‘Venerable Nāgasena, that one quality of the Indian crane you say he ought to take, which is it?’
‘Just, O king, as the Indian crane by its cry makes known to other folk the good fortune or disaster that is about to happen to them; just so, O king, should the strenuous Bhikshu, earnest in effort, make known to others by his preaching of the Dhamma how dreadful a state is purgatory, and how blissful is Nirvāṇa. This, O king, is the quality of the Indian crane he ought to have. For it was said, O king, by Piṇḍola Bhāra-dvāja, the elder:
“Two matters there are that the earnest recluse
Should ever to others be making clear—
How fearful, how terrible, purgatory is;
How great and how deep is Nirvāṇa’s bliss.”’