Page:Henry Mulford Tichenor - The Buddhist Philosophy of Life.djvu/35

 Rh The Teacher answered: "Wherever the precepts of truth are obeyed."

Kutadanta said: "Do I understand thee that Nirvana is not a place, and being nowhere it is without reality?"

The Teacher answered: "Thou dost not understand me aright. Listen, and answer me: Where does the mind dwell?"

"Nowhere," replied Kutadanta.

"Then," said the Teacher, "there is no such thing as mind.

"Where does wisdom dwell?"

"Wisdom has no given dwelling place," replied Kutadanta.

Said the Teacher: "Thinkest thou that there is no wisdom, no salvation, because Nirvana is not a place? As the mind passeth over in the heat of the day, so the Tathagata comes to blow over the minds of mankind with the breath of love."

"But tell me," said Kutadanta, "if there be no atman (self), how can there be immortality? The activity of the mind passeth, and we are gone when we cease thinking."

The Teacher said: "Our thinking is gone, but our thoughts continue; reasoning ceases, but knowledge remains. It is as when a man during the night desires to send a letter, and, after having called Ins scribe, has a lamp lit and the letter written. Then when that has been done, he extinguishes the lamp. But though the writing has been finished and the light has been put out, the letter is still there.