347. They who yield to their desires Down the stream of craving swim; As we see the spider run In the net himself hath spun. Wise men cut the net and go Free from craving, free from woe. 348. Loose all behind, between, before;[4] Cross thou unto the other shore;[5] With thy mind on all sides free Birth and death no more shalt see. 349. He whose mind is tossed with doubt, Seeing bliss in passion's surge, Makes his craving grow the longer, Rivets all his bonds the stronger. 350. He who joys in calming doubt, And the loathsome contemplates,[6] Soon will Māra's bondage leave, Every fetter soon will cleave. 351. He who hath attained the goal, Fearless, free from lust and sin, Who hath plucked out every thorn,[7] Nevermore will be reborn. 352. Free from lust, to nothing clinging, Who is skilful to interpret All the wealth of sacred lore; All the mass of letters knowing (Whether after or before),[8] This indeed is his last body, He's a Master of The Wisdom, Mighty Being, He indeed is born no more. 353. Conqueror of all am I! Knowing all, from all conditions Of existence I am free; By the slaying of desire I have ended craving's fire. Who could then my teacher be? I have now forsaken all, I myself, by mine own knowledge. Whom should I my teacher call?[9] 354. To give The Norm all gifts transcends; To taste The Norm is sweetest far; No joy can with its joy compare; Who raving slays all sorrow ends. 355. Wealth harms the fool; not him who runs To win the goal intent; By lust of wealth the fool harms self With harm for others meant. 356. Weeds are the ruin of the fields; This world by lust is spoiled; Then great the fruit of gifts to those By lust who are not soiled. 357. Weeds are the ruin of the fields; This world is spoiled by hate; To those by hatred undefiled The fruit of gifts is great. 358. Weeds are the ruin of the fields; Deluded are mankind; Then great the fruit of gifts to those Whom folly doth not blind. 359. Weeds are the ruin of the fields; Craving pollutes the world; Then great the fruit of gifts to those By craving not enthralled.[10] [1] In the round of rebirth. [2] The six sense-organs and the six objects of sense (twelve) are affected by three desires of each, generally taken as _Kāmatanhā_, _Rūpatanhā_, _Arūpatanhā_, desire for existence in the world of desire, in the worlds of form, in the worlds of the formless (abstract), thus making thirty-six varieties. [3] The jungle of passion. [4] Past, present and future ties. [5] Cross the stream to _Nibbāna_. [6] One of the meditation exercises, to inspire loathing for the body and its corrupt nature. [7] Cf. above v. 275. [8] _Nirutti-pada-kovido_: skilled in the true meaning of the language (Pali) in which the Buddha taught.