[Rohini's father:]

You go to sleep saying,
	"Contemplatives."
You wake up,
	"Contemplatives."
You praise only
	contemplatives.
No doubt you will be
	a contemplative.

Abundant food & drink
you give to contemplatives.
Now, Rohini, I ask you:
	Why do you hold
	contemplatives dear?

They don't like to work,
	they're lazy,
living off what's given by others,
full of hankerings,
wanting delicious things:
	Why do you hold
	contemplatives dear?

[Rohini:]

For a long time, father,
you've quizzed me
about contemplatives.
I'll praise to you
their	discernment,
	virtue,
	endeavor.

They do like to work,
	they're not lazy.
They do the best work:
		They abandon
		passion & anger.
	That's why I hold
	contemplatives dear.

They rid themselves
of the three evil roots,
doing pure actions.
		All their evil's
		abandoned.
	That's why I hold
	contemplatives dear.

Clean 		their bodily action,
so is 		their verbal action.
Clean 		their mental action:
	That's why I hold
	contemplatives dear.

Spotless, like mother of pearl,
pure within & without,
perfect in clear qualities:
	That's why I hold
	contemplatives dear.

Learned, 	maintaining the Dhamma,
noble, living the Dhamma,
they teach the goal
		& the Dhamma:
	That's why I hold
	contemplatives dear.

Learned, 	maintaining the Dhamma,
noble, living the Dhamma,
with unified minds
		& mindful:
	That's why I hold
	contemplatives dear.

Traveling far, mindful,
giving counsel unruffled,
they discern the end
		of suffering:
	That's why I hold
	contemplatives dear.

When they leave any village
they don't turn to look back
		at anything.
How free from concern
they go!
	That's why I hold
	contemplatives dear.

They don't store in a granary,
		pot,
		or basket.
They hunt [only]
for what's already cooked:
	That's why I hold
	contemplatives dear.

They take neither silver,
	nor gold,
	nor money.
They live off whatever is present:
	That's why I hold
	contemplatives dear.

Having gone forth
from different families
& from different countries,
		still they hold
		one another dear:
	That's why I hold
	contemplatives dear.

[Rohini's father:]

286) Rohini, truly for our well-being
were you born in our family.
You have conviction
in the Buddha & Dhamma,
and strong respect
for the Sangha.

287)You truly discern
this field of merit
	unexcelled.
These contemplatives will receive
our offering, too,
for here we'll set up
our abundant sacrifice.

[Rohini:]

288) If you're afraid of pain,
if you dislike pain,
go to the Buddha for refuge,
go to the Dhamma & Sangha.
Take on the precepts:
	That will lead
	to your well-being.

[Rohini's father:]

289) I go to the Buddha for refuge;
I go to the Dhamma & Sangha.
I take on the precepts:
	That will lead
	to my well-being.

290) Before, I was a kinsman to Brahma;
now, truly a brahman.
I'm a three-knowledge man & safe,
consummate in knowledge,
	washed clean.