z:\ ambedkar\vol 011\vol11 05.indd MK SJ+YS 5 10 2013/YS 18 11 2013 393
HIS SERMONS
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Cindian steeds of lineage famed, good indeed the mighty tusker; best of all the men self-tamed.
Yet such mounts can naught avail us, cannot be Nibbana’s guide. We can only reach the Path on the self-tamed self-ride.
Take delight in Earnestness ; watch thy thoughts and never tire. Lift thee from the Path of Evil, take the Tusker out of mire.
Hast thou found a fellow-traveller, upright, firm, intelligent? Leaving all thy cares behind thee, gladly walk with him intent.
Hast thou found no fellow-traveller, upright, intelligent? As a King deserts his borders, by the enemy pursued, like the tusker in the forest, so go thy way in solitude.
Better is the lonely life, for fools companions cannot be. Live alone and do no evil, live alone with scanty needs, lonely, as the mighty tusker in the forest lonely feeds.
Expunge all bad thoughts.
Here is the way to expunge.
You are to expunge by resolving that, though others may be harmful, you will be harmless.
That, though others may kill, you will never kill.
That, though others may steal, you will not.
That, though others may not lead the higher life, you will.
That, though others may lie, traduce, denounce, or prattle, you will not.
That, though others may be covetous, you will covet not.
That, though others may be malignant, you will be benignant.
That, though others may be given over to wrong views, wrong aims, wrong speech, actions, wrong modes of livelihood, wrong effort, wrong mindfulness and wrong concentration you must follow the Noble Eight-fold Path in right outlook, right aims, right speech, right actions, right mode of livelihood, right efforts, right mindfulness and right concentration.
IV