Texts from the Buddhist canon : commonly known as Dhammapada

' from
INCITING TO WISDOM. 41
desire, and in consequence to advance in religious exercise,
lie was about to dismember himself. On this Buddha
explained that uncertainty and doubt were the causes of
delay in religious progress, that the first thing to do was
to govern the ,mind, and restrain the thoughts, without
which merely to get rid of the external instrument of evil
was useless, and then he added these lines
" Learning first to cut off the Mother, and to
follow the one true guide (Minister), dismissing all
the subordinate place-holders, this is (the conduct
of) the truly enlightened man."
And then explaining . that "Doubt" was the Mother,
and the twelve causes and effects"! the subordinates,
whilst Wisdom was the one Minister, the Bhikshu obtained
enlightenment, and was at rest.
3. Formerly, when Buddha was residing in the Gridhrakuta
Mountain near Eajagfiha preaching the Law of Eternal
life (i.e., Nirv§,na) to the assembled multitudes, there was
a certain obdtirate and hardened Bhikshu present, on whoin
the words of the Preacher had no effect. On this Buddha,
knowing his thoughts, sent him to the hack of the moun-
tains to meditate beneath a tree in the middle of the
gorge, known as that of the " Evil Spirits "—with a view
to his casting away the impediments that prevented him
attaining Nirvana. Arrived at the spot he was
constantly alarmed and interrupted by the sounds of the
evil spirits, though he saw no form, and so instead of
arriving at a fixed state of composure, he rather desired to
go back to the place whence he came— ^but on reflecting
that the sounds he heard were only those of evil spirits
who wished to drive him from his purpose, he stayed where
he was. Then Buddha coming near him as he sat, took
his place beside him and said— " Have you no fear dwelling
alone in this solitary place ? " to which he replied— " At
^ The Nid^nas,
—