devotions to mankind, compassion and humanitarianism, should be perfor all beings, freedom from avarice, modesty, gentleness, forgiveness, courage, humility and tranquility; these, O children of the Eternal One, are the divine qualities of every one who is born from Heaven. 2. They who wish to obtain wealth for the sake of enjoying objects of desire say: So much I have gained today and so much will I gain tomorrow; this is mine and that shall be mine also; this opponent have I defeated and others too I will defeat; I am strong and successful; I am rich and wise; I am admired and praised; now I will be religious and charitable; I will make gifts and rejoice. Thus blinded and tossed about by thoughts of vanity, attached to objects of desire and caught in the net of illusions, they go downward into hells of self-love and of impurity. Void of humility, full of the pride and frenzy of wealth, their religiousness and giving of gifts are only ostentation and for the selfishness of praise and of future rewards. Indulging their vanity, brute force, arrogance and lusts, these meanest of mankind and unholy go downward and never attain peace or tranquility, which is the Highest Goal. Only when released from these Ways of Darkness can one attain Perfection, which is the Highest Goal. formed with no thought of what the consequences will be to one's self other than ennoblement and sanctification. He who is filled with goodness and compassion, free from egotism and self-seeking ambition, possessed of energy and courage that are unaffected by success or failure, pure hearted and reverent, loving all creatures and devoted to their relief and uplifting without thought of himself-only he shall attain the bliss of Perfection which is the Highest Goal. 4. Wise men grieve not for the living nor the dead; for never did they not exist, nor will any one hereafter cease to be. There is no non-existence for that which is real. Know that to to be indestructible which pervades the body; the destruction of that inexhaustible self none can bring about. It is not born, nor does it ever die; existing it exists forever; it is not killed when the body is killed. Weapons cannot pierce it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot overpower it, wind cannot blow it away; it is uncreated, stable, eternal. 5. He whose heart is not agitated by calamities, who has no longings for pleasure, no fear, no wrath, no exultation, no apprehensions, is indeed a sage of tranquil mind. For his mind is tranquil whose senses are 3. By "renunciation" is meant the under control. The self-restrained rejection of all actions done with de- man whose senses are under the consire of self-advantage. Sages call trol of his own self obtains tranthis self-abandonment. All actions, quility. When he obtains tranincluding those of worship, charity quility all his miseries are | de stroyed. There is no tranquility for him who does not persevere in the pursuit of self-knowledge and selfcontrol. Attaining to tranquility one is never unhappy; and remaining in it till the last moment of one's life, one attains to eternal felicity. 6. The man who is attached to his self only, who is pleased and contented with his own self, finds nothing in the world to do; he takes no interest in what is done or not done; nor is any interest of his dependent on any being. But a wise man is always active, knowing that without action these worlds would be destroyed and wishing to help the people in their duties. Therefore always be active but without desire for selfish gain; a man who thus acts shall attain the Supreme 3. The born must die, must tread the path Others have trod-the path by which each race of men, In long succession, and our fathers too, have passed. Soul of the dead! depart; fear not to take the road When men imagine they do aught The ancient road-by which thy by stealth, He knows it, fathers all have gone; happy souls No one can stand or walk, or softly Ascend to meet the good-to meet all glide along, Or hide in dark recess, or lurk in Who dwell in bliss with Him. Fear secret cell, But seen by Him who all his movements spies; not the power of death. Return unto thy home, O soul! Thy sin and shame Two persons may devise some plot, Leave these behind on earth; assume together sitting, a shining form Thinking themselves alone; th' All- Thy heavenly shape-refined and seeing One is there from all taint set free. CHINESE SCRIPTURES-GENERAL SELECTIONS FA-MU: Heaven Parent, Father-Mother, Our Father, Our Mother. SELECTION I. THE Eternal One is the Parent of men. He is compassionate and unwearied in blessing. He inspects kingdoms, and makes no mistakes. Clear-seeing and intelligent, He dwells with men in all their actions. He is offended with wrong-doing. 2. The reason which can be reasoned is not the Eternal Reason. The name which can be named is not the Eternal Name. 3. Man takes his law from the earth; earth takes its law from Heaven; Heaven takes its law from Reason; Reason takes its law from within itself. Use the light to guide you home to its own brightness. 4. Heaven exercises men with trials, holds in its hands the issues of things, and determines men's lot according to their conduct. 5. Only they who carry sincerity to the highest point, in whom there remains not a single hair's breadth of hypocrisy, can see the hidden springs of things. 6. One must watch incessantly over himself; Heaven has an intelligence which nothing escapes, and Its decrees are without appeal. Heaven regards all things, enters into all, is present incessantly to all. Heaven penetrates to the depths of all hearts, as daybreak illumines the darkest room. We should strive to reflect Its light, as two instruments in complete harmony respond to one another. 7. Life and death depend on the law of Heaven, which is immutable. Poverty and riches are dispensed by Heaven, who cannot be compelled. A wise man reveres the dispensations of Heaven, and thus enjoys inward tranquility and peace. 8. Being asked concerning his teaching, the great teacher replied: The true doctrine consists solely in integrity of heart, and treating one's neighbors as one wishes to be treated by them. If one strives to treat others as he would be treated by them, he will not fail to come near the prfect life. 9. What you would not like to have done to yourself, do it not unto others. When you labor for others, do it with the same zeal as if it were for yourself. That which you dislike in superiors do not practise toward inferiors; and what you dislike in inferiors do not practise toward superiors. This is the law for measuring others by ourselves. 10. To become the superior man one must serve a father as he wishes a son to serve him, must serve a brother as he wishes a brother to serve him; must serve a prince as he should wish a minister to serve him; must behave toward a friend as he would wish a friend to behave toward him. 11. The good man loves all men. He loves to speak of the good of others. All within the four seas are his brothers. Love of man is chief of all the virtues. The mean man sows that himself and his friends may reap; but the love of the perfect man is universal. SELECTION II. HIDE the faults of others, and make known their virtues. When you hear people talk of the wickedness of mankind, partake not of their pleasure. When you hear people speak of the virtues of mankind, approve and rejoice therein. 2. The disease of men is neglect ing to weed their own fields, and busying themselves with weeding the fields of other people. True politeness consists in never treating others as you would not like to be treated by them. Of all noble qualities, loving compassion is the noblest. To love and serve all men is to delight in the Eternal One. 3. Tread not in crooked paths. Deceive not in the secrecy of your house. Rectify your own hearts, that you may improve others. To know a thing is right, and not to do it, is a weakness. When you know a thing, maintain that you know it; when you do not know it, admit the fact: this is wisdom. 4. Fear not poverty, but fear missing the truth. Let not thy tongue say what thy heart denies. Never allow yourself to do a wrong thing because it seems trifling, nor to neglect doing a good action because it seems to be small. 5. Let no man do what his own sense of right forbids him to do; and let him not desire what that forbids him to desire. All men have in themselves feelings of mercy and pity, of shame and hatred of vice; they are a part of the organization of man, as much as his limbs or his senses; and they may be trained as well. 6. The mountains naturally bring forth beautiful trees; even when the trunks are cut down, young shoots will constantly spring up. If cattle are allowed to feed on the mountain, it looks bare; shall we there fore say that bareness is natural to the mountain? When the lower passions are let loose, they eat down the nobler growths of love and reverence in the heart of man; shall we therefore say there are no such feelings in his heart? Under the quiet, peaceful atmosphere of morning and evening the shoots that have been browsed tend to grow again. 7. Humanity is the heart of man; justice is the path of man. To develop the principles of our higher nature is to know heaven. 2. The path of duty is near, yet men seek it afar off. The way is wide, it is not hard to find. Go home and seek it, and you will not lack teachers. 3. Peace is the highest aim of the superior man. Begin to regulate before disorder comes. Where legions are quartered briars and thorns grow. 4. Have only such friends as will advance you in piety and virtue. Friends should give each other good counsel, and stimulate each other to the love of goodness. Do not exact from others that they love you as much as they can, or as much as they ought; but exact from yourself that you thus love them. 5. Deal with evil as you would with a disease of your own body. The object of punishmnet is to make an end of punishing. 6. They who remember the benefits bestowed by parents are too by parents are too grateful to remember their faults. They are happy who can return to father and mother the care they received from them in infancy; still happier are they who can return their smiles and caresses, and feel for them the same love they have re ceived. Old age sometimes becomes second childhood; why should not filial piety become parental love? The fidelity of the dog should shame men who are forgetful of benefits. 7. Do not kill a bird three springs old; the little ones in the nest are awaiting the father's and mother's return. Do not frighten sleeping birds, nor kill those with young, nor break eggs unnecessarily. Be humane to all animals, even to insects. Harm not even plants or trees. One who shot a stag and hit his own son, while he was grieving, heard a voice say, The stag loves his child as you love yours. 8. He who wishes to secure the good of others has already secured his own. One forgives every thing to him who forgives himself nothing. To indulge a consciousness of goodness is the way to lose it. 9. Be not sorry if men do not know you, but be sorry if you are ignorant of men. Not to correct our faults is to commit new ones. Very near together are hearts that have no guile. 10. The truly great man is he who does not lose his child-heart. He does not think beforehand that his words shall be sincere, nor that his actions shall be resolute; he simply always abides in the right. When you have learned how to live well, you will know how to die well. SELECTION IV. RELIGIONS are many and different; but reason is one. We are all |