est all kinds of juices and scents, O son of a
trader, as also (barks and leaves of) large trees and herbs and their
fruits and roots. How hast thou succeeded in acquiring a certitude or
stability of understanding? Whence hath this knowledge come to thee? O
thou of great intelligence, tell me all this in detail.'"

"'Bhishma continued, "Thus addressed by that Brahmana possessed of great
fame, Tuladhara of the Vaisya order, well acquainted with the truths
touching the interpretations of morality and contented with knowledge,
discoursed to Jajali who had undergone severe penances, upon the ways of
morality.[1144]

"'"Tuladhara said, 'O Jajali, I know morality, which is eternal, with all
its mysteries. It is nothing else than that ancient morality which is
known to all, and which consists of universal friendliness, and is
fraught with beneficence to all creatures.[1145] That mode of living
which is founded upon a total harmlessness towards all creatures or (in
case of actual necessity) upon a minimum of such harm, is the highest
morality. I live according to that mode, O Jajali! This my house hath
been built with wood and grass cut by other people's hands. Lac dye, the
roots of Nymphaea lotus, filaments of the lotus, diverse kinds of good
scents[1146] and many kinds of liquids, O regenerate Rishi, with the
exception of wines, I purchase from other people's hand and sell without
cheating. He, O Jajali, is said to know what morality or righteousness
is, who is always the friend of all creatures and who is always engaged
in the good of all creatures, in thought, word, and deed. I never solicit
any one. I never quarrel with any one. I never cherish aversion for any
one. I never cherish desire for anything. I cast equal eyes upon all
things and all creatures. Behold, O Jajali, this is my vow! My scales are
perfectly even, O Jajali, with respect to all creatures.[1147] I neither
praise nor blame the acts of others, viewing this variety in the world, O
foremost of Brahmanas, to be like the variety observable in the
sky.[1148] Know, O Jajali, that I cast equal eye upon all creatures. O
foremost of intelligent men, I see no difference between a clod of earth,
a piece of stone, and a lump of gold. As the blind, the deaf, and they
that are destitute of reason, are perfectly consoled for the loss of
their senses, after the same manner am I consoled, by their example (for
the enjoyments I abstain from).[1149] As they that are overtaken