The Perfected One
90
The fever of passion
exists not for him
who has completed the journey,
who is sorrowless and wholly set free,
and has broken all ties. *
91
The mindful ones exert themselves.
They are not attached
to any home;
like swans that abandon the lake,
they leave
home after home behind.
92
Those who do not accumulate
and are wise regarding food,
whose object is the Void,
the Unconditioned Freedom --
their track cannot be traced,
like that of birds in the air. **
93
He whose cankers
are destroyed
and who is not attached to food,
whose object is the Void,
the Unconditioned Freedom--
his path cannot be traced,
like that of birds in the air.
94
Even the gods hold dear
the wise one,
whose senses are subdued,
like horses well trained
by a charioteer,
whose pride is destroyed
and who is free from the cankers.
95
There is no more worldly existence
for the wise one,
who, like the earth,
resents nothing,
who is as firm as a high pillar
and as pure as a deep pool
free from mud.
96
Calm is his thought
calm is his speech and calm his deed.
who, truly know,
is wholly freed,
perfectly tranquil and wise.
97
The man
who is without blind faith,
who knows the Uncreate,
who has severed all links,
destroyed all causes
(for karma, good and evil),
and thrown out all desires......
he, truly,
is the most excellent of men.
98
Inspiring, indeed,
is that place where Arahats dwell,
be it a village, a forest,
a vale or a hill.
99
Inspiring are the forests
in which worldlings find no pleasure.
There the passionless will rejoice,
for they seek no sensual pleasures.
*Ties (gantha)
Four bonds of covetousness, ill-will, blind adherence to rules and rituals and dogmatic bigotry.
**Accummulates includes accumulation of kamma.
Food:refers to physical nutriment, sensory impression, volitional activity and rebirth consciousness, all of which feed the process of continued existence.
