18 Do not call ill names. Thou upon each shoulder, for a hundred shalt avoid all anger, hatred, and years, he would not then do more Thou shalt not for them than they have done for bitter language. speak of injuries. him. 19 Not the failures of others, not 6 Overcome anger by love; overtheir sins of commission or omission, come greed by liberality; overcome but his own misdeeds and negligen- falsehood by truth; overcome evil ces should a wise man take notice by good. Hatred never ceases by of. hatred, but by love; this is an old rule. 7 If a man foolishly does me wrong 20 The good man, when reviled, reviles not again; when smitten he is not angry; when treated violently, I will return to him the protection of he returns love and good-will; my ungrudging love. The more evil when threatened with death he returns no malice. 21 We should be deaf to hear evil of others, and blind to perceive their imperfections SELECTION II. Domestic love, reverence for parents, love for all men, forgiveness, and self-control commended and enjoined. HA comes from him the more good shall go from me; the fragrance of those good actions abiding with me, and the harm of the slanderer's words abiding with him. 8 Abstain from wrath. Let a man keep in subjection his speech, his arm, and his appetite. 9 Beware of anger of the tongue : Control thy tongue. Beware of an AVE virtuous people, the best ger of the mind: Control thy mind. Practise virtue with thy tongue and with thy mind. of men, for friends. 2 The shrine of worship is in families where father and mother are perfectly honored, venerated, and served. 3 To feed one good man is infinitely more meritorious than attending to questions about heaven and earth, spirits and demons. 4 It is blessedness without measure to keep the thoughts fixed on the laws of reason throughout the entire day's conduct, and from this religious conduct to realize a deep principle of faith. 5 Thou shalt cherish thy father and thy mother. To honor father and mother is better than to worship gods of heaven and earth. If a child should carry father and mother, one 10 By reflection, by restraint and control a wise man can make himself an island which no floods can overwhelm. He who conquers himself is greater than he who in battle conquers a thousand thousand men. II He who is tolerant with the intolerant, mild with fault-finders, and free from passion with the passionate,-him I call indeed a wise man. 12 Who is the great man? He who is strongest in the exercise of patience; he who patiently endures injury. 13 He for whom there is neither this shore nor that shore, nor both; he who is fearless and unshackled,— him I call a wise man. 14 He who has cut all fetters, who all. Sensual desires cause confusion is independent and unshackled, who in the heart, as mud does in water, never trembles,-him I call a wise and prevents our seeing the beauty of supreme reason. When we get rid of this pollution, we perceive the spir man. 15 He who has cut the girdle, the strap, and the rope, with all that per-itual portion of ourselves, which we had from the beginning. tains to them; he who has burst the bar and is awakened,-him I call a wise man. 16 Like a solid rock unshaken by the wind, wise people are unfaltering amid praise or blame. SELECTION III. 6 Is a woman old? Regard her as your mother. Is she of honorable station? Regard her as your sister. Is she of small account? Regard her as your younger sister. Is she a child? Treat her reverently. 7 Abstain from thy neighbor's Sensuality and wrong are their own wife. Look not upon women unpunishments; piety and virtue their own chastely. rewards. 8 Thou shalt not drink wine, nor IF any one speaks or acts with evil any thing that may intoxicate. thoughts, suffering will follow The man who drinks intoxicating him, as surely as the wheel follows liquor pulls up his own root, even him who draws the carriage. in this world. 2 As a bee gathers nectar without injuring the beauty or the fragrance of the flower, so should a wise man live in this world. 9 Let no one think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, It will not come near unto me. As a water-pot is filled by the falling of drops, so a 10 Dig up sensual appetites by the root, that the tempter may not crush you again and again, as the stream crushes the reeds. 3 He who indulges sensual appe-foolish man becomes filled with evil, tites is like a person who runs against though it be little by little. the wind with a lighted torch in his hand. Foolish man! If he does not let go the blazing torch, he must needs have the pain of a burnt hand. Just so it is with respect to the fires of lust, anger, covetousness, and envy. II There was once a king of Benares, named Brahmadatta, whose righteous administration of justice 4 A man who greedily seeks put an end to litigation in his kingwealth, or sensual pleasure, is like a dom, and left him time to turn atchild who eats honey with a knife; tention to his own faults, with a scarcely has he tasted the sweetness, view of correcting them. But when when he finds he has cut his tongue. he questioned his retinue, and the 5 A man who cherishes sensual citizens, they told him only of his passions is like a vase filled with virtues. So he mounted his chariot dirty water. All sorts of beautiful and rode through the length and things may be placed in it, but the breadth of the land, inquiring what water, being shaken, obscures them were his faults. In a narrow defile, he met Mallika, King of Kosala, who their fortune within. SELECTION IV. Indolence and self-conceit condemned, and compassionate interest in all mankind extolled as the source of all virtues. IF any thing is to be done, let a They need was abroad on a similar mission. It not lofty birth or noble kin. Their was necessary for one of the chariots victory is recorded. to make way for the other; and the coachmen began to dispute about precedence. As the kings were equals in age, wealth, and power, it was difficult to settle the question; and it was finally determined that the most virtuous should take precedence of the other. King Mallika's charioteer said: "My master conquers 2 He who does not rise when it is the strong by strength; the mild by time to rise; who, though young and mildness; the good with goodness; strong, is indolent; whose will and and the evil with evil." The chari- thought are weak, that idle man oteer of Brahmadatta said: "My will never find the way to knowlmaster conquers anger by meekness; edge. man do it; let him attack it vigorously. avarice by liberality; falsehood by 3 I do not say to my disciples, truth." When King Mallika heard this, he ordered his coachman to descend and turn his chariot aside for his superior to pass. 12 Glory not in thyself, but rather in thy neighbor. Be lowly in thy heart, that thou mayest be lowly in thy actions. 13 By one's self is evil done, and by one's self one suffers. By one's self evil is left undone, and by one's self one is purified. Purity and impurity belong to one's self; no one can purify another. Go, and by aid of supernatural power work greater miracles than man can do; but I instruct them in the law, and I say to them, Live, O saints! hiding your good works, and showing your sins. 4 A man who was born blind denied that there were any such things as sun, moon, or stars; and vain was the effort to persuade him that other people saw them. He also said he could see no colors, and he did n't believe that others could. But after a while, a skilful physician operated upon his eyes and enabled him to see. Then he was transported with wonder and joy, and 14 Out of mud springs the lotus flower; out of clay comes gold and many precious things; out of oysters the pearls; brightest silks, to robe acknowledged that he had formerly fairest forms, are spun by a worm; been blind. "But now," exclaimed bezoar from the bull, musk from the he, "I see and know every thing!" deer are produced; from a stick is A holy man, hearing his conceited born flame; from the jungle comes talk, perceived that he had an insweetest honey. ward blindness, worse than his former 15 As from sources of little worth want of eyesight. And he said to come the precious things of earth, him, "How canst thou say, 'I know even so is it with hearts that hold all?' Thou canst not see through SELECTION V. The soul immortal; man never dies, but lives on, and ever carries his acquisitions of wisdom and goodness with him wherever he goes, or in whatever form the walls of thy house; thou canst THE HE soul is not born; it does not die. It was not produced 5 My doctrine makes no distinc- from any one, nor was any produced tion between high and low, rich and from it. Unborn, eternal, it is not poor. It is like water which washes slain though the body is slain. and purifies all alike. It is like the Subtler than what is subtle, greater sky, for it has room for all; for men than what is great; sitting, it goes and women, boys and girls, rich and far; sleeping, it goes everywhere. Thinking of the soul as unbodily 6 A poor man, with a single hand- among bodies, and firm among fleetful of flowers, heaped the alms- ing things, the wise man casts off bowl of Buddha, which the rich all grief. could not fill with ten thousand bushels. poor. 7 One should feel compassionate interest in the welfare of all human beings. 8 All virtues grow from a compassionate love of mankind. 9 Love all mankind equally. 2 The effect of water poured on the root of a tree is seen aloft in the branches and fruit; so in the next world are seen the effects of good deeds performed here. 3 There are treasures laid up in the heart-treasures of charity, piety, temperance, and soberness. These treasures a man takes with him be IO As a mother so long as she lives watches over her only child, so yond death, when he leaves this among all beings let boundless good-world. will, unmixed with enmity, prevail throughout the world. 4 Man never dies. The soul inhabits the body for a time, and II He who is beloved of God leaves it again. The soul is myself; honors every form of religious faith. the body is only my dwellingHe considers no gift or honor so place. much as increase in. the substance of religion. 12 The root of religion is to reverence one's own faith, and never to revile that of others. 13 The good man's purpose is to increase the mercy, charity, truth, kindness, and piety of all mankind. 5 Birth is not birth; there is a soul already existent when the body comes to it. Death is not death; the soul merely departs, and the body falls. It is because men see only their bodies, that they love life and hate death. 6 The pearls and gems which a man has collected, even from his youth, cannot go with him to will good deeds welcome him who another world. Friends and rela- goes from this world and enters antions cannot go with him a step other. further than his place of burial. 8 Never will I seek or receive But a man's actions, good or bad, private, individual salvation; never go with him to the future will I enter into final peace alone; but for ever and ever, and every world. 7 As kindred, friends, and dear where, I will live and strive for the ones salute him who hath travel- universal redemption of every creatled far and returned home safe, soure throughout all the worlds. |