Page:Henry Mulford Tichenor - The Buddhist Philosophy of Life.djvu/23

 Rh power, and cannot go on of its own impulse. It has no desire to eat, or to drink, or to utter sounds, or to make a movement. But Form goes on when supported by Name, and Name when supported by Form. When Name has a desire to eat, or to drink, or to utter sounds, or to make a movement, then Form eats, drinks, utters sounds, makes a movement.

It is as if two men, the one blind from birth and the other a cripple, were desirous of going on a journey, and the man blind from birth were to say to the cripple:

"See here! I am able to use my legs, but I have no eyes with which to see the rough and the smooth places in the road."

And the cripple were to say to the man blind from birth:

"See here! I am able to use my eyes, but I have no legs with which to travel."

And the man blind from birth, pleased and delighted, were to mount the cripple upon his shoulders; and the cripple, sitting on the shoulders of the man blind from birth, were to direct him, saying, "Leave the left and go to the right; leave the right and go to the left."

The man blind from birth is without power of his own, and weak, and cannot go of his own impulse. The cripple also is without power of his own, and weak, and cannot go of his own impulse. Yet when they mutually support one another it is possible for them to go. In the same way Name is without power of its own, and cannot spring up of its own effort, nor perform any action. Form also is