The Sharpest Sword

From Aryez

Book 13 of the Marfat

13: The Sharpest Sword

1. A wise man once asked the prophet Buddha:

2. “What is the sharpest sword? What is the

3. deadliest poison? What is the fiercest fire?

4. What is the darkest night?” The Buddha replied:

5. “A word spoken in wrath is the sharpest sword;

6. desire of what is not yours is the deadliest

7. poison; hatred is the fiercest fire; ignorance

8. is the darkest night.” The wise man continued:

9. “What is the greatest gain? What is the greatest

10. loss? What armor is invulnerable? What is

11. the best weapon?” The Buddha replied: “The

12. greatest gain is to give to others; the greatest

13. loss is to receive without gratitude; patience is

14. the invulnerable armor; wisdom is the best weapon.”

15. The wise man asked: “Who is the most dangerous

16. thief? What is the most precious treasure?” The Buddha

17. replied: “Unwholesome thought [temptation] is the most dangerous

18. thief; virtue is the most precious treasure.” The wise

19. man asked: “What is attractive? What is unpleasant?

20. What is the most horrible pain? What is the

21. greatest enjoyment?” The Buddha replied:

22. “Wholesomeness is attractive, unwholesomeness is

23. unpleasant. A bad conscience is the most tormenting

24. pain; awakening is the height of bliss.” The wise

25. man asked: “What causes ruin in the world? What

26. breaks off friendships? What is the most violent

27. fever? Who is the best physician?” The Buddha

28. replied: “Ignorance causes ruin in the world;

29. envy and selfishness break off friendships; hatred

30. is the most violent fever; the harmony of the force is the best

31. physician.” The wise man then continued: “Now I

32. have only one doubt to be cleared away: What

33. is it that fire cannot burn, nor moisture corrode,

34. nor wind crush down, but is able to bless the whole

35. world?” The Buddha replied: “Blessing! Neither fire,

36. nor moisture, nor wind can destroy the blessing of a

37. good deed, and blessings benefit the whole world.”

38. Then God, hearing this conversation thundered

39. from above: “Blessed is my prophet the Buddha

40. for speaking My truth. May this wise and holy

41. man be blessed.” This man [the Buddha] gave up his life as a wealthy prince to obtain the truth.

Commentary: This awesome dialogue identifies the worst states of mind a person could have and then provides solutions.