knowledge is lost; let a man who knows this double path of gain and loss thus place himself that knowledge may grow. Cut out the love of self like an autumn lotus, with thy hand! Cherish the road to peace. REWARD OF HOLINESS. Better than sovereignty, better than going to heaven, better than lordship over all worlds, is the reward of the first step in holiness. Kinsfolk, friends and lovers salute a man who has been long away and returns safe from afar. In like manner his good works receive him who had done good and has gone from this world to another. He whose evil deeds are covered by good deeds brightens up this world, like the moon freed from clouds. GOOD AND EVIL. If a man commits a sin, let him not do it again; let him not delight in sin; pain is the outcome of evil. If a man does what is good let him do it again; let him delight in it; happiness is the outcome of good. He who has no wound in his hand may touch poison with his hand; poison does not affect him; nor is there evil for one who does not commit evil. Let no man think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, It will not come near me. Even by the falling of water-drops a waterpot is filled; the fool becomes full of evil, even if he gathers it little by little. Let no man think lightly of good, saying in his heart, It will not benefit me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled; the wise man becomes full of good, even if he gather it little by little. PREPARATION FOR DEATH. Thou art now like a sere leaf, the messengers of death (Yama) have come near to thee; thou standest at the door of thy departure, and thou hast no provision for thy journey. Make thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy infirmities are blown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt enter into the heavenly world of the elect (Ariya). Thy life has come to an end, thou art come near to Death (Yama), there is no resting-place for thee on the road, and thou hast no provision for thy journey. Make thyself an island, work hard, be wise! When thy infirmities are blown away, and thou art free from guilt, thou wilt not enter again into birth and decay. Let a wise man blow off the infirmities of his soul, as a smith blows off the impurities of silver, one by one, little by little, and from time to time. Impurity arises from the iron, and having arisen from it, it destroys it: thus do a transgressor's own works lead him to the evil path. * * * "Here shall I dwell in the rain, here in winter and summer;" thus meditates the fool, and does not think of death. Death comes and carries off that man, surrounded by children and flocks, his mind distracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village. Sons are no help, nor a father, nor relations; there is no help from kinsfolk for one whom death has seized. A wise man and good man who knows the meaning of this should quickly clear the way that leads to Nirvana. OVERCOME EVIL WITH GOOD. Let a man overcome anger with love, let him overcome evil by good, let him overcome the greedy by liberality, the liar by truth. He who holds back rising anger like a rolling chariot, him I call a real driver; other people are but holding the reins. PRACTICE BEFORE PRECEPT. Let each man first direct himself to what is proper, then let him teach others; thus a wise man will not suffer. Let each man make himself as he teaches others to be; he who is well-subdued may subdue (others); one's own self is difficult to subdue. TEMPERANCE. The man who gives himself to drinking intoxicating liquors, he, even in this world, digs up his own root. There is no fire like passion, no shark like hatred, no snare like folly, no torrent like greed. He who by causing pain to others, wishes to obtain pleasure himself, entangled in the bonds of hatred, will never be free from hatred. The sages who injure nobody, and who always control their body, will go to the unchangeable place (Nirvana), where they will suffer no more. THE AWAKENED. Not to commit any sin, to do good, and to purify one's mind, that is the teaching of the Awakened. Not to blame, not to strike, to live restrained under the law, to be moderate in eating, to sleep and eat alone, and to dwell on the highest thoughts; this is the teaching of the Awakened. There is no satisfying lusts, even by a shower of gold pieces; he who knows that lusts have a short taste and cause pain, he is wise. He who takes refuge with Buddha, the Law and the Church; he who with clear understanding sees the four holy truths, viz: Pain, the origin of pain, the destruction of pain, and the eightfold holy way that leads to the quieting of pain; that is the safe and best refuge; having gone to that refuge, a man is delivered from all pain. Health is the greatest of gifts, contentedness the best riches; trust is the best of relatives, Nirvana, the highest happiness. NO HIDING PLACE FOR SIN. Not in the sky, not in the midst of the sea, not if we enter into the clefts of the mountains, is there known a spot in the whole world where a man might be freed from an evil deed. Not nakedness, not platted hair, not dirt, not fasting, or lying on the earth, not rubbing with dust, not sitting motionless, can purify a mortal who has not overcome desires. If a man has transgressed one law, and speaks lies, and scoffs at another world, there is no evil he will not do. THE BRAHMANA. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who does not offend by body, word, or thought, and is controlled on these three points. He who has cut all fetters, and who never trembles, he who is independent and unshackled, him I call indeed a Brahmana. He who is tolerant with the intolerant, mild with faultfinders, free from passion among the passionate, him I call indeed a Brahmana. He from whom anger and hatred, pride and envy, have dropt like a mustard seed from the point of an awl, him I call indeed Brahmana. He who fosters no desires for this world or for the next, has no inclinations and is unshackled, him I call indeed a Brahmana. A MODERN BUDDHIST. VIEWS OF CHAO PHYA THIPAKON, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Siam, from 1856 to 1863, on Buddhism and other religions. Dr. Gutzlaff (a Christian Missionary) declared that 'Samana Khodom only taught the people to reverence himself and his disciples, saying that by such means merit and heaven could be obtained; teaching them to respect the temples and sacred grounds, lest by injuring them they should go to hell—a teaching designed only for the protection of himself and his disciples, and of no advantage to any others." I replied: "In Christianity there is a command to worship God alone, and no other; Mahomet also taught the worship of one only, and promised that he would take into heaven every one who joined his religion, even the murderer of his parents, while those who did not join, however virtuous, should go to hell. Is such teaching fit for belief? Buddha did not teach that he alone should be venerated, nor did he, the just one, ever teach that it was right to persecute other religions. As for adoration, so far as I know, men of every religion adore the holy one of their religion. Buddha neither taught it was necessary to adore him alone, nor offered the alternative of hell, as other religions do." * * Dr. Gutzlaff once said to me, "Samana Khodom (or Buddha) having entered Nirvana (the perfect rest), is entirely lost and non-existent; who, then, will give any return for recitations in his praise, benedictions, reverences, observances and merit-making? It is a country without a king, where merit is unrewarded, because there is no one to reward it; but the religion of Jesus Christ has Jehovah and Christ, to receive prayer and praise, to reward merit, and give recompense." I replied, "It is true that the Lord Buddha does not give the reward of merit; but if any do às he has taught, they will find their recompense in the act. Even when on earth Buddha had no power to lead to heaven those who prayed, but did not follow and honor the just way. The holy religion of Buddha is perfect justice springing from a man's own meritorious disposition, which rewards the good and punishes the evil. Even though the Lord has entered Nirvana, his grace and benevolence are not exhausted." * * * * * Buddha said: "Do not believe merely on the authority of your teachers and masters, or traditions; I tell you all, you |