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FO-SHO-HING-TSAN-KING,
III, 15.
Tathagata on their account briefly declared to them the one true way; the foolish masters practising austerities, and those who love to gratify their senses, 1235
He pointed out to them these two distinctive classes !, and how both greatly erred. “Neither of these (he said) has found the way of highest wisdom, nor are their ways of life productive of true rescue. 1236
•The emaciated devotee by suffering produces in himself confused and sickly thoughts, not conducive even to worldly knowledge, how much less to triumph over sense! 1237
'For he who tries to light a lamp with water, will not succeed in scattering the darkness, (and so the man who tries) with worn-out body to trim the lamp of wisdom shall not succeed, nor yet destroy his ignorance or folly. 1238
Who seeks with rotten wood to evoke the fire will waste his labour and get nothing for it; but boring hard wood into hard, the man of skill forthwith gets fire for his use; 1239
'In seeking wisdom then it is not by these au.. sterities a man may reach the law of life. But (likewise) to indulge in pleasure is opposed to right, this is the fool's barrier against wisdom's light; 1240
"The sensualist cannot comprehend the Satras or the Såstras, how much less the way of overcoming all desire! As some man grievously afflicted eats food not fit to eat, 1241
* And so in ignorance aggravates his sickness, so
1 The two extremes.
Digitized by Google
| SR No. | 007676 |
| Book Title | Text of Confucianism Part 02 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | James Legge |
| Publisher | Oxford |
| Publication Year | 1882 |
| Total Pages | 2405 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 43 MB |