ke care you do not
by the food you take, encourage in yourselves a covetous or an angry
mind. Eat your food to satisfy your hunger and drink to satisfy your
thirst, as we repair an old or broken chariot, or like the butterfly
that sips the flower destroying not its fragrance or its texture. The
Bhikshu, in begging food, should beware of injuring the faithful mind of
another; if a man opens his heart in charity, think not about his
capabilities, for 'tis not well to calculate too closely the strength of
the ox, lest by loading him beyond his strength you cause him injury. At
morning, noon, and night, successively, store up good works. During the
first and after-watch at night be not overpowered by sleep, but in the
middle watch, with heart composed, take sleep and rest--be thoughtful
towards the dawn of day. Sleep not the whole night through, making the
body and the life relaxed and feeble; think! when the fire shall burn
the body always, what length of sleep will then be possible? For when
the hateful brood of sorrow rising through space, with all its attendant
horrors, meeting the mind o'erwhelmed by sleep and death, shall seize
its prey, who then shall waken it?

"The poisonous snake dwelling within a house can be enticed away by
proper charms, so the black toad that dwells within his heart, the early
waker disenchants and banishes. He who sleeps on heedlessly without
plan, this man has no modesty; but modesty is like a beauteous robe, or
like the curb that guides the elephant. Modest behavior keeps the heart
composed, without it every virtuous root will die. Who has this modesty,
the world applauds; without it, he is but as any beast. If a man with a
sharp sword should cut the body bit by bit, let not an angry thought, or
of resentment, rise, and let the mouth speak no ill word. Your evil
thoughts and evil words but hurt yourself and not another; nothing so
full of victory as patience, though your body suffer the pain of
mutilation. For recollect that he who has this patience cannot be
overcome, his strength being so firm; therefore give not way to anger or
evil words towards men in power. Anger and hate destroy the true law;
and they destroy dignity and beauty of body; as when one dies we lose
our name for beauty, so the fire of anger itself burns up the heart.
Anger is foe to all religious merit, he who loves virtue let him not be
passionate; the layman who is angry when oppressed by many sorrows is
not wondered at