how few have eyes to see!
how few the birds
who escape the net and fly to heaven!
swans rise and fly toward the sun.
what magic!
so do the pure conquer the armies of illusion
and rise and fly.
if you scoff at heaven
and the violate the law
if your words are lies,
where will your mischief end?
the fool laughs at generosity.
the miser cannot enter heaven.
but the master finds joy in giving
and happiness is his reward .
and more -
for greater than all the joys
of heaven and of earth,
greater still than dominion
over all the worlds,
is the joy of reaching the stream.
/ excerpt from 'the world' from the dhammapada
