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LECTURE IV.
175
now to strive after spiritual freedom, and never again abuse his father's religion 1
The son was moved, and asked the king how he could obtain spiritual freedom. The king hearing that there was a fair in the town, ordered the young man to take a vessel brimful of oil, and to carry it through the streets of the town without spilling a drop. Two executioners with drawn swords were to walk behind him, and at the first drop being spilled, they were to cut off his head. When the young man, after having walked through all the streets of the city, returned to the king without having spilled one drop, the king said: 'Did you to-day, while walking through the streets, see anybody?'
The young man replied : “My thoughts were fixed on the vessel, and I saw and heard nothing else.'
Then the king said : "Let thy thoughts be fixed in the same way on the Highest! He who is collected, and has ceased to care for outward life, will see the truth, and having seen the truth, will not be caught again by the net of works. Thus I have taught you in few words the way that leads to spiritual freedom.'
According to Buddha, the motive of all our actions should be pity, or what we should call love for our neighbour, and the same sentiment is inculcated again and again in the sacred poetry of the Brahmans. Thus we read in the Mahâbhârata, Udyoga-parva, cap. 38,
Thou shalt not do to others what thou likest not thyself. This is the law in short, everything else proceeds from passion.' Mahâbhârata, Anusâsana-parva, cap. 145: Not to hurt anybody by word, thought, or deed,
Cf. Mahavamsa,' p. 33..
