Literary History of Sanskrit Buddhism

Nāgārjuna – 129
precepts of good conduct as prescribed in the holy scriptures which
he must accordingly study with energy. And here certain texts are
particularly recommended to the aspirant (V. 103, ff.). The worst of
our enemies are anger, hatred and passion. We have to fight them. It
is they who do us evil, not our foes. The latter we must love like all
other creatures. For when we love the creatures we rejoice the
Buddhas; in injuring them we injur the Buddhas. “When someone
does me an evil turn, that is only the fruit of some previous act or
karma. Why should I be wrath with him?” We should not hate even
those who destroy the images of the Buddha, the stūpas, nay even the
good religion itself.
Self and others: the difference
To the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who have so often ruined their
bodies for the sake of other creatures and even have repaired to the
inferno, to them he is beneficent who is kind to other creatures.
Therefore must one show only kindness even to those who have done
him an evil turn (see VI; 33; 68; 120; 124; 126). The Bodhisattva
from the first diligently strives to avoid any difference between his
Ego and others; and to identify himself wholly and entirely with
others. This is a function which the Bodhisattva has particularly to
practise.
“I must destroy the sorrow of the stranger because it pains like one’s
own grief; I must therefore do good to others because they are beings
like myself.” Just as a man loves his hands and feet because they are
his members, [108] so also all living beings have the right of
affection inasmuch as they are all members of the same world of
animate creation. It is only mere usage which makes us look upon