All Human Right For All ( 1948-1998 ) By " UN"

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Adopted and proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948

On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the full text of which appears in the following pages. Following this historic act the Assembly called upon all Member countries to publicize the text of the Declaration and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories.

PREAMBLE

Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,

Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,

Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,

Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,

Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,

Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,

Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.

Article 1.

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

Article 2.

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.

Article 3.

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

Article 4.

No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Article 5.

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6.

Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.

Article 7.

All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.

Article 8.

Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.

Article 9.

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.

Article 10.

Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.

Article 11.

(1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.

(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.

Article 12.

No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.

Article 13.

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.

(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.

Article 14.

(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.

(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 15.

(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.

(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.

Article 16.

(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.

(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.

(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.

Article 17.

(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.

(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.

Article 18.

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.

Article 19.

Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Article 20.

(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.

(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.

Article 21.

(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.

(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.

(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.

Article 22.

Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.

Article 23.

(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.

(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.

(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.

(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.

Article 24.

Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.

Article 25.

(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.

Article 26.

(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.

(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.

(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.

Article 27.

(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.

(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.

Article 28.

Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.

Article 29.

(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.

(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.

(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.

Article 30.

Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

"Of Studies"

Studies serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight is in their privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgement and disposition of business; for expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsils, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best from those that are learned.


To spend too much time in studies, is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is their rules, is the humer of a scholar; they perfect nature, and are perfected by experience - for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study; and study themselves do gives forth directions too much at large, expert they be bounded in by experience. Craftymen contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them, for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation.


Read not to contradict and confute, noe to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider. some books are to be tasted, others tobe swallowed, and some few tobe chewed and digested; that is , some books are tobe read only in part; others to be read, but not curioursly; and some few to beread wholly, and with diligence and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the les important arguments, and the meaner sort of books; else distilled books are , like common distilled waters, flashy things. Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready man, and writhing an exact man; and , therefore , if a man write little , he had need have a great memory; if he confre little, he had need have a present wit; and if he read little, he had need have much cunning , to seem to know that he doth not.


Histories make men wise; poets, witty; the mathematics , subtle; natural philosophy, deep; moral , greave; logic and rhetoric, able to contend; " Abeunt studia in mores"; say, there is no stond or impediment in the wit, but many be wrouht out by fit studies, like as diseases of the body may have apropriate exercises_ bowlin is good for the stone and reins, shooting for the lungs and breast, gentle walking for the stomach, riding for the head, and the like; so, if a man't wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics, for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he mustbein again; if his wits be not apt to distinguish or find difference, let him study the schoolmen; for they are 'cyminisectores'; if he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call upon one thing to prove and illustarate another, let him study the lawyers' cases- so every defect of the mind may have a special reciept.

"WORK"

- The best preparation for work is not thinking about work,

talking about work, or studying for work: it is work.

William Held



- Procrastination is the thief of time;
Year after year it steals till all are fled.

At thirty , man suspects himself a fool;
Knows it at forty, and reforms his plan;
At fifty chides his infamous delya
Pushes his prudent purpose to resolve;
In all the magnanimity of thought;
Resolves ,and re-resolves;
Then dies the same.
Edward Young


- Never do tommorrow what you can do today.
Charles Dickens



- Work keeps at bay three great evils: boredom vice, and need.
Voltaire


- I believe in work hard work and long hours of work.
Men do not break down from over work,
but from worry and dissipation.
Charles E.Hughes


-Find a job you love and you'll never have to work a day in your life.
Jim Fox


-Just as iron rusts from disuse, even so does inaction spoil the intellect.
LEonardo da Vinci


- There is a close correlation between getting up in the morning,
and getting up in the world.
Ron Dentinger


- Whatever your life's work is,do it well. A man should do his job so well that the living, the dead and the unborn could do it no better.

If it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep sreets like Michelangelo painted pictures, like Shakespear wrote poetry, like Beethoven composed music; sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, "here lived a great sweeper, who swept his job well."
Martin Luther King, Jr

Anyway

People are unreasonable,illogical and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good,people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful,you will win false friends and tue enemies.
Succeed anyway.

Honesty and frankness make u vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The good you do today will be forgetten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shoe down by the smallest people by the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for some underdogs anyway.

What you spent years building maybe destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you've got anyway.

Four Noble Turth of BUDDHA

In Buddhism , there are Four Noble Truth . They are :

1. Life is suffering
2. All suffering are cause by ignorance of the nature of the reality and craving,attachment and glasping that result from such ignorance.
3. Suffering can be ended by overcoming ignorance and attachment.
4. The path of the supperssion of suffering is noble Eightfold path,which consist of rigth views,right intension,right speech,right action,right livelihood,right effort,right-mindedness,and right contemplation.

These eight are usually divided into three catogories that base the buddist morality,wisdom,and samadhi,or concentration.

The buddha taught that the one's spiritual worth is not based on birth.

The Wisdom of Charles Diskens

• Reflect upon your present blessings, not on your past misfortunes.

• A loving heart is the truest wisdom.

• We need never be ashamed of your tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overly in our hard hearts.

• It is well for a man to respect his own vocation, whatever it is, and to think himself bound ot uphold it , and to claim for it the respect it deserves.

• It is in the nature of things that man cannot really imporve himself without in some degree imporving other men.

• No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else.

• Every man, however obscure, however far removed from the general recognition, is one of a group of men impressible for good and impressible for evil.

• Mature affection , homage , devotion, does not easily express itself. Its voice is low. It is modest and retiring , it lays in ambush and waits.

The Wisdom of Edgar Allan Poe

• Grammar is the analysis of language.

• I have great fiath in fools- self-confidence, my friends wil call it.

• Perverseness is one of the primitive impulses of the human heart.

• Man's real life is hapy, chiefly because he is ever expecting that it soon will be so.

• Years of love have been forgotten in the hatred of a minute.

• Unthought-like thougths are the souls of thougth.

• Whenever, on account of its vagueness, I am dissatisfied with a conception of the brain , I resort forthwith to the pen for the purpose of obtaining , throug its aid, the necessary form, consequence and precision.

• Experience has shown, and a true philosophy will always show, that a vast, perhaps the larger, portion of the truth arises from the seemingly irrelevant.

• The play is the tragedy, MAN , and its hero the conqueror, Worm.

The Wisdom of Bacon

• Reading makes a full man; conference a ready man and writing an exact man.

• Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is , some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly , and with diligence and attention.

• Libraries are as the shrines where all the realics of the ancient saints, full of true virtue, and that without delusion or imposture, are preserved and reposed.

• A man would do well to carry a pencil in his pocket and write down the thoughts of the moment. Those that come unsought for are commonly the most valuable and should besecured , becaused they seldom return.

• He conquers twice, who upon victory overcomes himself.

• If money be not your servant, it will be your master, The covetous man cannot so properly be said to possess wealth , as that may be said to possess him.

• Boldness is ever blind, for it sees not dangers and invonveniences. Therefore , it is ill in counsel , good in execution.

• In reading , we hold converse with the wise; in the business of life, generally with the foolish.

• Men must know , that in this theatre of man's life it is reserved only for God and the angels ot be lookers-on.

The Wisdom of Byron

• I love wisdom more than she love me.

• Grief shold be the instructor of the wise.

• He who will not reason is a bigot; he who cannot , is a fool ; he who dares not, is a slave.

• Nothing can confound a wise man more than laughter from a dunce.

• Friendship is love without his wings.

• Admire, exult, despise, laugh, weep, for here there is such matter for all feeling: Man , you pendulum between a smile and tear.

• Hatred is the madeness of the heart.

• It is strange but true; truth is alwasy strange, stranger than fiction.

• Adverdsity is the path of truth.

The Wisdome of Spinoza

• Perfect truth is possible only with knowldege, and in knowldege the whole essence of the thing operates on the soul and is joined essentially to it.

• Conceit makes men a nuisance to one aother;the conceited man relates only his own great deeds, and only the evil ones of others.

• Conceited man delights in the presence of his inferiors, who will gape at his perfections and exploits; and becomes at last the victim of those who praise him.

• A free man thinks of death least of all things; and his wisdom is a meditation not of death but of life.

• Books which teach and speak of whatever is highest and best are equally sacred, whatever be the tongue in which they are written, or the nation to which they belong.

• Surely human affairs woould be far happier if the power in men to be silent were the same as that to speak. But experience more than suffficiently teaches that men govern nothing with more difficulty than their tongues.

• Fame has also this great drawback, that if we pursue it, we must direct our lives so as to please the fancy of men.

• So long as a man imagines that he cannot do this or that, so long is he dertermined not to do it : And consequently, so long it is impossible to him that he should do it.

• Sadness diminishes or hinders a man's power of action.

• Avarice, ambition, and lust are nothing but species of madness, althoug not enumerated among diseases.

• When a man is a prey to his emotions, he is not his master.

• Pride is a kind of pleasure produced by a man thinking too well of himself.

• to be what we are , and to becme what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.

The Wisdom of Descartes

• I think , therefore I am.
• The chief cause of human errors is to be found in the prejudices picked up in childhood.
• When any one has offended me, I try to raise may soul so high that the offense cannot reach it.
• In order to imporve the mind, we ought less to learn than to comtemplate.

The Wisdom of Confucius

• In teaching there should be no class disttinctions.

• Shall I teach you what knowledge is ? When you know a thing, to hold that you know it, and when you don't know a thing, to allow that you don't know it. This is knowledge.

• Four virtues characteristic of great man; humility , respect for superiors, graciousness toward dependents, and a sense of justice toward subordinates.

• Wisdom has no doubts. Manhood at its best has no concerns. Courage is without fear.

• A man who lacks reliability is utterly useless.

• Forget injuries; never forget kindness.

• He who offends against heaven has none to whom he can pray.

• Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without.

• A man who has committed a mistake and doesn't correct it is committing another mistake.

• Do not horry about not holding high position; worry rather about playing your proper role.

• Worry not taht no one knows of you; seek to be worth knowing .

• Act with kindness; but do not expect gratitude.

• Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon or star.

• The wise man is informed in what is right. The inferior man is informed in what will pay.

• Look at the means which a man employs, consider his motives, observe his pleasures. A man simply cannot conceal himself!

• I have yet to meet a man as fond of high moral conduct as he is of outwar appearances.

• If, when you look into your own heart, you find nothing wrong there , what is there to worry about, what is there to fear?

The Wisdom of St. Augustine

• Every sin is more injury to him who does than to him who suffers it.

• Cursed is every one who places his hope in man.

• The knowledge of Divine things may be properly called wisdom, and the knowledge of human affairs may properly receive the name of knowledge.

• Conscinece and reputation are two things. Conscience is due to yourself, reputation to your neighbours.

• Patience is the companion of wisdom.

• As the eye of the body cannot see unless it is helped by the brightness of light, so neither can a man, even if he is most righteous, live righteously unless he be helped by the eternal light of justice.

• It is the duty of good education to arrive at wisdom by means of a difinite order.

• We can know what God is not , but we cannot know what he is .

• Habits if not resisted soon become necessity.

• Falsely praising a person is lying .

• All these things _ the care of the funeral arrangements, the establishment of the place of burial, the pomp of theceremonies_ are more of a solace for the living than an aid for the dead.

• Happiness consists in the attainment of our desire, and in our having only right desires.

• Beauty is indeed a good gift of God; but that the good may not think it a great good, God dispenses it even to the wicked.

• As usually happens, the man who has tried a bad doctor is afraid to turst even a good one.

The Wisdom of Hippocrates

• The art of medicine consists in three things: The disease, the patient and the physician.

• The patient must combat the disease along with the physician.

• Fat men are more likely to die suddenly than the slender.

• Healing is a matter of time , but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.

• Extreme remedies are very appropriate for extreme diseases.

• Let exercise come before meals, not after.

• To do nothing is sometimes a good remedy.

• Nautural forces within us are the true healers of disease.

• Never work when hungry.

• Old people have fewer diseases than the young, but their diseases never leave them.

• The human soul develops up to death.

• What drugs cannot heal, the knife can heal; what the knife cannot heal the cautery can heal; what the cautery cannot heal is incurable.

• Life is short, the art long, opportunity fleeting , experience treacherous, judgment difficult.

• Everything in excess is opposed to nature.

• Wherever the art of medicine is loved, there also is love of humanity.

• Follow that system of regimen which, according to your ability and judgment, you consider f or the benefit of your patients, and abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous.

• With purity and with holiness pass your life nd practice your art.

• Into whatever houses you enter, go into them for the benefit of the sick , and abstain from every voluntary act of mischief adn corruption.

• Give no deadly medicine to any one if asked, nor suggest any such counsel; and in like manner, don't give to a woman a pessary to produce abortion.

• Whatever, in connection with your professional practice, or not in connection with it, you see or hear in the life or men which ought not to be spoken of abroad, do not divulge, as all such should be kept secret.

• Reckon him who taught you this Art equally dear to you as your parents, share your substance with him,and relieve his necessities if required.

The Wisdom of Shakespeare

• Of all knowledge , the wise and good seek most to know themselves.

• Conversation should be pleasant without scurrility, witty without affectation, free without indecency, learned without conceitedness, novel without falsehood.

• Make not your thoughts your prisons.

• Gold is worse than poison to men's souls, doing more murders in this loathsome world, than any mortal drug.

• Give every man your ear, but few your voice, take each man's censure, but reserve your jusdegement.

• Every braggart shall be found an ass.

• Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks, shall win my love.

• A miser grows rich by seeming poor; an extravagant man grows poor by seeming rich.

• How bitter a thing it is to look into hapiness through another man's eyes.

• Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners.

• He that loves to be flattered is worthy of the flatterer.

• I think the king is but a man, as I am: The violet smells to him as it does to me .

• An enterprise, when once begun, should not be left till all is won.

• All the world's a stage, and all the men and women in it merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts.

• How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!

• Maids want nothing but husbands, and when they have them, they want everything.

• Be not afraid of greatness: Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.

• Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it.

• There was never yet philosopher that could endure that toothache patiently.

• Many strokes, though with a little axe, hew down and fell the hardest timbered oak.

The Wisdom of Plato

• The learning and knowledge that we have is , at the most, but little compared with that of which we are ignorant.

• Self-conquest is the greatest of all victories.

• All knowledge that is divorced from justice must be called cunning rather than wisdom.

• The wise man will want to be ever with him who is better than himself.

• It is expedient that a wicked man be punished as that a sick man be cured by a physician; for all chastisement is a kind of medicine.

• If I were sure God would pardon me, and men would not know my sin, yet I should be ashamed to sin, because of its essential baseness.

• Better be unbron than untaught, for ignorance is that root of misfortune.

• A philosopher is one who desires to discern the truth.

• When men speak ill of you , live so as nobldy may believe them.

The Wisdom of Socrates

• They who provide much wealth for their children but neglect to imporove them in virtue, do like those who feed their horses high, but never train them to be useful.

• Nature hs given us two ears, two eyes, and but one tongue, to the end that we should hear and see more than we speak.

• If all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap, whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be content to take their own nad depart.

• Better do a little well, than a great deal badly.

• The way to gain a good repuitation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.

• By all means marry. If you get a good wife, you will become very happy; if you get a bad one, you will become a philosopher and that is good for every man.

• Once made equal to man , woman becomes his superior.

• Be of good cheer about death, and know this of a truth , that no evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death.

• The tongue of a fool is the key of his counsel, which in a wise man, wisdom has in keeping.

• There is only one good, that is knowledge; there is only one evil, that is ignorance.

The NITI Literatureof Burma

Chapter (1)
"ON THE SAGE"

1) After kowtowing the Three Gems, I will recite briefly in Pali this LOKA NITI treatise made up of extracts from various texts.

Explanation: Treatise writers of old made obeisance to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha before they wrote the treatise. This is according to custom. LOKA NITI is a complitation of points and facts extracted from various treatises. The author says he is going to write ( or recite) briefly.


2) In this world, LOKA NITI is the essence, the parents , the teacher or the friend of men. THe man who has mastered this treatise is full of general knowledge and is noble and educated.

Explanation: This LOKA NITI treatise is a dependable book of instructions. The person who is wellversed in this treatise is one who is full of general knowledge and well-educated.


3)HOw will the lazy person acquire knowledge? How will the person without knowledge get wealth? How will the person without wealth get friends? How will the person without friends obtain happiness? How will the person without happiness gain merit? How will the person without merit attain NIBBANA?

Explanation: This stanza shows the series of bad effects of laziness. A lazy person will not get kowledge, then wealth, then friends, then happiness, then merit, and tehn such a person will not attain NIBBANA. It is important not to be lazy.


4) There is nothing equal to learning . Thieves cannot steal learning. In this world, learning is a friend, and mate. It carries happiness to the next life.

Explanation: In humna life learning is most important. If one has learning, one can get happiness in this life as well as in the after-life.


5) Do not think little of general knowledge. You should store it in your mind. The anthill will be full after drops of water fall on it for a long time.

Explanation: Do not despise general knowledge. You should acquire it . Your mind will be full of knowledge gradually just as an anthill is full after drops of water falling on it for long.


6) Do not htink little of art or science. If one is wellversed in one of them, that one will become a means of earning one's living.

Explanation: Art is theoretical knowledge. Science is practical knowledge. If one has learnt one of these two branches of learning , that knowledge will be good for earning one's living.


7) There is no ruby in every mountain. There is no life-sustaining pearl in every elephant. There is no sandal-wood in every forest. There is no sage in every place.

Explanation: Prby is a most precious gem. LIfe-sustaining pearl is rare. Sandal-wood always emits sweet scent. All these things are rare. So also, the sage is a rare person.


8) If it is heard that a man of learning lives in a certain place, the knowledge-seeking person of good parentage should make a serious effort to go to that place.

Explanation: The seeker of knowledge should try his best to go to the place where a sage lives.


9)Knowledge should be acquired gradually. Wealth should be gathered slowly.
The mountain climber should climb slowly and steadily. Passion should be satisfied slowly. Anger should be curbed. ALl these five acts should be done slowly.

Explanation: Knowledge and wealth should be acquired and accumulated gradually. Mountain-top will be reached if the climber climbs slowly and steadily. Passion should be satisfied slowly. Anger should be curbed. These five acts should be done slowly.


10) General knowledge, Knowledge of the Law ( DHAMMA), mathematics , mechanics, the study of NITI, the art of propitiation, music, mental dexterity, archery, study of archaic terms.


11) Medical science, humour, astrology, stratey, versification, diplomacy, the art of incantation, grammar. These are the eighteen branches of knowledge.

Explanation: These are the eighteen branches of knowledge as prescribed in ancient times. At present, all these are boiled down to two: Art and Science.


12) The sage remains silent like a drum if no one puts questions. IF someone asks, he acts like the thunder. The foolish person always talks whether he is asked or not .

Explanation: The sage speaks out only when required, like the drum which gives off sound when it is beaten. The fool is always talkative.


13) In thes world, the knowledge on the palmleaves ( or in books), (or) the wealth in the hands of others, is not one's own knowledge or wealth when the need arises.

Explanation: Knowledge in the books (or palmleaves) is not one'sown if it is not acquired. The wealth in the hands of others is also not one's own.


14) In this world , one can know the shallowness or the depth or water by looking at KUMUDDRA lotus. Noble-birth or low-birth can be discerned by that person's mode of conduct. A person's wisdom or ignorance can be inferred from his words. The quality of soil can be gauged from the weak or strong growth of grass.

Explanation: The water0lily's stem is long if the water is deep, short if it is shallow. A saying goes that high water makes the lotus beautiful (with long stem). Whether a man's birth is noble or mean can be determined by his behaviour. A man's knowledge and ignorance can be judged by the words he utters. The quality of soil of a plot of land can be assessed by looking at the strength or weakness of the growth of grass.


15) In this world, the person who has little knowledge thinks much of it and has pride for it. How is it so ? It is like the frog who has never seen the ocean thinks much of the water in the hole it lives in.

Explanation: The person with little knowledge is narrow-minded and thinds much of his knowledge, just as the little frog which has never seen the ocean thinks that the water in its hole is very much.


16) In this world, if a person has not had learning in the first stage of life; in the second stage, wealth; in the third stage, practice of the DHAMMA; then what will be do in the fourth stage?

Explanation: If a man does not have learning at young age, nor wealth at middle age, nor does he practise of the DHAMMA at old age, what will he do when he reaches his last days? If only a person gets what he should according to his age, his life will then be worthwhile.


17) Dear sons, learn to acquire knowledge. Why are you lazy? Dear sons, learn to gain knowledge every day. The one who has acquired no knowledge usually becomes another person's servant. In this world, others pay respects to the one who has acquired knowledge.

Explanation: If you are ignorant, you will become a servant to others. People are respectful to the educated person.


18) The mother who does not educate her son is his enemy. The fater who does not educate his son is his enemy. The uneducated person is unseemly like an egret among Brahminy ducks (Hintha) when he is at a formal function.

Explanation: If the parents do not make their children acquire knowledge, they must be called their children's enemies. The uneducated person is not worthy in this world . The educated person will be graceful on formal occasions.


19) Who sharpens the mountain-thorn between the mountain-cliffs? It just happens. Who puts eye-drops into the deer's eyes to make them clear? It just hapens. Who puts sweetscent into the lotus in the mire? It just happens. Who forms the nature of the son of good family? It just happens.

Explanation: Who sharpens the mountain thorn, puts eye-drop into the deer's eyes, infuse sweet scent in the lotus? Nobody. These happen spontaneously.

20) Betel-quid without lime is flavourless. The dress of the man without wealth is ragged. Eatables without salt is tasteless. The versification of the man without knowledge of the art is meaningless.

Explanation: Betel-quid has flavour only with lime. The poor man's dress is drab. Food without salt is tasteless. The unlettered man's verse is meaningless.


21) The person who tries properly to listen and note is the one who is full of knowledge. He increases his knowledge by means of acquiring knowledge and understanding the meaning. Knowing the meaning bring happiness to him.

Explanation: In acquiring knowledge, listening and making mental note are important. If one does that , he will acquire knowledge. By learning throught exercise, one can increase one's knowledge. One should thus acquire knowledge and understanding the meaning of things one tries to learn. Knowing the meaning will make the learner happy.


22) In this world , man, as well as the bull, has such acts as eating, having sex and sleeping. Knowledge makes the difference for the man from the bull. If man lacks knowledge, he is like the bull.

Explanation: Man has, as the bull has, the acts of eating , mating and sleeping. The difference for man from the bull is education. Man without education is the same as the bull.


23) In this world, there is no friend like learning. There is no enemy like disease. There is no lover like oneself. There is no strength equal to one's KAMMA.

Explanation: Education alone helps and supports man. There is no enemy greater than disease. There is no love equal to the love of oneself. KAMMA is one's own strength. If one is educated, one's condition of life will be good. KAMMA is what man has to depend on and what man has to rely on. What good or bad one does in this existence and what he did in the former existences determine the condition of one's present life.


24) Hintha bird is not compatible among crows, nor is lion among oxen, nor is horse amid asses, so also in the midst of fools a wise man is out of place.

Explanation: To be compatible means to be graceful. HINTHA should not be among crows; lion should not be amid oxen; horse should not be with asses. So also a wise man should be not among fools. If the noble is with the base, the dignity of the noble suffers a loss.


25) If a fool seeks company of a wise man all his life, even then he will not know the DHAMMA just as tehe ladle does not know the taste of the curry .

Explanation: Even if the fool lives near all his life with the wise man, he does not learn the Law (DHAMMA) because he does not know the meaning of the Law, just as the ladle whcih churns the curry in the pot does not know the taste of the curry.


26) The wise person who attends to a learned man only for a while, learns the DHAMMA, just as the tongue knows the taste of the curry.

Explanation: The intelligent person who seeks knowledge from a wise man knows the DHAMMA even if he has just a short time to learn, just as the tongue
knows at once the taste of the curry.


27) The brave person should not go to the fighting area without arms. SO also , the wise man should not say his words without reference to the treatises. The trader who makes a long journey should not go without a companion. The person who travels to another place should not go without a companion.

Explanation: One should not do anything without support. The warrior should not go to the front without arms. The wise man should not say anything without reference to the relevant treatise. The trader and traveller should not journey without a companion.


28) In this world, the wise man should not reveal the loss of wealth , the anxiety in his heart, the misdeeds at home, the deception and disrespect of others.

Explanation: The man of discretion does not reveal anything personal, which excites comment by others. If other people come to know of private troubles, they will probaly make critical remarks, thus committing sins. Private affairs need not be make known to other people.


29) In this world, a person makes proper remarks on proper occasions; choose suitable persons he should love, and knows the extent to which he should let off his anger;--that person is a man of wisdom.

Explanation: The person is wise who makes remarks suitable to the occasion; chooses suitable friends or mates and curbs his anger at the right time.


30) The person who indulges in eating though without wealth; the person who loves fighting though without physical strength; the person who wants to make remaks though without learning;-- such persons are like lunatics.

Explanation: If any one has nothing but wants to do like those who have many things, such a one is like a mad man. If a person without money is a heavy eater, if one who is weak likes fighting , and if one who lacks education wants to say big things, such persons are like mad man.


31) The person who often visits another's house thougth not invited; the person who talks too much without eing asked; the person who boasts of his qualities;--these three have the signs of a mean person.

Explanation: Mean persons are in the habit of boasting. They want to e accepted y society. They usually do things they ougth not to do. These persons have characteristics of a mean person.


32) The ugly person is likely to be talkative. The person with little learning usually shows off. The pot that is not full makes tremling sound. The milkless cow is apt to kick.

Explanation: The one who lacks something want to show that he has the thing he lacks."The pot that is not full makes great sound from the shaking water", goes the saying.


33) The little frog, when ale to squat thinks it is a lion. ut when the vrow snatches it the frog tries to please the crow by calling it. "MY dear friend! My dear friend!"The ignorant person thinks he is wise,and when the wise man asks him questions , he tries to please the wise one by saying, " My master! My master!"

Explanation: Those who have nothing to their credit usually think much of themselves. The little frog sits and thinks it is a lion. When snatched by the crow it is afraid and tries to please the crow. In the same way , the unlearned person thinks he is a learned man and when the real learned man asks questions he calls him" My master!" to cover up his ignorance.


34) Is the little frog a lion because it squats like a lion? Is the pig the leopard ecause it makes the sound of "OK!OK!" like the leopard? Is the cat a tiger because it has the apperance of a tiger ? Will the qualifications of wise men be the same?

Explanation: One cannot say that because of similarity, things are the same. Wise men are expert in various arts. They can be called sages though their knowledge is not the same.


35) Kings are not contented in the matter of wealth. Sages are not contented with good speech. The eye is not satisfied with looking at its beloved. The ocean is not full with the water flowing into it.

Explanation: Greed has no limit. The more one gets the more one wants. Contentment is absent.


36) One is fully endowed with looks and youthfulness, and of good lineage, ut if he is dificient in learning he is not worthy like the scentless Pauk-flower.

Explanation: One without education would e unfit although he may e of noble birth, goodlooking and youthful , just like the worthless Pauk- flower.


37) In this world, the son of parents of low brith may become a minister to the king. The son of a fool may become a sage. The son of a poor man may become rich. Therefore, we should not deal with men contemptuously.

Explanation: The lineage of parents or their social status or their intellect does not hinder the progress of their sons who may attain a higher status. Ther are
many sons who are superior to their parents.


38) The pupil who wants to learn many ranches of knowledge cannot grasp all that he learns , just as the one who is dum cannot relate his dream.

Explanation: The pupil who attends to many branches of learning all together will not be versed in any of them. He will e like a dumb person who cannot tell his dream. He should learn one after another. The person who takes up many kinds of knowledge at the same time will learn nothing properly.


39) The potter strikes the pot not to break it but to make it shapely, so also the master beats his pupils not to let them fall into misery or hell but to let them make progress in their learning.

Explanation: The potter beats the pot to make it look proportionate, not to break it; so also the teacher beats his pupils to make progress in the learning , not to send them to hell.


40) One wraps the moonbeam flower with Pauk leaves; that person's moonbeam flower alone does not emit fragrance, ut the Pauk leaves also become fragrant. In the same way, those who associate with the sage become wise.

Explanation: The mooneam flower is sweet-smelling Pauk leaf has no scent. But if the mooneam flower is wrapped with Pauk leaves, the wrapper gets the smell of the flower and becomes fragrant. So also, those who seek the company of a sage get knowledge from him.


The chapter "On The Sage" ends.

Chapter (2)
"On The Good Man"

41) Associate with good men; form frinedshop with them. Knowling the Law from the good men is being noble, not mean.

Explanation: A good and virtuous person is honest and right. He avoids ill deeds. Associate with good men and learn from them the Law (DHAMMA). Such knowledge is sacred, not debased.


42) Abandon the association with the wicked. Approach the good man who is worthy of association. Do good deeds every day. Ponder always upon the law of impermanence.

Explanation: Go along with the virtuous; shun the wicked. Do good deeds continuously every day. Study always the impermanence of all things.


43) The ripe fig is red on the outside, but full of worms in the inside. In the same way the hearts of the wicked are full of evil thoughts.

Explanation: The wicked are apt to pose as the virtuous. They are very tricky. Their words are sweet, but their hearts are evil.


44) Jack fruits have thorns on the outside, but inside is sweet, juicy meat, so also the good men are of good heart.

Explanation: The virtuous persons are honest. They are not like the wicked who put up appearances; they have good hearts.


45) In this world, the sandalwood, though dry, does not abandon its scent. The royal elephant, though on the battle-field, does not forsake its gracefulness in the eyes os people. The sugar cane, though under the pressing machine, does not leave out its sweet taste. The virtuous person, though poor , does not abandon the habit of right eousness.

Explanation: Some things have intrinsic qualities, and if they are good qualities the things or persons who possess them are regarded as distinct. The virtuous person, though lacking wealth, never resorts to ill deeds, and walks along the right path.


46) The lion, though hungry, does not eat leaves. Though lean, the lion does not eat elephant's flesh.

Explanation: Lion does not eat leaves though starving. It may be lean from
starvation, but it does not eat elephant flesh.


47) The man of noble lineage, preserving the dignity of his birth, though in poverty , does not commit any base act.

Explanation: Man of noble birth does not do any mean deed in order to keep up the dignity of his lineage.


48) In this world, sandalwood gives off pleasant smell .The moon is more pleasant than sandalwood. Much more pleasant is the word of the virtuous person.

Explanation: The scent of the sandalwood and the light of the moon are respectively pleasant. The speech of the virtuous is much more pleasant. It reduces stressful suffering and renders happiness.


49) Should the sun rise in the west; MERU, the monarch of mountains, bend; the hell-fire grow cold and pleasant; the lily bloom on mountaintop , yet the word of the vrituous will remain unaltered.

Explanation: Natural phenomena may change, but the word of the virtuous will remain unchanged. It will be good for all time.


50) The shade of a tree is pleasant; more pleasant is the shade of relatives and parents; more pleasant is the shade of the teacher; more pleasant is the shade of the king; is much more pleasant, in many ways, is the DHAMMA which can be called the shade of BUDDHA.

Explanation: Of the various shades and shelters that of the DHAMMA , BUDDHA's word, is the most pleasant. Something has to be said of the respective shades. Those of relatives, teacher, and king may give comfort in accordance with the nature of the individual concerned. The shades and shelters that the uncheritable relatives, teachers, and kings offer cannot possibly be pleasant. Only the love of parents, and the DHAMMA which BUDDHAS taught in His great compassion can make for the shelter-seeker's hapiness.


51) Pees hanker after the juice of flowers. The virtuous wish for virtue. Flies crave for the putrid. The wicked wish to indulge in anger.

Explanation: Noble persons wish for what is vrituous. The wicked and the lowly enjoy anger, the evil state of mind.


52) The sn of a wicked mother speaks foul language. The son of a wicked father behaves badly. The son of parents who are wicked speaks and acts badly.

Explanation: There is a saying to the effect that the son of a wicked man is rude, whereas the son of a wise man is polite. At the beginning of life, children learn everything from their parents. Wicked parents' children are seldom wise.


53) The son of a virtuous mother speaks politely. The son of a virtuous father has good condut. The son of parents who are virtuous speaks politely and behaves well.

Explanation: Children follow their parents' tradition. Those of bad parents have wicked character, and those of virtuous parents are well-behaved.


54) At the battle-field brave men are needed. In a dispute, a man who can talk well is required. In a feast, the loved one should be present. When there is difficulty in comprehension of a text, a man of learning is needed.

Explanation: In barious activities, persons who can give help and guidance are required to be present. If they are absent, undersirable incidents can occur.


55) A dog, if it sees another dog, shows its teeth growling with the intention of doing harm. The wicked, when he sees the virtuous , wants to harm the virtuous.

Explanation: A dog tries to bite another dog. So also the wicked one tries to
harm the virtuous. Evil deed oposes good deed.


56) You shold not do things hurriedly, nor should you make others do so. The person who does things in a hurry may have to repent later.

Explanation: You shold do things after due consideration. You should not do anything impulsively , nor hsould you make others do hastily. Or you may suffer later and may have to repent.


57) In this world, the person who can curb his anger does not have to worry even a little. The person who is grateful to other is praised by all virtuous people beginning from BUDDHA. Tolerate the rude words of vicious persons. SUch tolerance is regarded as noble by the virtuous.

Explanation: Anger is so savage taht it is difficult to curb. The people who can curb his anger does not have to worry. The one who knows gratitide is called noble by virtuous people.


58) In this world, living in a narrow place full of faeces is misery. More miserable is staying wiht a hated enemy. Even more miserable is to be with an ungrateful person.

Explanation: An ungrateful wretch is the most loathesome one. Such a person is wicked and mean. He does not find it difficult to commit any kind of sin. He does not hesitate to murder his benefactor.


59) Admonish continuously where admonition is due. Check the wicked action. That is proper advice. Ther person who does these acts is loved by the virtuous and hated by the wicked.

Explanation: Admonish wherre admonition is called for. Deter wicked action. That is what it should be . The person who can give such guidance to others is loved by the good people and hated by the bad.


60)One can win a person of higherr status by humility;a brave man by causing dissemsion; a person of lower status by giving small favours; one's compeer by working hard.

Explanation: The one superior to him, the one inferior, the one of equal status, and the brave one: all these persons can be overcome by various ways of approach. Thus you will be the winner and get the benefit.


61) In this world, poison is really not poison. The real poison is the wealth belonging to a monk. Ordinary poison kills a person only once. The poison which is the monk's wealth, kills him over and over again.

Explanation: Ordinary poison kills many only once. The poison which is a monk's possessions kills him many times (in the course of the cycle of existances).


62) The worth of a good horse can be determinded by its speed. The usefulness of an ox can be seen from its capacity to carry heavy burdens. The value of a milch cow can be assessed by iits mild-giving. A wise man's intellect can be guaged from his abiltiy to explain intricate thoughts.

Explanation: The worth of anything or any person can be determined by its capacity or his abiltiy. Evaluation should be made by scanning the special quality concerned.


63) The wealth of the virtuous, though meager, can be depended upon by many, like the water from the well. The wealth of the vicious , though much, can benefit none, like the water in the ocean.

Explanation: The virtuous are cheritable , so they give away waht little they have. The non-virtuous persons are selfish , so they are reluctant to give away anything although tey have much , just like the water in the ocean which cannot enjoyed by anyone.


64) Rivers do not drink water. Trees do not eat fruit. Rain does not fall in some places. The wealth of the virtuous is for the good of all others.

Explanation: Just as rivers do not drink their water, trees do not eat their fruit, rain does not fall in all places, so also the virtuous do not enjoy their wealth all by themselves. They give it in charity for the benefit of others.


65) Do not crave for what should not be desired. Do not ponder upon what should not be considerred. Think upon what is consistent with the LAW. Do not waste your time.

Explanation: Do not long for things that cannot be obtained. Do not contemplate what cannot be thought up, thus making your brain " run dry" . Do not waste your time . Time is precious.


66) Things happen though not planned. Though planned, things go away. That is the truth. Men or women do not succeed in obtaining wealth every time they try.

Explanation: Though not planned and tried, things happen by themselves. Plans made and tried do not produce the desired results. Things are apt to go away. That is natural in this world.


67) The person loves the person who is not virtuous nad does not love the virtuous perrson, and is pleased with the teachings of the vicious people. That person's action is the cause of his ruin.

Explanation: The person who associates with the wicked and listens to the words of the vicious, will go to ruin.


The chapter on "The Good Man" ends.

On Chapter (3)
"On THe Bad Man"

68) Do not be so loving to the wicked person. The pot, carried on one's head, not being full of water , is unstable on the head.

Explanation: "The non-full water pot makes a rocking sound", goes a saying . One should not give his love and kindness to a wicked person. The vicious one is not serence and steady; he may betray and do harm if he is not satisfied.


69) The snake has an excess of anger. So ddoes the wicked person; even more furious than the snake. The sanke can be subdued by charm and drug. How can one subdue the wicked? Which drug could do it?

Explanation: The wicked is more harmful than the snake. The snake can be subdued by drug and charm , but no drug can subdued the wicked who can always do harm.


70) The foolish person who knows his foolishness is said to be a wise perosn. However, the foolish person who thinks himself as a wise man inspite of his foolishness,must be said to be a real foolish man.

Explanation: A foolish man who knows his foolishness can be called wise because he will mend his ways and become a wise man. On the other hand, a foolish man who inspite of his foolishness thinks himself a wise man will not reform, and so will remain a real fool.


71) The fool thinks that his misdeed, which has yet to produce the results, is as sweet as honey. When his misdeed gives him due results , only then he will get into troble.

Explanation: The fool thinks his evil deeds are good as honey when the consequences of his deeds have not yet come to him; but when they come he will become miserable.


72) If the fool has physical strength, it is not good. He is likely to rob others of their property. The fool who has little education goes to hell when his body perishes.

Explanation: The fool uses his physical strength to plunder others' property . When he dies his strength disappears and in his after-life he falls into hell.


73) In the house, reat destroys things. In the forest , monkey is destructive. Among birds, the crow is destructive. Among people, the destructive person is the BRAHMIN.

Explanation: In the day of old , the brahmin was usually a king's counsellor. The Brahmin with an evilmind tried to set his enemy against the king by telling tales. In JATTAKAS and tales, the brahmin has to take the role of a villain.


74) To the wakeful person the night is long . To the tired traveller one league is a long distance. To the fool who does not know the doctrine of the virtuous, the SAMSARA ( cycle of existences) is a long duration.

Explanation: The distance or the duration is long or short in accordance with the attitude of the perosn concerned . The wakeful one finds the night too long ( for he has to spend the night without sleep) . To the tired traveller even a short distance seems too long ( because he is too weak to walk any longer). The foolish one who has not the attributes of a virtuous perosn has to roll around the unending SAMARA.


75) Evil-minded person sees other's fault , however smaill as a sesamum seed, but does not see his own fault whcih is as big as a coconut.

Explanation: The person of evil mind sees other's fault however small, and fails tosee, or ignores, his own however serious. It is the nature of evilminded persons .Such persons can enlarge other's faults and makes little of their own.


76) The wise man should not make his fault known to others while he takes notice of other's faults, just as a tortoise hides its limbs. He should learn a lesson from other's faults.

Explanation: The wise man conceals his defects, or others will probabl thnk ill about him, thus getting themselves involved in sin. However, he should try to discover other's faults and take note of them in order to learn a lesson about life.


77) When a fool praises a wise man, such praise amounts to punishment for the latter. Only when a wise man praises another, it is a genuine praise.

Explanation: A fool's praise of a wise man is a sort of punishment, because the fool has no ability to appraise the worth of a wise man. Onley if a wise man praises another wise man, is a worthy praise.


78) One should win over the greedy person by given him bribes. The arrogant one should be won over by giving him deep respects. The fool should be won over by giving him concessions. The wise man should be won over by telling the truth.

Explanation: All peolple could be properly treated if one acts according to their respective characteristic attitudes and behaviours.


The chapter on " The Bad Man" ends .


Chapter (4)
On " Friendship"


79) The person who offers benefit is to be regarded as one's friend. If a friend does not offer benefit, he is regarded as a stranger. A disease which occurs in the body does not offer benefit, but the medicinal herb in the forest offers a cure.

Explanation: The person who does a good turn to one, becomes one's friend. The friend who does not do anything for one's benefit remains a stranger. Disease arises in one's body and does harm. The medicianl herb obtained from the forest cures the disease, thus giving benefit to him.


80) A person who speaks ill of one behind one's back, and talks lovingly in one's presence should be avoided as the bee shuns the pot of poison.

Explanation: The fake friend speaks well in one's presence and speaks ill in his absence. Such a person is not a genuine friend. He is an interanl enemy. He should be shuned, just as the bee avoids the poison pot.


81) If one is deprived of wealth, his frined leaves him, so do his son and wife, so , too , do his brothers. However , they all associate with the one who has wealth. Therefore, only wealth is one's great friend.

Explanation: "People wnat to claim themselves as one's relatives if one has gold ", goes a saying. If one is wealthy all relatives approach him, but when he becomes poor, they leave him.


82) In this world, a servant's true worth can be seen when he is assigned a duty; that of a relative when one is in danger; that of a friend when one's wealth wanes; and taht of one's wife when one is reduced to proverty.

Explanation: S sevant's true whorth can be seen only when assinged to a duty . When in difficulty one can see if a relative is dependable. When one's income is less, the true nature of a friend can be seen. One can know whether or not one's wife is good when one becomes poor.


83) The person who helps one to prosper, is one's true friend. The persons who look after one are one's parents. The person who has affection for one is her husband. The woman who has a good heart and renders peace to one, is his wife.

Explanation: A good friend helps one to become prosperous. One's parents are those who look after him. One's husband gives her affection. one's wife makes his life peaceful and happy. This is about good friends, good parents, good husbands and good wives.


84) Do not ge too intimate with enemy nor with friend. Sometimes when a friend gets angry , he is apt to show up all the faults one has.

Explanation: Intimacy is not good. One should not get intimate whit the enemy. This is out of the question. But we must warn that one should not get too intimate with a friend. That friend when he gets angry will reveal all one's blemishes.


85) The person who is angry with his frined for once wants to get reconciled. He will come to grief like the mare which gives birth to a stallion.

Explanation: The two friends being intimate know each otehr's faults and blemishes. One day they fall out and fight. Being very angry, the two fling words revealing each other's blemishes. So both feel hurt. When they quarrel again they will probably resort to violence, using sticks and swords , thus causing death, like the mare which has to give birth to a stallion ( a loarge and strong horse) , at the cose of her life.


86) One should carry even one's enemy on one's shoulders before one's plan has produced results. When the time of succcess of the plan comes , one should throw the enemy off one's shoulders just as the person carrying a pot on his head dashes it against a rock.

Explanation: Before a plan has proved successful , one should bear the injury frome the enemy. When the plan is successful , one can well ignore the enemy's attack. If one fights before the plan is successful , he can fail.


87) The remaining portion of unpaid debt, the remnant of fire, so also the still-to-be cured part of a disease, are apt to increase. Therefore, all remnants should not be left behind.

Explanation: If a portion of debt is left unpaid, the amount of debt will grow with time. Some fire left unquencched may develop into a large fire ( and burn down the building). If a disease is not completely cured, and something still has to be done, the disease will increase. Therefore, all remnants should not be left behind.


88) A certain man's face is as fresh and cheerful as a PADOMMA lotus, his words are cool and sweet like the sandal-wood, but in his heart is a deadly poison. One should not associate with such a person.

Explanation: The person who is well-meaning on the outside and evil in the inside should be avoided.


89) Do not server a master who is rude. More than that, do not serve a master who is uncharitable. More so , do not serve a master who is reluctant to honour where honour is due. All the more, do not serve a master who is cruel.

Explanation: This is meant as a warning to servants. If a master is rude or stiny or unwilling to reward for good service, or worst of all if he is curel , no one should serve him.


90) A horned animal should be avoided at a distance of fifty cubits, a horse at one hundred cubits, a tusker, one thoustand cubits. The wicked man should be avoided by leaving the area where he lives.

Explanation: Dangerous animals should be shunned at respective distances. However, in the case of a wicked man, he should be shunned by leaving the place where he is residing.


91) An unwholesome place, a bad mate, a bad relative, a bad wife and a bad servant: They all should be left at a distance.

Explanation: This is a listing of " BAD" poeple. The adjective " BAD" is prefixed to the various persons. How are they bad? There is no mention of the manner in which each of them is bad. We must difine the term "BAD" by ourselves.


92) The friends who look after one when one is suffering from a disease, or who contribute food during the time of famine, or who help one in his failing fortune, or who try to bail out when one is captured by the enemy, or who help to defent one when in custody by king's order or who attend the funeral of one's relative, are true friends.

Explanation: " The king's house" is another term for jail. The king's house doesn't mean the royal palace. " At the funeral" means attending the funeral. "Cemetary" indicates going to cemetary to attend the funeral ceremony of one's relative. In a word, the true friend helps one throguth think and thin.


93) The person who speaks sweetly to one and all has many friends. The man of harsh words has few friends. The comparison between the sun and the moon should be considered in the context.

Explanation: "Sweet words are a cause of popularity" , a saying goes. In dealing with many people the person who speaks pleasantly is popular. People are unwilling to make friends with a man of harsh words. Poeple do not want to bask in hot sun's rays. The light of the moon is cool and people are pleased to be exposed to it. That is the best example in this case.


The chapter on " Friendship " ends .


Chapter ( 5)

" On Woman"


94) The beauty of cuckoos is their voice. The beauty of wamen is devotedness to their husbands. The beauty of ugly person is education. The beauty of hermits is forbearance.

Explanation: "The beauty of women is devotion to their husbands. " Here" women" stands for " wives" . A duitful wife is graceful and noble.


95) The wealth of women is beauty. The wealth of mean is education. The wealth of monks is the precepts( sila) . The wealth of kings is the army.

Explanation: Wealth is one's possession which can be depended upon. The power of a monarch lies in his armed forces.


96) It is proper for hermits and monks to be lean. It is proper for four-legged creatures to be plump. It is proper for men to be educated . It is proper for women to be with their husbands.

Explanation: Being proper is an important quality.Improper means unbecoming. A monk should be contented and frugal, so he will be of a thin body, and this is proper for ascetics. Four-legged animals must be plump so that they will be liked by people.A man must be educatted to be fit for a good position in life. A woman must be married, or she will not get due repects from people.

97) An occomplished harpist becomes weak in his musical skill if separated from his harp for five days. An expert archer becomes faulty if he is a way form his bow and arrow from seven days. A virtuous wife is liable to folly if she is separated from her husband for a month. Pupils would falter in their lessons if they are away from theri teacher for half a month.

Explanation: Separation usually makes for a decline from normal situation. Harpist and archer would weaken in their skill if they lacked in their practice for sometime. A virtuous wife would possibly weaken her virtue if separated from her husband for a month.Pupils away from their teacher for half a month might froget some of the lessons. However , ther are exceptions.


98) Buffalo takes delight in mire. HINTHA (brahminy duck) takes delight in the pond. Woman takes delight in her man. The monk takes delight in the DHAMMA.

Explanation: Delight stems from being pleased. In other words, if one is delighted one becomes happy> Interest precedes pleasure. The author of NITI means tosay that such pleasures occur naturally.


99) Food is to be praised after is digested. The wife should be praised after she has passed her prime. The soldier should be honoured after his successful return from thebattle field. The crop should be said to be successful when it arrives at the store-house.

Explanation: No matter can be said to be successful until it is acheived. It is premature to say that an act is successful until the end is reached. The NITI master is usually critical about women.It is the general attitude of men. However, there are alwasy exceptions.


100) The woman who has changed two or three husbands; the monk who has changed two or three monastries; the bird which has escaped from two or three traps; these hae played practical tricks.

Explanation: "The monk who changes three monasteries, the woman who changes three husbands: , so it is said, are regarded as full of wiles. Here, too, there are exceptions. The monk who is well-intentioned has to change his residence because the inmates are lax about the Law. The woman who is earnest about marriage finds the husband bad.So she is obliged to change her rather unstable mate in wedlock.


101) The wicked man should be tamed by beating. The bad friend should be tamed by refusing to speak with him. The bad wife should be tamed by refusing to bestow wealth. The gourmand should be tamed by giving him less food.

Explanation: To tame means to let the person concerned mend his ways and become cordial. To tame a wicked person by beathin raises the question of whether it is possible to tame him by beating. The wicked one is usually crafty.We should first consider whether or not it is good to beat him. Taming a bad friend by refusing to talk with may not be good, for the bad friend will probably refuse to talk because his pride is hurt. It might be better to point out his mistake, thus giving him a chamce to correct himself . It is good to deprive the bad wife of the weatlh. It is also good to reduce the diet of an over eater.


102) The night without the moon lacks glory. The ocean without huge waves , too , is not grand. The pond without HINTHA birds lacks beauty . The young woman without husband is not quite becoming.

Explanation: In observing things, the suitable property should be present to make them look good . If such property were missing, they would not be in their proper form.


103) The husband is the earner of wealth. The wife is the keeper of the wealth thus earned. That is the appropriate remark. Man is the prime mover. The wife is just a thread in the needle.

Explanation: The husband has to earn money.The wife has to preserve it . That is correct. But times have changed. We have come to the age when the husband, as well as the wife, is obliged to go to work to earn money . However, the fact remains that man is the leader in the family and woman has to keep in store the money left after spending for the family.


104) All rivers flow in a crooked way. All forests are full of fire wood. All women getting to asecluded place will always do evil.

Explanation: River meander. Forests are full of firewood. That is correct. As for the statement that woman commits sin in a secluded place needs qualification. Women are weak. A woman has to suffer man's attack. It is usually man who starts the evil deed. Of course , woman also entices. The fault lies with both.


105) Woman is in the habit of making dispute, of slighting others, wants to have everything she sees. She cooks many kinds of food and eats too mcuh. She has also that habit of taking meal a head of her husband. She often visits other people's houses and stays there long. Such woman should be left by her husband eventhough she has given birth to one hundred sons.

Explanation: This is a statement about a bad wife. If the husband continues keeping her in wedlock, however long their married life may be , the husband is the loser. That is true. On the contrary, if the husband turns bad, should not the wife desert him? It is difficult for her to do that. It is the man who owns his wife, not the wife her husband. Times have changed now. It would be better to say that the good should abandon the bad.


106) At meal and when dressed , a woman should behave like a mother. In matters of concealment and undress, she should be as shy as a sister. In performance of domestic duties and approaching her husband, she should move about like a maid-servant. In time of danger, she should act as a consellor. In bed she should give pleasure. She should look prim adn proper in her dress. When the husband is in anger, she should have forbearance. Such a woman, say the sages, is noble. After death has claimed her body, she would go to the celestial kingdom.

Explanation: This is the code of conduct for a woman who should be deemed good and noble. Respect for the husband, dutiful as a house-wife and loyalty are perhaps most important.


107) A cer tain young lady is golden complexioned , her eyes brown like a fawn's eyes, her stomach with waist narrow and wide haunches, and thighs which tapers toward the feet, like an elephant's trunk, long hair with ends upturned, even rows of teeth, deep navel and good conduct. Such maiden, through of low birth , should be taken to wife.

Explanation: The stanza describes the physical comeliness and good conduct of a young lady. One should not hestitate to marry such a lday. Perfecton is rare. Intrinsic beauty is more important than superfucial beauty. Intrinsic beauty includes charming acts and a good character.


108) Of all seasons, the season covered by the month of Tazaungmon ( of Myanmar Calandar) is the best. Of all marriageable women, the beautiful one is the best. Among the sons, the eldest is the best . Of all directions , north is the best.

Explanation: The Myanmar month of Tazaungmon is the time of no rain and is cool, for it is the beginning of cold season. So it is the best time for festivities. So it is the best time for the year. Beautiful woman is the best to marry .The eldest son is usually the most dependable, so he is regarded as the best son. North is considered sacred because BUDDHA lay with his head to that direction when He passed into NIBBANA.


109) If a woman in every existence of being a woman desires to become man, she should serve her husband as respectfully as the wife of the king of celestial kingdom serves her husband.

Explanation: Womanhood is considered inferior to manhood. Therefore, if a woman desire to become a man in her next existence, and accordingly prays for it, she should serve her husband very respectfully.


110) If a man desires to become a man in his existences, he should avoid committing adultery as he would avoid mud in order not to soil his clean feet.

Explanation: Committing adultery sends the sinner down to hell, and if he recovers the existence of a human being , he will become a woman. Therefore, he must avoid that sin.


111) A man past his prime marries a young woman whose breasts are as tiny as a fig. If the yound wife does not satisfy his desire, the old man is jealous and talks slightingly of her. He does not believe that she wil lbe satisfied with an old man. Therefore, the old man's talking a very young woman will lead him to ruin.

Explanation: Marriage of persons of unequal age has dangers. An old man will not have faith in his young wife. Such a unicon constitutes a cause for the old man's ruin.

The chapter on " Women " ends.


Chapter ( 6)
On " The King"


112) A king should sleep only one watch of the night, a sage two watches, a family man three, and a geggar all the four.

Explanation: The duration of a night is divided into three, or four, period. In Buddhist literature three periods are mentioned . First period, 6 p.m to 10 p.m , secon, 10 to 2 a.m to 6 a.m. According to the Nitimaster the duration of the night is in four period, each lasting three hours beginning with 6 p.m.
The King is required to sleep only three or four hours of early night. That is probably because as the ruler of a country he has many duties to perform , so during the first period. Another view is taht the king has to be wakeful after a three or four hour sleep so that he would be on the aleart to defend himself from would be assassins.
The sage should sleep half the night and work out problems and questions in the second half. The family man may enjoy sleep for the first three periods of hte night.The beggar has nothing to do, so he can sleep the whole night.


113) do not live in a place where there is no rich man, no sage, no king, no river , no physician. If therse five are absent , one should not reside there even for a day.

Explanation? This is meant to say if these five are absend, social, educational, economic, health would be defective. So one should not live in such a place even for a day.


114) One should not live in a place where ther in no element of respect or love, no relative or no teacher . One should not reside there even for a day.

Explanation: This is a continuation of the description of the place in which one should not reside.


115) In this world, the housein which there are no children is dreary.The country without a king is desolate. The man of no learning has his lips sealed thight. Destitution makes for absence of all things.

Explanation: " Silence" in this context meansdestutution. The country without a king is not quiet. There is a misunderstanding in this matter.The Niti master means to say that " Silence" is absence of good things.


116) In this world, if one wnats to make money, he should do trading. If one wnats to acquire learning , he should attend to a man of learning .If one wnts to have a child , he should marry a maiden. If one wants to become a king's minister, he should serve him to his satisfaction.

Explanation: The statement taht if one wants to be appointed minister by thek ing, he should fulfil the king's wishes is an old saying but we believe that it remains true even to this day and will remain so in future.


117) If a monk is not contentel, he will go to ruin. If a king is contented , he will go to ruin. If a prostitute is shy, she will fail in her trade. If a maiden of good family is unashamed, she will become cheap and her life will be ruined .

Explanation: The monk who hankers after property, fails to observe the Law prescribed for the monks. The king who lives in contentment and does not work hard, and people will not get the benefit of prosperity . If a king is over-contented, he will lack influence and power, and so he wil lbe ruined.


118) The source of strenght for birds is the sky. The source of strength for fishes is the water. The source of strength for the weak is the king.The source of strength for infants is crying.

Explanation: "Strength" in this contextis source of strength or somethng to depend upon . Birds have the sky in which to fly freely or fly up when they meet with enemies. Fishes depend on water.The fish in low water is helpless. The weak look up to the king who prescribes laws for their protection. Infants get milk when they cry.


119) Forberance, vigilance, industry, charity, kindness, and foresight; these six are the attributes of the king, elders and parents.

Explanation: The king and elders should have patience and should pardon the faults as far as possible. They should be alert and work hard on all affair. When there is an occasion for distribution of favours, they should be liberal. For solving problems they should have foresight so that their endeavour gains success. These are the six attributes of the king and elders ( or leaders).


120) In this world , kings speak but once, so do monks and brahmins, so do the virtuous headed by Buddha. This is the practice of ancient virtuous persons.

Explanation: KIngs, monks, and brahmins speak only once in any case. So do the Buddha and they virtuous. They never alter their words. They do not speak for no reason. They seldom make remarks or pass judgement, but when they do make a statement, their word is firm.


121) In this world, the family man who is lazy is not good. The monk who does not control his speech and acts is not good. The king who des impulsverly is not good. The sage who is angry is not good.

Explanation: The lazy householder, being lazy, will not be able to bring prosperity to his family . The monk who should observe the rules of the HOLY ORDER but acts without restraint is not good. The king who acts impulsively is not good. The irritable sage is also not good. The king is ruling the country should take necessary action only after consultation with ministers, generals and wise men. Otherwise, the country and the people will suffer from his misdeeds.


122) In a certain place where there are many chiefs and leaders, where many persons want to act as sages, where many persons want tobe chiefs and nobles, all their endeavours will end in failure.

Explanation: In a certain place there are many chiefs and leaders, where many want to pose as wise men, many aspire to become leaders, all their attempts will fail. ( There will be chaos).


123) A king should perosnally inspect therevenue as well as expenditure. He should personally inspect the work of government servants. He should punish those who deserve punishment and hounour those who deserve to be honoured.

Explanation: The king should personally examine the state revenue and expenditure. He should review the work of state officials and punish those who fail in their duty and who are corrupt, and promote those whose work is commandable . Then only will the kingdom prosper.


124) One should approach the sun wiht his back towards it, the fire with his stomach, the master by all means, and thenext life by not falling into folly.

Explanation: Take the sun's rays on one's back. Sit at the fire_side with one's front to the fire. Apporach the master in many ways. In order to gain a better position in the next existence by doing good according to Dhamma, and not resorting to folly.\


125) In this world, one should shun fire, water, woman,fool, snake and royal family .They may harm and kill him instantly.

Explanation: Avoid fire. or one may be burnt. Avoid water, or one may be drowned Avoid bad women, or one would get into trouble. The fool should be shuned, or one might suffer from the effect of his folly. Snaked should be avoided , for snake-bite is fatal. Members of the royal family are likely to give trouble if they are displeased. One should avoid them as far as possible. They all may harm or even kill one who does not shun them.


126) The person who couples with a bad wife, or who employs a rude servant, or who lives in a house where there is a snake, will surelydie. There is no doubt about it.

Explanation: A bad wife is an unfaithful woman. She will give her husband trouble in many ways and he will suffer from staying with her. The rude and foolish servant will oppose his master and may cause ruin if the master continues to employ him. If one lives in a house where ther is a snake, he will die from snake-bite.


127) In this world, teaching a foolish pupil, living with a wicked woman, associating with an unvirtuous person, these are the factors that could cause harm, including death, even to a wise man.

Explanation: Association with persons is an important factor in human life. However good one may be , association with bad persons could cause injury. Even a wise man who usually thinks be fore taking action is likely to go to ruin.


128) In this world, if the son committed wicked acts, it means the mother did it. So also, if the pupil committed a sin, it menas the teacher did it. If the people of a country have done somthing wrong, it means the king did it. If the king committed a sin, it menas the king's counsellor did it.

Explanation: The folly of children falls on the parent's head; the teacher is responsible for his pupil's wrong acts, the king is hel responsible for the wrongs committed by the people of his country. The chief or leader is responsible for the follower's acts.


129) The king should win over the person who is in great anger by showing no anger. The dishonest persons should be won over by honesty. The stingy person should be won over by generosity. The lear must be quelled by telling the truth.

Explanation: If a person is very angry one can get the better of him by showing no anger. If one is in great anger one may do wrong by chance. In the relations between two countries, if a king is in great anger, there could be war. Good kings should have patience and forbearance. One should treat dishounest over by liberal acts. The liar can be won over by speaking the truth.


130) Charity makes the untamed one tame. It achieves all objectives. Charity and sweet words place one above others. and they will bow to him in deep respect.

Explanation: Charity has great power. It can make the rude person civil. It can achieve all things. Charity together with cordiality will make one highly respected.


131) In this world , charity is a love potion. Miserliness is a poison of hate. Charity attracts many attendants. Niggardliness leaves the miser alone.

Explanation: Charity is a love potion. Stinginess is a hate poison. If one gives something ( money or things) , many will be willing to serve him. A miser has no attendant, and so he has to remain a lonely person.


132) In this world, if many persons who have no worth of their own are united, they can conquer what is to be conquered . A rope is made of grass, and that rope can be used to tie up a huge elephant.

Explanation: This is the description of the saying , " Union is strength". Individually worthless persons can be united and with their united effort they can achieve man difficulties. A rope made of greass can curb a large elephant; the rope is so strong.


133) How will the king who cannot conquer the enemy although his troops are united? a fire lit in a windy place will die by itself.

Explanation: The king who cannot win the war although he has a united army. A fire cannot be successfully lit in a windy place. So also, poor leadership will not achieve anything. A united body of followers is clearly important , but able leadership is equally , or even more, important.


134) One should not enjoy sensul pleasures, or assume the apperance, or take the delicious food , or use flowers or toilet, or wear dress or adorn one self in the same manner as the king.

Explanation: One should not imitate the ways of a king . He may be offended, and the imitator will get punishment. This advice is for ancient times. At present, the age of kings has passed, and the few monarchs are kings just in name. But the essence of that advice remains . Do not imitate if one is not equal to the other. or one would get into trouble. That is what the advice means. The imitator will never be the same as the imitated.If one walks along the path paved by one's destiny, he will eventually reach the destination rescribed for him by his KAMMA.


135) The king is not my friend, nor is he my companion with equal status. He is my Lord. Keep this in mind for ever.

Explanation: The king is not one's friend or one's equal. He is one's lord . If one mistakes the king as friend or equal, the king will think that one is taking advantage. One should alwasy regard him as one's lord.


136) A servant of the king should not wait uponthe king at a great distance, or too near. or directly in front, or in the direction of the wind, or in a place too hight or too low. He should avoid these six fualts, in the way as one who keeps away from the fire.

Explanation: In waiting upon the king, the king's servant should very careful. Or he could in fault. There is a saying to the effect taht a kings' servant is like a tree on theedge of the bank of a river. It means that he could ge punishment at any time, just as the tree could be uprooted and falls into the river.


137) Even a person having the qualities of Buddha is not in a position of advantage if not under the patronage of the king . The ruby, though princeless, is not becoming if it is not set in gold .

Explanation: The king's power is great . Even if one has the attributes of Buddha. (even if he is so exalted), he is just a subject of the king. Unless he is under the patronage of the king , he is not at an advantage. We think that the NITI master who was obliged to submit his treatise to the king for aproval and patronage, tries to please the king.

The chapter on " The King" ends.


Chapter (7)
"Miscellaneous"

138) How can there be SILA ( precept) in monk who cohabits with a woman? How can the man who is a great eater of meat have pity? How can a heavy drinker speak the truth? How can a lascivious person have the sense of shame? How can a sluggard have learning? How can a person of great anger have wealth?

Explanation: Persons with bad habits are liable to ruin.The monk who cohabits with a woman falls from the state of being a monk, according to PARAZIKAN rules of conduct. The great meat-eater does not have pity. The furnkard is a habitual liar. The passionate person has no sense of shame. He does not hestitate to commit a sin. The lazy one will not learn anything. The irritable person is not fit for any work, so he will not have wealth.


139) The drunkard, the one who is in the habit of going out at untimely period, dthe one who goes to threater often, the regular gambler, the one who has bad friends, the lazy one. These persons are liable to ruin.

Eplanation: People with an excess of bad habits are going to ruin. The drunkard , person who goes out at untimely hours, regular threatre-goer, gambler, person falling into bad company. sluggard: They are all going to ruin. All can see how they are ruined.


140) In daytime one should not talk about others without looking around , at night one should not speak without being asked. One should be as careful as the hunter who is afraid of harm, looks front and back while going about in the forest.

Explanation: One should not speak carelessly. In daytime he should look around before speaking. At night time he should not speak without being asked. The hunter fears danger which could come from any direction .So when goes about in the forest he looks around.


141) Though alive, these five persons are dead, declares the NITI master , BYASA: The poor man, the ailing man, the folish man, the man wiht many debts, and the man who serves the king.

Explanation: Though alive, these five persons are to be taken as dead. They are man in poverty, man in sickness, man in folly, man in deep debt and man in the service of the king. They are as bad as dead becuase they are not able to enjoy the pleasures of human life, so says NITI master BYASA.


142) The wise man on seeing the danger that is coming avoids it from afar, but when he sees danger arriving, he faces it without fear.

Explanation: This stanza means that the coming danger should be avid from afar and taht the arriving danger should be faced without fear.


143) In this world, the person who sleeps too much, the one who is forgeful, the one who lives in complancence, the who is ailing, the lazy one, the passionate person, the person who delights in new actions: These seven do not resort to books.

Explanation: This stanza says the seven person mentioned are not given to the study of books.


144) Oh, riches! Go to the poor man. The rich man has wealth in full .OH, Rich -God! Pour on the dry land. The ocean is full with water. This prayer is of no avail. No such thing comes up as prayed for KAMMA is regins supreme.

Explanation: All the things are arranged by KAMMA. The rich is rich. The poor is in the destitution. The ocean is full with water. May the rain fall on dry land! Such prayer is in vain. KAMMA is the chief factor. We cannot amend as we wish, so we must accept cheerfully what KAMMA offers us.


145) When one has done what is to be done, the one who requested him to do it does not look act upon him. So , one should leave something still to be done.

Explanation: A person does a good turn, but the receiver of the benefit does not trun back to look upon him. WHen one's wishes are fulfilled, one usually fails to look up to him. (He fails to thnak him). So , do not do things completely for a person, leave something to be done. Then only that person's attention will linger upon the benefactor.


146) In this world, cotton is light, lighter is the wonton : lighter stil lis the one who does not accept the admonition of teachers and parents; even lighter is the person who disregards the admonition of Buddha.

Explanation: Cotton is light. The wonton person is lighter. The one who disobeys his teachers and parents is still lighter. The one who neglects the teaching of Buddha is the lightest. Here , in this context , the meaning of " light" varies. In the first instance it refers to small weight. In the remaining instances, it means " of no worth " , " useless".


147) In this world, the umbrella made of stone is heavy. Still heavier, or of more weight, is the word of the gods . Weightier still is the admonition of teachers and parents. The word of Buddha is of greatest weight.

Explanation: This is the contrast of the preceding stanza. The stone umbrella is heavy. The word of the gods, that of teachers and parents and , finally ,the word of Buddha are respectively more weighty.


148) In this world , the right - hand is the slave of the body . The little finger of the right hand is the slave of the ear, the nose and the eyes. The left- hand is the slave of the feet.

Explanation: Right-hand is the body's slave. Most of movements are doings are made with the right-hand . As for the left-hand, it is used to deal with the feet. Usually, the upper part of the body is served by the right-hand while the left-hand is used for the lower part.


149) The middle part of a betel leaf is guarded by KUVERA god, at the base guards the ogre, and the evil god guards the tip. SO the base and tip of the betel leaf should be cut off before chewing the leaf, and that act is auspicious.

Explanation: This stanaza is meat for betel chewing people, (especially the Indians) . The Myanmar of old usually followed this advice. They cut off the base and the tip of the betel leaf before they started chewing it.


150) BARHAMA looks after the slate. The god (VISHNU) watches the wraper of the slate. The learners adore that Brahma and Vishnu god. These celestials always look upon the worshipers with love and kindness.

Explanation: This stanza relates the custom as prescribed ancient Indian treatises.


151) Cattle feed human beings and provide them with wealth. For that reason cattle should be adored and respected by people.

Explanation: According to a doctrine held by the Hindus of India, cattle provide (human beings) with nourishment and promote prosperity. Therefore, people must love and adore cattle.


152) Those who eat cattel-flesh are like those eating their mother's flesh. When cattle die, they should be thrown to vultures or into the water.

Explanation: This is a continuation of the preceding statement on cattle. Hindus must not take cattle-flesh. If cattle die, they should be given to vultures to eat, or thrown into a stream or a river.


153) If one starts learning a lesson on a Thursday, the purpose of learning will be acheived. If one starts on a Sunday or a Friday, the study will be successful only by a half. It the starting day is either a Wednesday or a Monday. the studying will not succeed. If one starts the study on a Saturday or a Tuesdasy , the student will probably die.

Explanation: This stanza is also in accordance with Hindu treatises. The belief that the starting date of learning should be a Tursday was taken up by ancient Mynamars. In fact , there is no need to choose a particular date for starting a study. If the pupil tries hard, and the teacher teaches him will, he will become conversant with the subject he studies.


154) Learning lessons on the eight waxing and waning of the moon is like killing the teacher. If one the fourteen waxing and waning , it is like killing the pupil , if one the tenth waxing and wanting , it is like killing the study itself, and if one the fullmon day, it is like killing the parents.

Explanation: Just the view of ancient Hindus. We have to note it only as general knowledge.


155) In this world , the student learning an art should not eat coconut on the seventh waxing and waning day of the moon. Nor should he wat pumpkin on the ninth day, nor on the twelvth day pinnam, nor curry on the third day. If he happens to have eaten them, his knowledge will disappear.

Explanation: No explanation seems necessary. These are the views of old- time Hindus.


156) In this world, for the good of the clan an individual should be sacrificed. For the good of the village , the clean should be sacrificed. For the good of the region , the village should be sacrificed. For the good of oneself the entire world should be sacrificed.

Explanation: In saying that the few must be sacrificed for the good of many, it means that one must not look for one's own good in working for the benefit of many people. The last sentence of this stanza refers to the good of oneself in the spiritual sense, not material. In the endeavour for setting oneself free from the cycle of existences (SAMSARA), one must renounce the entire world. That is grand renunciation.


157) In this world, the lion, the virtuous man, the elephant; these leave the place not suitable for them to remain. The crow, the wicked person, the deer: these creatures remain where they are until they die.

Explanation: One should not stay on in place which does not suit one's purpose. One should move to a more suitable plae. The lion, the virtuous man and the elephant leave the place not suited to them, unlike the crow, the wicked man and the deer who remain where they are to the last.


158) One should not live in a place where there is no respect, no love, no friend, nor a teacher.

Explanation: In a place there is no one to give respect, or love , or there is no friend or teacher. One should not live in such place.


159) The wise person has the mind directed to wards the new palce, like the foot moving forward with hope. At the same time, he has the mind still onthe old place, like the other foot standing still on the old place. One should not leave the old place without enquiring about the new place.

Explanation: If it is advisable to change from the old to the new it should be done. But not every change is good. There is saying ,"Leaving the dead bison for the living one" . It means one should not do anything without being sure. The saying , " If one does not move to a new village, one will not be a rich and respectable person, " is checkmated by another saying which goes, " The tiger fated to die moves to another jungle" .


160) In this world, when doing business of selling and buying , or acquiring knowledge, or serving as amessanger, or copulating , one should suspend the sense of shame and fear.

Explanation: In doing business of selling and buying one should not hestitate to haggle . One should none feel diffident, or think it is not fair. In acquiring knowledge one should not feel shy and hestitate to question about what one does not know, or fear to make mistakes. A s a messanger, one should speak out without fear. In having sex, one should set aside for a while one's sense of shame and fear.


161) The women's appetite is two times stronger than men: their intelligence is four times higher than men: their industry six times greater and their sensuality eight times greater than men.

Explanation: The women are twice better in appetite menas they are good choosers of delicacies. Not like men who eat anything available. As they are adept at cooking, they are good at taking good food. Women are industrious six times more than men because household work occupies them in the house allday. The statement that women are four times stronger in intelligence menas that they are more quick-witted than men. The y have more wiles than men.


162) In this world, sugar-cane gradually increases it sweet taste from one joint to another. The good and noble friend is found to be more reliable as friendship develps, like the suger-cane . One the contrary, the evil-minded friend proves less and less reliable like the sugar-cane which at first sweet but gradually lakcs sweetness.

Explanation: the nobel person and the wicked one are the reverse at every turn. The nobel friend becomes more dependable as the friendship develops in intimacy, and the evil-minded friend proves less and less reliable. The tast of a sugar-cane is used here as an example.


163) The cultivator, the trader, the minister, the virtuous monk: Whin all these four increase in number and spread our in a country , that country will become developed and prsperous.

Explanation: The cultivator produces food, the trader works in business, the minister administers the country , and the virtuous monk spreads the Buddha's Dhamma. The increase in number and the presence of these four all over the country will spell development and prosperity in that country.


164) To the person who does not recite, the text is lost. To the man who lacks industry , his house is weak and in ruin. To the beautiful one, laziness is a blemish. To the monk who is lax in discipline, negligence of the law of the Holy Order is a blemish.

Explanation: One's negligence of duty will spell ruin for him. If a learner does not study , he will not learn his lessons. A lazy man's house is full of filth and is going to ruin. Laziness is a blemish of the beautiful . Laxity in discipline is a blemish of a monk.


165) In this world, the property of those who lack industry is likely to become eventually the possession of those more industrious: The evil ones say that the effect of past deeds is of primary importance.

Explanation: The person who does not work hard loses his wealth and his property eventually gets into the hands of those who work hard. Lazy men blame their KAMMA ( the effect of their past deeds) , they do not see their own fault.


166) The wisemen do not say so .They work hard to do all things they have to do . If that purpose is not achieved, it is only that the desired result does not ensue. Where , then, is the fault?

Explanation: The wise men do not put the blame of KAMMA. They work hard at what they have to do. If the result does not turn out as expected, they take the consequences as they are . The worker or the KAMMA has no fault.


167) Men and women of the low birth, lacking in wisdom, of no comely personality and without quality: such people are obviously defective , but this is the age of decadence, the age in which money matters most.

Explanation : They are of low birth, with no education , not having comely appearance. These defects are obvious. But this is the age of decadence, when money matters most.


The chapter on "Miscellaneous" ends.