The
Mother taking
Class in playground
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Just
as the arrow-maker straightens his arrows, so also
the
intelligent man straightens his thoughts, wavering
and fickle, difficult to keep straight, difficult
to master.
Just
as a fish cast out of the water, our mind quivers
and gasps when it leaves behind the kingdom of
Mara.
Difficult
to master and unstable is the mind, forever in
search of pleasure. It is good to govern it. A mind
that is controlled brings happiness.
The
sage should remain master of his thoughts,
for they are subtle and difficult to seize and always
in search of pleasure. A mind that is well
guided brings happiness.
Wandering
afar, solitary, bodiless and hidden in the deep cave
of the heart, such is the mind. Whosoever succeeds
in bringing it under control liberates himself
from the fetters of Mara-
The
intelligence Of One whose id is unstable, who
is ignorant of the true Law, and whose faith is
wavering will never be able to develop.
If
a man's thoughts are not agitated if his mind is not
troubled by desire, if he no longer cares for good
and evil, this man, wide awake, knows nothing
of fear.
Observing
that the body is as fragile as a jar, and fortifying
the mind like a city at arms, one should attack
Mara with the blade of intelligence and should
guard carefully whatever has been won.
Before
long this body will be lying on the earth, abandoned,
as. lifeless as a piece of old wood.
Whatever
an enemy may do to an enemy, whatever a hater
may do lo a hater, the harm caused by a misdirected
mind is even greater still.
Neither
mother nor father nor any other kinsman can do
so much good as a well-directed mind.
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These
few verses correspond to all the needs of those whose mind
has not been mastered. They point out the attachment that
one has to one's old ways of being, thinking and reacting,
even when one is trying to get away from them. As soon as
you emerge by your effort, you are like a fish out of water
and you gasp for breath because you are no longer in your
element of obscure desires.
Even when you make a resolution, the mind remains unstable.
It is subtle, difficult to seize. Without seeming to do
so, it is continually seeking its own satisfaction-, and
its intentions are hidden in the core of the heart so as
not to show their true nature.
And while not forgetting the weakness of the body,
you must try to strengthen the mind against its own weakness;
with the sword of wisdom, you must fight against the hostile
forces and treasure the progress you have made so that these
forces may not despoil you of your progress, for they are
terrible thieves.
And then there is a short couplet for those who are
afraid of death, intended to liberate them from that fear.
Finally there is a last short couplet for those who are
attached to their family to show them the vanity of this
attachment.
In the end, a last warning: an ill-directed, ill-controlled
thought does more harm than an enemy can do to an enemy
or a hater to a hater. That is to say, best intentions in
the world, if they do not have a wise control over their
thought, will do more harm to themselves and to those whom
they love than an enemy can do to an enemy or a hater to
a hater.
The mind has a power of deception in its own regard
which is incalculable, It clothes its desires and preference
kinds of wonderful intentions and it hides its trickeries,
resentments and disappointments under the most favourable
appearances.
To overcome all that, you must have the fearlessness
of a true warrior, and an honesty, a straightforwardness,
a sincerity that never fail.
28 February 1958
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