Nagarjuna, Elegant Sayings: The Staff of Wisdom (Lugs kyi bstan-bcos shes-rab sdong-po) by Nagarjuna; and A Precocious Treasury of Elegant Sayings (Legs-bshad rin-po-che'i gter) by Sakya Pandit (Tibetan Translation Series) (Berkeley, CA: Dharma Publishing, 1977) (By Nagarjuna: "Why should a man who can go anywhere / Be injured through attachment to his native land? / A stupid man says, 'This is my own well,' / And say thus, drinks brackish water." Id. at 7. "When young, rejoice in the tranquillity of the old. / However great your glory, be forbearing in your manner. / Boast not of what you know, even when learned. / However high you may rise, be not proud." Id. at 22. "If people mutually advertise each other's virtues, / Even he who possesses none will acquire some. / But he who proclaims his own, / Even though king of the gods, is not respected." Id. at 36. "If you desire ease, forsake learning. / If you desire learning, forsake ease. / How can a man at ease acquire knowledge, / And how can an earnest student enjoy ease?" Id. at 55. By Sakya Pandit: "A foolish man proclaims his qualifications, / A wise man keeps then secret within. / A straw floats on the surface of water, / But a precious gem placed upon it sinks to the depths." Id. at 76. "Knowledge existing only in books, / Mantras not committed to memory, / And those things which a forgetful man has learned / Often deceive us in a time of necessity." Id. at 92.).
Thich Nhat Hanh, Work: How to Find Joy and Meaning In Each Hour of the Day (Berkeley, CA: Parallax Press, 2012).
