Text of Confucianism Part 02

SR No.: 007676
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

Page 985

DÂDISTÂN-I DINIK.
1. To those of the good religion, who are these enquirers owing to devout force of demeanour and strength of character, the type of wisdom and standard of ability-and of whom, moreover, the questions, seeking wisdom, contemplating good works, and investigating religion, are specified-the blessing and reply of Mânûskihar, son of YûdânYim, are these:-2. That is, forasmuch as with full affection, great dignity, and grandeur you have blessed me in this enquiring epistle', so much as you have blessed, and just as you have blessed, with full measure and perfect profusion, may it happen fully likewise unto you, in the first place, and to your connections, separately for yourselves and dependents; may it come upon you for a long period, and may it be connected with a happy end.
3. As to that which you ordered to write about wishes for an interview and conversation with me, and the friendliness and regard for religion of yourselves and our former disciple2 (lanmanak kâdmôn) -who is a servant of the sacred beings (yazdânŏ)3 and a fellow-soldier in struggling with the fiend, alike persistent in reliance upon the good religion of Mazda-worship-I am equally desirous of that one path of righteousness when its extension is to a place in the best existence, and equally hopeful
1 Regarding this epistle, nothing further is known that can be gathered from the text of this reply to it, which gives the substance of the questions it contained.
This disciple appears to have been previously sent by Mânûskihar to the community he is addressing, most probably to serve as their high-priest.
3 The word is plural, like Elohim in the book of Genesis, but it means 'God' in Pers an.
Another name for Garôdmân, the highest heaven, or dwelling of Aûharmazd (see Sls. VI, 3, 4).
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