Friend
Around Savatthi.
One time, sitting by the Bhagava, King Pasenadi, the Kosalan, said to him:
Here, bhante, this was the subject of thought
that perchanced to rise to mind
when I had retired to the solitude of my chambers:
For whom now is one a friend of self?
For whom no friend of self?
Then this, bhante, perchanced to come to me:
He who would carry on, inflicting pain with body,
carry on, inflicting pain with the voice,
carry on, inflicting pain with the mind,
their's is no friend to self.
However much they say:
"A friend, surely, to self is this!"
there's no friend to self in that whatsoever.
How come?
Because what no friend would do to no friend of his,
he himself does to himself,
suchis suchas no friend to self.
He who would carry on, giving pleasure with body,
carry on, giving pleasure with the voice,
carry on, giving pleasure with the mind,
their's is a friend to the self.
However much they say:
"No friend, surely, to self is this!"
there is, however, a friend to self in that.
How come?
Because what a friend would do for a friend of his,
he himself does for himself,
suchis suchas a friend to self.
Even so Great King! Even so Great King!
He, Great King, who would carry on, inflicting pain with body,
carry on, inflicting pain with the voice,
carry on, inflicting pain with the mind,
their's is no friend to self.
However much they say:
"A friend, surely, to self is this!"
there's no friend to self in that whatsoever.
How come?
Because what no friend would do to no friend of his,
he himself does to himself,
suchis suchas no friend to self.
He, Great King, who would carry on, giving pleasure with body,
carry on, giving pleasure with the voice,
carry on, giving pleasure with the mind,
their's is a friend to the self.
However much they say:
"No friend, surely, to self is this!"
there is, however, a friend to self in that.
How come?
Because what a friend would do for a friend of his,
he himself does for himself,
suchis suchas a friend to self.
Who as friend would know the self,
do not to evil ways be bound,
for not sweet is found to be the gain,
where pleasure's found in giving pain.
At end-making's taking down,
from what is of man now stripped away,
what then has one to call one's own?
what in that going stands one stead?
What has one got that follows one
inseparable as shadow in the sun?
Both evil deed and deed well done
as mortal man worked here —
That then has one to call one's own;
that in that going stands one stead.
That has one got that follows one
inseparable as shadow in the sun.
Therefore here in straight ways act
and so lay up for time beyond
rewards to be in future worlds found
taking hold and firmly standing ground.
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