7/27/2019 Wisdom of the Buddha

1/2

together two loving hearts. But there is a greater

happiness still : it is the embrace of truth. Death

will separate husband and wife, but death will

never affect him who has espoused the truth.

Let no man be single, let every one be

wedded in holy love to the truth. And when

Mara, the destroyer, comes to separate the

visible forms of your being, you will continue to

live in the truth, and you will partake of the life-

everlasting, for the truth is immortal.

death

When man dies the body is dissolved into

its elements, but the spirit is not entombed ! It

leads a higher mode of life in which all the

relative terms like father , son , wife, mother are at an end .. just as a guest who

leaves his lodging has done with it, as though

it were a thing of the past. So, the world is

afflicted with death and decay; therefore the

wise do not grieve, knowing the terms of the

world.

terms of the world

In whatever manner people think a thing

will come to pass, it is often different when it

happens, and great is the disappointment !

See, such are the terms of the world !

weeping

Not from weeping, nor from grieving will any

one obtain peace of mind ! On the contrary, his

pain will be the greater and his body will suffer.

He will make himself sick and pale, yet the dead

are not saved by his lamentation.

fate after death

People pass away, and their fate after

death will be according to their deeds !

self and truth

Seek ye the life that is of the mind. Where

self is, truth cannot be. Yet when truth comes,

self will disappear. Therefore, let your mind rest

in the truth. Propagate the truth, put your whole

will in it, and let it spread. In the truth thou shall

live forever.

Self is death and truth is life. The cleaving

to self is a perpetual dying, while moving in the

truth is partaking of Nirvana which is life-

everlasting.

nirvana

Nirvana, comes to you, Kashyapa, if youthoroughly understand, and if you live

according to your understanding .. that all

things are of one essence and that there is but

one law. Hence, there is but one Nirvana as

there is but one truth, not two or three.

greatest gain

He is the greatest gainer who gives to

others, and he loses most who receives from

others without giving a compensation.

patience and wisdom

Patience is an invulnerable armour ; wisdom

is the best weapon.

real treasure

A man, when he dies, must leave the

fleeting wealth of the world, but this treasure

of virtuous act he takes with him. Let the wise

do good deeds; they are a treasure that can

never be lost.

supplications

The Law of Karma is irrefragable, and

supplications have no effect, for they are empty

words.

powers

And the Blessed One said : Which are the

abhijnyas ?

The disciple replied : There are six abhijnyas :

The celestial eye

The celestial ear

The body at will or the power of

transformation

The knowledge of the destiny of formerdwellings, so as to know former states of

existence

The faculty of reading the thoughts of

others

The knowledge of comprehending the

finality of the stream of life.

And the Blessed One replied : These are

wondrous things ; verily, every man can attain

them !

nourishment

The worldling nourishes his body, while the

wise man nourishes his mind !

the path

He who indulges in the satisfaction of his

appetites works his own destruction ; but hewho walks in the Path will have both the

salvation from sin and a prolongation of life.

marriage and truth

The greatest happiness which a mortal man

can imagine is the bond of marriage that ties

7/27/2019 Wisdom of the Buddha

2/2

karma

What makes men different in character,

station, possessions, and fate ? It is their

karma. Karma includes merits and demerits.

The reincarnation of the soul is subject to its

karma. We inherit from former existences the

evil effects of our evil deeds and the good

effects of our good deeds.

The Tathagata meditated deeply on the

problems of reincarnation and karma and found

the truth that lies in them. truth

The truth is noble and sweet; the truth can

deliver you from evil. There is no saviour in the

world except the truth.

The truth is best as it is. No one can alter it !

Neither can any one improve it. Have faith in

the truth and live it.

Errors lead one astray. Illusions beget

miseries. They intoxicate like strong drinks; but

they fade away soon and leaves you sick and

disgusted.

Self is a fever; self is a transient vision, a

dream. But truth is wholesome! Truth is

sublime, truth is everlasting. There is no

immortality except in truth. Truth alone abidethforever.

self

The existence of self is an illusion, and there

is no wrong in this world, no sin, except what

flows from the assertion of self.

righteousness and peace

Righteousness can be practised only when

we have freed our mind from the passions of

egoism. Perfect peace can dwell only where

all vanity has disappeared.

middle path

The Tathagata does not seek salvation in

austerities, but for that reason you must not

think that he indulges in worldly pleasures, nor

does he live in abundance. The Tathagata has

found the Middle - Path.

causation

All things that exist are not without cause.

However, neither Ishwara, nor the Absolute, northe Self, nor Cause-less Chance, is the maker,

but our deeds produce results both good and

evil.

Let us, then, surrender the heresies of

worshiping Ishwara and praying to him; let us

not lose ourselves in vain speculations of

profitless subtleties. Let us surrender self and

all selfishness, and as all things are fixed by

causation. Let us practise good so that good

may result from our actions.

do not cleave

He who does not cleave to wealth, and

possessing riches, uses them rightly, will be a

blessing unto his fellow-beings.

remain in your station of life I say unto you ..remain in your station of

life and apply yourself with diligence to your

enterprises !

The bhikshu who retires from the world in

order to lead a life of leisure will have no gain !

The dharma of the Tathagata does not

require a man to go into home-lessness or to

resign to the world unless he feels called upon

to do so ! However, the dharma of the Tathagata

requires every man to free himself from the

illusion of self, to cleanse his heart, to give up

his thirst for pleasure, and lead a life of

righteousness.

The immortal can be reached only by

continuous acts of kindliness, and perfection

is accomplished by compassion and clarity.

There is no profit in vexing oneself by

austerities, but meditate on Buddha and weigh

his Righteous Law. There are hermits who fall

into perditions, and there are humble house-

holders who mount to the rank of Rishis !

wise man

There are ways from light into darkness and

from darkness into light. There are ways, also,

from the gloom into deeper darkness, and from

the dawn into brighter light. The wise man will

use the light. He will constantly advance to the

knowledge of the truth.

true superiority

Exhibit true superiority by virtuous conduct

and the exercise of reason; meditate deeply

on the vanity of earthly things, and understand

the fickle-ness of life.

rational nature

The rational nature of man is a spark of thetrue light ; it is the first step on the upward road.

But new births are required to insure an ascent

to the summit of existence, the enlightenment

of mind and heart, where the immeasurable

light of moral comprehension is gained which

is the source of all righteousness.

ESSENTIAL TEACHINGS OF BUDDHA

Paul Carus