Udanavarga 3.70

3.70

「人榮妻子不觀病法，
死命卒至如水湍驟。
父子不救餘親何望？
命盡怙親如盲守錠。
慧解是意可修經戒，
仂行度世一切除苦。
遠離諸淵如風却雲，
已滅思想是為知見。
智為世長憺樂無為，
如受正教生死得盡。」

“Men concern themselves about the matters of wife and child; they perceive not the inevitable law of disease (and death), and the end of life which quickly comes, as a bursting torrent (sweeping all before it) in a moment. Then neither father or mother can save one; what hope, then, can be placed in all one's relatives (kinsfolk)? At the end of life parent and kinsman are as a blind man set to look after (keep) a burning lamp. A wise man understanding this should carefully practise himself in the Rules of Religion (moral life); he should walk diligently so as to help (save) the world, with a view to destroy completely (the sources of) sorrow, to get away from the seething whirlpool (of life and death); as the wind drives away the clouds, so should he strive to destroy all remnant of thought (consciousness, 'samjña);' this is the office of knowledge. Wisdom is superior to all worldly (devices)—it makes a man indifferent to its joys, and renders him unconcerned about its business; whoever receives this true instruction shall get rid for ever of renewed birth and death.”