Affection

He who does what should not be done and fails to do what should be done, who forsakes the noble aim of life (i.e., Morality, Concentration and Insight) and grasps at sensual pleasure, covets the benefits gained by those who exert themselves (in meditation).

Do not associate with those who are dear, and never with those who are not dear to you; not seeing the dear ones is painful, and seeing those who are not dear to you is also painful.

Therefore, one should hold nothing dear; separation from the loved ones is painful; there are no fetters for those who do not love or hate.

Affection begets sorrow, affection begets fear. For him who is free from affection there is no sorrow; how can there be fear for him?

Endearment begets sorrow, endearment begets fear. For him who is free from endearment there is no sorrow; how can there be fear for him?

Attachment (to sensual pleasures) begets sorrow, attachment begets fear. For him who is free from attachment there is no sorrow; how can there be fear for him?

Lust begets sorrow, lust begets fear. For him who is free from lust there is no sorrow; how can there be fear for him?

Craving begets sorrow, craving begets fear. For him who is free from craving there is no sorrow; how can there be fear for him?

He who is endowed with Virtue and Insight, who is established in the Dhamma, who has realized the Truth and performs his own duties, is loved by all men.

He who has developed a desire for the Ineffable (i.e., Nibbana), whose mind reaches the same, and is no longer attached to the sensual world (kamaloka), is called one who is bound upstream (uddhamsoto).

A man who has long been absent and has returned home safely from a distance is welcomed with joy by relatives, friends and well-wishers on his return.

In the same way, his good deeds will receive him who has done good when he goes from this world to the other, as relatives receive a dear one on his return.