Or if he be not born 

 in heaven, but if he again become a human being, wherever 

 he may be born he will be possessed of great wisdom. The 

 path for the attainment of great wisdom is this : to wait 

 upon a Samana or Bramin for the purpose of enquiry, 

 saying, Sir, What constitutes merit and what demerit? 

 What actions are criminal and what are innocent ? What 

 things ought to be done and what left undone ? What ac- 

 tions are those which if done will cause me protracted dis- 

 tress and wretchedness, or what are those which will be 

 productive of lengthened tranquillity and happiness. 



Thus young man, the conduct (a) (or path) productive 



(a) Conduct, or path 63o€)«j^5*ff 08^^ sanwattinika pati- 

 pada, the path which is appropriated to that special purpose ; 

 leading to that termination and to no other. The doctrine is 



M 



