mountains and the rivers, ye must say,
_These are not permanent_. Gazing upon the forms and upon the faces
of exterior beings, and beholding their growth and their development, ye
must say, _These are not permanent_."

And nevertheless! how sweet illusion! The illusion of the great sun; the
illusion of the shadow-casting hills; the illusion of waters, formless
and multiform; the illusion of--Nay, nay I what impious fancy! Accursed
girl! yet, yet! why should he curse her? Had she ever done aught to
merit the malediction of an ascetic? Never, never! Only her form, the
memory of her, the beautiful phantom of her, the accursed phantom of
her! What was she? An illusion creating illusions, a mockery, a dream, a
shadow, a vanity, a vexation of spirit! The fault, the sin, was in
himself, in his rebellious thought, in his untamed memory. Though
mobile as water, intangible as vapor, Thought, nevertheless, may be
tamed by the Will, may be harnessed to the chariot of Wisdom--must
be!--that happiness be found. And he recited the blessed verses of the
"Book of the Way of the Law":--

"_All forms are only temporary._" When this great truth is fully
comprehended by any one, then is he delivered from all pain. This is the
Way of Purification.

"_All forms are subject unto pain._" When this great truth is fully
comprehended by any one, then is he delivered from all pain. This is the
Way of Purification.

"_All forms are without substantial reality._" When this great truth is
fully comprehended by any one, then is he delivered from all pain. This
is the way of ...

_Her_ form, too, unsubstantial, unreal, an illusion only, though
comeliest of illusions? She had given him alms! Was the merit of the
giver illusive also,--illusive like the grace of the supple fingers that
gave? Assuredly there were mysteries in the Abhidharma impenetrable,
incomprehensible!... It was a golden coin, stamped with the symbol of an
elephant,--not more of an illusion, indeed, than the gifts of Kings to
the Buddha! Gold upon her bosom also, less fine than the gold of her
skin. Naked between the silken sash and the narrow breast-corslet, her
young waist curved glossy and pliant as a bow. Richer the silver in her
voice than in the hollow _pagals_ that made a moonlight about her
ankles! But her smile!--the little teeth like flower-stamens in the
perfumed blossom of her mouth!

O weakness! O shame! How had the strong Charioteer of Resolve thus lost
his cont