“Well then, chieftain, I shall give you a simile. For by means of a simile some sensible people understand the meaning of what is said. Once upon a time, two gamblers were playing with seed dice. One gambler, every time they took a bad hand, swallowed the losing seed. The second gambler saw him, and said, ‘Well, dear, you’ve won it all! Give me the seed dice, I will roll them.’ ‘Yes, dear,’ the gambler replied, and gave them. Then the gambler soaked the seed dice in poison and said to the other, ‘Come, dear, let’s play seed dice.’ ‘Yes, dear,’ the other gambler replied. And for a second time the gamblers played with seed dice. And for the second time, every time they took a bad hand, that gambler swallowed the losing seed. The second gambler saw him, and said, ‘The man swallows the dice without realizing they’re smeared with most terrible venom. Swallow, you damn cheat, swallow! Soon you’ll know the bitter fruit!’ In the same way, chieftain, you seem like the gambler in the simile. Let go of this harmful misconception, chieftain, let go of it! Don’t create lasting harm and suffering for yourself!”

“Even though the worthy Kassapa says this, still I’m not able to let go of that harmful misconception. King Pasenadi of Kosala knows my views, and so do foreign kings. I shall carry on with this view out of anger, contempt, and spite!”

2.14. The Simile of the Man Who Carried Hemp