ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 103 



it been said by Bagawa the world is ever wanting more, is 

 dissatisfied, the slave of desire. 



This said the venerable Rattapala, and having spoke thus, 

 he afterwards said, I see rich men in the world, having obtained 

 wealth, covetous and foolish, giving nothing, hoard up their 

 riches; and in their lust wishing for much more. 



Conquering If ings, having subdued the earth, and occupy- 

 ing all unto the borders of the sea, still unsatisfied, desire the 

 parts beyond the ocean. 



Kings and people with unquenched desires approach death, 

 and leave the body, still wanting more: the world cannot 

 fill up their lust of possession. 



Their relatives weeping with dishevelled hair, or saying, 

 ah! certainly he is dead, wrap him in a cloth ; take him to 

 the funeral pile and burn him. 



He thus, forsaking his wealth, is clothed with a single cloth, 

 pierced with stakes and burnt. The dying find no deliverance 

 (from death) by friends or relations. 



The heirs take away his ^wealth, and the being goes 

 (to another state) according to his actions. The dead are 

 not accompanied by wealth, by child, or wife, or property, or 

 land. 



By riches no one obtains long life, neither by wealth is 

 decay prevented. This life is short, evanescent, changeable. 

 The wise men say, 



The rich and the poor are touched with that stroke ; as the 

 fool so the wise ; thus struck, the fool in his folly trembles, but 

 the wise is unmoved. 



Therefore wisdom is better than wealth; by that in 

 this world the termination is attained. This being unattained, 

 from birth to birth sinful actions are performed by the unwise. 



Transmigrating, according to his condition, he comes to 



