KN.DHP235-255 — The Chapter on Impurities
Like a withered leaf you are now, and the messengers of death are near you. You stand at the threshold of departure, and provisions for the journey are lacking. Make an island for yourself, strive quickly, become wise. Free from impurities, without blemish, you will reach the divine realm of the noble ones.
You are now at the end of your life, and you are approaching the presence of Yama (the god of death). There is no place for you in between, and provisions for the journey are lacking. Make an island for yourself, strive quickly, become wise. Free from impurities, without blemish, you will not return to birth and old age.
Gradually, the wise person, little by little, moment by moment, removes impurities from themselves, like a smith removes the dross from silver.
Just as rust arises from iron and eats it away, so do one's own deeds lead the heedless to a bad destination.
Neglect is the blemish of mantras, lack of effort is the blemish of households. Laziness is the blemish of beauty, heedlessness is the blemish of a guardian.
Misconduct is the blemish of a woman, stinginess is the blemish of a giver. Evil deeds are indeed blemishes in this world and the next. But the greatest blemish is ignorance. Having abandoned this blemish, be without blemish, O disciples.
It is easy to live without shame, like a crow, bold, aggressive, and impudent, with a life stained. But it is difficult to live with shame, always seeking purity, unyielding, modest, with a pure life, seeing clearly.
Whoever destroys life, speaks falsehood, takes what is not given, goes to another's spouse, and indulges in intoxicating drinks, such a person digs up their own roots in this world.
Know this, O man, unrestrained evil deeds lead to suffering. Do not let greed and wrongdoing cause you long-lasting pain.
People give according to their faith and confidence. Whoever is discontent with others food and drink does not attain concentration by day or night. But one who has uprooted this discontent, with its root destroyed, attains concentration by day and night.
There is no fire like passion, no grip like hatred, no net like delusion, no river like craving.
It is easy to see the faults of others, but one's own faults are difficult to see. One winnows others faults like chaff, but hides one's own, like a crafty cheat.
For one who constantly sees others faults and is always finding fault, their own impurities grow.
His taints increase, he is far from the destruction of taints. The story of Subhadda the Wanderer: Just as there is no path in the sky, there is no ascetic outside (the true path); people delight in proliferation, the Tathāgatas are free from proliferation. Just as there is no path in the sky, there is no ascetic outside; formations are not eternal, there is no wavering in the Buddhas.