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![[Buddha]](buddha1.jpg)
Buddha
SAYINGS OF THE BUDDHA:
THE PATH OF PEACE AND HARMONY
by John WorldPeace
Copyright 1996 by John WorldPeace Houston, Texas USA
All rights reserved.
To World Peace; "The possible dream"
To my angelic and loving wife, Kay, whose beautiful spirit
caresses me with perfect love.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
The Four Noble Truths
Chapter 1 The Twin Verses
Chapter 2 Vigilance
Chapter 3 Mind
Chapter 4 Flowers
Chapter 5 The Confused
Chapter 6 The Wise
Chapter 7 The Sage (Part 1)
Chapter 8 The Thousands
Chapter 9 Confusion (Part
1)
Chapter 10 Punishment
Chapter 11 Old Age
Chapter 12 Self
Chapter 13 to 26
Sayings of Buddha
II
PREFACE
Buddha lived around 600 B.C.E. in India. He was raised as a prince. After
the birth of his first son, he left his family and began a quest to seek
out the
source of suffering in the world.
He tried all methods of meditation and is said to have fasted to the point
of
eating only one grain of rice or bean per day. This left him near
exhaustion
and no closer to the riddle of suffering. He sat down under a Bo tree and
ate something and rested.
He then began to see visions and became as he said, "awakened".
He then went and found the 6 ascetics with whom he had been traveling and
taught them what he had learned. Then for the next forty years taught his
message: The eight-fold path.
Toward the end of his life when his religion began to be established there
was an attempt on his life. He survived and continued to teach. The
bureaucratic power which always manifest around great religious figures
had already begun to take over the message.
When he was 82 he became ill while traveling from village to village. He
sat down under a tree and sent out word that he was dying. Many came to
see him. When he saw everyone, he went into mediation and left his body.
Within a month after his death, his followers gathered together and wrote
down his most famous sayings and teachings. These have come down to us
as the Dhammapada which contains 423 verses.
What I have done is not to interpret the original pictographs which have
been most surely manipulated over the millennium, but have taken several
translations and then put a peace and harmony WorldPeace orientation on
them. What has manifested is more of an interpretation than a literal
translation. This is what the saying of Buddha, as handed down over the
millennia say to me.
I have no intention to argue over the literal translation of what the
Buddha
said. The thrust of his message is contained within my words.
Neither am I trying to convert anyone to my way of thinking. I am only
presenting what I have personally found after years of studying the sayings
of the Buddha.
My objective is to increase the peace on earth. My goal is to find like
minded souls to further explore these thoughts and to help manifest
WorldPeace.
The Four Noble Truths
1. Every human being to some extent lives in confusion (sorrow) in the
manifestations of the Infinite and this reality.
2. The main cause of confusion is self centered desire because we think
that we are not at one with all of humanity.
3. We can put an end to our confusion in the manifestations of the Infinite
and this reality and begin to live in peace and harmony by overcoming our
self centered desire.
4. Confusion can be put to an end by following the peaceful and
harmonious eight fold path which consists of:
1. Peaceful and harmonious Knowledge. Know in our minds that all
things change.
2. Peaceful and harmonious Aspiration. Determination to live in the
peace and harmony of the oneness of the Infinite and humanity by refusing
to
make distinctions that are the source of confusion in the manifestations
of
this reality.
3. Peaceful and harmonious Speech. Always speak the truth and be
charitable in speaking to others.
4. Peaceful and harmonious behavior
a. Do not kill.
b. Do not steal.
c. Do not lie.
d. Practice sexual restraint
e. Avoid alcohol and drugs
5. Peaceful and harmonious livelihood. Pursue occupations that
promote peace and harmony and uplift humanity as opposed to those that
increase confusion within humanity.
6. Peaceful and harmonious Effort. Remain centered in the Oneness of
the Infinite.
7. Peaceful and harmonious Attention. Remaining moment to moment
attentive to the oneness of the Infinite.
8. Peaceful and harmonious Meditation to train the mind.
CHAPTER 1
THE TWIN VERSES
1.
All the aspects of our individual and collective realities
are the result of our thoughts.
Our thoughts are the implementers
of our individual and collective paths of life.
All things are a manifestation of our thoughts.
If one's thoughts are confused,
then one becomes lost in the manifestations of those thoughts
the same way that a cart follows a horse.
2.
All the aspects of our individual and collective realities
are the result of our thoughts.
Our thoughts are the implementers
of our individual and collective paths of life.
All things are a manifestation of our thoughts.
If one's thoughts are in harmony with the oneness of Infinity,
then peace and harmony permeates one's existence
the same way that one's shadow never abandons one's body.
3.
"I was demeaned. I was assaulted. I was defeated. I was robbed."
As long as one dwell's upon these distinctions in one's life,
he will remain confused in the manifestations of the Infinite
and will not live in peace and harmony.
4.
"I was demeaned. I was assaulted. I was defeated. I was robbed."
One who does not dwell on these distinctions,
is centered in the oneness of Infinity (God)
and lives in peace and harmony.
5.
When confusion manifests hatred,
it cannot be overcome by more hatred.
Only by refusing to distinguish hatred
and by refusing to dwell upon it
and by remembering the oneness
of all the manifestations of the Infinite
can hatred be neutralized.
This is the universal law of peace and harmony.
6.
The majority of people avoid contemplating their mortality.
They are confused in this reality
and have forgotten the oneness of the Infinite.
Those who stay focused on the oneness of Infinity
are not confused in conflict with others
and live in peace and harmony.
7.
Those who mindlessly lust after possessions,
who are caught up in the physical pleasures of eating
and sexual stimulation,
who avoid the routine of working
at some productive endeavor,
are confused in the physical manifestations of this reality
and find living in peace and harmony
difficult to achieve and maintain.
They are like a tree with shallow roots
which succumbs to the monsoon rains.
8.
Those whose possessions are limited for the most part by utility,
like pots and pans for cooking and vehicles for transportation,
as opposed to ownership for the purpose of achieving social status;
whose food is simple and basic
and whose sexual pleasures are an integral part of loving someone
as opposed the to mindless gratification of the genitals,
tend not to be confused in the manifestations of this reality
and have a better chance of achieving
and maintaining peace and harmony in their lives.
These people can be likened to a mountain
which is unaffected by even the most violent of winds.
9.
One who is intemperate in succumbing to the physical pleasures,
who is untruthful, and who has little self restraint,
will find it difficult to live in peace and harmony.
10.
One who keeps the physical pleasures in perspective,
who is truthful in her encounters with others,
who maintains self-restraint in her daily life,
will live in peace and harmony.
11.
Those who believes that the manifestations of Infinity
are the true reality
and who thinks the oneness of Infinity is the unreal
are confused
and find it difficult to live in peace and harmony.
12.
Those who recognize the manifestations of Infinity as the unreal,
and recognize the oneness of Infinity as the true reality,
are not confused
and live in peace and harmony.
13.
As rain penetrates an improperly shingled roof,
so passion overwhelms a confused mind.
14.
As rain does not penetrate a properly shingled roof,
so passion does not overwhelm a mind
centered in the oneness of Infinity.
15.
Those who are confused in the manifestations of Infinity
are confused in this reality and the reality of the spirit as well.
Peace and harmony elude the confused.
16.
Those who are not confused in the manifestations of Infinity
are not confused in this reality or the reality of the spirit.
They live in the peace and harmony of the oneness of Infinity.
17.
Those who are confused in the manifestations of Infinity
have no peace in this reality or the reality of the spirit.
They seek peace and harmony in the manifestations of Infinity
and they therefore never achieve peace and harmony in their lives.
18.
Those who live in peace and harmony are not confused
in the manifestations of Infinity,
in this reality or the reality of the spirit.
They maintain peace and harmony in this reality
and the reality of the spirit
because they remain moment to moment
centered in the oneness of Infinity.
19.
One who can recite many sacred verses
but cannot live by them
is like an accountant who tallies the wealth of others.
He does not live in peace and harmony.
20.
One who can recite only a few sacred verses
but lives in the peace and harmony of those verses,
who has not succumbed to confusion in desire, passion or hatred
in the manifestations of Infinity,
lives in peace and harmony.
CHAPTER 2
VIGILANCE
21.
Vigilance in remaining centered in the oneness of Infinity
is the path of peace and harmony and the fullness of life.
The lack of vigilance in remaining centered
in the oneness of Infinity
is the path of confusion in the manifestations of the Infinite.
The vigilant do not become confused.
Those who lack vigilance are deprived
of the fullness of life as a result of their confusion;
even though on the surface they may appear
to live in peace and harmony.
22.
Having knowledge of the peace and harmony
and the fullness of life which vigilance manifests,
the wise embrace vigilance
and delight in the path of peace and harmony
and the fullness of life which vigilance manifests.
23.
The wise ones who moment to moment
meditate upon the oneness of Infinity,
who are unwavering in their vigilance
in remaining centered in the oneness of Infinity,
live in peace and harmony.
24.
One who is on the path to the supreme peace and harmony of Nirvana
is one who never stops striving for peace and harmony,
who moment to moment meditates
on her oneness with the earth, with the universe, with God
and with all of humanity;
is truthful in character,
treats others as she desires to be treated,
acts with forethought and restraint,
is vigilant
and lives in harmony with her inner being
and her path of life.
25.
Through perseverance, vigilance and self-restraint,
a wise person creates a safe harbor for herself
that no storm can overwhelm.
26.
Those who are confused in the manifestations of the Infinite
place no value on vigilance;
but the wise ones regard their vigilance
as their greatest treasure.
27.
Maintain your vigilance
and avoid overindulging in sensuous pleasures.
Those who maintain their vigilance and meditate
on the oneness of the Infinite
live in peace and harmony.
28.
When the wise person avoids confusion in sorrow
through his unwavering vigilance,
he ascends to the mountain peaks of peace and harmony.
He observes those below him, who remain confused in sorrow,
like a mountaineer observes people in the valley.
29.
Vigilant among those who are negligent,
awake among those who are asleep,
the wise advance on the path of peace and harmony
like the thoroughbred that outdistances the plowhorse.
30.
It was through vigilance
that Indra became the sovereign of all the gods.
Vigilance is moment to moment maintained
and negligence is always avoided by the wise.
31.
The sincere seeker of peace and harmony
who maintains vigilance and avoids negligence
advances on the path of peace and harmony like fire;
burning all her fetters both great and small.
32.
The sincere seeker of peace and harmony
who maintains vigilance and avoids negligence
is unlikely to be set back
on the path of peace and harmony.
CHAPTER 3
THE MIND
33.
The wise person straightens his mind,
which is restless and wavering,
difficult to guard and restrain,
as the fletcher straightens the arrow.
34.
As a fish out of water thrashes around on dry land,
so the mind resists the control of meditation
which separates it from confusion
in the manifestations of the Infinite.
35.
The mind is wavering and capricious.
Its nature is to dart after everything no matter how trivial.
It is beneficial to discipline the mind.
Control of the mind manifests
peace and harmony within the self.
36.
The mind is intangible and very subtle.
Its nature is restless
and it tends to randomly pursue anything
that comes to its attention.
The wise person is vigilant in guarding her mind
because a well guarded mind
manifests peace and harmony within the self.
37.
The incorporeal mind which is solitary
and yet one with the body and spirit
is unlimited in its potential wanderings.
Those who control the mind avoid becoming confused
in the manifestations of the Infinite.
38.
One who possesses a wavering mind,
whose path of life has become
confused in the manifestations of the Infinite,
whose tranquility has been lost,
does not live in peace and harmony.
39.
One who is vigilant
in remaining centered in the oneness of the Infinite,
who is not confused in lust or passion,
who is not confused in hatred,
who understands the oneness of good and evil;
lives outside the realm of fear.
40.
Remembering that the body is as fragile as an earthen jar,
strengthen the mind into a fortress
in order to avoid confusion in evil (great confusion).
After emerging from confusion in the manifestations of the Infinite,
be ever vigilant in remaining centered in the oneness of Infinity.
41.
Very soon the body will lay upon the ground
-lifeless, devoid of mind, of consciousness-
cast aside and ignored like a useless log.
42.
A mind that is confused in the manifestations of the Infinite
does much greater harm to the self
than enemies one to another
or those who hate one to the other.
43.
Neither father nor mother nor indeed any relative
can confer upon someone the peace and harmony
that is the manifestation of a well disciplined mind.
CHAPTER 4
FLOWERS
44, 45.
Who will achieve peace and harmony on earth
and in the Infinite dimensions?
Who will find her path of life
as the florist selects the perfect flower?
Those who remain centered in the oneness of the Infinite live
in peace and harmony on the earth
as well as in the infinite dimensions.
They find their individual paths of life
as the florist selects the perfect flower.
46.
Remembering that the physical body
is as fleeting as the foam of a wave;
remembering this reality is a mirage;
and having splintered the flower-tipped arrows
of confusion in the sensuous manifestations of the Infinite;
the wise person remains centered in the oneness of the Infinite
and lives in peace and harmony.
47.
One who, confused in the pursuit
of the flowers of sensuous pleasures
overindulges in such pleasures,
is carried off in confusion
the same way a sleeping village is carried off
by a tidal wave.
48.
One who is confused in the pursuit
of the flowers of sensuous pleasures,
whose mind has become distracted,
will succumb to death before his desires can be satiated.
49.
As the honey bee on her path of life
collects the nectar of the flowers
without becoming confused in their beauty or their fragrances,
so let the wise one proceed on her path of life
through a village, a town or a city.
50.
The wise one does not judge others;
not their words or deeds or what they have or have not done.
The wise one only contemplates her own words and deeds.
51.
Like a flower possessing perfect beauty and exquisite perfume
and yet devoid of nourishing nectar
are those who utter the truthful words of peace and harmony
yet render them fruitless by not acting on them.
52.
Like a flower possessing perfect beauty, exquisite perfume
and nourishing nectar
are those who utter the truthful words of peace and harmony
as well as act upon those words.
53.
From a tremendous heap of flowers
many garlands and wreathes can be created.
In the same way,
a wise person performs
many peaceful and harmonious deeds
in order to create a life that is a light to all beings.
54.
The subtle fragrances of flowers do not travel against the wind;
be it of sandalwood, tagara, or of jasmine.
But the essence of one who flows in peace and harmony
travels against the wind
and permeates all of humanity with serenity.
55.
Among the exquisite fragrance of sandalwood, tagara,
lotus and jasmine,
the essence of peace and harmony is supreme.
56.
The exquisite fragrance of sandalwood and tagara
is in truth trivial
when compared to the essence of peace and harmony
which permeates all beings in all dimensions.
57.
Those who flow in peace and harmony,
who are vigilant,
and who remain centered in the oneness of the Infinite,
never become confused in the manifestations
of the sensuous pleasures.
58,59.
As the lotus grows and blooms in perfect beauty,
exuding its exquisite fragrance from the center of the garbage dump,
so does the light of those
who remain centered in the oneness of Infinity
and who live in peace and harmony
shine among the multitudes
who are lost in confusion in the manifestations of the Infinite.
CHAPTER 5
THE CONFUSED
60.
The night is long for those who cannot sleep.
A mile is a long way to a weary traveler.
Rebirth seems like an endless circle
to those who do not know
the peace and harmony path of life that ends confusion
in the manifestations of the Infinite.
61.
If one seeks to maintain the clarity of a spiritual life,
it is best to associate with those who possess
a greater or equal sense of peace and harmony than one's self.
If one can not find such a person,
then it is better to travel alone.
There is no real companionship with those who are confused
in the manifestations of the Infinite
other than that of being a teacher to them.
62.
"These are my children and this is my wealth."
These are the words of one who is confused.
They do not truly possess their bodies
so how can they in truth possess children or wealth?
63.
Those who are confused and recognize their confusion
are in truth wise.
But those who are confused
and do not recognize their confusion
are lost in the confusion of confusion.
64.
Just because a person associates with those who are wise
and those who live in the peace and harmony
of the oneness of the Infinite,
he may no more understand the peace and harmony path of life
than the spoon experiences the taste of the soup.
65.
As the tongue savors the taste of the soup,
so a wise person who interacts with one
who lives in the peace and harmony
of the oneness of the Infinite
advances on the peace and harmony path of life.
66.
The confused are their own worst enemies.
They generally do and say things which increase their confusion.
67.
For the most part, deeds done in confusion cause regret
when the doer reaps the fruits of his deeds
with tears of confusion.
68.
Deeds done in harmony with one's path of life
are those which bring clarity and peace and harmony to the doer.
69.
Evil deeds, those done in the great confusion,
seem sweet as honey to the doer
until those deeds bear fruit.
Then he suffers in accordance
with the magnitude of his confused acts.
70.
Practicing austerity, those who are confused
may fast to the point of eating from the tip of a blade of kusa grass
and still not achieve one-sixteenth of the clarity
of those who are on their path of life.
71.
An evil deed, like fresh milk from a cow,
does not sour immediately.
It becomes a part of the confused doer
and smolders like coals under ashes
until one day it flares up and envelopes the doer in sorrow.
72.
When those who are truly confused
happen to hear the truth,
it is very often misunderstood or misinterpreted
and increases their confusion.
73.
Those who are confused in desire,
wish for reputation, high rank in society,
power in their affairs and praise from all people.
74.
"Let others believe that it was I alone who completed the task
and let them seek advice from me in all things great and small."
Such is the ambition of one who is confused
in the desire for power and prestige.
75.
The path of desire is not the peace and harmony path of life.
Let the followers of the Buddha contemplate this
and stay centered in the oneness of the Infinite
and live in peace and harmony.
CHAPTER 6
THE WISE
76.
One should associate with wise friends
who point out his faults and admonish him
as if revealing the location of hidden treasure.
Those who are fortunate enough to have such friends
will find it easier to stay on their path of life
and live in peace and harmony.
77.
The wise who admonish, instruct and dissuade others
from acts which tend to cause confusion
in the manifestations of the Infinite
are esteemed by those who try to live in peace and harmony
and despised by those who are confused
in the manifestations of the Infinite.
78.
Try to avoid friendship with those who are confused
in the manifestations of the Infinite
as well as those who, for the most part,
pursue no more than the baser human instincts.
Seek friendship with the wise
and those who live in peace and harmony.
79.
Those who drink the water of the path of life
live in peace and harmony.
The wise forever delight in the path of life
as revealed by the great teachers.
80.
Irrigators channel water, fletchers straighten arrows,
carpenters manipulate wood
and the wise discipline their minds.
81.
As a solid rock is indifferent to the wind and rain,
so the wise are indifferent to criticism and praise.
82.
The wise who drink from the waters of the path of life
become serene like a deep, calm, clear lake.
83.
The wise have abandoned desire as well as babbling about desires.
They are centered in the oneness of the Infinite
and do not distinguish happiness and sorrow.
84.
One who is centered in the oneness of the Infinite
has no desire for descendants, wealth or power
for herself or for others.
Certainly one who has no desire for anything
to be attained by wrongful means
is on the path of peace and harmony.
85.
Only a few are able to cross over to the other shore
of the supreme peace and harmony of Nirvana.
The vast majority simply run up and down this shore confused
in the manifestations of the Infinite.
86.
Those who have truly learned the peace and harmony path of life
as taught by the Buddha
and follow that path
will cross over to the other shore.
87.
Abandon the ways of confusion and darkness
and live in the light of peace and harmony.
88.
Become indifferent to home and homelessness
and enjoy the peace and harmony of solitude
which is so difficult to maintain.
Become devoid of confusion in possessions,
devoid of confusion in desires
and devoid of all confusion
in the manifestations of the Infinite
by remaining centered in the Infinite oneness.
89.
Those who see the oneness of the Infinite
and the path of life in all things,
who no longer distinguish the manifestations of the Infinite,
who no longer are confused
in attachments to the manifestations of the Infinite,
and who radiate the light of peace and harmony,
have achieved the supreme peace and harmony of Nirvana
while living in this reality.
CHAPTER 7
THE SAGE (Part 1)
90.
The sage is not confused in attachments,
she is not confused in sorrow,
she is not confused in incarnation,
she is not confused in any of the manifestations of the Infinite.
91.
The sage constantly strives to remain centered
in the oneness of the Infinite
and avoids confusion in the manifestations of the Infinite.
The sage is not confused in the notion of home.
Like a swan who abandons a lake,
she moves from dwellings of a night or of decades
with indifference.
92.
The sage who has no possessions,
who is in harmony with all she eats
and who flows through life centered in the oneness of the Infinite,
leaves no evidence of
her life's journey
as the flight of a bird leaves no evidence of its flight through the sky.
93.
The sage who has extinguished all desires,
is indifferent to food and who flows through life centered
in the oneness of the Infinite,
leaves no evidence of her life's journey
as the flight of a bird leaves no evidence of its flight through the sky.
94.
The sage whose senses are subdued
like the well trained horses of a charioteer,
who is not confused in pride
and who is not confused in corruption
is held dear by the angels.
95.
The sage who is as indifferent as the earth,
who is as steadfast as a marble column,
whose character is as untainted as a mudless lake,
is centered in the oneness of the Infinite
and is not confused in her incarnation.
96.
The sage who is centered in the oneness of the Infinite
lives in the peace and harmony of unconfused words,
unconfused deeds and an unconfused mind.
97.
The sage who is not confused in the manifestations of the Infinite
who is centered in the oneness of the Infinite,
who is at one with all of humanity
who is not confused in personal ties,
who is not confused in temptations,
who is not confused in desire,
indeed lives in peace and in harmony
with all of humanity.
98.
Wherever the sage dwells,
be it in village, forest, mountain or valley,
there the peace and harmony are always increased.
99.
The sage does not distinguish the manifestations of the Infinite
and therefore is not confused in the sensuous pleasures.
She experiences peace and harmony in the forest
where the majority of people prefer not to dwell.
CHAPTER 8
THE THOUSANDS
100.
A single word that manifests peace
is better than a speech of a thousand useless words.
101.
A single verse that manifests peace
is better than a poem of a thousand empty verses.
102.
Reciting a single poem regarding the path of life
that manifests peace and harmony
is better than reciting a thousand superficial poems.
103.
The greater victor is the one who conquers the self
as opposed to the one
who conquers a thousand thousand on the battlefield.
104.
Conquering one's self is better than conquering others.
105.
Not even the gods can turn
the victory of conquering one's self into defeat.
106.
It is better for only a moment to acknowledge one
who has conquered her self
than to make a thousand religious offerings
each month for a hundred years.
107.
It is better for only a moment
to acknowledge one who has conquered her self
than to tend a thousand religious fires in the forest
for a hundred years.
108.
Regardless of the quality or quantity of religious offerings
one makes during the course of a year,
it is not equal to one-fourth of the reverence
given by acknowledging one who has conquered her self.
109.
Those who acknowledge the wise,
who are centered in the oneness of the Infinity,
will increase the peace and harmony of life,
beauty, happiness and strength within themselves.
110.
It is better to live one day in the peace and harmony
of virtue and contemplation than a hundred years
in the confusion of vice and uncontrolled thought.
111.
It is better to live one day in the peace and harmony
of wisdom and contemplation than a hundred years
in the confusion of folly and uncontrolled thought.
112.
It is better to live one day in the peace and harmony
of being vigorous and resolute
than a hundred years
in the confusion of idleness and weakness.
113.
It is better to spend one day contemplating
the birth and death of all things
than a hundred years never contemplating beginnings and endings.
114.
One day perceiving the immortal, infinite nature of the soul
is better than living a hundred years
never perceiving the immortal, infinite nature of the soul.
115.
It is better to live one day in the peace and harmony
of the oneness of the Infinite
than a hundred years in the confusion
of the manifestations of the Infinite.
CHAPTER 9
CONFUSION (Part 1)
116.
Be quick to remain centered in the oneness of the Infinite
and avoid becoming confused in the manifestations of the Infinite.
If one is slow to embrace oneness,
then the mind drifts toward confusion.
117.
If one becomes confused in wrong doing,
let him not embrace it a second time
lest it become a habit.
Let one not take pleasure in wrong doing.
The accumulation of wrong doing is a mounting barrier
to peace and harmony.
118.
If one performs an act in peace and harmony,
let her repeat it often until it becomes natural.
Let her take pleasure in such acts
because the path of the peace and harmony
consists of an accumulation of these acts.
119.
Those who are confused in wrong doing
sometimes derive fleeting pleasures from their acts.
But when the wrong doing eventually manifests its fruit,
the wrong doer reaps that which he has created
and awakens to his past confusion.
120.
Those who act in peace and harmony
sometimes continue to endure in confusion,
but when the fruit of peaceful and harmonious acts
begin to bear fruit,
they remember their way back to the peace and harmony path of life.
121.
Do not trivialize small acts of confusion thinking,
"I will not have to reap what I have sown."
A pitcher is filled one drop of water at a time
and a confused person proceeds toward great confusion (evil)
one act at a time.
122.
Do not trivialize small acts of peace and harmony thinking,
"I will never reap what I have sown".
A pitcher is filled one drop of water at a time
and a person centered in oneness
who proceeds in peace and harmony
will soon manifest peace and harmony in his life.
123.
Just as a merchant traveling with great wealth
and a small escort avoids dangerous roads
and those who cherish life avoid perilous acts,
so one who cherishes peace and harmony
remains centered in the oneness of Infinity
and avoids confusion in the manifestations of the Infinite.
124.
If one does not have a fresh cut on one's hand,
then he can carry poisons with no ill effect.
Poisons do not affect those who have no cuts.
Likewise, those who are centered in the oneness of Infinity
avoid confusion in the manifestations of the Infinite.
125.
Whoever, in confusion, causes harm to another person
will reap the fruits of his harmful act
the same way dust thrown into the wind
rebounds on the one who threw it.
126.
Some souls choose rebirth in this reality.
Those who are confused, exist in confusion.
Those who stay centered in the oneness of Infinity
live in peace and harmony.
Those who are indifferent to all things
exist in the supreme peace and harmony of Nirvana.
127.
Not in the sky, not in the ocean, not in a mountain cave
can a person hide from the fruits of the harm he does to others.
128.
Not in the sky, not in the ocean, not in a mountain cave
can a person hide from the inevitability of physical death
in this reality.
CHAPTER 10
PUNISHMENT
129.
Everyone trembles in anticipation of punishment
and everyone trembles in anticipation of death.
Remembering your oneness with all of humanity
do not kill or cause the killing of another human being.
130.
Everyone trembles in anticipation of punishment
and life is dear to everyone.
Remembering your oneness with all of humanity
do not kill or cause the killing of another human being.
131.
One who values happiness for himself
but creates anxiety for others
is confused.
132.
One who values happiness for himself
and also values happiness for others
is centered in the oneness of humanity
and lives in peace and harmony.
133.
Do not speak harshly to others
because harsh words are generally countered with harsh words.
Angry words tend to manifest conflict
and conflict is the harbinger of confusion
in physical violence.
134.
If, like a broken gong, you can remain silent when falsely accused,
then you are on the path
of peace and harmony
and you are not confused in contention.
135.
As a cowherd drives cows to pasture with his rod,
time drives human beings to the end
of their physical existence.
136.
When one is confused in wrongful deeds,
he is not aware of their inevitable consequences.
The consequences of wrongful deeds is eventual suffering
comparable to being burned by fire.
137,138,139,140.
One who unjustly inflicts punishment on the innocent
will eventually reap one of these possible confusions;
pain, great deprivation, physical injury,
heavy affliction or loss of mind,
prosecution by the government, devastation,
accusations, loss of family, loss of wealth,
loss of home by fire and upon his death
confinement for a time in the great confusion of hell.
141.
Neither nakedness, nor matted hair, nor a filthy body,
nor fasting, nor sleeping on the ground,
nor covering the body with ashes, nor squatting on one's heals
can bring peace and harmony to one who is confused
in the manifestations of the Infinite.
142.
Even though a person is dressed in the finest of clothing,
if he lives in the peace and harmony
of the oneness of Infinity
he is indeed a sage.
143.
Is there anyone in the world
so perfectly centered in the oneness of the Infinite
that he is never subjected to criticism?
Is there a horse so perfectly trained
that he never feels the sting of the whip?
144.
Be like a well trained horse
who when touched by the whip
becomes swift and spirited.
By faith, devotion, vigilance and meditation
remain centered in the oneness of Infinity
and live in peace and harmony.
145.
As an irrigator channels water into the fields,
as a fletcher straightens the arrow,
as a carpenter works wood,
so the sage shapes her life.
CHAPTER 11
OLD AGE
146.
Why do people laugh and exhibit so much joy
when humanity is so lost in confusion
in the manifestations of the Infinite?
Why do people not seek the light
instead of laughing and making merry in darkness?
147.
Consider the human body
adorned with fine clothes and jewelry,
yet it is a structure of bones,
subject to all kinds of diseases and illnesses,
subject to innumerable desires,
and constantly changing and disintegrating.
148.
The body is in a constant state of decay,
a nest of disease, a putrid mass
which in a short time completely disintegrates.
All life in this reality ends in death.
149.
The dove-gray skeletal remains of human beings
are no more than gourds discarded at the end of summer.
Is there truly any pleasure in looking at them?
150.
The body is a castle made of bones
covered with flesh and blood.
Pride and deceit, decay and death dwell within.
151.
The magnificent chariots of great kings wear out
and the body decays in old age.
But the oneness of Infinity can never wear out.
Those who live in peace and harmony
proclaim this to all who will listen.
152.
Those who are confused in the manifestations of the Infinite
grow like an ox;
their flesh increases
but their wisdom does not.
153.
From time immemorial
I passed through cycles of births and deaths in vain
seeking the creator of this tabernacle.
Confusing indeed was this cycle of births and deaths.
154.
O creator of this tabernacle,
I have come to know your essence
and this tabernacle may never be built again.
All the rafters are broken and the ridgepole is sundered.
My mind has merged into the oneness of the Infinite
and I dwell in the supreme peace and harmony of Nirvana
no longer confused in the manifestations of desire.
155.
Those who have not spent a lifetime
centered in the oneness of Infinity,
when they become old,
are confused in the manifestations of old age
like old herons on a dried up lake
where there are no fish.
156.
Those who have not spent a lifetime
centered in the oneness of Infinity,
when they become old,
lie on the ground like broken arrows
confused in the lamenting of past deeds.
CHAPTER 12 How can we manifest peace on
earth if we do not include everyone (all races, all nations, all religions, both
sexes) in our vision of Peace? To the John WorldPeace Galleries Page
To the WorldPeace Peace Page
SELF
157.
If one values her self,
then she should be vigilant in guarding her self.
She should guard her mind
so that she remains centered in the oneness of Infinity
and does not become confused in the manifestations of the Infinite.
158.
First, firmly center yourself moment to moment
in the oneness of Infinity.
Only then will you be able to help others
out of their confusion.
Such a person is seldom ridiculed
because she lives the lessons she teaches.
159.
If a person can be what he admonishes others to be,
then he is worthy of being called a teacher.
However, very few can
live up to their expectations of others.
160.
The self is one's master.
Who else is in fact one's master?
And if the self is truly centered in the oneness of the Infinite,
it is the perfect master.
161.
The great confusion of evil
which is manifested by someone
is born of the self
and manifested by the self.
This evil will eventually crush the self
like a diamond grinds a hard gem.
162.
As the persistent vine destroys the grandest of trees,
so acts of confusion
gradually take one into the realms of darkness
where one's most bitter enemies wish him to be.
163.
It is very easy to act and to speak in confusion
in the manifestation of the Infinite
and very difficult to remain centered in the oneness Infinity.
164.
Those who are confused
and ridicule the examples of the sage,
who is centered in the oneness of Infinity,
eventually reap the fruit of their confusion
like the katthaka reed whose fruit
is the harbinger of its own death.
165.
Only the self embraces or rejects confusion
and only the self embraces or rejects the oneness of the Infinite.
Only the self is responsible for its condition,
no one else.
166.
No one should abandon the well being of the self
for the sake of another.
Each person is solely responsible for his condition
and no one else can assume another's responsibility.
Just be a light to others.
Each person must remain centered in the peace and harmony
of his or her own physical and spiritual essence
in order to live moment to moment
within the Infinite peace and harmony.
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