(A) 1 Devinaṃpriyo Piyadasi rājā ev[a]ṃ āha
(B) nāsti etārisaṃ dānaṃ yārisaṃ dhaṃma-dānaṃ dhaṃma-saṃstavo vā dhaṃma-saṃvibhāgo [vā] dhaṃmasaṃbadho va
(C) 2 tata idaṃ bhavati dāsa-bhatakamhi samya-p[r]atipatī mātari pitara sādhu sus[r]uā mita-[sa]stuta-ñātikānaṃ bāmhaṇa-s[r]amaṇa[naṃ] sādhu dā[naṃ] 3 prāṇānaṃ anāraṃbho sādhu
(D) eta vatavyaṃ pitā va putrena va bhāt[ā] va mitasastut[a]-ñāt[i]k[e]na va āva paṭīvesiyehi ida sādhu ida ka[tav]ya[ṃ]
(E) 4 so t[a]thā karu ilokacasa āradho hoti parata ca aṃnaṃtaṃ puiñaṃ bhavati tena dhaṃma-dānena
(A) King Devānāṁpriya Priyadarśin speaks thus.
(B) There is no such gift as the gift of morality, or acquaintance through morality, or the distribution of morality, or kinship through morality.
(C) Herein the following are (comprised), (viz.) proper courtesy to slaves and servants, obedience to mother (and) father, liberality to friends, acquaintances, and relatives, to Brāhmaṇas and Śramaṇas,(and) abstention from killing animals.12
(D) Concerning this a father, or a son, or a brother, or a friend, an acquaintance, or a relative, (or) even (mere) neighbours, ought to say : ‘This is meritorious. This, ought to be done.’
(E) If one is acting thus, the attainment of (happiness) in this world is (secured), and endless merit is produced in the other (world) by that gift of morality.
