“‘“See the recluses!” dost thou ever say.
“See the recluses!” waking me from sleep.
Praise of recluses ever on thy tongue.
Say, damsel, hast a mind recluse to be?

Thou givest these recluses as they come,
Abundant food and drink. Come, Rohiṇī.
I ask, why are recluses dear to thee?

Not fain to work are they, the lazy crew.
They make their living off what others give.
Cadging are they, and greedy of tit-bits—
I ask, why are recluses dear to thee?’

Full many a day, dear father, hast thou asked
Touching recluses. Now will I proclaim
Their virtues and their wisdom and their work.

Full fain of work are they, no sluggard crew.
The noblest work they do, they drive out lust
And hate. Hence are recluses dear to me.

The three fell roots of evil they eject,
Making all pure within, leaving no smirch,
No stain. Hence are recluses dear to me.

Their work in action’s pure, pure is their work
In speech, and pure no less than these their work
In thought. Hence are recluses dear to me.

Immaculate as seashell or as pearl,
Of lustrous characters compact, without,
Within. Hence are recluses dear to me.

Learn’d and proficient in the Norm; elect,
And living by the Norm that they expound
And teach. Hence are recluses dear to me.

Learn’d and proficient in the Norm; elect,
And living by the Doctrine; self-possessed,
Intent. Hence are recluses dear to me.

Far and remote they wander, self-possessed;
Wise in their words and meek, they know the end
Of Ill. Hence are recluses dear to me.

And when along the village street they go,
At naught they turn to look; incurious
They walk. Hence are recluses dear to me.

They lay not up a treasure for the flesh,
Nor storehouse-jar nor crate. The Perfected
Their Quest. Hence are recluses dear to me.

They clutch no coin; no gold their hand doth take,
Nor silver. For their needs sufficient yields
The day. Hence are recluses dear to me.

From many a clan and many a countryside
They join the Order, mutually bound
In love. Hence are recluses dear to me.’

‘Now truly for our weal, O Rohiṇī,
Wert thou a daughter born into this house!
Thy trust is in the Buddha and the Norm
And in the Order; keen thy piety.

For well thou know’st this is the Field supreme
Where merit may be wrought. We too henceforth
Will minister ourselves to holy men.

For thereby shall accrue to our account
A record of oblations bounteous.’
‘If Ill thou fearest, if thou like it not,

Go thou and seek the Buddha and the Norm,
And Order for thy refuge; learn of them
And keep the Precepts. So shalt thou find weal.’

‘Lo! to the Buddha, I for refuge go
And to the Norm and Order. I will learn
Of them to take upon myself and keep
The Precepts. So shall I indeed find weal.

Once but a son of brahmins born was I.
To-day I stand brahmin in very deed.
The nobler Threefold Wisdom have I won,
Won the true Veda-lore, and graduate
Am I from better Sacrament returned,
Cleansed by the inward spiritual bath.’”