(A) 24 Devānaṃpiye Piy[a]da[s]i lā[jā] āhā
(B) jan[e] uc[āv]ucaṃ maṃgalaṃ ka[l]eti ābādhasi av[āha]si vivāhasi pajopadāne pavāsasi e[tā]ye aṃnaye cā edisāye jane bahu magala[ṃ] k[a]leti
(C) heta [eh]u abaka-jani[yo] bahu ca bahuvidhaṃ ca khuda [eh]a nilathiya 2 ca magalaṃ ka[la]ṃti
(D) 25 se katavi ceva kho maṃgale
(E) apa-phale [c]u kho [e]s[e]
(F) [i]yaṃ cu kho mah[ā]ph[a]le ye dhaṃma-magale
(G) he[tā] iyaṃ dāsa-bhaṭakasi s[a]myāpaṭip[a]ti gulunā apaciti [p]ā[n]ān[aṃ] saṃyame s[a]man[a]-baṃbhanānaṃ dāne ese aṃne cā heḍise dhaṃma-magale nāmā
(H) se vata[v]iye pitinā pi putena pi bh[ā]tinā pi suvāmiken[a] pi mita-saṃthuten[ā] ava paṭivesiyenā [p]i 26 iyaṃ sādhu iyaṃ kataviye [ma]g[a]le āva [ta]sā athasā ni[v]utiyā imaṃ kachāmi ti
(I) e hi i[ta]le magale sa[ṃ]sayikye se
(J) siya vā taṃ aṭhaṃ nivatey[ā] siyā punā no
(K) hi[da]lokike cev(a] se
(L) iyaṃ punā dhaṃma-magale akāliky[e]
(M) haṃce pi taṃ aṭhaṃ no niṭeti hida aṭhaṃ palata anaṃtaṃ punā pavasati
(N) haṃce puna taṃ aṭhaṃ nivateti hidā tato ubhaye[sa]ṃ ladhe hoti hida cā se aṭhe palata cā anaṃtaṃ punā pasavati tenā dhaṃmamagalen[ā]
(A) King Devānāṁpriya Priyadarśin speaks (thus).
(B) Men are practising various ceremonies during illness, at the marriage of a son or a daughter, at the birth of a child, (and) when setting out on a journey; on these and other such (occasions) men are practising many ceremonies.
(C) But in such (cases) mothers and wives are practising many and various vulgar and useless ceremonies.
(D) Now, ceremonies should certainly be practised.
(E) But these (ceremonies) bear little fruit indeed.
(F) But the following bears much fruit indeed, viz. the practice of morality.
(G) Herein the following (are comprised), (viz.) proper courtesy to slaves and servants, reverence to elders, gentleness to animals, (and) liberality to Śramaṇas and Brāhmaṇas; these and other such (virtues) are called the practice of morality.
(H) Therefore a father, or a son, or a brother, or a master, (or) a friend or an acquaintance, or even a (mere) neighbour ought to say:–‘This is meritorious. This practice should be observed until the (desired) object is attained, (thinking): ‘I shall observe this’.
(I) For other 2 ceremonies are of doubtful (effect).
(J) One may attain his object (by them), but he may not (do so).
(K) And they (bear fruit) in this world only.
(L) But that practice of morality is not restricted to time.
(M) Even if one does not attain (by it) his object in this (world), then endless merit is produced in the other (world).
(N) But if one attains (by it) his object in this (world), the gain of both (results) arises from it; (viz.) the (desired) object (is attained) in this (world), and endless merit is produced in the other (world) by that practice of morality.
