Abundant food & drink

you give to contemplatives.

Now, Rohiṇī, I ask you:

Why do you hold

contemplatives dear?

They don’t like to work,

they’re lazy,

living off what’s given by others,

full of hankerings,

wanting delicious things:

Why do you hold

contemplatives dear?

Rohiṇī:

For a long time, father,

you’ve quizzed me

about contemplatives.

I’ll praise to you

their

discernment,

virtue,

endeavor.

They do like to work,

they’re not lazy.

They do the best work:

They abandon

passion & anger.

That’s why I hold

contemplatives dear.

They rid themselves

of the three evil roots,1

doing pure actions.

All their evil’s

abandoned.

That’s why I hold

contemplatives dear.

Clean their bodily action,

so is     their verbal action.

Clean     their mental action:

That’s why I hold

contemplatives dear.

Spotless, like mother of pearl,

pure within & without,

perfect in clear qualities:

That’s why I hold

contemplatives dear.

Learned,     maintaining the Dhamma,

noble,     living the Dhamma,

they teach the goal

& the Dhamma:

That’s why I hold

contemplatives dear.

Learned,     maintaining the Dhamma,

noble,     living the Dhamma,

with unified minds

& mindful:

That’s why I hold

contemplatives dear.

Traveling far, mindful,

giving counsel unruffled,

they discern the end

of suffering:

That’s why I hold

contemplatives dear.

When they leave any village

they don’t turn to look back

at anything.

How free from concern

they go!

That’s why I hold

contemplatives dear.

They don’t store in a granary,

pot,

or basket.

They hunt [only]

for what’s already cooked:

That’s why I hold

contemplatives dear.

They take neither silver,

nor gold,

nor money.

They live off whatever is present:

That’s why I hold

contemplatives dear.

Having gone forth

from different families

& from different countries,

still they hold

one another dear:

That’s why I hold

contemplatives dear.

Rohiṇī’s father:

Rohiṇī, truly for our benefit

were you born in our family.

You have conviction

in the Buddha & Dhamma,

and strong respect

for the Saṅgha.

You truly discern

this field of merit

unexcelled.

These contemplatives will receive

our offering, too,

for here we’ll set up

our abundant sacrifice.

Rohiṇī:

If you’re afraid of pain,

if you dislike pain,

go to the Buddha for refuge,

go to the Dhamma & Saṅgha.

Take on the precepts:

That will lead

to your benefit.

Rohiṇī’s father:

I go to the Buddha for refuge;

I go to the Dhamma & Saṅgha.

I take on the precepts:

That will lead

to my benefit.

* * *

Before, I was a kinsman to Brahmā;

now, truly a brahman.

I’m a three-knowledge man & safe,

consummate in knowledge,

washed clean.