Eternal India Encyclopedia

WISDOM OF INDIA

ETERNAL

INDIA

encyclopedia

blood, and the earth is not troubled or repelled or disgusted, and as you

grow like the earth no contacts with pleasant or unpleasant will lay hold

of your mind or stick to it.

"Similarly you should develop a state of mind like water, for men

throw all sorts of clean and unclean things into water and it is not

troubled or repelled or disgusted. And similarly with fire which burns

all things, clean and unclean, and with air, which blows upon them all,

and with space, which is nowhere established.

"Develop the state of mind of friendliness, Rahula, for, as you do

so, ill-will will grow less; and of compassion, for thus vexation will

grow less; and of joy, for thus aversion will grow less; and of equanim-

ity, for thus repugnance will grow less.

"Develop the state of mind of consciousness of the corruption of the

body, for thus passion will grow less; and of the consciousness of the

fleeting nature of all things, for thus the pride of selfhood will grow less.

"Develop the state of mind of ordering the breath,... in which the

monk goes to the forest or to the root of a tree or to an empty house and

sits cross-legged with body erect, collected in thought. Fully mindful

he inhales and exhales. When he inhales or exhales a long breath he

knows precisely that he is doing so, and similarly when inhaling or

exhaling a short breath. While inhaling or exhaling he trains himself to

be conscious of the whole of his body,...to be fully conscious of the

components of hi s mind,.. .to realise the impermanence of all things,...

or to dwell on passionlessness... or renunciation. Thus the state of

ordered breathing, when developed and increased, is very productive

and helpful. And when the mind is thus developed a man breathes his

last breath in full consciousness, and not unconsciously."

Majjhima Nikaya

(of Buddhism)

The Lord laid down the following subjects for meditation; the ideas

of impermanence, of the non-existence of an enduring self, of the im-

purity and of the wretchedness of life, of ridding oneself of evil

tendencies, of passionlessness, of stopping the influx of evil tendencies,

of dissatisfaction with all things in the world, of the impermanence of

all conditioned things, of mindful control of breath, of the corpse in dis-

integration, of the execution of criminals with all its horrors; the ideas

of friendliness, of compassion, of joy, of equanimity, the thought of

death, and mindfulness of the body.... Whoever wishes to be free from

age and death takes one of these as a subject for meditation, and thus he

is set free from passion, hatred, and dullness, from pride and from false

views; he crosses the ocean of rebirth, dams the torrent of his cravings,

is washed clean of the threefold stain [of passion, hatred, and dullness],

and destroys all evil within him. So he enters the glorious city of Nir-

vana, stainless and undefiled, pure and white, imaging, deathless, se-

cure and calm and happy, and his mind is emancipated as a perfected

being.

Milindapanha (Questions of King Menander)

By order of the Beloved of the Gods. Addressed to the officers in

charge of Tosali....Let us win the affection of all men. All men are my

children, and as I wish all welfare and happiness in this world and the

next for my own children, so do I wish it for all men. But you do not

realise what this entails - here and there an officer may understand in

part, but not entirely.

Often a man is imprisoned and tortured unjustly, and then he is lib-

erated for no (apparent) reason. Many others suffer also (as a result of

this injustice). Therefore it is desirable that you should practise

impartiality, but it cannot be attained if you are inclined to habits of

jealousy, irritability, harshness, hastiness, obstinacy, laziness or lassi-

tude. I desire you not to have these habits. The basis of all this is the con-

stant avoidance of irritability and hastiness in your business....

This inscription has been engraved in order that the officials of the

city should always see to it that no one is ever imprisoned or tortured

without good cause. To ensure this I shall send out every five years on

a tour of inspection officers who are not fierce or harsh.... the prince at

Ujjain shall do the same not more than every three years, and likewise

at Taxila.

From

the first separate Kalinga edict of Ashoka

People perform various, ceremonies, at the marriage of sons and

daughters, at the birth of children, when going on a journey... or on other

occasions... On such occasions women especially perform many cere-

monies which are various, futile, and useless. Even when they have to

be done (to conform to custom and keep up appearances) such ceremo-

nies are of little use. But the ceremonies of Righteousness are of great

profit — these are the good treatment of slaves and servants, respect for

elders, self-mastery in one's relations with living beings, gifts to Brah-

mans and ascetics, and so on. But for their success everyone—fathers,

mothers, brothers, masters, friends, acquaintances, and neighbours

must agree - "These are good! These are ceremonies that we should

perform for success in our undertakings... and when we have succeeded

we will perform them again!" Other ceremonies are of doubtful value

one may achieve one's end through them or one may not. Moreover

they are only of value in this world, while the value of the ceremonies

of Righteousness is eternal, for even if one does not achieve one's end

in this world one stores up boundless merit in the other, while if one

achieves one's end in this world the gain is double.

From

the ninth rock edict of Ashoka

In the past kings sought to make the people progress in Righteous-

ness but they did not progress.... And I asked myself how I might uplift

them through progress in Righteousness.... Thus I decided to have them

instructed in Righteousness, and to issue ordinances of Righteousness,

so that by hearing them the people might conform, advance in the prog-

ress of Righteousness, and themselves make great progress.... For that

purpose many officials are employed among the people to instruct them

in Righteousness and to explain it to them....

Moreover I have had banyan trees planted on the roads to give shade

to man and beast; I have planted mango groves, and I have had ponds

dug and shelters erected along the roads at every eight kos. Everywhere

I have had wells dug for the benefit of man and beast. But this benefit

is but small, for in many ways the kings of olden time have worked for

the welfare of the world; but what I have done has been that men may

conform to Righteousness.