659. A noble thoroughbred ox when tied to its cart drags the heavy load easily undisturbed by the weight. It doesn’t try to avoid its duty.
660. The wise monk is exactly like that. He is like a great ocean filled with water. He is fully satisfied with his wisdom. He does not despise others. This is a great quality of such noble ones.
661. Beings suffer because they are carried away by time and by being stuck in time. They suffer because they are carried away by existence and by being stuck in existence. Therefore they grieve right here in this world.
662. When foolish people undergo happiness, they are overjoyed and intoxicated with pride. When they undergo pain they are deprived in sadness. Not understanding the true nature of this life, those foolish people are depressed by both happiness and pain.
663. Craving sews existences together creating happiness and pain. Those who overcome this craving can live unshaken like a deeply planted stone pillar. They can live without being overjoyed or depressed.
664. No matter if they gain or lose something. No matter if they gain a bad reputation or a good reputation. No matter if they gain blame or praise. No matter if they gain happiness or unhappiness. They are not agitated.
665. They don’t stick to any object just like a drop of water doesn’t stick to a lotus leaf. Those wise, energetic people are happy everywhere. They are unconquered everywhere.
666. If loss comes from a righteous life and profit comes from an unrighteous life, of these two, righteous loss is indeed better than an unrighteous profit.
667. If appreciation comes to somebody from foolish people and criticism comes from wise people, of these two, criticism from the wise is better than appreciation from fools.
668. If praise comes to somebody from foolish people and blame comes from wise people, of these two, the correction from the wise is indeed better than the praise from the fools.
669. Of happiness coming from sensual pleasures and pain coming from giving up sensual pleasures, truly pain coming from seclusion is better than the happiness that comes from sensual pleasures.
670. Of living an unrighteous life and death from righteous living, truly, righteous death is better than unrighteous living.
671. Those who have eliminated the desire for sensual pleasures and anger, those who are unattached to any existence, those who live in the world without craving, for them there is nothing agreeable to get attached to or disagreeable to be rejected.
672. Having developed the enlightenment factors, spiritual faculties and spiritual powers, those enlightened ones attain the highest peace and attain final extinguishing at passing away.
These verses were said by Arahant Godatta.
