The Bhikshu

Books: Sacred Books Of The East

Restraint in the eye is good, good is restraint in the ear, in the nose

restraint is good, good is restraint in the tongue.



In the body restraint is good, good is restraint in speech, in thought

restraint is good, good is restraint in all things. A Bhikshu,

restrained in all things, is freed from all pain.



He who controls his hand, he who controls his feet, he who controls his

speech, he who is well controlled, he who delights inwardly, who is

collected, who is solitary and content, him they call Bhikshu.



The Bhikshu who controls his mouth, who speaks wisely and calmly, who

teaches the meaning and the law, his word is sweet.



He who dwells in the law, delights in the law, meditates on the law,

recollects the law: that Bhikshu will never fall away from the true law.



Let him not despise what he has received, nor ever envy others: a

mendicant who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.



A Bhikshu who, though he receives little, does not despise what he has

received, even the gods will praise him, if his life is pure, and if he

is not slothful.



He who never identifies himself with name and form, and does not grieve

over what is no more, he indeed is called a Bhikshu.



The Bhikshu who behaves with kindness, who is happy in the doctrine of

Buddha, will reach the quiet place (Nirvana), happiness arising from the

cessation of natural inclinations.



O Bhikshu, empty this boat! if emptied, it will go quickly; having cut

off passion and hatred, thou wilt go to Nirvana.



Cut off the five fetters, leave the five, rise above the five. A

Bhikshu, who has escaped from the five fetters, he is called

Oghatinna--"saved from the flood."



Meditate, O Bhikshu, and be not heedless! Do not direct thy thought to

what gives pleasure, that thou mayest not for thy heedlessness have to

swallow the iron ball in hell, and that thou mayest not cry out when

burning, "This is pain."



Without knowledge there is no meditation, without meditation there is no

knowledge: he who has knowledge and meditation is near unto Nirvana.



A Bhikshu who has entered his empty house, and whose mind is tranquil,

feels a more than human delight when he sees the law clearly.



As soon as he has considered the origin and destruction of the elements

of the body, he finds happiness and joy which belong to those who know

the immortal (Nirvana).



And this is the beginning here for a wise Bhikshu: watchfulness over the

senses, contentedness, restraint under the law; keep noble friends whose

life is pure, and who are not slothful.



Let him live in charity, let him be perfect in his duties; then in the

fulness of delight he will make an end of suffering.



As the Vassika plant sheds its withered flowers, men should shed passion

and hatred, O ye Bhikshus!



The Bhikshu whose body and tongue and mind are quieted, who is

collected, and has rejected the baits of the world, he is called quiet.



Rouse thyself by thyself, examine thyself by thyself, thus

self-protected and attentive wilt thou live happily, O Bhikshu!



For self is the lord of self, self is the refuge of self; therefore curb

thyself as the merchant curbs a noble horse.



The Bhikshu, full of delight, who is happy in the doctrine of Buddha

will reach the quiet place (Nirvana), happiness consisting in the

cessation of natural inclinations.



He who, even as a young Bhikshu, applies himself to the doctrine of

Buddha, brightens up this world, like the moon when free from clouds.