CCV.

Reason.

Lao-Tsze.

The reason which can be reasoned is not the Eternal Reason, the name which can be named is not China. the Eternal Name.

Reason is great; heaven is great; earth is great.

Man takes his law from the earth; the earth takes its law from heaven; heaven takes its law from reason; reason takes its law from what it is in itself.

That which in its depth seems the first ancestor of all things, may be regarded as the mother of the universe. I know not its name, but give it the title of Reason.

Virtue in its grandest aspect is neither more nor less than following reason.

Reason is indefinite; yet therein are forms; impalpable, yet therein are things; profound and dark, yet therein is essence. This essence is most true; and from of old until now it has never lost its name. It passes into all things that have a beginning.

To have such an apprehension of the reason that was of old as to regulate present things, and to know their beginning in the past, this I call having the clew of reason.

Great reason is all-pervading. It can be on the right hand, and at the same time on the left. All things wait upon it for life, and it refuses none.

In love it nourishes all things, and it is ever free from ambitious desires. It may be named with the smallest. It may be named with the greatest.

Lay hold on the great form of reason, and the whole world will go to you. It will go to you and

B.C. 7th cent. comp.

suffer no injury; and its rest and praise will be glorious.

ness.

Use the light to guide you home to its own bright

Sádi.

Gul.

Silence.

CCVI.

Nothing is so good for an ignorant man as silence; and if he was sensible of this he would not be ignorant. When you possess not perfection and excellence, you had better keep your tongue within your teeth. The tongue brings men into disgrace. The nut without a kernel is of light weight. A stupid man was training an ass, and spent all his time upon it. Somebody said, 'O blockhead! what art thou endeavouring to do? for this foolish attempt expect reprehension from the censorious. Brutes will not acquire speech from thee; learn thou silence from them.' Whosoever doth not reflect before he giveth an answer, will generally speak improperly. Either arrange your words as a man of sense, or else sit quiet like a brute.

Whosoever interrupts the conversation of others to make a display of his own wisdom, certainly betrays his ignorance. The sages have said, that a wise man speaketh not until they ask him a question. Although the temperament of the discourse may be true, yet it is difficult to admit his pretensions.

Thought.

CCVII

All that we are is the result of what we have thought it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with a pure

thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.

Pali.
Budh.
Dhammapada.

(Müller).

'He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he comp. robbed me,'-hatred in those who harbour such thoughts will never cease.

For hatred does not cease by hatred at any time: hatred ceases by love; this is an old rule.

As rain breaks through an ill-thatched house, passion will break through an unreflecting mind.

These wise people, meditative, steady, always possessed of strong powers, attain to Nirvána (the supreme condition).

By rousing himself, by reflection, by restraint and control, the wise man may make for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm.

The wise man possesseth reflection as his best jewel.

A Bhikshu who delights in reflection, who looks with fear on thoughtlessness, moves about like fire, burning all his fetters, small or large.

As a fletcher makes straight his arrow, a wise man makes straight his trembling and unsteady thought, which is difficult to keep, difficult to turn.

If a man's thoughts are unsteady, if he does not know the true law, if his peace of mind is troubled, his knowledge will never be perfect.

Whatever a hater may do to a hater, or an enemy to an enemy, a wrongly directed mind will do us greater mischief.

Silence and Speech.

CCVIII.

To what shall be likened the tongue in a man's mouth? It is the key of the treasury of wisdom :

Persian.

Sádi. Gul. comp.

when the door is shut, who can discover whether he deals in jewels or in small ware? Although, in the estimation of the wise, silence is commendable, yet at a proper season free speech is preferable. Two things indicate an obscure understanding,-to be silent when we ought to converse, and to speak when we should be silent.

SUPERSTITION.

CCIX.

Old and New.

comp.

Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Christian. Why do we and the Pharisees fast, and thy disciples Matt. fast not? And Jesus said to them, No one putteth a patch of undressed cloth on an old garment; for the piece that filleth in teareth away from the garment, and a worse rent is made. Nor do men put new wine into old skins; else the skins burst, and the wine runneth out, and the skins are spoilt. But they put new wine into new skins, and both are preserved together.

Pure Intention.

CCX.

Persian.

One night Gabriel from his seat in paradise heard the voice of God sweetly responding to a human heart. Attar. The angel said, 'Surely this must be an eminent servant of the Most High, whose spirit is dead to lust and lives on high.' The angel hastened over land and sea to find this man, but could not find him in the earth or heavens. At last he exclaimed, O Lord! show me the way to this object of thy love.' God answered, 'Turn thy steps to yon village, and in that pagoda thou shalt behold him.' The angel sped to the pagoda, and