Jā 537 Mahāsutasomajātakaṁ
Four Well-Said Verses
Some verses that were taught to the Bodhisatta by a brāhman who had heard them from the Buddha Kassapa. He is rewarded with a thousand coins for each of the verses.
46. Sakid-eva Sutasoma sabbhi hoti samāgamo,
Sā naṁ saṅgati pāleti, nāsabbhi bahusaṅgamo.
47. Sabbhi-r-eva samāsetha, sabbhi kubbetha santhavaṁ,
Sataṁ Saddhammam-aññāya – seyyo hoti, na pāpiyo.
You should meet with the virtuous,
Friend, not with the unvirtuous.
Sit down with virtuous people,
Be acquainted with those who are true,
With the good who know the Dhamma
But do not mix with the wicked.
48. Jīranti ve Rājarathā sucittā,
Atho sarīram-pi jaraṁ upeti,
Satañ-ca Dhammo na jaraṁ upeti,
Santo have sabbhi pavedayanti.
Beautiful Royal chariots decay,
So too our body will come to decay,
But the True Dhamma will never decay,
The good and virtuous proclaim it is so.
49. Nabhañ-ca dūre pathavī ca dūre,
Pāraṁ samuddassa tad-āhu dūre,
Tato have dūrataraṁ vadanti,
Satañ-ca Dhammaṁ asatañ-ca Rāja.
The sky is far, far away from the earth,
Crossing the ocean, that is far, they say,
But they say what is much further than that
Is the Dhamma of the good from the bad.