No. 4. —1848. J BUDDHISM.— PATTA KAMMA. 



29 



is that line of conduct which gives present pleasure and leads 

 to future happiness. 



" These, priests, are the four classes of conduct causative of 

 events, and may be thus exemplified : — If a bitter gourd be 

 poisoned, and a man come who loves life and would avoid death, 

 who wishes for pleasure and is averse to pain, and it be said to 

 him : i 0 man ! this bitter gourd is poisoned ; if you desire it, 

 you may eat it, but it is unpleasant in colour, in odour, and in 

 taste, and will either cause death or mortal anguish.' If he, 

 disregarding this, instead of rejecting it, should eat of it, he will 

 have no gratification from its colour, its taste, or its smell, but 

 will either die or suffer excruciating pain. To this, priests, 

 I compare the line of conduct which produces present pain and 

 future suffering. 



" Or, priests, if there be a golden goblet, filled with spark- 

 ling, fragrant, and exquisitely flavored wine, yet mingled with 

 poison, and a man come desirous of life and unwilling to die, 

 attached to pleasure and averse to pain, and it is said to him, 

 ( 0 man ! the wine in this chalice is of a beautiful colour, fra- 

 grant, and of exquisite flavor, but poison is mingled with it. 

 Drink of it if you will ; but although you will be gratified with its 

 colour, its fragrance, and its flavor, you will lose your life or 

 endure mortal anguish.' If he, disregarding this, should not 

 reject the cup, but drink its contents, although gratified with 

 its colour, its fragrance, and its flavor, he will either lose his 

 life or endure mortal anguish. To this, priests, I compare 

 the line of conduct which yields present pleasure, but produces 

 future misery. 



" If, priests, there be cow's urine, impregnated with various 

 medicaments, and a man with jaundice come, and it be said to 

 him, 'O man! this cow's urine is impregnated with powerful 

 medicinal properties ; drink it if you will. It is disgusting to 

 the eye, to the taste, and to the smell, but it will produce good 

 effects.' He, considering this, does not reject the remedy, but 



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