:: 6. The Minister's reply. ::
1. Having heard the Buddha's discourse, well suitable to his virtues and knowledge, freed from all desires, full of sound reasons, and weighty,—the counsellor thus made answer :
2. " This resolve of thine is an excellent counsel, not unfit in itself but only unfit at the present time : it could not be thy duty, loving duty as thou do , to leave thy father in his old age to sorrow
3. " Surely thy mind is not very penetrating, or it is ill-skilled in examining duty, wealth, and pleasure,— when for the sake of an unseen result thou departest disregarding a visible end.
4. " Again some say that there is another birth,— others with confident assertion say that there is not, since then the matter is all in doubt, it is right to enjoy the good fortune which comes into thy hand.
5. " If there is any activity hereafter, we will enjoy ourselves in it as may offer ; or if there is no activity beyond this life, then there is an assured liberation to all the world without any effort.
6. " Some say there is a future life, but they do not allow the possibility of liberation ; as fire is hot by nature, and water liquid, so they hold that there is a special nature in our power of action.
7. " Some maintain that all things arise from inherent properties,—both good and evil and existence and non-existence : and since all this world thus arises spontaneously, therefore also all effort of ours is vain.
8. " Since the action of the senses is fixed, and so too the agreeableness or the disagreeableness of outward objects,—then for that which is united to old age and pains, what effort can avail to alter it ? Does it not all arise spontaneously ?
9. " The fire becomes quenched by water, and fire causes water to evaporate ; and different elements, united in a body, producing unity, bear up the world.
10. " That the nature of the embryo in the womb is produced as composed of hands, feet, belly, back, and head, and that it is also united with the soul,—the wise declare that all this comes of itself spontaneously.
11. "Who causes the sharpness of the thorn? Or the various natures of beasts and birds ? All this has arisen spontaneously ; there is no acting from desire, how then can there be such a thing as will ?
12. " Others say that creation comes from Isvara, —what need then is there of the effort of the conscious soul ? That which is the cause of the action of the world, is also determined as the cause of its ceasing to act. 13. " Some say that the coming into being and the destruction of being are alike caused by the soul, but they say that coming into being arises without effort, while the attainment of liberation is by effort.
14. "A man discharges his debt to his ancestors by begetting offspring, to the saints by sacred lore, to the gods by sacrifices ; he is born with these three debts upon him,—-whoever has liberation (from these), he indeed has liberation.
15. " Thus by this series of rules the wise promise liberation to him who uses effort ; but however ready for effort with all their energy, those who seek liberation will find weariness.
16. " Therefore, gentle youth, if thou has a love for liberation, follow rightly the prescribed rule ; thus wilt thou thyself attain to it, and the king's grief will come to an end.
17. " And as for thy meditations on the evils of life ending in thy return from the forest to thy home,— let not the thought of this trouble thee, my son,—those in old time also have returned from the forests to their houses." He mentioned Ambarish Drumakesha, Rama and others.
1. Having heard the Buddha's discourse, well suitable to his virtues and knowledge, freed from all desires, full of sound reasons, and weighty,—the counsellor thus made answer :
2. " This resolve of thine is an excellent counsel, not unfit in itself but only unfit at the present time : it could not be thy duty, loving duty as thou do , to leave thy father in his old age to sorrow
3. " Surely thy mind is not very penetrating, or it is ill-skilled in examining duty, wealth, and pleasure,— when for the sake of an unseen result thou departest disregarding a visible end.
4. " Again some say that there is another birth,— others with confident assertion say that there is not, since then the matter is all in doubt, it is right to enjoy the good fortune which comes into thy hand.
5. " If there is any activity hereafter, we will enjoy ourselves in it as may offer ; or if there is no activity beyond this life, then there is an assured liberation to all the world without any effort.
6. " Some say there is a future life, but they do not allow the possibility of liberation ; as fire is hot by nature, and water liquid, so they hold that there is a special nature in our power of action.
7. " Some maintain that all things arise from inherent properties,—both good and evil and existence and non-existence : and since all this world thus arises spontaneously, therefore also all effort of ours is vain.
8. " Since the action of the senses is fixed, and so too the agreeableness or the disagreeableness of outward objects,—then for that which is united to old age and pains, what effort can avail to alter it ? Does it not all arise spontaneously ?
9. " The fire becomes quenched by water, and fire causes water to evaporate ; and different elements, united in a body, producing unity, bear up the world.
10. " That the nature of the embryo in the womb is produced as composed of hands, feet, belly, back, and head, and that it is also united with the soul,—the wise declare that all this comes of itself spontaneously.
11. "Who causes the sharpness of the thorn? Or the various natures of beasts and birds ? All this has arisen spontaneously ; there is no acting from desire, how then can there be such a thing as will ?
12. " Others say that creation comes from Isvara, —what need then is there of the effort of the conscious soul ? That which is the cause of the action of the world, is also determined as the cause of its ceasing to act. 13. " Some say that the coming into being and the destruction of being are alike caused by the soul, but they say that coming into being arises without effort, while the attainment of liberation is by effort.
14. "A man discharges his debt to his ancestors by begetting offspring, to the saints by sacred lore, to the gods by sacrifices ; he is born with these three debts upon him,—-whoever has liberation (from these), he indeed has liberation.
15. " Thus by this series of rules the wise promise liberation to him who uses effort ; but however ready for effort with all their energy, those who seek liberation will find weariness.
16. " Therefore, gentle youth, if thou has a love for liberation, follow rightly the prescribed rule ; thus wilt thou thyself attain to it, and the king's grief will come to an end.
17. " And as for thy meditations on the evils of life ending in thy return from the forest to thy home,— let not the thought of this trouble thee, my son,—those in old time also have returned from the forests to their houses." He mentioned Ambarish Drumakesha, Rama and others.
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