320. He wishes for good. But he has put his life on a wrong path. No matter how hard he practices that path, he can’t attain goodness. That is the mark of bad fortune.
321. Without abandoning defilements, if someone forgets that heedfulness is the only factor that leads to purification, it is a great misfortune. If someone abandons all wholesome qualities, he won’t understand what is beneficial and unbeneficial. He is a blind man.
322. One should say only what one would do; one should not say what one would not do. Wise people do not praise those who talk but don’t act as they speak.
323. Even though a flower is very colourful and beautiful, without fragrance it is not complete. In the same way, the person who doesn’t follow the well spoken words of the Buddha does not get good results.
324. A colourful and beautiful flower is truly valuable if it has a nice fragrance. In the same way, the person who does follow the well spoken words of the Buddha gets good results.
These verses were said by Arahant Subhūta.
