Applying himself to what should be avoided, and not applying himself to what should be undertaken, having abandoned [what is conducive to] spiritual well-being, grasping what is agreeable, [such a person later] envies one who applies himself to [what is conducive to] spiritual wellbeing.

Never associate with the beloved or the unbeloved. Not seeing the beloved, and seeing the unbeloved are [both] suffering.

Therefore hold nothing beloved. Separation from the beloved is wretched. There are no spiritual shackles in those for whom there is nothing either beloved or unbeloved.

From the beloved come grief and fear. For one who is free of the beloved there is neither grief nor fear.

From love come grief and fear. For one who is free of love there is neither grief nor fear.

From sensuous delight come grief and fear. For one who is free of sensuous delight there is neither grief nor fear.

From sensuous yearning come grief and fear. For one who is free of sensuous yearning there is neither grief nor fear.

From craving come grief and fear. For one who is free of craving there is neither grief nor fear.

One who is perfect in virtue, who has perfect vision [of things according to reality], who is established in righteousness, who has understood the [four noble] truths, and who undertakes his own task [i.e. fulfilling the three trainings], people consider him beloved.

One should be eager [to realise] the Indescribable. One should suffuse [one’s body] with the [pure and clean] mind [of fourth jhāna]. One should not be emotionally bound to sensuous pleasures. [A person like this] is called ‘going upstream [to Nibbāna].’

A man who has long been living abroad, who returns safely from afar, his relatives, friends, and comrades applaud his return. Meritorious deeds likewise receive the doer of meritorious deeds when he goes from this world to the world beyond, like relatives receive a [longseparated] beloved one on his return [from afar].