The Buddha's Path of Virtue Part 8

[2] This may be translated, "as a diamond crushes the stony gem".

[3] Cf. _Bhagavad Gita_: "Better one's own _dharma_, however ill-performed, than others' _dharma_, well-performed tho' it be."

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

THE WORLD.

167.

Follow not the way unworthy; Live not thou in slothfulness; Let not doctrines false allure thee; Turn thy thoughts from worldliness.

168-9.

Stand! Arise! Throw sloth away; Follow the path of righteousness; Happy he who walks aright, Here and in the world to come.

170.

As a bubble on the water, As a phantom of the sands, Him who thus the world despiseth, Death the king[1] cannot behold.

171.

Lo! this world in all its splendour, Like a royal car adorned, Wherein many a fool is seated,[2]

Hath no power to bind the wise.

172.

He who formerly was slothful, But is slothful now no more, Lighteth up the world with splendour, As the moon from clouds released.

173.

He who, having once done evil, Covers up his ill with good, Lighteth up the world with splendour, As the moon from clouds released.

174.

All this world is wrapped in darkness; Few be they that are not blind; Like the birds that 'scape the fowler, Few be they that go to heaven.

175.

Lo! the swans fly on the sun's path,[3]

Fly by magic through the air; Wise men from the world departing Conquer Death and all his hosts.

176.

He who by false words transgressing Breaks one t.i.ttle of the Norm;[4]

He who future life renounceth Every wicked deed will do.

177.

Those who covet reach not heaven; Fools care not for charity; He who charity approveth Reacheth heavenly joy thereby.

178.

Rule on earth and joy in heaven, Sovreignty of all the worlds-- These are all by him transcended Who hath entered on the stream.[5]

[1] _Maccuraja._

[2] Reading _nisidanti_ for _visidanti_ ("are immersed").

[3] _Hamsa adicca-pathe yanti._ In Hinduism the _paramahamsa_, "the swan," is the mystic name for the liberated being (Cf. _Bhagavad Gita_) who goes to the sun (_aditya_ Skt.), and is reborn no more; also in _Chandogya Upanishad_, VIII, 7-5, we read: "When mind ceases to act, he attains the sun. That is the way to the region above. It is open to the learned, but closed to the ignorant." Those who are reborn are said to go on the path of the moon. In Buddhism, the _Arahants_, Saints, have the power (_iddhi_) of flying through the air even physically, by self-levitation. Cf. V. 91.

[4] Cf. N.T.: "For whosoever shall keep the whole Norm, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

[5] One who has "entered on the stream" is an Initiate, _Solapanno_, and is saved, _i.e._, after seven more births, he reaches the state of _Arahat_ and _Nibbana_ and is free from birth.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

THE AWAKENED ONE.

179.

The Awakened One, unconquered Conqueror, Whose conquest naught in this world can undo.

Who ranges o'er His boundless sphere untraced.

By what tracks can ye lead Him to rebirth?[1]

180.

Free from the snares of pa.s.sion's outspread net, The Awakened One, whom longing cannot draw, Who ranges o'er His boundless sphere untraced.

By what tracks can ye lead Him to rebirth?

181.

Those sages who, to meditation given, Delight in freedom's bliss, with mind controlled, G.o.ds envy Them, Those All-Awakened Ones.[2]

182.

To gain a birth as man is hard indeed; 'Tis hard to get one's living in the world; Hard is the hearing of the doctrine true;[3]

Hardest to be an All-Awakened One.

183.

"Refrain thyself from every evil deed; Stablish thyself in good; cleanse thine own thoughts"-- This is the message of the Awakened Ones.

184.

Long-sufferance is the best austerity; Nibbana, say the Awakened Ones, is best.

185.

"Revile not, harm not, live by rule restrained; Of food take little; sleep and sit alone; In meditation keep thy thoughts controlled"-- This is the message of the Awakened Ones.

186.

"l.u.s.t is not sated, tho' it rain gold coins; Brief is the pleasure, great the pains of l.u.s.t"-- Whoso saith this and knows it, he is wise.

187.

He finds no pleasure e'en in heaven's delights; He finds his joy in slaying all desire, That follower of the All-Awakened Ones.

188.

To many a refuge frightened mortals flee, Mountains and forests, groves and sacred trees;