On washing the face, say:

As thus I wash my face, I pray
That every living soul may gain
Religious knowledge, which admits
Of no defilement through eternity.
On bowing down before Buddha, say:

King of the Law, the most exalted Lord,
Unequalled through the three-fold world,
Teacher and guide of gods and men,
Our loving Father, and of all that breathes,
I bow myself in lowest reverence, and pray.
SIN AND REPENTANCE.

Doing what we ought not to do,

Not doing what we ought to do,
The fire of regretful sorrow which burns
In after ages (leads to) ruin and misery.

But if a man is able to repent of his sin,

And to complete his repentance, there is no more grief.

In this way the heart is restored to peace;

But repentance not fulfilled, there is the constant recollection

of sin,

Whether of omission or commission,

And this is just the condition of the fool;

Not repenting with all his heart,

Not doing what he is able to do,

He completes the sum of his evil deeds,

And he cannot but do that which he ought not.

THE DHAMMAPADA-OR PATH OF VIRTUE.

BY BUDDHA.

THOUGHT.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought; it is

founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts.

If a

man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of him who draws the carriage.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought; it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him like a shadow that never leaves him.

As a fetcher makes straight his arrow, a wise man makes straight his trembling and unsteady thought, which is difficult. to keep, difficult to turn.

Let the wise man guard his thoughts, for they are difficult to perceive, very artful, and rush wherever they list; thoughts well guarded bring happiness.

Those who bridle their mind, which travels far, moves about alone, is without a body, and hides in the chamber (of the heart), will be free from the bonds of Mara (the tempter).

He who lives looking for pleasure only, his senses uncontrolled, immoderate in his enjoyments, idle and weak, Mara (the tempter) will certainly overcome him, as the wind blows down a weak tree.

He who lives without looking for pleasures, his senses well controlled, his enjoyments moderate, who is faithful and strong, Mara will certainly not overcome him, any more than the wind overthrows a rocky mountain.

As rain breaks through an ill-thatched house, passion will break through an unreflecting mind.

As rain does not break through a well-thatched house, passion will not break through a well-reflecting mind.

The virtuous man delights in this world, and he delights in the next. He delights, he rejoices, when he sees the purity of his own work.

The evil doer suffers in this world, and he suffers in the next. He suffers when he thinks of the evil he has done; he suffers more when going in the evil path.

The thoughtless man, even if he can recite a large portion (of the law), but is not a doer of it, has no share in the priesthood, but is like a cowherd, counting the cows of others.

HATRED CEASES BY LOVE

"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,”-hatred in those who harbor such thoughts will never

cease.

66

"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me,”—hatred in those who do not harbor [such?] thoughts will

cease.

For hatred does not cease by hatred at any time-hatred ceases by love; this is an old rule.

ON REFLECTION.

Reflection is the path to immortality, thoughtlessness the path to death. Those who reflect do not die, those who are thoughtless are as if dead already.

Those wise people, meditative, steady, always possessed of strong powers, attain to Nirvana, the highest happiness.

By rousing himself, by reflection, restraint, and control, the wise man makes for himself an island which no flood can overwhelm.

By earnestness did Maghavan (Indra) rise to the lordship of the gods. People praise earnestness; thoughtlessness is always blamed.

Knowing that this body is (fragile) like a jar, and making this thought firm like a fortress, one should attack Mara (the tempter) with the weapons of knowledge, one should watch him when conquered, and should never cease (from the fight).

FLOWERS.

He who knows that this body is like froth, and has learned that it is unsubstantial as a mirage, will break the flower-pointed arrow of Mara (the tempter), and never see the King of Death.

As the bee collects nectar and departs without injuring the flower, or its color or perfume, so let the sage dwell on earth. Like a beautiful flower, full of color but without perfume, are the fine but fruitless words of him who does not accord

ingly; but like a beautiful flower, full of color and full of perfume, are the fruitful words of him who acts accordingly.

As on a heap of rubbish cast upon the highway, the lily will grow, full of sweet perfume and delightful, thus the disciple of the truly enlightened Buddha shines forth by his knowledge among those who are like rubbish, among the people that walk in darkness.

THE FOOL.

If a traveler does not meet with one who is his better or his equal, let him firmly keep his solitary journey; for there is no companionship with a fool.

If a fool be associated with a wise man all his life, he will perceive the truth as little as a spoon perceives the taste of soup; but if an intelligent man be associated with a wise man only for one minute, he will soon perceive the truth, as the tongue perceives the taste of soup.

As long as the evil deed done does not bear fruit, the fool thinks it is honey; but when it ripens the fool suffers grief.

THE VENERABLE.

As a solid rock is not shaken by the wind, wise people falter not amidst praise or blame.

He whose passions are stilled, who is not absorbed in enjoyment, who has perceived the Void, the Unconditioned, the Absolute, his path is difficult to understand, like that of the birds in the ether.

The man who is free from credulity, but knows the Uncreated, who has cut all ties, removed all temptations, renounced all desires, he is the greatest of men. In a hamlet or a forest, in the deep water or on dry land, wherever venerable persons (Arahanta) dwell, that place is delightful.

SELF-CONQUEST.

If one man conquer in battle a thousand times thousand men, and if another conquer himself, he is the greatest of conquerors.

One's own self conquered is better than all other people ; not even a god, a Gandharva, not Mara with Brahman, could change into defeat the victory of a man who has vanquished himself and always lives under restraint.

If a man worship Agni (fire) for a hundred years in the forest, and if he pay homage for one moment to a man whose soul is grounded (in true knowledge), better is that homage than sacrifice for a hundred years.

He who lives a hundred years ignorant and unrestrained, a life of one day is better if a man is wise and reflecting; and he who lives a hundred years not seeing the immortal place, a life of one day is better if a man sees the immortal place.

He who lives a hundred years not seeing the highest law, a life of one day is better if a man see the highest law.

Not the failures of others, not their sins of commission or omission, but his own misdeeds and negligences, should the sage take notice of.

By oneself the evil is done, by oneself one suffers, by oneself evil is left undone, by oneself one is purified. Purity and impurity belong to oneself; no one can purify another.

WORK OUT YOUR OWN SAlvation.

You yourself must make the effort. The Tathagatas (Buddhas) are only preachers. The thoughtful who enter the way are freed from the bondage of Mara.

Watching his speech, well restrained in mind, let a man never commit any wrong with his body! Let a man but keep these three roads to action clear, and he will achieve the way which is taught by the wise.

Through zeal knowledge is gotten, through lack of zeal