ll, a fence, or a
mountain as if through air; to penetrate up or down through solid
ground as if through water ... to traverse the sky, to touch the moon
... let him fulfil all righteousness, let him be devoted to that
quietude of heart which springs from within ... let him look through
things, let him be much alone." That is to say, let him aim for the
very tricks of the Yogis, which Buddha had discarded. Is there not
here perhaps a little irony? Buddha does not say that the monk will be
able to do this--he says if the monk wishes to do this, let him be
quiet and meditate and learn righteousness, then perhaps--but he will
at least have learned righteousness!

The little tract called _Cetokhila_ contains a sermon which has not
lost entirely its usefulness or application, and it is characteristic
of the way in which Buddha treated eschatological conundrums: 'If a
brother has adopted the religious life in the hope of belonging to
some one of the angel (divine) hosts, thinking to himself, "by this
morality or by this observance or by this austerity or by this
religious life I shall become an angel," his mind does not incline to
zeal, exertion, perseverance and struggle, and he has not succeeded in
his religious life' (has not broken through the bonds). And,
continuing, Buddha says that just as a hen might sit carefully
brooding over her well-watched eggs, and might content herself with
the wish, 'O that this egg would let out the chick,' but all the time
there is no need of this torment, for the chicks will hatch if she
keeps watch and ward over them, so a man, if he does not think what is
to be, but keeps watch and ward of his words, thoughts, and acts, will
'come forth into the light.'[48]

The questions in regard to Buddha's view of soul, immortality, and
religion are answered to our mind as clearly in the following passages
as Buddha desired they should be. 'Unwisely does one consider: "Have I
existed in ages past ... shall I exist in ages yet to be, do I exist
at all, am I, how am I? This is a being, whence is it come, whither
will it go?" Consideration such as this is walking in the jungle of
delusion. These are the things one should consider: "This is
suffering, this is the origin of suffering, this is the cessation of
suffering, this is the way that leads to the cessation of suffering."
From him that considers thus his fetters fall away' (_Sabb[=a]sava_).
In the _Vang[=i]sa-sutta_ Buddha is asked directly: "Has t