Ja 190 The Story about the Advantages of Virtue
(Sīlānisaṁsajātaka)
In the present one layman, wrapped up in contemplation of the Buddha, walks across the waves of a river. The Buddha tells a story in which two people were stranded on an island, but because of the virtue of one of them he was rescued by a Devatā. He only agreed to be saved if he could share merit with his companion, and he too could come.
1. Passa saddhāya sīlassa, cāgassa ca ayaṁ phalaṁ,
Nāgo nāvāya vaṇṇena, saddhaṁ vahatupāsakaṁ.
Behold, this is the fruit of faith, virtue and liberality, a Nāga, in the shape of a ship, conveys the faithful layman.
2. Sabbhi-r-eva samāsetha, sabbhi kubbetha santhavaṁ,
Satañ-hi sannivāsena sotthiṁ gacchatĭ nhāpito ti.
Associate only with the wise, be intimate with the wise, through living together with the good the barber got to safety.
In this connection, behold means without defining anything, you should behold, so he addresses him.
Of faith means of mundane and supermundane faith. This is also the method with virtue.
Of liberality means sacrificing offerings and giving up defilements. Cāga and pariccāga have a number of meanings in Pāḷi from giving up to sacrificing to abandoning, which is what makes this definition possible.
This is the fruit means this is the fruit, Phala is a neuter noun, and ayaṁ is masculine, the commentator corrects the grammar by using the neuter idaṁ in the definition. But then just below suggests an alternative, ayaṁ should be read with nāga (masc.). the advantage of virtue, this is the meaning. Or, behold the fruit of liberality, this Nāga, having the shape of a ship, so should the meaning be seen here.
In the shape of a ship means having the appearance of a ship.
Faithful means steady faith in the three treasures.
Only with the wise means only with the learned.
You must associate means you should spend time together, you should dwell near, this is the meaning.
You must be means you should be. I take it kubbetha santhavaṁ is a verbal phrase, lit. you must make intimacy, in English we have to express it somewhat differently.
Intimate means the intimacy of friendship. But you should not have the intimacy of craving with anyone.
The barber means the barber householder.