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HIS SERMONS
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is given to him by them, he lives an honest life. ( iii ) Putting from him all sensual misconduct, he abstains from fornication; he has no intercourse with girls under the charge of mother or father or brother or sister or relations, no intercourse with girls affianced and plighted and with the garlands of betrothal upon them.
“As regards righteousness in speech, ( i ) a man puts lying from him and abstains from lies; when cited to give testimony before assembly or village-meeting or family council or royal household or his guild he says that he does not know when he does not, and that he does know when he does, says that he did not see when he did not see and that he saw when he did see, never deliberately lying in the interests of himself or of other people or for some trifling gain. ( ii ) All slander he puts from him and from slandering he abstains; what he hears here he does not repeat elsewhere so to set one set of people by the ears, nor does he repeat here what he hears elsewhere so as to set another set of people by the ears, he is a promoter of harmony and a restorer of amity, for concord is his pleasure, his joy, and his delight. ( iii ) There is no bitterness in his tongue and he abstains from bitter speech; what he says is without gall, pleasant, friendly, hearty, urbane, agreeable, and welcome to all. ( iv ) No tattler, he abstains from tattle, speaking in season, according to fact, always of the profitable, of the Doctrine and Rule, in speech which is seasonable and memorable, illuminating, well-marshalled, and of great profit.
“As regards righteousness in thoughts, ( i ) a man is devoid of covetousness, never coveting other people’s gear with the yearning that it were all his own. ( ii ) He harbours no malevolence or wickedness of thought; his wish is that creatures around him may live on in peace and happiness, safe, from all enmity and oppression. ( iii ) He is right in outlook and correct in his conceptions.
“This is what I mean by righteousness and unrighteousness.”
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