The Solitary Bed-Seat

Translated from the Pāḷi
by
Michael M. Olds

[1][pts][than] I Hear Tell:

Once upon a time, The Lucky Man,
Sāvatthī-town revisiting:

There, to the beggars gathered-round, he said:

"Beggars!"

And the beggars responding "Bhagavā!"
the Lucky Man said this:

"Four, beggars, are things
possessed of which
a beggar is ill equipped
to practice the forest-way,
the solitary bed-seat.

What four?

Thoughts of sense pleasures,
thoughts of deviance,
thoughts of violence,
being a slack-jawed dribble-mouth.

These then beggars, are the things
possessed of which
a beggar is ill equipped
to practice the forest-way,
the solitary bed-seat.

Four, beggars, are things
possessed of which
a beggar is well equipped
to practice the forest-way,
the solitary bed-seat.

What four?

Thoughts of homelessness,
thoughts of non-deviance,
thoughts of non-violence,
being one who is wise,
no slack-jawed dribble-mouth.

These then beggars, are the things
possessed of which
a beggar is well equipped
to practice the forest-way,
the solitary bed-seat."