[754] **"He would not practice Ātharvaṇa spell-craft (āthabbaṇa), dream-interpretation, the reading of marks, nor yet astrology (nakkhatta)":** Practitioners of Ātharvaṇa spell-craft apply Ātharvaṇa spells: when a city is besieged, or when a battle stands imminent, they cause calamity to arise among opposing foes and enemies, they cause disaster to arise, they cause disease to arise; they produce colic, they produce cholera, they produce fever, they produce dysentery. Thus do practitioners of Ātharvaṇa spell-craft apply Ātharvaṇa spells.
Interpreters of dreams interpret dreams: "One who sees a dream in the morning — the result will be thus; one who sees a dream at midday — the result will be thus; one who sees a dream in the evening — the result will be thus; one who [sees a dream] in the first watch, one in the middle watch, one in the last watch; one who dreams lying on the right side, one lying on the left side, one lying on his back, one lying face downward; one who sees the moon, one who sees the sun, one who sees the great ocean, one who sees Sineru, king of mountains, one who sees an elephant, one who sees a horse, one who sees a chariot, one who sees foot-soldiers, one who sees an army in array, one who sees a delightful park, one who sees a delightful forest, one who sees a delightful stretch of land, one who sees a delightful lotus pond — the result will be thus." Thus do interpreters of dreams interpret dreams.
Readers of marks read the marks: the marks of gems, the marks of staffs, the marks of cloths, the marks of swords, the marks of arrows, the marks of bows, the marks of weapons, the marks of women, the marks of men, the marks of girls, the marks of boys, the marks of female slaves, the marks of male slaves, the marks of elephants, the marks of horses, the marks of buffaloes, the marks of bulls, the marks of goats, the marks of rams, the marks of cocks, the marks of quails, the marks of monitor lizards, the marks of ear-ornaments (kaṇṇikā), the marks of tortoises, the marks of deer, and so forth. Thus do readers of marks read the marks.
Readers of the constellations read the constellations: "There are twenty-eight constellations. Under this constellation the entering of a new house should be done; under this constellation the binding of the crest should be done; under this constellation a marriage should be arranged; under this constellation the carrying out of seed [for sowing] should be done; under this constellation the taking up of household residence should be done." Thus do readers of the constellations read the constellations.
**"He would not practice Ātharvaṇa spell-craft, dream-interpretation, the reading of marks, nor yet astrology":** he would not undertake Ātharvaṇa spell-craft, dream-interpretation, the reading of marks, or astrology; he would not practice them, would not carry them on, would not take them up and conduct himself by them; or else, he would not grasp them, would not learn them, would not bear them in mind, would not attentively retain them, would not closely mark them, would not apply them. Therefore it is said: "He would not practice Ātharvaṇa spell-craft, dream-interpretation, the reading of marks, nor yet astrology."
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.