Dhammapada a practical guide to right living.

43. Neither mother, father,
nor any other relative
can do one greater good
than one's greater own well-directed mind.

44. Who shall overcome this earth,
this realm of Yama
and this sphere of men and gods?
Who shall bring to perfection
the well-taught path of wisdom
as an expert graland-maker
would his floral design?

45. A striver-on-the-path
shall overcome this earth
this realm of Yama
and this sphere of men and gods.
The striver-on-the-earth
shall bring to perfection

46. Realizing that this body is like froth,
peneterating its mirage-like-nature,
and plucking out Mara's
flower-tipped arrows of sensuality,
go beyond sight of the King of Death!

47. As a mighty flood
sweeps away the sleeping village,
so death carries away the person
of distracted mind
who only plucks the flowers (of pleasure).

48. The Destroyer
brings under his sway
the person of distracted mind who,
insatitate in sense desires,
only plucks the flowers (of pleasure)

49.As a bee gathers honey
from the flower without injuring
its colour of fragrance
even so the sage goes on his alms-round in the village.