It is the exhibition of judicious reflections upon all sorts of worldly affairs and upon the conduct of holy men, without offending against good morals. The following are the chapters:—
- I. Reflections on the wise, with ten aphorisms.
- II. On the excellent, the virtuous, and the good, with thirty-three sayings.
- III. On the fool, the mean, and the wicked, with twenty-three aphorisms.
- IV. On the mixed character of the wise and the foolish, with twenty-eight aphorisms.
- V. On evil practices, with nineteen sayings.
- VI. On good manners of men, with forty sayings.
- VII. On unbecoming manners, with twenty-nine sayings.
- VIII. On general conduct of men, with forty-four sayings.
The wealth of a man who is contented with little, is inexhaustible; he who seeks always and is never satisfied, will have a continual rain of sorrow.
As children are loved by their parents, to the same degree they are not respected in return by their children.
He that is acquainted with the manners of the world, will exercise true religion. He that practises good morals is the living biography of a saint, &c.
This work contains 454 slókas in the original, but only 234 are given in this paper. [[207]]
XVI.
A Dictionary or Sanskrit and Tibetan Words, Phrases, and Technical Terms.
We give the following résumé and index kindly furnished by Dr. Rajendrolála Mitra, of an extensive and most important work, which has already been referred to in these pages, but the existence of which is known at present to only a few, because since Csoma’s decease Tibetan learning in India seems to have received no special attention. With some adaptation to the requirements of the present day and with the addition of a special index, this compilation, if rescued, as it deserves to be, from its manuscript condition, will form a most valuable help to the study of Buddhist writings, to which so many eminent and learned men in Europe are devoting their earnest attention. The MS. is in the library of the Asiatic Society of Bengal.