Psalms of the Brethren CCLII: Malunkya’s Son

Sight of fair shape bewildering lucid thought,
If one but heed the image sweet and dear,
The heart inflamed in feeling doth o’erflow,

And clinging stayeth. Thus in him do grow
Divers emotions rooted in the sight,
Greed and aversion, and the heart of him
Doth suffer grievously. Of him we say,
Thus heaping store of pain and suffering:
Far from Nibbana!

Sound, smell, taste, touch, bewildering lucid thought,
If one but heed the image sweet and dear,
The heart inflamed in feeling doth o’erflow,

And clinging stayeth. Thus in him do grow
Divers emotions rooted in the sense,
Greed and aversion; and the heart of him
Doth suffer grievously. Of him we say,
Thus heaping store of pain and suffering:
Far from Nibbana!

Object, idea, bewildering lucid thought,
If one but heed the image sweet and dear,
The heart inflamed in feeling doth o’erflow,
And clinging stayeth. Thus in him do grow

Divers emotions rooted in idea,
Greed and aversion; and the heart of him
Doth suffer grievously. Of him we say, —
Thus heaping store of pain and suffering: — Far from Nibbana!

He who for things he sees no passion breeds,
But mindful, clear of head, can suffer sense,
With uninflamed heart, nor staying clings;

And as he sees, so normally he feels;
For him no heaping up, but minishing:
Thus doth he heedfully pursue his way.
Of him, building no store of ill, we say: — Near is Nibbana!

He who for things he hears, or smells, or tastes,
Or for things touched and felt no passion breeds,
But mindful, clear of head, can suffer sense
With uninflamed heart, nor staying clings;