Sacred Teachings -- Buddhism

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Sacred Teachings -- Buddhism

One is not righteous if one decides a case without due consideration,

but the wise man who takes into account both for and against, and

comes to his decision about others with due consideration - such a

man of discrimination who keeps to the truth, he is to be called

righteous.

 

One is not a learned man by virtue of much speaking. He who is

patient, without anger and fearless, he is to be called learned.

 

One is not a bearer of the teaching by virtue of much speaking, but

he who, even if he has only studied a little, has experienced the

truth in person, he is indeed a bearer of the teaching, who has not

forgotten the teaching.

 

One is not an elder by virtue of having white hair. One is just

advanced in years, and called "grown old in vain". He in whom there

is truthfulness, non violence, restraint and self control, however -

that wise and faultless sage is to be called an elder.

 

One is not noble if one harms other living creatures. It is by non

violence to all forms of life that one is called noble.

 

It is not just by fine speech or by flower-like beauty that one is

admirable, if one is envious, mean and deceitful, but when that sort

of behaviour has been eliminated, rooted out and destroyed, that

faultless sage is said to be admirable.

 

It is not just by means of morality and religious observances, not by

great learning nor by attainments in meditation, nor by living alone,

nor by thinking,"I am enjoying a spiritual happiness which ordinary

people do not know" that a bhikkhu achieves peace if he has not

achieved the elimination of inflowing thoughts.