“By a man’s self is evil done, by himself he suffers, by himself comes good, by himself purification, and by none other.
“This is the sole victory that brings gladness, for in the world of forms victory breeds hatred for the conquered is unhappy. He who has given up both victory and defeat, he is the taster of bliss.”
I write and men read, but who can declare the wisdom of the Lord? For as mists ascend at dawn so illusion was dispersed before his radiance and the veil was lifted and men beheld about them the true Universe of the Powers and the Truth,—the One, the Alone, in which we live and move and have our being.
CHAPTER XVIII
Thus have I heard.
Yet another thing, and heed it well for it was a day precious as clean gold.
As the Lord went with his disciples, they came to the river by the fields of Dhaniya the herdsman, a rich man who trusted in his goods, but kindly and simple, such as the Blessed One loved. And here he stayed his feet, smiling a little as at a thought of his own; and his disciples stood about him, and he said this:
“Here we see great riches of beasts and pasture; surely the man owning these good things is well content!”
And Dhaniya seeing the Holy One, drew near in his peasant’s pride and addressed him:
“I have boiled my rice, I have milked my cows,” so said the herdsman Dhaniya. “I dwell near the banks of the Mahi, my house is roofed, my fire kindled. Therefore, if thou wilt, rain, O sky!”