And mercy cometh to the merciful.’”[289]
See also the annexed extracts from the Buddhist Sacred Scriptures, written probably about the third century B.C.:—
“The Short Paragraphs on Conduct.”—The Kûla Sîlam.
1. “Now wherein, Vâsettha, is his [the true disciple’s] Conduct good? Herein, O Vâsettha, that putting away the Murder of that which lives, he abstains from Destroying Life. The cudgel and the sword he lays aside; and, full of Modesty and Pity, he is compassionate and kind to all beings that have life.
“This is the kind of Goodness that he has.
[After strict prohibitions of Robbery and Unchastity, Gautama Buddha proceeds.]
4. “Putting away Lying, he abstains from speaking Falsehood. He speaks Truth. From the Truth he never swerves. Faithful and trustworthy, he injures not his fellow-men by deceit.
“This is the kind of Goodness that he has.
5. “Putting away Slander, he abstains from Calumny. What he learns here he repeats not elsewhere, to raise a quarrel against the people here. What he learns elsewhere, &c. Thus he lives as a binder together of those who are divided, an encourager of those who are friends, impassioned for Peace, a speaker of words that make for Peace.
“This, too, &c.