Page:Henry Mulford Tichenor - The Buddhist Philosophy of Life.djvu/25

 Rh groups with the four elements, but there is no ego entity, no self in itself.

Paradoxical though it may sound, there is a path to walk on, there is walking being done, but there is no traveler. There are deeds being done, but there is no doer. There is a blowing cf the air, but there is no wind that does the blowing. The thought of self is an error and all existences are as hollow as the plantain tree and as empty as twirling water bubbles.

As there is no self, there is no transmigration of a self; but there are deeds and the continued effect of deeds. There is a rebirth of karma; there is reincarnation. This rebirth, this reincarnation, this reappearance of the conformations is continuous and depends on the law of cause and effect. Just as a seal is impressed upon the wax, reproducing the characters of its device, so the thoughts of men, their characters, their aspirations, are impressed upon others in continuous transference, and continue their karma, and good deeds will continue in blessings while bad deeds will continue in curses.

There is no entity here that migrates, no self is transferred from one place to another; but there is a voice uttered here, and the echo of it comes back. The teacher pronounces a stanza, and the disciple who attentively listens to his teacher's instruction repeats the stanza. Thus the stanza is reborn in the mind of the disciple.

Dismiss the error of the self, and do not cling to possessions which are transient, but