The Buddha The Awakened

Books: Sacred Books Of The East

He whose conquest cannot be conquered again, into whose conquest no one

in this world enters, by what track can you lead him, the Awakened, the

Omniscient, the trackless?



He whom no desire with its snares and poisons can lead astray, by what

track can you lead him, the Awakened, the Omniscient, the trackless?



Even the gods envy those who are awakened and not forgetful, who are

given to medit tion, who are wise, and who delight in the repose of

retirement from the world.



Difficult to obtain is the conception of men, difficult is the life of

mortals, difficult is the hearing of the True Law, difficult is the

birth of the Awakened (the attainment of Buddhahood).



Not to commit any sin, to do good, and to purify one's mind, that is the

teaching of all the Awakened.



The Awakened call patience the highest penance, long-suffering the

highest Nirvana; for he is not an anchorite (Pravra-gita) who strikes

others, he is not an ascetic (Sramana) who insults others.



Not to blame, not to strike, to live restrained under the law, to be

moderate in eating, to sleep and sit 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; even in

heavenly pleasures he finds no satisfaction, the disciple who is fully

awakened delights only in the destruction of all desires.



Men, driven by fear, go to many a refuge, to mountains and forests, to

groves and sacred trees.



But that is not a safe refuge, that is not the best refuge; a man is not

delivered from all pains after having gone to that refuge.



He who takes refuge with Buddha, the Law, and the Church; he who, with

clear understanding, sees the four holy truths: 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 refuge, that is the best refuge;

having gone to that refuge, a man is delivered from all pain.



A supernatural person (a Buddha) is not easily found: he is not born

everywhere. Wherever such a sage is born, that race prospers.



Happy is the arising of the Awakened, happy is the teaching of the True

Law, happy is peace in the church, happy is the devotion of those who

are at peace.



He who pays homage to those who deserve homage, whether the awakened

(Buddha) or their disciples, those who have overcome the host of evils,

and crossed the flood of sorrow, he who pays homage to such as have

found deliverance and know no fear, his merit can never be measured by

anyone.